keep digging. Wade missed a wide open shot. Play was perfect, wade choked.

Oh here comes the excuses.

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keep digging. Wade missed a wide open shot. Play was perfect, wade choked.

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Not questioning the play call. They obviously got the ball to their leader to take the clutch shot.

Lebron wants no part of those final shots after choking at the line

Wade chokes and rolls around on the floor - how dare they not send him to the line

Best final shot is a chalmers double pump 3

Wade to Chalmers for the final shot as LeBron stands in the corner.

keep hating.

Lebron obviously sucks. He only went for 28/9/5/6 tonight. He's terrible.

LBJ 28 9 5 6, on 10/22 shooting while rest of his team shoots 17/56.

Yeah, it's clearly lebron.

The last thing you want there is your ultra versatile do anything MVP taking that shot. Cowherd will be hilarious tomorrow defending that.

Bunk, if the rest of the tram is playing like crap why pass it there?

You dumbasses again fail to grasp the argument at hand. He is a great player when the game is not on the line. But he disappears when the pressure shots have to be attempted. He's much more Scottie Pippen than he'll ever be Jordan. And Scottie is a Hall of Famer. But he's not On Jordan's level and neither is Queen James. At least Pippen WANTED to take the final shot even if Phil called Toni Kukoc's number.

[This message has been edited by Junkhead (edited 5/15/2012 8:51p).]

If only Chalmers had been Kerr or Paxson or Horry. Because MJ and Kobe always take the final shot and never defer to wide open clutch shooter.

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If only Chalmers had been Kerr or Paxson or Horry. Because MJ and Kobe always take the final shot and never defer to wide open clutch shooter.

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No one ever said that. But the ball went through Jordan's hands to make those decisions. LeBron just stand there and watches Wade pass to Chalmers.

Lebron's final shot attempt came with 3:35 left in the game.

What you fail to see is that LBJ was freaking gassed. He's been playing defense on the 4 and running the point for most of the game. In the end, he gets the ball to Wade on an iso at the foul line, where Wade proceeds to get to the basket wide open.

What else do you WANT in that situation? Would you have been happier had Lebron forced a 3? Wade choked it.

In the end, he didn't even touch the ball. I don't know what the playcall was there but it looked like dog****. Yes, I'd rather have seen Lebron shoot it at the end, but Wade took too much time then ****ed Chalmers over by giving it to him with 3 to shoot.

Wade ****ed the final seconds up tonight, no doubt about it.

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No one ever said that. But the ball went through Jordan's hands to make those decisions.

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And it went through LeBron's hands to get the tying basket but Wade choked it.

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LeBron just stand there and watches Wade pass to Chalmers.

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with 8 seconds left and needing a 3, would you have rather had Lebron cut to the hoop for a 2 point layup? Wade wasted time and didn't help Chalmers out either by dribbling to nowhere then dishing it off with 3 left.

again...LBJ 28 9 5 6, on 10/22 shooting while rest of his team shoots 17/56. Lebron is the only reason they were in this game.

I want the so-called MVP to take control at the end of the game. Make all the excuses you want, but he's afraid. Not sure why now because he didn't seem to have that issue in Cleveland. But it's been an issue for 2 years now.

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And it went through LeBron's hands to get the tying basket but Wade choked it.

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He stood there looking to pass as quickly as possible both times he touched the ball on that possession. He never even attempted to drive inside the 3-point to create a scoring opportunity for himself or one of his teammates.

so you want the MVP to not make the best basketball play and to be selfish no matter what?

interesting.

in regards to the last 3...i totally agree that I'd rather have lebron shooting that...for whatever reason Spoelstra wanted it going to Wade(even though Wade said this is LBJ's team a month ago).

I find it hilarious that people are going to find ways to fault lebron for his play tonight just because they love to hate on him. His stat line was ridiculous and he's playing more minutes than anyone else. Wade is the guy who left them high and dry tonight, and should get the criticism.

Playing hot potato at the perimeter is not "running the play through Lebron". The most clutch player in the league can't be more involved in the final plays?
But he was too tired
He was playing out of position on offense
He was playing out of position on defense
Wade choked, but Lebron didn't choke because he scored a lot of points while wearing himself out earlier
The coach didn't run a play for him
Chalmers and Battier are better options and are always wide open clutch shooters
Anyone who questions Lebrons playoff resume is a hater who thinks Lebron is terrible

I'd have no problem if it was the best basketball play. He literally stood there looking to pass as quickly as possible. Any one of us could have done the same thing. Wade saying that this is LeBron's team is an attemp to stroke his ego IMO. Wade is smart enough to know that he cannot win a title on his own. LeBron is a great player. No one can question that. But if he continues to puss out at the crucial moments in big time games like this he will never be considered among the likes of Jordan, Magic, Bird, etc.

@ESPNStatsInfo: LeBron James is 10-17 (59%) from FT line in final minute (4th quarter or OT) of 1-possession games this year; rest of Heat are 13-15 (87%).

Ouch. This may be some insight into why he doesn't want to risk being fouled

the FT's were the one thing I think it is fair game to criticize him about.

However, giving the ball to Wade iso'd at the foul line(no matter how quick he got it out of his hands) is not. You always give it to a superstar if he has that position, especially with Indy spread out and no big man down low at all.

If the coach called the play for Wade and Bron is setting that up, what is the problem?

Spurs crunch time plays usually don't go through Duncan. Does that mean Duncan isn't clutch? Duncan has delivered many times through the clutch.

If the play is called for Wade and the play hasn't broken down, run the play.

You can't compare a Duncan to Wade/James. Completely differently types of players. LeBron is the MVP, Wade supposedly believes this is LeBron's team, LeBron has superstar talent. Why would the play not be called for him? Do you think there was one time Phil Jackson called for a final shot to go through anyone other than Jordan? He did that once with Pippen and Scottie wouldn't even go out on the court. I don't condone that move, but it shows you how badly he wanted to take the final shot. James doesn't want to take those shots. He is afraid. There is no other explanation.

why doesn't Lebron want to take the shot? since you must be in on the timeouts with the team you should know?

Wade is a superstar too. When you have multiple superstars, it is possible to go to the guy who won't be guarded as heavily or who you think could get off a better shot, or hell, who was shooting better in that quarter(Lebron was gassed and his JS's weren't falling in the 4th as much as earlier).

I don't see how this is such a huge discussion point, even though it will be. The discussion should be Wade bricking a wide open layup.

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You can't compare a Duncan to Wade/James

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Why?
Duncan was a Back-to-Back MVP and three times Finals MVP. And if the game is on the line, the ball is in the hands of the first guy to come off the bench.

It is such a terrible thing that the Heat are giving the ball to a guy that pretty much singlehandedly won four straight games in the NBA Finals and won the Finals MVP?

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LeBron is the MVP, Wade supposedly believes this is LeBron's team, LeBron has superstar talent.

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Duncan was MVP twice and Finals MVP three times. It is unquestionably Duncan's team. And Duncan has superstar talent. But throughtout his career, Pop calls clutch plays for Manu.

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Why would the play not be called for him?

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Because Wade is a superstar, has won a Finals MVP, is quicker and is a better FT shooter? Maybe Wade has a better defensive matchup? Maybe he will slash from the pick better.

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James doesn't want to take those shots. He is afraid. There is no other explanation.

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If you say so, Bro. That doesn't explain how he has taken so many of those shots.

[This message has been edited by Guitarsoup (edited 5/15/2012 9:38p).]

He took those shots (and made a lot of them) when he was with Cleveland. Now the big shots are for Wade. Not sure how you can continue to deny this. Now go pull some stats from meaningless early season games to make it look like James is actually clutch.

stats from "meaningless" games in the regular season vs. you and others disregarding his 4th quarter stats during the playoffs this year or in general and focusing on 1 play?

it's the same bull****. You're looking for anything to hate on him for. His stat line tonight was ridiculous, he went double digits in the 4th scoring, he guarded and shut down their best post scorer, and if it wasn't for Wade choking on an gimme layup, committing a flagrant early in the quarter because he was moping, etc...we aren't even having this conversation.

[This message has been edited by Bunk Moreland (edited 5/15/2012 9:56p).]

No we'd still be talking about how Daddy Wade had to make the clutch shot while Momma James was looking for Delonte to keep him safe away from the big, bad basketball.

I love listening to Chuck defend Lebron.

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His stat line tonight was ridiculous...

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You are correct. Going 2-6 from the line, including bricking two with the game on the line, is ridiculous.

LeBron 28 points 9 rebounds 5 assists 6 steals
Wade24 points 6 rebounds 4 assists

Combined:
101 minutes
52 points
7 offensive rebounds
15 rebounds
9 assists
7 steals
5 turnovers

The rest of the Heat:
139 minutes
23 points
7 offensive rebounds
25 rebounds
2 assists
3 steals
7 turnovers


Without LeBron's play, the Heat are no where near even in the game to have a last second shot at winning/tying.

Do you fall down a lot?

Please wake me up when you have something intelligent to add to the conversation.