Russell's shirt, though.

love it, it's like his game, you know something is going on, you just don't know what it is

OKC OKC OKC!!!

Was that really the first time Lebron has scored more than 23 points in a Finals game?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime

I thought LeBron played well last night. Turned on ESPN this morning and saw they had the split for showing he scored 23 points in the first three quarters and "only" 7 in the fourth like it was a big red mark. Really?

That's pretty even scoring. Not everyone is going to drop 17 in the fourth every night. Really seems like they're still trying to hold onto the whole "LeBron disappears in the fourth" thing for as long as they can. His history is what it is, but he was clearly the beat player Miami had last night. I thought he was aggressive the entire game for the most part.

I think the whole "LeBron disappears in the fourth" thing will be around until he proves he can win a championship.

In the NBA finals:
Lebron is 2-9
Durant is 1-0

Kobe is something like 23-12
MJ is something like 24-11

[This message has been edited by Simplebay (edited 6/13/2012 9:12a).]

Of course it will be. The annoying thing was that the media was trying to use last night's game as validation of that theory. Which it wasn't. He played well.

yeah I saw Wilbon say something in the post-game about Lebron's 4th quarter performance. I think he scored 7 points, which seems pretty good for a single quarter. Sure Durant scored more points in the 4th, but that doesn't mean Lebron disappeared.

[please ignore the 11 points Lebron put up in G7 of the ECF. That's irrelevant here. Lebron disappears.]

Lebron pretty much carried the heat in the fourth quarter this entire playoffs. Isn't he second to durant in 4th quarter points this playoffs?

He may be the most physically gifted player of all time and he can't slow down Durant or neutralize him on the other end. I just keep expecting him to be amazing and he is "just" good to great.

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he can't slow down Durant or neutralize him on the other end.

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i remember durant making 1-2 shots against lebron when they were guarding each other. Durant couldnt stop lebron on the block at all last night. LeBron bulldozed him the entire time when he decided to post up

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He may be the most physically gifted player of all time and he can't slow down Durant or neutralize him on the other end.

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I don't watch matchups terribly closely, but I recall Battier guarding Durant for much of the game last night.

I am mostly talking about the 4th quarter but I remember James on him as much as Battier. I believe the wide open three in the 4th was on James (he got caught up in a screen).

Harden played 22 minutes and LeBron guarded him the entire time he was in.

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In the NBA finals:
Lebron is 2-9
Durant is 1-0

Kobe is something like 23-12
MJ is something like 24-11

---

I know Lebron's finals record is your cute stat of the week as you've posted it multiple times, but let's go ahead and take away 4 of those games from when Bron was in cleveland if you're going to throw it up against Kobe and MJ's records...as Kobe and MJ never took a team as atrocious as the 07 Cavs were to the NBA finals, they always had star-studded teams and support.

2-5 is still not good though, however that could all change in a week or so. It's only one game, and for a good chunk of that game, the Heat had the Thunder on the ropes on the road...then Dwayne Wade wanted to make sure and put a stamp on the game.

[This message has been edited by Bunk Moreland (edited 6/13/2012 10:10a).]

Kobe is 23-15 for .605
MJ is 24-11 for .686
Duncan is 16-5 for .762

Duncan is clearly the greatest of all time.

Soupy sales, where 4 > > 5 > > 6 and 16 > > 23 > > 24

gotta love that logic

there is absolutely no question though that #23 > > #24 > > #21

Don't get mad at me. Even after you fudged Kobe's numbers, his win percentage isn't as good as Duncan's in the Finals.

neither is Jordan's so therefore you've either relativized numbers to prove a point that's not correct or you don't believe your own point. either way should be expected based upon the track record of your logic

You cannot be this dense, Simple.

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You cannot be this dense, Simple.

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Based on his track record of posting, he clearly is.

Beat the Heat four straight!!!

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and for a good chunk of that game, the Heat had the Thunder on the ropes on the road

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The Heat aren't the only team in the last week to do so to the Thunder...yet OKC won both. Even when they are aren't playing particularly well, they finds ways to win. Which is why they are the better team.

If Miami doesn't win Game 2 you can stick a fork in this series. OKC WILL NOT lose three in a row in Miami. Winning either Game 6 or 7 at home would be a slam dunk.

I think we can all throw the "They're not coming back from 0-2 to win the series!" angle out of the window for now. Anything can happen.

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Spurs WILL NOT lose four games in a series

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FIFY from just about everyone on this board less than 2 weeks ago.

Not saying the Heat are going to win, or win all 3 in Miami, or even steal one tomorrow night...but this instant "fact" knowing that is created by the internet and ESPN age is ridiculous. 2 weeks ago the Spurs were a lock as NBA champs and going to make the greatest run in NBA playoff history. One week ago the Heat were bowing out and the old Celtics were going to get the big 3 back to the NBA finals one last time.

With 9 minutes to go in the 4th quarter of game 2 last year, The Heat were guaranteed to sweep the Mavs.

Let's just hold off and watch the series unfold.

The Thunder didn't blow out the Heat last night. Durant and Westbrook went OFF in the 4th, and The Dwayne Wade show in the 3rd was the most direct culprit for the Heat giving that game away. These series have a way of tossing and turning. The Thunder won game 1 at home after having had more rest than the Heat. That SHOULD have happened. Now let's see how the Heat respond.

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The Thunder didn't blow out the Heat last night. Durant and Westbrook went OFF in the 4th, and The Dwayne Wade show in the 3rd was the most direct culprit for the Heat giving that game away.

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But Harden was just 2-6 for 5 points after going 19/6/4 against the Spurs. It isn't like OKC played their greatest game ever.

agree completely. It wasn't the best game by either side, and the home team on more rest pulled away late. Pretty standard to me. My point was just that everyone(media mainly) needs to tap the breaks and let the series play out before going into definitive answers of every single aspect of the finals after just 48 minutes of play.

Miami had two full days of rest. It isn't like they were playing back to backs.

I totally agree with what you're saying re: people going back and forth on who's going to win, etc. But as far as OKC goes, my thoughts are on the 'Call Your Shot' spreadsheet. My only mistake, based on where we are now, is I may have underestimated how quick they end the series.

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I just keep expecting him to be amazing and he is "just" good to great.

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Lol, dumb. Lebron is good to great? Ridiculous.

And wait, simplebay missed another point? Shocking.

Thunder played a great game 1 and continued to show that they won't give up after getting down double digits early. Let's see if Miami can step up and steal game 2 tonight. Noone (that I know) expected Miami to win the first two games in OKC, so going home with a split would still be a positive. If OKC wins game 2, then Miami is up against a wall...

Lebron is clearly amazing, it just seems, when it comes down to it, he doesn't have any one "move" or "spot" that he can go to when everyone in the building knows he has to score. Against most players, he should be taking them in the mid post and going to work, but he doesnt. My personal theory, is because that isnt flashy enough for him. He'd rather dribble around the perimeter and launch a contested distance shot.