2022-23 NBA Thread

[Lennys Tap]

5-21 is a good performance according to the basketball geniuses here. I’ll take being basketball stupid then.

Jimmy shot it poorly. But as usual was great down the stretch. In spite of two missed wide open 3s by their best shooter and little help from Bam Jimmy had the game won for the Heat - until Strus and an unlucky bounce. Sh!t happens.

[withoutbias]

Jimmy shot it poorly. But as usual was great down the stretch. In spite of two missed wide open 3s by their best shooter and little help from Bam Jimmy had the game won for the Heat - until Strus and an unlucky bounce. Sh!t happens.

“If you ignore the first 44 minutes of a 48 minute game, Jimmy was awesome! You’re a basketball idiot if you disagree!”

Guy shot 5/21 in a closeout game at home. He was horrendous.

But yes, it’s on guys like Max Strus to carry the Heat to a title, not their best player.

[Lennys Tap]

Coach Spo’s team was 4 minutes away from missing the Playoffs entirely while playing Herro all year. His team is now one win away from the NBA Finals with Herro playing the first half of the first game.

Way to put yourself on Eric Spoelstra’s level though. LOL indeed.

He’s not playing due to an injury. If he was healthy, Spo would play him (as he did all year). You wouldn’t. Which one of you is basketball stupid.

The fact that you couldn’t connect the dots means we can drop the word “basketball”.

[MuggsyB]

Jimmy shot it poorly. But as usual was great down the stretch. In spite of two missed wide open 3s by their best shooter and little help from Bam Jimmy had the game won for the Heat - until Strus and an unlucky bounce. Sh!t happens.

I think production in the 4Q should be amplified but you can't discount what actually happened during the course of the game.  This would have been a blowout if Caleb Martin didn't keep Miami in the game for the first 15 mins.  Duncan Robinson missed two wide open threes in the closing minutes, no doubt about that.  But he made several big shots before the closing 2 mins.  Jimmy starting 3-19 and Bam not doing much either was too much to overcome. 

[withoutbias]

He’s not playing due to an injury. If he was healthy, Spo would play him (as he did all year). You wouldn’t. Which one of you is basketball stupid.

The fact that you couldn’t connect the dots means we can drop the word “basketball”.

Correct. And Spo would’ve been in Cancun a month ago had Herro not been injured.

[Lennys Tap]

“If you ignore the first 44 minutes of a 48 minute game, Jimmy was awesome! You’re a basketball idiot if you disagree!”

Guy shot 5/21 in a closeout game at home. He was horrendous.

But yes, it’s on guys like Max Strus to carry the Heat to a title, not their best player.

Remember when Tatum missed everything for three quarters vs Philly but won it for the Celtics down the stretch? That’s what Jimmy did tonight. He didn’t need Max Strus to “carry the team”, he needed him to do his (rather simple) job.

Your personal vendetta against Butler has led to a lot of ridiculous takes here. The guy has been spectacular in the playoffs. You’ve been somewhat less than that.

[Lennys Tap]

I think production in the 4Q should be amplified but you can't discount what actually happened during the course of the game.  This would have been a blowout if Caleb Martin didn't keep Miami in the game for the first 15 mins.  Duncan Robinson missed two wide open threes in the closing minutes, no doubt about that.  But he made several big shots before the closing 2 mins.  Jimmy starting 3-19 and Bam not doing much either was too much to overcome.

With all due respect, it was NOT too much to overcome. Butler’s heroics down the stretch had overcome it - until Strus somehow lost his man.

[Lennys Tap]

Correct. And Spo would’ve been in Cancun a month ago had Herro not been injured.

Doubling down on knowing more than Spo - LOL

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I'm not sure that Herro is worth the contract he starts next season, but I think it's silly to think they're better off without a 20 ppg guy and their best three point shooter.

[HutchwasClutch]

Anyone who can’t see how much better the Heat are without Herro is probably the person who’s basketball stupid.

You are aware the Heat made it to the exact same point of the playoffs one year ago with him, right?!?! He played in 15 of their postseason games last year during that run to ECF game 7 and held a 2-1 series lead before his injury essentially ended his play except for a brief game 7 appearance.

Your take that it’s so obvious they’re much better without him is flat out asinine. 

[withoutbias]

Remember when Tatum missed everything for three quarters vs Philly but won it for the Celtics down the stretch? That’s what Jimmy did tonight. He didn’t need Max Strus to “carry the team”, he needed him to do his (ranger simple) job.

Your personal vendetta against Butler has led to a lot of ridiculous takes here. The guy has been spectacular in the playoffs. You’ve been somewhat less than that.

I do recall. When Tatum was absolute trash. His quote after the game was absolutely hysterical.

I doubt Max Strus’s simple job was to make sure Derrick White was boxed out.

I would hope Jimbo holds himself to a higher standard than you do. 5/21 in a game you lost by 1 with a chance to go to the NBA Finals. Instead you’ll be heading to Cabo next week. He was absolutely trash last night.

I'm not sure that Herro is worth the contract he starts next season, but I think it's silly to think they're better off without a 20 ppg guy and their best three point shooter.

The ball actually moves when Herro is not on the court. Scoring and offensive efficiency typically go down in the Playoffs, one because you’re only playing good teams, two because the game is more physical, and three because the rotations get shortened.

Miami was 25th in offensive rating in the regular season at 112.3. Miami’s offensive rating in the Playoffs is 116.4 would’ve been 6th best in the regular season.

And he’s the worst defender on their roster.

[withoutbias]

You are aware the Heat made it to the exact same point of the playoffs one year ago with him, right?!?! He played in 15 of their postseason games last year during that run to ECF game 7 and held a 2-1 series lead before his injury essentially ended his play except for a brief game 7 appearance.

Your take that it’s so obvious they’re much better without him is flat out asinine.

See above. Him and Poole are one and the same. Ball stopping, inefficient scorers who couldn’t defend a 7th grade CYO guard. But hey, they score 20 ppg, they’re awesome!

[HutchwasClutch]

See above. Him and Poole are one and the same. Ball stopping, inefficient scorers who couldn’t defend a 7th grade CYO guard. But hey, they score 20 ppg, they’re awesome!

Maybe, just maybe the Heat offensive rating is much improved in postseason because Butler has been absolutely dominant this postseason? 

This scapegoating of Herro that all their ills belong solely to him is stupid and showing a lot of weird bias, pun intended. 

And you completely ignore one year ago because your argument is so illogical why this year he’s suddenly a team pariah when team did the same with him last year.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

See above. Him and Poole are one and the same. Ball stopping, inefficient scorers who couldn’t defend a 7th grade CYO guard. But hey, they score 20 ppg, they’re awesome!

Fine, if you want to look at efficiency stats like PER and VORP, he is third on the Heat behind Butler and Bam. (And better than Jordan Poole, BTW)

Again, if you want to debate if he is worth his upcoming contract, I am fine with that. But to claim they don't miss him or are better without him, is silliness.  You really think that trotting out Gabe Vincent for 30+ mpg is better for the Heat?  The guy with a PER of 9.0 and a VORP of -0.6?

You are tripling down on a really, really bad basketball take.

[Uncle Rico]

Coach Spo learning what Sam and Joey knew, you don’t want to play basketball with Tyler Herro

[MuggsyB]

I know no one is giving Miami a chance now  but this series has been so wild anything can happen. 

[Scoop Snoop]

Coach Spo learning what Sam and Joey knew, you don’t want to play basketball with Tyler Herro

   Good one Rico!

[HutchwasClutch]

I know no one is giving Miami a chance now  but this series has been so wild anything can happen.

Yes, never say never and all that, but that was just a devastating way to lose and when that happens, teams just don’t recover.  Miami is even more up against it in a road game 7. 

[4everwarriors]

I'm not sure that Herro is worth the contract he starts next season, but I think it's silly to think they're better off without a 20 ppg guy and their best three point shooter.

He's a hellofa playa and dat's watt hellofa playas go fore deez daze, aina?

[MuggsyB]

Yes, never say never and all that, but that was just a devastating way to lose and when that happens, teams just don’t recover.  Miami is even more up against it in a road game 7.

I tend to agree with you here. 

[forgetful]

Can anyone explain the Technical on Bam for holding the rim on the goaltend, such a rarely called technical and at such an impactful time of the game.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

He's a hellofa playa and dat's watt hellofa playas go fore deez daze, aina?

He’s an above replacement level, but short of an All Star type player. They’re making a big bet on continuous improvement.

[MU82]

“I told the guys in the locker room that if I play better, we're not even in this position, honestly speaking.” -- Jimmy Butler

[MuggsyB]

“I told the guys in the locker room that if I play better, we're not even in this position, honestly speaking.” -- Jimmy Butler

He fked up big time and better find his game from the opening tip tomorrow. 

[pbiflyer]

The Heat were a combined 0-10 in games reffed by tonight’s refs Tony Brothers and Scott Foster during the regular season. The Celtics were 7-2