NBA 2012-13 Season Thread: Asterisks Need Not Apply

[The Dude]

[OGPhilly]

Lol @ the lakers

[Revenant]

I just want to say I totally predicted the Laker's issues this year. Lotta old dead weight on that team.

[The Dude]

[The Dude]

[The Dude]

Boston is not deep. They have one of the worst benches in the NBA (not as bad as Lakers, though)

Green and Wilcox are scrubs. Terry is below average right now. Only Lee and Bradley are okay. You're in for a rude awakening without Rondo coming.

[NAB]

While the Western Conference finals was a complete bust, the East has been really entertaining.

I'm so begging for the Pacers to pull off the upset, because I couldn't handle a Finals involving my two most hated teams. Go Pacers, I need someone to cheer for.

[The Dude]

It's been a weird playoffs for me. I've been way way way off on some things.

I thought the Warriors were garbage but somehow Karl's team choked yet again. Spurs struggling with them was a surprise.

I thought once Westbrook went down Memphis was making the finals. The Spurs series surprised me. I thought it would at least go 6 or 7 and in fairness Memphis lost 2 games in OT and pretty much Zach Randolph forgetting how to shoot FTs (7/16) in those 2 games is why they lost. They should have been up 2-1...

I thought the Knicks would beat Indy. I thought Miami would lose 2 games total until the Finals. This Indy series perplexes me. Somewhere along the way Miami forgot how to play defense and rebound.

I thought most of the season the only team that could beat Miami was a healthy Lakers team that figured it out (which they never got healthy of course). One they went on their streak and I knew that the Lakers wouldn't be healthy, I figured Miami would waltz to the title. They sort of did in the first 2 rounds (the chicago loss was due to too much time off). But for the first time this season I think the Spurs could win. Why? Because Wade looks like complete garbage compared to his normal self. He's basically Mario Chalmers instead of Wade. Which is fine if you're Chalmers (not a bad player) but pretty bad if he's your #2.

I still think Miami beats Indy because of Lebron and I still think they win it all, but unless Wade figures how to play better it's up in the air. Only thing they have going for them next round is that Manu looks like crap, too.

healthy Miami is by far and away the best team and would be destroying the playoffs. But Wade isn't healthy. The Spurs won the West but it was a very weak West up top this year with all the teams having major flaw.


Also, I'll say this. With Wade not being healthy, OKC would have won the title if they kept Harden. I thought it was 50/50 if they did, now would be a guarantee (assuming Westbrook isn't hurt). What a horrifically stupid trade that was and we all knew it at the time.

[NAB]

I think that once Westbrook went down, the Spurs saw their opening in the west. They've been gaining strength, and, as we know how important it is, they are playing their team game system. It pains me to say it, but don't underestimate the Spurs. Duncan is rejuvinated and is actually averaging the same amount of points/rebounds he did 6 years ago with less minutes played. And Tony Parker is seriously dangerous, and they've always got great role players who work their system. I hate it that they're back in the finals and I bet those bastards win it all again. Popovich is the best coach in the NBA, easily. Smart bastard. The Spurs are the Patriots of the NBA. They keep coming back when you think they're done. Argh......the shit I'm going to have to hear from my in-laws in San Antonio.

I think the Heat will still pull it off in the East, but the damn Pacers are impressive. I barely paid attention to them in the regular season, but they're solid. Hibbert is an excellent big man, George is spirty but can be really effin dangerous, but it looks like Stephenson is the key for them in a way. They always seem to win when he has a good game. Love his fearless end-to-end all by his lonesome fastbreaks....

I'm actually enjoying this East finals. Fun to watch.

[The Dude]

I don't think I underestimate the Spurs. They've flailed out of the playoffs the last few years and this was the first year in a long time I thought they had a legit chance to come out.

I thought memphis would barely win the series (which means I'm not surprised the other team wins) and really, they should have won game 2 and 3 but who could predict Zbo going from good FT shooter to worse than Dwight Howard in those two games? And he sucked overall.

Every team out West had a major flaw, including the Spurs. I actually thought they'd beat OKC even with Westbrook. But they're a very weak team. Parker only finally seems to be healthy again, which is big. They looked mediocre versus the Lakers (despite the easy sweep but that Laker team was starting two D-leaguers), and looked worse versus a mediocre Warriors squad. Their defense against Memphis was impressive, though.

Pop stopped playing Euro-ball this season which is why they had a chance. I don't think you can go small and win a title (Miami playing Lebron at PF is not going small, Lebron is Karl Malone with Westbrooks speed).


I'll actually disagree on the Stephenson part. I think the key is Hibbert. He was mediocre all season on offense and in this series he's great. His offensive rebounding is probably the biggest reason why they're in this series. That and Miami keeps fouling guys like West.

It's definitely been a great series to watch. We've had a few. Spurs-GSW was fun, Chi-Brooklyn, Mia-Indy, and even mem-okc was fun despite only lasting 5 games. Houston-OKC not bad either. I thought this playoffs would be much more boring than it has been and the one series i thought would be awesome was a dud (SAS-Mem).

Figures the one year the lakers fall apart so do my basketball senses. I'm rarely very wrong on these...