Derrick Fischer is going to need to get in his ear, for whatever that's worth because Westbrook is a loose cannon. I'm still trying to figure out how the ref calls a double tech on him and battier when westbrook wouldn't move out of Shane's way so he could inbound the ball and then throws a right hook and punches the ball out of his hand, then goes and makes the mad face at the crowd. I can see him getting ejected for something like that in Miami and possibly missing a game. He's got to get his temper under control because that move last night reminded me a little of I mean i know he didn't hit battier, but the ball wasn't that far from his head and westbrook thru a short hook which could have easily struck battier in the face had he been moving trying to step past westbrook which was all he was trying to do anyway....
Spoelstra is a robot.. he doesn't know what he's doing. This is the Finals.. Battier started the game with 3 straight 3-pointers.. 3 for 3 from the field.. he was exploiting one of the Thunder's match-up problems.. he was guarded by Ibaka.. an inside Player that's one of the best shot-blockers in the league. Battier is a smart player.. once he hits his first 3, Ibaka has to play him closer and venture out further away from his strength zone.. and that opens the lane for Lebron and Wade to slash to the basket without having to face Ibaka. So.. Battier was hot.. hit 3 in a row within the first 5 minutes of the game.. and the Heat were up 20-12.. Instead of exploiting the context built-up by battier's 3's, and telling his players to drive hard to the basket.. he flushes the offensive context that his team has earned down the toilet by pulling Battier from the game and putting in Bosh. That's a complete reset. Now the heat have to establish Bosh where battier was already established.. it's a dumb move.. and it let's you know that Spoelstra does not know what he is doing. The heat should have exploited that matchup and forced the Thunder to step outside of their gameplan by making a defensive adjustment before they wanted to. Pulling Battier out bailed the Thunder out and allowed them to proceed with their game plan. And I'm positive it had an impact on the teams moral.. as much as the NBA likes to promote this idea that the players are not supposed to think.. and that the thinking is for the coach.. NBA players know basketball too.. and I'm sure Wade and James and Battier recognized that as a dumb move. If they lose these finals.. you're going to see some problems in the Heat lockeroom next season. Bosh came back from that injury way too quick.. that means that they shot him up.. and he's damaging himself further.. that's even more reason to use him sparingly and leave Battier out there.. especially when he has a hot hand.
I see a lot of people doubting Miami...I don't know if its because they hate Lebron or really OKC fans..but I am sure Miami will win this series.
I'm a fan of basketball. And I played and coached basketball.. so I just like to see good teams compete. Lebron is just another one of the players. He suffers from the same thing that Wilt Chamberlain suffered from.. not having more years with great coaches. Lebron still hasn't played for a quality coach. If he had've landed with Doc Rivers.. or Jerry Sloan.. or Phil Jackson.. or Popovich or Thibodeau.. or even a returning coach like Doug Collins, he would have 2 or 3 rings by now. But he hasn't reached his full potential as a winner.. or as a player. Until he gets down on that block.. and learns to score more with his back to basket, he won't be taking full advantage of his size and strength and quickness. A quality coach would tell him that.. and make him do it.. A consistent inside scorer is the key to multiple championships. A jump shooting team will never win more than 1 or 2 and they won't be back to back. This shortened season is their best chance to do it.. Next year will not be so easy.. especially if Rose is 100%.. And look for Philly to show a big improvement also.
you see what he did. 26 shots.. missed 16.. with 7 trips to the line.. only 7 assists.. OKC needs 10 to 12 assists from Westbrook.. and way less than 26 shots... 26 shots for 27 points is crazy inefficient. They lost by just 4 points.. thats 2 westbrook assists. or 4 westbrook freethrows. Lebron got to line 12 times.. and made all 12 shots.. and bosh was big in his first start since his injury with 16 points and 15 rebounds and 2 blocks. Ibaka sent 5 shots back.. but with Westbrook jacking up shots was only able to manage 5 shot attempts in 29 minutes. same for perkins.. 5 shot attempts.. same for sefaloosha.. only 5 shot attempts.. talk about hogging the ball.