Charlie & Adam Email About NBA Finals

So this is late and long, but Adam Hatlak and Charlie Tritschler emailed about the NBA Finals plus what could be next for San Antonio and Miami after a stunning Game 4. 

Charlie Tritschler  
Truth be told, I have no idea where to start with this one. We are four games into the NBA Finals and the Spurs are absolutely dominating. It reminds me a bit of 2004 NBA Finals when Detroit Pistons came in and housed the Lakers in five. Granted, Spurs were not as big of underdogs as the Pistons yet it was the last time we saw a true team effort take a title.

My first question for you Adam is where do we put Kawhi Leonard in the echelon of great players? It would probably be an overreaction to say he made 'the leap' because he had two great games. But he definitely will have more eyes on him? The expectation should be he's an All-Star next year. I also think he will be the main reason why Pop will coach for at least five more years.

Adam Hatlak 

I'm honestly not getting too excited about the Leonard "jump", I mean, isn't this who we thought he was? I thought he made a jump last finals as a player who COULD do this, but not a guy who was ready for night in and night out dominance. I think that is still the case. Coming in, I thought he was an excellent defensive player, that was continuing to make strides on offense. He didn't have a great start to the series, but has played really well the last two games. We forgot about him during the season and the beginning of the playoffs because he's a quiet guy, and plays for the Spurs, but I honestly don't think my opinion on him has changed that much.

Now, I'm concerned that sounds like I don't like Kawhi, which couldn't be further from the truth, he's fun to watch, plays hard, and impacts the game significantly on both sides of the ball. I saw the article by Tom Ziller about Leonard deserving more credit for his development than the Spurs, which is true, but the fact he was able to develop in a system instead of having to be "The Man" right away helped him. If the Kings had taken him, he'd be forced to play outside of his game to start. He's going to keep growing in the Spurs ball movement focused offense.

I'm not a fan of overreactions to one or two games, but it seems obvious that the type of games that have been on display in the Finals will alter both teams' off season plans. Do you think a Finals win means retirement for the Spurs players? Will they all go together, or separate? Let's ignore the Melo story line for right now, but what are the Heat going to do to fix this?

Charlie Tritschler 

You're right. It was one of those situations where Leonard fell into the perfect spot. No pressure and allowed his game to build like his 3-point shooting. He shot 29 percent at San Diego State, and in his first three years with the Spurs, he shoots around 37 percent. That's not San Antonio driven, that's more Leonard making himself a better player. I have a feeling he will only get better.

I have a feeling Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili will ride off into the sunset if the Spurs win. Duncan has nothing left to prove, added his fifth ring, will only be the third player to win a ring in three decades. He can retire on top, something very rare for a player to do. Ginobili would also get similar satisfactions and with how his body has taken a toll over the years, it makes sense. This would also make San Antonio an interesting team this weekend.

Miami is screwed. Dwyane Wade is going to stay on his player option meaning he will be there another year which is terrible for the team. Chris Bosh might opt-out if he is smart. I know he loves Miami but you gotta think about being a good second banana to a team or the headliner. Imagine if he went to Dallas or Golden State? Even Houston for that matter. LeBron is the million dollar question. A part of me thinks he will opt-out causing everyone to freak out, but then he at least gives him a chance to explore his options. I don't know if it all blows up, but it could get real interesting.

Back to the Finals... Even though he will not win the NBA Finals MVP, is it fair to say Boris Diaw is the second or third-best player on San Antonio's team right now?

Adam Hatlak 

I think you're right on the Spurs off season, Duncan and Ginobili can go out on top, as well as getting rid of the demons from last year's collapse. I think Pop might follow them out the door as well, but he might hang around with Parker.

Is Wade a max player anymore? I tend to think not, he took off a bunch of time during the regular season, and isn't consistent enough right now to carry a team. I tend to view a max player as a guy who can bring his team to the playoffs as the number one option, and I don't think Wade fits that bill anymore. James isn't going anywhere, he's in a destination city now, and can tell players to come play with him. I really don't think he will leave, but I think this team will look different next year. Battier, Chalmers, and Allen could all be gone next year, it might get ugly.

I don't think it's fair to say that Diaw is the second or third BEST player on San Antonio's team. If I were listing best players, it would look like Duncan, Parker, Leonard, Ginobili, Diaw. No doubt, Diaw is incredibly important to what the Spurs do, and presents a terrible matchup for Miami, but I don't think that makes him one of the best players. He could be considered for MVP of this series, though, and that's an incredible thought for a player who was once cut by the Bobcats.

Flash forward to a week from now, (June 20th would be the day of a game 7 if it happens) and miraculously the Heat have won two in a row to force a game 7 in this hypothetical, how would they do it?

Charlie Tritschler 

I disagree about Pop. I mean he is 65 years old, but with Parker and Leonard as his key cogs, it is not unreasonable to think he couldn't get a sixth title with those guys in the next five years. I don't see him coaching into his seventies, but who the hell knows with him. He seems like a 'by my own rules kind of guy.' 

He isn't but Wade wants a max deal. He has said publicly in his mind, he is still a max player. Now, he was TERRIBLE in Game 4 and really hasn't played well for most of the Finals. I don't think he is a number two on most teams in the league right now with his knee problems honestly. He cannot be taking seriously. But with all those players gone, they could reload with younger, more efficient bench players. What if they added Kyle Lowry as a starter with Trevor Ariza and Rodney Stuckey to their bench (All unrestricted free agents) with the Big 3, isn't that a scarier team than what they have right now?

Okay, maybe I overreacted there, but Boris is playing his ass off right now. It finally showed up a little more in the box score with eight points, nine rebounds and nine assists. I think he has been one of the most valuable guys on this team and a big reason it is 3-1.

The way the Heat get to Game 7 is actually pretty simple... They win Game 5. In an arena that will be jacked for the Spurs, Miami finds a way to kill their will would be massive. They also need more Chris Bosh. He added only 21 points in the last two games after back-to-back 18 point games in the first two. He needs to be part of the offense early on as that seems to be the key to unlock Bosh's scoring.

Adam Hatlak 

I think the title window closes for the Spurs when Duncan retires. They will still be good, but I don't think they will be able to win the loaded Western Conference. The Clippers, Thunder, Rockets, and Warriors are all on the way up still, and a Duncan-less Spurs would slip just enough in my opinion to not be contenders anymore. It's going to be too difficult for them to acquire a top-notch interior presence to replace Duncan. I doubt they will fall off a cliff like other teams do when they fall from contention, but the title window will close.

Ariza, Stuckey, and Lowry would make that team better, but I'm guessing Lowry will go for the team that offers him the most money, and that won't be Miami. Just like the Heat's first title run, the key, in my opinion, is Wade. LeBron took over the team when they finally won their first ring, but part of that was Wade realizing James was a better player. If Wade realizes again that the team can't be a dynasty with him at a max deal, and accepts a lesser role, the Heat can obviously reload right away. If Wade demands max money, something that nobody should fault him if he does, it will be tough for this team to fulfill their absolute potential. I could see them adding a big man Spencer Hawes or Jordan Hill, a wing who can defend and shoot, Ariza would be great if they can make it, and a point guard, would Patty Mills or Nate Robinson be the bench energy they need?

If the Heat are going to win any games, they need the Big Three to be the Big Three. The Spurs have out played them, no doubt about it, but Miami was built to have three players dominate with the role players doing specific jobs. Currently, only LeBron is dominant night in and night out. They need more help.

How long does this series go?

Charlie Tritschler 

You're probably right. They really cannot replace Duncan and Ginobili's production that quickly, but if Pop does stay, he is still the best coach in the Western Conference without question. If they get three good years, I could see San Antonio making some improbable run because of Pop and Kawhi is a next level player. They will be a perennial playoff team, but yes, the West will only get better with the Kings and Pelicans nipping at the heels as well.

Yeah that's probably a little ambitious by me, but I like where you headed with this one. Hill or Hawes would be a great option for Miami giving them some size and Patty Mills whom I love as a player and think could be a starter on some teams. Nate would be a fun one because I think he would add more character to this team and could be a valued bench player.

I think it ends Sunday. I really cannot see Miami bouncing back from two blowouts and finding a way to win on Sunday. What do you think.

Adam Hatlak 

I think San Antonio finishes them off in 5. Most series, I'd say that the Spurs are due for a drop off, but I think you're right, after how the series ended last year, I can't see the Spurs letting up. I expect a big game from LeBron, and one of Wade/Bosh, but I don't think all three will put it together.

Charlie & Adam 

Manufactured Melo to Miami Story

In sports, politics and entertainment where rumors run rampant, there are always those rumors which hang out there. Like everyone knows the rumor, but no one really runs with it.  Sometimes, they don't run with it because there isn't enough evidence for it to be fact. Other times, it realistically could happen, but the chances of it are so unlikely. Honestly, the rumor of Carmelo Anthony headed to the Miami Heat is a combination of both. People like to dream every now and again, and this is what happening with the discussion about Carmelo to Miami.

Never say never, but this feels like a 10 percent chance of something like this actually happening this offseason. It might be less than that. Carmelo doesn't feel like the type of player whom would be okay with being the second or third banana on a team. Sure, he could win a championship, but it always seemed like Melo wanted to do it his own way. Granted, this was the same sort of stuff written about LeBron James when he ended up joining up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. But Melo really wants to share the ball that much? It is hard to see it happening truthfully.  

The other part of it as The Big Lead's Jason McIntyre pointed out, the best contract offer Miami can put on the table is four years and 48 million dollars.  That's all.  Melo would probably be taking at least a 50 percent pay cut to play for the Heat. Are you sure he is going to do that all for the chance at a championship?  Charles Barkley and Karl Malone did those sort of things at the end of their careers to get a ring. Gary Payton did the same thing as well multiple times, and Reggie Miller said on Dan Patrick this week had the Boston Celtics called in June at the tail end of his career, he would have too. If Carmelo is still ringless by his 15th year in the league, I could see him joining a superteam, but not in the prime of his career for 50 percent of the cost (The obvious juggernaut at this time 15 years down the road will be the Milwaukee Bucks). 

For the sake of the blog post, if Melo did end up in Miami, I think it could be a situation where too many cooks in the kitchen. While I understand this was the concern when the Big Three formed together years ago, it feels a lot like the 2004 Los Angeles Lakers team. They added Karl Malone and Gary Payton leading people to believe this team would be unstoppable with Kobe Bryant and Shaquile O'Neal. This Laker team still ended up in the NBA Finals before getting housed by the Detroit Pistons, but they fractured all sorts of relationships leading Shaq to Miami. That's what I feel would happen. One or two guys would out after a year because there were way too many alphas in Miami. 

This is one of those stories that the media will keep pushing for the next month until Anthony signs with a team. The NBA is probably praying to everything holy that this doesn't happen because there is little parody in the league right now, and Miami adding Melo would only make matters worse.  

Charlie. 

NBA Finals Recap: LeBron & Bosh Shush San Antonio and Take Game 2

Miami Heat did not want to head back to South Beach trailing 2-0 in the series. That's not the Miami way in recent years. Miami hasn't lost back-to-back playoff games since the Eastern Conference Finals in 2012 when Boston took three straight games. The Heat got a primetime performance from LeBron James, Chris Bosh proving why he is one of the best second banana and how San Antonio squandered this game away in multiple ways.

Everyone took shots at The King after Thursday's night game where James left the game early with cramps brought on by AT&T Center's air conditioning going out mid-game. People loved to laugh at James because he is an easy target, and people love to pick on him. James heard all of shots and took full control of this game in the second half. He ended with 35 points and 10 rebounds. LeBron put on a complete clinic for anyone whom dared to give him a hard time about his cramping issues. He looked on another level than everyone else in that gym. When you get that LeBron, the only one whom can stop him is James himself.

James' night is more impressive considering he began the game missing three of his first four shots with only two points in the first. James would only miss five shots the rest of the game. He did in all different ways as well. Sometimes, we see LeBron take it to the lane and earn most of his points from the free throw. Not Sunday night as he made three 3-pointers in the second half along with other mid-range jumpers. James had the whole arsenal working on Sunday. If LeBron could be like Stone Cold Steve Austin and hold up middle fingers to the crowd, he would have easily have done it after this game. Solid way to bounce back from Game 1.  

Chris Bosh gets hated on so much by the NBA community. It is due to his antics and demeanor, but for a long time, people didn't take him seriously as a basketball player. Rather a player just coming along for the ride. This season, Bosh has been much more of the second option when LeBron has needed him. Even though James had a Hall of Fame-like performance, Bosh came up with the two biggest plays in the fourth quarter. Bosh drilled a big three in the corner like he has done all season with Miami. The Big Shot Bosh nickname rang true on Sunday night. Additionally, Bosh took Tim Duncan on the dribble causing Duncan to stumble with Miami's final possession leading to an easy dagger lay-up by Dwyane Wade ensuring Miami's victory. 

San Antonio has to be kicking themselves today though. They could have easily be up 2-0. Spurs put Miami on the ropes multiple times throughout the game but couldn't deliver the knockout punch at any point of the game. There were a couple times in the first half where San Antonio could have really push the lead out, but they would have a turnover or a couple missed shots like Miami stay in the game. Probably their biggest undoing was in the middle of the fourth quarter, San Antonio was up 87-85. Mario Chalmers would get called for a flagrant foul giving Tony Parker two free throws which he both missed and the following possession, Duncan missed two free throws as well. Naturally, LeBron hits a three on the following Duncan's two clanked throws.  If the Spurs make all four, they are up six with not much time left and take advantage of the quarter.  If Miami wins the series, we could point to the Spurs inability to close the door on Sunday. 

The series head to Miami where the Heat haven't lost all playoffs. James handled responding to the haters about the cramps and the target on Sunday. Now, he will have a chance to take control of this series. Something tells me he will not miss out on the opportunity. 

Charlie. 

SnoTap NBA Finals Preview: 15 Dollar NBA Finals Challenge

The Internet is in a complete tizzy over the 15 dollar game or the 25 dollar game or the 20 dollars and shut the hell up about it. Anyways, it is a cool concept, but my goodness, it is dominating my Twitter feed for the last week. I am pretty sure the trend is over, but a few people will try to run it back like the people doing 'Gangnam Style' videos two months after the trend already begun. But we are going to do it for the only time on SnoTap as we utilize it for the NBA Finals preview.

Five dollar players will be the ones with the most valuable to either San Antonio Spurs or Miami Heat winning the Larry O'Brien trophy. From there, we will look at other players working our way down.

Five Dollars
LeBron James - This is the obvious first choice. LeBron had a fairly good NBA Finals against the Spurs. Granted, Kawhi Leonard is a year older which could be a factor into wondering how good James will be this June. For reference, he had two triple-doubles and three games with 30 points or more. Although in the two games against San Antonio this year, James struggled mightily with under 20 points and poor shooting in both games.

Kawhi Leonard - I think he is the most important player on the Spurs roster. Say he holds LeBron to under 23 points a game for the series and the Spurs win plus Kawhi ends up averaging around 15 points a game. He would easily be the Most Valuable Player of the Finals. Leonard had some big games down the stretch in last year's NBA Finals and if he is more assertive on the offensive end, he could do some big things in this series.

Chris Bosh - This is the player to watch in the series. Bosh has been coming on hot of late. He had three straight games with 20 points or more plus he is shooting 57.5 percent from the field in those three games. Bosh is red hot. He is also rebounding which is something I was highly critical of him in the past. He grabbed eight and 10 boards in the last two games. Don't be shocked if he is the NBA Finals MVP if Miami takes their third straight title.

Tony Parker - The health of Tony Parker is a major concern. He says it will be all good, but one tweak could disable him from being a factor in this series. He hurt his ankle recently and hurt a hamstring earlier on in the playoffs as well. If he is 100 percent, Parker is a huge game-changer. Not one player on the Heat can really guard him. Maybe Dwyane Wade is the only answer, but he has definitely lost a step in his defense.

Four Dollars 
Tim Duncan - The last two games have been great for Duncan with double-doubles in both games as well Duncan scoring 19 and 22 points. The rebounding numbers were vast improvements from where he was after the Portland series. Duncan has some demons looming with him missing bunnies in the late game. Biggest thing for him is if there is a close Game 1 or Game 2, Duncan needs to hit a couple of those late and get the confidence back. Because if Duncan misses them again, the demons could return.

Dwyane Wade - Everyone talking about Miami to win the series are saying Wade will be the difference given his health is much better than it was last season. I don't disagree, but I don't know if he will be as effective as people believe him to be this series. Wade will have his moment though at some point whether it is a big game-winning basket or an iconic game like Game 4 last season.

Manu Ginobili - Many people are talking about how this is a redemption series for Duncan, but it is more so for Ginobili. He struggled mightily besides Game 5 and Game 7 last season. Granted, Ginobili came up big when it mattered the most, but he has something to prove in this series. A part of me feels Ginobili will come up huge for the Spurs at some point. He is having a real solid playoffs including probably being the difference maker against Oklahoma City.

Rashard Lewis - This might be an overreaction to Lewis' Game 5 and Game 6 performances, but you cannot overlook what he did in the last two games. He had 18 points with Game 5 and added 13 in the Game 6 win. If Lewis can basically be Sam Perkins for this team and just drill corner threes, huge addition for this team's offense. He also could spend the whole time on the bench and I wonder why I am wearing this f---ing shirt.

Boris Diaw - Big Game Boris???  He tends to come up big when San Antonio needs him the most. Diaw could be a true factor battling Miami's small lineup. The likely assumption is he will play a heavy (no pun intended) role into the Spurs offense with likely him playing at the four with Duncan at the five. Diaw should add something to the Spurs offense.

Three Dollars 
Ray Allen - Every now and again, you will have 'Ray Allen Game.' They do not come often, but all the sudden, Allen hits a huge three in the waning moments of the game. He is completely lethal and terrifying to be out there on the court late in games. Ray isn't giving you 10 a game, but he will give a big three somewhere in this season.

Tiago Splitter - I know a lot of people are saying Tiago will not get much run because of the Spurs small lineup. I would disagree. San Antonio could put him with the small lineup forcing LeBron to play more in the post and hopefully draw fouls on him. Splitter might not score points or pull down a ton of rebounds, but his size could pay off for San Antonio.

Chris Andersen - He could be more valuable than this guarding Tim Duncan and the other big men in this series. They also need Andersen to be healthy because if he is absent from the series, San Antonio can have their way in the paint.

Danny Green - I really do believe there will be one game where Green comes out of nowhere and has five or more threes leading the Spurs. He had a huge stretch through Game 2-4 last season where everybody couldn't stop talking about him. Green did it one time against Oklahoma City, and I doubt he will be a ghost in this series.

Two Dollars 
Mario Chalmers - He has not reached double-digits in scoring since Game 2 of the Brooklyn series, but he will still play a part in this series. If Chalmers can take advantage of Parker not being 100 percent, he could contribute to this offense plus the defense on Parker will be vital. Worth noting he had games of 19, 14 and 20 points against San Antonio last Finals.

Matt Bonner - He started the last two games for San Antonio against Oklahoma City. Will the trend continue?  It doesn't sound promising looking at 2013 NBA Finals as he only played in garbage time in Game two through four.

One Dollar  
Norris Cole - Every now and again, Norris steps up in a big way. He bails the Heat out off the bench from time to time.

Patty Mills - I believe in Patty Mills. I think Gregg Popovich doesn't trust him enough, but have a feeling weird feeling there will be a night where NBA Twitter is using Patty's name in all caps.

Prediction
Heart says Spurs in 7, head says Heat in 6. I really don't know. It is so damn close. Let's go with Miami wining in six games.

Charlie.

Paul George Pushes Pacers Past Heat to Avoid Elimination

Indiana Pacers' collective backs were up against the well. They faced elimination last night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse as Miami Heat could have ended the trilogy between the two teams with an emphatic whimper. But Pacers would not be deny as they won 93-90 with a strong second half from Paul George, propelling the team for a return to South Beach and try to force an inexplicable Game 7.  There was much to go over from this game ranging from the favorable whistle, Lance being Lance to the final non-shot by LeBron James.

Indiana needed its superstar to be great, and George did exactly that in the second half with 33 of his 37 points coming in the final two quarters. He made 15 field goal attempts with five of them coming from 3-point range. If you take out the nine missed threes from George's stat line, he made 15 of 20 baskets from the field making it a more impressive stat line. He looked in full control for the first time in the series. It showed the importance of LeBron James in foul trouble because George was able to take control of his basketball game with The King spending much of the time on the bench. It also nice to see a player back up his talk after George's bizarre Game 4 comments, it seemed like he had a purpose out on the basketball court. Curious to see how he carries it over to Game 6 on Friday night.

You never want to be 'that person' in the group whom blames everything on the officials, but man, it sure did look like the zebras did their best to help Indiana.  At one point, Grantland's Bill Simmons points out Miami had 19 fouls to Indiana's 10. What exactly happened?  LeBron is definitely not known for getting fouls called against him. Personally, I believe LeBron should average around four fouls a game leading to him fouling out more often, but the league is selective on when to call fouls on Bron. Maybe he put himself in consistently bad situations allowing for fouls to be called or maybe the officials listened to George's $25,000 complaints after Game 4. The whistle against James had much to do with him struggling last night going 2/10 from the field with seven points. LeBron never got into a rhythm affecting how he played last night.

Lance Stephenson continued to be the pest of the playoff after blowing in LeBron's ear and jumping into the huddle between a couple Heat players. He is baseball's version of Manny Ramirez.  There should be just Lance headlines because he is the only capable of pulling some of this shit. He picked up a 10,000 dollar fine for flopping last night in addition to the antics above. I do think wherever Lance goes this offseason because it will not be Indiana, we need to keep him in whatever conference LeBron is in so we can get at least three or four games of this plus a playoff series. Odds LeBron punches Lance next season are pretty high. Just needs to happen once.

Speaking of James, much criticism has come from James deciding not to take the layup at the rim. Those are the closest LeBron hate squad jumping on every mistake he makes in life. A couple things worth noting as to why James likely gave up the shot to Chris Bosh in the corner. One, LeBron had five fouls. They go to overtime and James fouls out, it is curtains for the Heat plus extra five minutes spent playing Game 5.  Two, Bosh has hit those shots all year. ESPN's Bomani Jones nicknamed him Big Shot Bosh because he found a way to hit late-game jumpers. Granted, Bosh's shot wasn't the greatest yet still, not a terrible decision. If you buy into the old adage, 'Play for overtime at home, win on the road', James tried to do exactly that on Wednesday night.

If anyone thinks this series is going the full seven, they are either a perpetual drunk or a Pacers homer because LeBron is ending this thing on Friday night. We are in store for an iconic James performance on Friday night and I hope Lance is ready for it along with his other Pacer teammates.

Charlie.

NBA Playoffs Recap: LeBron Drops The Hammer on Pacers

"Don't throw stones if you live a glass house and if you got a glass jaw, you should watch your mouth cause I'll break your face."

The quote comes from the great poet 50 Cent in his song 'Patiently Waiting' off his first album. It is really a shame LeBron James didn't quote this line to Lance Stephenson given the Pacers guard's comments about James. LeBron and the Miami Heat's dominated Game 4 in a 102-90 victory where James delivered a top notch 'Best Player in the World' performance along with the revival of Chris Bosh plus why is Lance trying to become the next DeShawn Stevenson?

James had full control of this game. It lit a fire under his ass, and he played at his A+ level. James was not playing poorly through the first three games of this series, but he took it to another level on Monday. He scored 32 points with 10 rebounds and five assists missing only eight shots and only taking three 3-pointers delivering an efficient performance. Only three of LeBron's made 13 shots were outside the paint. The man was clearly on a mission.  LeBron shoved every single piece of Lance's comments right into his face on Monday night.

Why anyone would tempt LeBron these days is beyond me. No one needs to give LeBron any motivation these days. No one questions James ability to come through in the clutch anymore nor does anyone recycle any of the former narratives about The King. He earned the right to be called The King and no one really can even come close to his Iron Throne. Lance runs his mouth as he has been accustom to in the past only to get buried by James and company. There is another LeBron could have went with 'If you swing at the king, you better not miss.'

Chris Bosh didn't have one of the best playoffs thus far. He became the number two man for Miami this season as Dwyane Wade battled through injuries all season. Bosh became this player known for his big shots. But in this series, Bosh strung together three straight games of single digits getting frustrated by the Indiana big men. He started off fast which was different for both the Heat and Bosh with quick 10 points in the first quarter of the game. Bosh had control throughout the game with 25 points making seven shots including three 3-pointers. He spread the floor paving the way for opportunities for LeBron and others on the Miami roster. Wade had two big games and now Bosh added his own to the mix. This could be curtains for Indiana.

I am still trying to figure out why Lance Stephenson opened his mouth. He did the same thing two years ago making a choking gesture to LeBron on the bench which paved the motivation for the rest of the series. Remember DeShawn Stevenson?  Same last name, different spelling, same stupid trash talk. Stevenson did get redemption in the twilight of his career but during his prime, LeBron made DeShawn look like a complete jackass including a diss song written by Jay Z.  He might of had the last laugh against James, but he is known for his career as being the player whom shit talked LeBron and got destroyed because of it. The aforementioned Jigga Man once said, "Don't be the next contestant on that Summer Jam screen." And that basically describes Stephenson.  

But then again, maybe Indiana is delusional as an entire team. Paul George blamed the officials and said they would have won the game if the refs were better. That is complete and utter bullshit. Then again George got catfished on the Internet so I mean it is fair to wonder if his judgement is impaired a little bit. Maybe his Gatorade got tainted or he had a bad Papa John's pizza post-game because this is one of the stupidest things I have ever heard. George wants to make the fans feel better even though they watched their Pacers team getting beat by 20 points in the second half. George also would like you to know that Thomas Dewey beat Harry Truman, it was just a technicality.  

Indiana is done. I felt good about predicting the Heat in five after the Game 2 victory. It does seem like the Pacers have no answer for this version of the Miami team. They could have had Game 2 and Game 3, and failed to capitalize in both games. Heat will put them to bed Wednesday night.

Charlie.

NBA Playoffs Recap: The Return of Blue Collar Gold Swagger

For 75 percent of the NBA year, people were fired up to see Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat meet in the Eastern Conference Finals. People knew these were the two best teams in the East, and Indiana looked poised to take down Miami after coming close in the last two years. Then shit hit the fan with the Pacers where they looked like a fringe playoff team at best, yet Indiana still found their way to meeting Miami again for a third consecutive year in the playoffs. 

Many people expected a disappointing third act, but Game 1 proved the Pacers might be more of a threat than many expected as the Pacers win 107-96 taking the first game of the series. Indiana had full control of the game in the second half with the Pacers relentlessly attacking the lane, getting to the free throw line and why it is fair to question Miami's defense plus the continued struggle from Chris Bosh against Indiana.   

Indiana had a great game from all five of their starters as they all finished with double figures. Paul George led the way with 24 points and seven assists. George utilized all of his abilities by getting to the lane and also making three 3-pointers. David West put in another great postseason effort as he had 19 points with seven rebounds.  All of the Indiana starters were extremely efficient on Sunday afternoon taking it to Miami like they have been in the last couple of years at home as the Pacers have won seven of their last eight games at home when playing the Heat. Indiana basically got the performance everyone had been waiting for in the last two months making you wonder if they were just waiting for Miami. 

Roy Hibbert has been one of, if not, the biggest NBA player storyline, and once again, he acted like a known Miami killer, perhaps we should call him Dexter Morgan. He had 19 points and eight rebounds plus causing Miami to shoot more from the outside versus them attacking the lane. The Heat only shot 15 free throws for the entire game as well as shot 23 threes missing 17 of them. Miami wanted nothing to do with Hibbert. They hadn't faced a seven footer in the playoffs and their lack of size shined brightly in this basketball game. Chris Bosh needs to find a way to bring Hibbert out of his comfort zone, but Bosh's continued problems against the Pacers should be a worry to Heat fans. 

For whatever it's worth, I think Bosh had one of his better seasons as a member of the Big Three. He had to takeover the sidekick role for Dwyane Wade as he battled through injury all season, but still he hasn't been able to figure out how to play against Indiana. Bosh needs to be more aggressive if Miami wants to avoid this kind of game again.  With Wade still not being the Wade of yesteryear, Bosh needs to be a factor night in and night out.  Getting only nine points on 4/12 shooting will not help anyone whatsoever.  Also what might help is the team not playing such lackluster defense.  

Much has been made about Miami's inability to play defense this season. It is a true problem for this team with their numbers being higher than they have been in the first three years of the Miami legacy. They allowed way too much inside, and that's a big problem. Now, this is the first real test for the Heat. Brooklyn ran out of gas nearly every game. Charlotte isn't a real playoff team so possibly, all it will take for Miami is an adjustment here or there. Erik Spolestra has been good in past years of finding that one key adjustment that flips the series completely on its head. Spo will need to do that to avoid a 2-0 start to the series, something that doesn't happen very often to Miami.  

Game 1's are always so tricky. It shouldn't be taken for a grain of salt nor should it be bible of what will take place in the series.  This could be the best effort we see from Indiana for the rest of the series, or we could be in for a better third act than we believed last week.   

Charlie. 

SnoTap NBA Conference Finals Preview

2014 NBA Playoffs delivered the best first round in NBA history. The second round didn't deliver like the first round did, but it still brought a ton of fun. The two seeds in each conference are in the Final Four meaning it went completely chalk, but that doesn't mean we will not have great games. It should be very exciting. 

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1.) San Antonio Spurs vs. 2. Oklahoma City Thunder 
Game 1: Monday May 19th 8:00 pm TNT
Game 2: Wednesday May 21st 8:00 pm TNT 
Game 3: Sunday May 25th 7:30 pm TNT
Game 4: Tuesday May 27th 8:00 pm TNT 
Game 5 (Thursday) Game 6 (Saturday) Game 7 (Monday) -  If Necessary

Reason Spurs win: They are at full strength... sorta - Oklahoma City swept San Antonio in the regular season, and Brooklyn-Miami thought us that it is meaningless in the postseason, but if you look at how many key players for San Antonio missed an Oklahoma City is pretty interesting. Manu Ginobli missed two of them, Tiago Splitter missed one, same goes Kawhi Leonard. Tony Parker's hamstring is a concern, but other than that, San Antonio is coming in with their full unit. Also Gregg Popovich getting a couple extra days and an extra game to look at this version of Oklahoma City is always a good thing.  
Reason Thunder win:  Reggie Jackson, the Spurs killer - There are not many people whom have their best games against San Antonio, but Reggie Jackson is one of those rarities. He owns San Antonio. Jackson averaged 21 points against the Spurs which was his highest total against any Western Conference opponent. If Tony Parker is hurt plus Patty Mills not being a great defender, Jackson could have a transcendent series off the bench. It will be interesting to see how Scott Brooks manages the minutes between Jackson, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.  

X Factors:  Spurs - Kawhi Leonard, Thunder - Steven Adams - Leonard is going to be the Durant stopper. He could do some of the similar things Tony Allen did in the first round. And Leonard has done some good work against KD as he only averages 27.3 this season which was second worst against a Western Conference team along with only shooting 43 percent, one of his lowest numbers. If Serge Ibaka's calf is worse than we think, Adams becomes an even bigger player, but he showed some real promise in extended minutes in Game 6. He will obvious frustrate Tim Duncan and Splitter, but in no way get under the skin like he did in Los Angeles.   

Prediction: Thunder in six - Doesn't it just feel like it is Oklahoma City's year? After coming back in Game 5 against Memphis, Zach Randolph getting suspended, the refs controversy in Game 5 of the Los Angeles series, everything seems to be breaking for them. I also think Durant has been on another level and poised to make it back to the NBA Finals. It really does seem like KD is possessed to get back to the NBA Finals.  

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1.) Indiana Pacers vs. 2. Miami Heat 
Game 1: Sunday May 18th 2:30 pm ABC 
Game 2: Tuesday May 20th 7:30 pm ESPN 
Game 3: Saturday May 24th 7:30 pm ESPN 
Game 4: Monday May 26th 7:30 pm ESPN 
Game 5: (Wednesday) Game 6 (Friday) Game 7 (Sunday) - If Necessary

Reason Pacers win: Paul George plays like a superstar - There have been a couple shining moments for George whether it be Game 4 against Washington or Game 7 against Atlanta, but the consistency hasn't been there. In five of the 13 games in the playoffs, George scored 18 or less points which isn't what you want from a superstar. Now he has a thrill for playing against Miami so maybe George elevates his game to another level, but he will need to be much better than he was for the majority of the Washington series.  

Reason Heat win: Dwyane Wade needs to be a true second banana. LeBron James is obviously important to Miami winning basketball games, but Wade will be needed in this series. Indiana's defense is still good no matter how dysfunctional they have been for the last couple of weeks. They will shutdown James at some point and will need a solid second option. In three games against Indiana, Wade scored 21.3 points plus he showed some signs of life on offense in the past few games. He needs to actually be a factor rather than a guy whose just there with a big name. We have seen in this rivalry before where Wade has a throwback game so don't be surprised if he throws out a 35 point night. 

X Factors:  Pacers - George Hill, Heat - Chris Bosh - Because Roy Hibbert has been subpar, no one is realizing how poorly George Hill is playing right now especially in the last couple game as Hill turned in two single digits effort. He needs to be a factor with Indiana's offense. Chris Bosh had one big shot against Brooklyn, but other than that, he really just been another guy. Bosh will face a tough inside game with David West and Hibbert, but his ability to spread out the defense could pay off huge dividends.  

Prediction: Heat in five -  You know how movies will come out with sequels or trilogies based on the success of the first two movies? And sometimes the sequel is great, and then the third movie is complete shit. Godfather Trilogy is a great example of this and basically, the third serving of Indiana-Miami feels like this will be the Godfather III. Not really that exciting of a series leading to Miami dominating in five games.   

-Charlie.