[TheChairGuy]

Very surprising turn of events...I picked Thunder in 5.

I think the Heat are simply playing better - I don't put much stock in preferential calls from the refs, honestly. 

Gave up betting years ago (not even a dime slot machine in Vegas when I end up there 1-2x yearly); a smart move for me given my poor predictive abilities

[Danny Richie]

Danny,

This is one of the sillier things I have seen you say on AC.

While I am not a Lebron supporter, he is playing at a historic level in the playoffs (including the finals) and will have earned the title and MVP award if/when they win one more game.

George

George,

My statement was spot on. I am not a supporter of either team. I don't hate Lebron or any other Heat player. I'd love to see some great games won and earned by great play and by the players. Unfortunately the last two games have unquestionably been decided by the refs.

[launche]

It amazes me how people are biased and just won't cop to it.  The refs aren't giving the Heat the games but it's the only excuse people who want Miami to lose have left.  OKC is a good team and could still win this series, they are that explosive.  But thus far the Heat have made fewer mistakes and made the critical game winning plays, not just shots but plays.  The loose balls, the hustle plays, not making the ill advised fouls etc...  With every OKC lost you can easily point out all the mistakes they make in the final minutes and that has nothing to do with refs. 

People talking about fouls and the Thunder announcer saying Battier fouled Durant on the tip ball that went to Miami.  I didn't see a foul and when I watched the highlights again sure enough you saw a smarter player in Battier out hustling and out jumping Durant to make a clean tip for a great play on his part.  People have the bias so set in their minds that they are seeing fouls that don't exist.  Old man Battier just got the best of Durant on that one and then Westbrook had a mental lapse, that may have cost them the game but people want to blame refs instead of blaming Durant for not getting that ball and Westbrook making the foul.

James Harden is shooting something like 25% thus far, their big men are not producing, they are shooting horribly from 3 pt land and no one can guard Lebron and the coach is making a few mistakes.  None of that has anything to do with the refs.  When they correct those things they can and will win some games.  Not too mention that thus far Lebron has destroyed Durant who is not being hidden by his coach because he can't guard Lebron at all.  So what happened to that your best man and my best man stuff.  If Lebron was being hidden because Durant was destroying him the media would be having a field day talking bad about Lebron but no one wants to say anything about the alter boy Durant and his shortcomings.  Now that's a media bias.
Again my only issue is how fans have been duped by the media to not like Lebron to the point of sheer blindness.

They are or have been trying to do the same thing to Westbrook because the need a villain or a scape goat, something negative to sell the story and he flat out told them I don't care what you all think and write and I only care about trying to win for my team.  The media is such a joke and people are even more a fault for falling hook line and sinker.  Lebron is probably not a bad guy and neither is Westbrook but good stories and good feelings don't sell.  Many media members are coming forward now and saying it's getting old, it's unfair and it's lazy journalism and it's just basically spoon-fed hate.

Go Thunder!

[a.wayne]

Err , go Heat .... lightning before thunder ..........

[Letitroll98]

Err , go Heat .... lightning before thunder ..........

Ha!  As it stands, a rather unfortunate choice of thread titles. 

[saisunil]

Heat, like Yankees, have become examples for what has gone wrong with the world of "sports" - where team are bought to buy championships and make money for the owners etc.

That said ... our son is all for Heat and I am a yankees fan - being a new yorker 

I used to be a runner / sportsman in my school days and it was never about making money - ever ... it was about about the joy of playing ... just like it is about music and not how expensive your equipment is ... well now that analogy doesn't quite work ... does it?

[zybar]

It amazes me how people are biased and just won't cop to it.  The refs aren't giving the Heat the games but it's the only excuse people who want Miami to lose have left.  OKC is a good team and could still win this series, they are that explosive.  But thus far the Heat have made fewer mistakes and made the critical game winning plays, not just shots but plays.  The loose balls, the hustle plays, not making the ill advised fouls etc...  With every OKC lost you can easily point out all the mistakes they make in the final minutes and that has nothing to do with refs. 

People talking about fouls and the Thunder announcer saying Battier fouled Durant on the tip ball that went to Miami.  I didn't see a foul and when I watched the highlights again sure enough you saw a smarter player in Battier out hustling and out jumping Durant to make a clean tip for a great play on his part.  People have the bias so set in their minds that they are seeing fouls that don't exist.  Old man Battier just got the best of Durant on that one and then Westbrook had a mental lapse, that may have cost them the game but people want to blame refs instead of blaming Durant for not getting that ball and Westbrook making the foul.

James Harden is shooting something like 25% thus far, their big men are not producing, they are shooting horribly from 3 pt land and no one can guard Lebron and the coach is making a few mistakes.  None of that has anything to do with the refs.  When they correct those things they can and will win some games.  Not too mention that thus far Lebron has destroyed Durant who is not being hidden by his coach because he can't guard Lebron at all.  So what happened to that your best man and my best man stuff.  If Lebron was being hidden because Durant was destroying him the media would be having a field day talking bad about Lebron but no one wants to say anything about the alter boy Durant and his shortcomings.  Now that's a media bias.
Again my only issue is how fans have been duped by the media to not like Lebron to the point of sheer blindness.

They are or have been trying to do the same thing to Westbrook because the need a villain or a scape goat, something negative to sell the story and he flat out told them I don't care what you all think and write and I only care about trying to win for my team.  The media is such a joke and people are even more a fault for falling hook line and sinker.  Lebron is probably not a bad guy and neither is Westbrook but good stories and good feelings don't sell.  Many media members are coming forward now and saying it's getting old, it's unfair and it's lazy journalism and it's just basically spoon-fed hate.

Go Thunder!

Extremely well said.

George

[playntheblues]

In an effort for an open discussion here not a flame war I have to say...........what is amazing is the fact that some folks don't even consider another persons view with an open mind.  Have you not heard about the Jordan rules, do you honestly think that was all made up?  The same apples to James whether you want to believe it or not, the same apples at different levels to all of the NBA stars they just don't get the all the fouls called.  When it becomes obvious and when it happens in the playoffs is when it is aggravating.  James (like Jordan) takes his free hand and pushes the defender away (Hard), other players get called for this, Lebron not so much.  On defense Lebron man handles the guy with the ball he gets called for this about 10% as much as a regular player.  On the big stage (the finals) this just becomes much more obvious.

The refs are humans, they make mistakes, they are fans as well, the have demands on them.  The biggest demand is to promote the NBA period, please don't tell me you still believe in Santa Claus    This is BIG BIG BIG business, lets not be naive.  I personally think basketball is the worst called game, the margin for error is way to large to begin with.   Much more so than baseball or football.  It is good that replay can be used some of the times, I do understand that if used all of the time the game would take days   

Well tonight is game 5 lets watch and have fun   

[launche]

I still don't get this notion that the NBA wants Lebron to win, how so?  From everything I know to be true in life it's that sex and anger sell 99% of the time.  Let me ask you what would be the storyline of the NBA if it was not the hate Lebron and Miami storyline?  Hating Lebron is GREAT for business.  Given the NBA collective bargaining agreement it would be even better if Miami lost, again giving credence that small markets like OKC can win, that getting fortunate in the draft can pay immediate dividends (Remember if Portland were not horrible at the draft, Durant would be there and we wouldn't be having this so call small market, built through the draft OKC discussion).  Every owner would feel even more justified and encouraged that their team has a chance.  The media can continue to sell the Lebron hate and failure.  What would be better and sell more than an epic Lebron/Miami collapse to become the only team in NBA history to lose a 3-1 finals lead.  The media can breakdown the notion that teaming up ensures rings etc...  Durant can be anointed as the next great thing, the humble star who does it the right way, the GM and owners who did it the right way etc...

Now tell me the benefits of having Lebron win?

My argument has less to do with Lebron, I'm just always fascinated by the human thought process and how upon examination many things just don't add up.

IMO OKC can win game 5 and win the series, all it takes is a few breaks to fall their way.
OKC is going to let it all hang out tonight and Miami will have their hand full.  Going back to OKC.

[playntheblues]

All great augments you would have done well on the debate team.  Without dragging everyone here through all the benefits of a Lebron and Miami win for the NBA and surely you can name as many as you did for OKC lets just say there are as many maybe more.

I digress back to the Jordan rules, they were real the NBA either encouraged it or ignored it?  Make no mistake the NBA controls it's future!  Way too much money involved for them not too.  Yes OKC can and may win, then you have to question if they lengthened the finals.  To think this billion dollar industry is just a school yard game or left to chance is silly.  The final outcome may still have some sport in it but it is heavily guided,  it is micro managed at every step.

[JerryM]

Congrats to the Heat! 

Is this the new dynasty, or the '97 Marlins? Only time will tell.

[zybar]

Very dominating and total team effort by the Heat - congrats to the Heat fans.

George

[Berto]

Hard to hate Lebron, good role model, good sport, incredible talent, and now has a ring...still take Jordan anyday....

[a.wayne]

How you like me now ....    MIAMI HEAT.....

[Kt77]

Go Heat.............., well as LeBron said " It's about Damn Time ". I for one am happy for him - Juwaun - Chris - Mike and Shane. They merely played with more heart and that's something that no coach can teach, either you're willing to play the game like you're a Man or stay at the junior high school level!. The Thunder is capable of running most teams/players out of the gym " But as mentioned - you can't teach heart/courage ". Just a random thought there, Oscar

[playntheblues]

Great game, congrats to the Heat, will played.

[soundbitten1]

Congrats to the Heat and coach Spoelstra. LeBron was the driving force but it was a total team effort.

[launche]

Congratulations Miami Heat.
Happy for Lebron, there really is a lot here in the context of sports and personal growth that should be appreciated.  It's why we love sports.





The guy that really got me choked up was Mike Miller, what a performance the guy just may have gone out guns blazing 7-8 from 3 point land.  A great team win.




Congrats to OKC, Coach Scott Brooks is classy and kept the players classy.
First class organization with some great players and their time will come.

[jhm731]

If Labron wins a ring, it should be presented to him by the refs.

I don't see any refs.

[Danny Richie]

I don't see any refs.

Funny, but sad to have the abilities of a great player tainted by a double standard. He like Jordan already has his own rules that are applied differently to him than anyone else. The notion of the Jordan rules wasn't something made up by detractors. It was real. The same goes for Lebron now.

Face it. In the first six minutes of the game Lebron had driven to the basket twice and drew a foul. Both times he wasn't even touched and what little contact that was made was initiated by Lebron. Then later in the game Lebron was about to plow through Derick Fisher on a fast break. Fisher could have planted his feet and took a hard charge. But he moved his feet and leaned forward to brace for the hard impact. Fisher was not set and rightly was called for the blocking foul. But they then called it a flagrant and gave Lebron two shots and the ball. That was beyond ridiculous. Fisher was called for a flagrant foul for being run into by Lebron. And it was all over at the point. You can't beat the Heat and the refs.

And in last nights game the Heat did not need the help. They wanted it more. They out played the Thunder and they deserved to win that game. Sadly though the title is and forever will be tainted with an asterisk noting that two of those games could have or would have been victories for the Thunder if they would not have had assistance from the refs.

That actually makes two championships for the Heat both noted by wins given to them by the refs. But in 2006 to the Mav's is still the worst. This kind of officiating whether it be the Jordan rules or any other player is not good for the NBA and not good for pro sports in general. And calls like that are not fair to Lebron or the team that he is playing against.