So who is going to win the NBA Championship Heat or OKC?

[northeast]

Refs often favor one team or influence outcomes. This does not mean that the games are fixed, or even manipulated. Those words all mean different things.

 

[The Thriller]

Sportscenter this afternoon pointed out that Durant has twice as many fouls as Lebron.

Just throwing that out there.

 

[BluesRocker]

Durant has more fouls than Lebron because he keeps leaving his feet at bad times. Clearly his fault. Not the refs. Im even pulling for OKC

 

[northeast]

You telling me that no one on the Heat have got away with fouls that weren't called in the last 2 games?
You telling me that all of Durant's fouls were clearly fouls?
What about all the other calls? Are you sure those were all even too?

Lebron fouled Durant near the end of G2 and it wasn't called.

 

[spycam1]

no he did not.

Damn, you got me.

 

[northeast]

Refs can give more calls to one team without intent to do so, or without malice towards the other team, or without malice towards one player on the other team.

 

[nightmare3983]

Refs can give more calls to one team without intent to do so, or without malice towards the other team, or without malice towards one player on the other team.

That's the whole point: the refs should be unbiased toward any particular player or team.

 

[BluesRocker]

So the two teams in the finals are only there because of the refs, not because of their talent?

 

[nightmare3983]

So the two teams in the finals are only there because of the refs, not because of their talent?

And to think, it's only taken us 8 pages to reach this conclusion.

 

[freakazoid]

Free rep for anyone who neg reps the stupidest poster in this thread.

Just let me know, and I'll send a nice +14 your way.

 

[northeast]

That's the whole point: the refs should be unbiased toward any particular player or team.

Refs can favor one team without having a bias or intent to do so.

I think the point should be that the refs should call the games fairly and evenly, regardless of their biases.

 

[northeast]

Spycam, maybe you were right. I didn't know that Durant had been called for so many fouls. However, still, he is just one of the 16 or so players in a game. There is more to the game than what happens with Durant, so you are making assumptions that may or may not be true. He said "Refs 2, Thunder 1", not "Refs 2, Durant 1"

 

[northeast]

Just for the record, I did not mean to imply that I believe that the refs have favored Miami in this series. I have not paid close enough attention to say one way or the other. However, I do disagree with the implication that the winners in the playoffs are never influenced by some teams getting more calls than other teams. They often are.

 

[BluesRocker]

Spurs will be the next to deny the Heat a title

Even though the Mavericks got swept, they took fought OKC tip to buzzer in three of those games with a team that's not half of what the Spurs are. The Spurs have ZERO weaknesses, are the most versatile team in basketball, the deepest team in basketball, and have the best coach of all time coaching out of his mind right now. OKC are a bunch of young and very talented players whose skill-sets overlap that make a lot of mistakes, still.

Maybe OKC beat San Antonio, but there is PLENTY of evidence to suggest that the Spurs will take those kids to school. The Spurs are on a mission this year.

OKC is overrated. The Spurs will beat them in 6.

Not sure who I would pick between SA and Miami...that'll be a fun series. But if I had to guess, I'd take SA.

I agree 100%

I think the Spurs get by OKC and into he finals this year.

....so your kicking the Spurs to the basketball curb because.......????

I have complete confidence in Russell Westbrook to totally **** his own team over at some point, by trying to be a hero in a game where he can't hit his *** with a flyswatter. Therefore, I'm picking Spurs vs. Miami. Spurs are the better team, but Miami has the best player in the game, and they should have an easier path to get there. I'm gonna call it a toss up for now. Let's see how the next two rounds play out. With the way players have been getting injured, it may very well come down to which team can stay healthy.

Agreed. Love Durant, but Westbrook - not so much. It will probably be the Spurs vs Miami and I could see it going either way. I'm guessing Miami will take it.

Blues is ahead of his time, putting the finals match-up prediction out there early.
I heard Heat are the underdog now in the finals. I guess I agree.
The teams are well matched, and the Heat could win any game, but I would bet OKC wins 4 first.

Why? Quickness, youth, defense, depth, shooting.

Damnit. I agree with Northeast. That right there is a sign of the apocalypse. Everyone should prepare.

Free rep for anyone who neg reps the stupidest poster in this thread.

Just let me know, and I'll send a nice +14 your way.

 

[northeast]

LeBron could have been called for a foul on a Harden turnover and a Durant miss late in the games, but wasn't.

2 or 3 calls like that can turn a game.

Both OKC and Miami are good at getting away with body contact , rather then letting the opponent get a good shot, and then hitting him on the arm to send him to the line.

 

[Brown Notes]

no he did not.

No, It's not about a witch hunt against one player. It's about consistency. I gave them a pass on the no-call on Durant's arm getting grabbed on his shot at the end of game 2 although it was clearly a foul. Westbrook might have taken a beating going for the board too.

It's just that if they are gonna let 'em play, the call in LB's favor, while he's throwing elbows like mad at the end of game 3 is egregious. Once that happened the pass on the g2 call went in the trash.

Both of these games were iced by officials.

 

[HipHopAnonymous]

LeBron could have been called for a foul on a Harden turnover and a Durant miss late in the games, but wasn't.

2 or 3 calls like that can turn a game.

Both OKC and Miami are good at getting away with body contact , rather then letting the opponent get a good shot, and then hitting him on the arm to send him to the line.

This goes both ways. LeBron gets fouled almost everytime he goes to the basket and it's not always called.

The team that loses almost always blames the refs.

 

[spycam1]

Spycam, maybe you were right. I didn't know that Durant had been called for so many fouls. However, still, he is just one of the 16 or so players in a game. There is more to the game than what happens with Durant, so you are making assumptions that may or may not be true. He said "Refs 2, Thunder 1", not "Refs 2, Durant 1"

Yeah, I think we're on the same page.

 

[utahjazz107]

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/06/11/sports/basketball/nba-shot-analysis.html?src=tp

Good link to see player's strengths in their game.

 

[northeast]

This goes both ways. LeBron gets fouled almost everytime he goes to the basket and it's not always called.

I am highly skeptical that Lebron suffers more uncalled fouls per layup attempt than the league average.
I would think that the opposite is more likely.