<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (valo35 @ Nov 14 2006, 01:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I hate using that Finals thing to say how clutch Dwayne Wade or Kobe Bryant is, because that's often times not fair to the other players on other teams. The other players, they just have not had the oppurtunity, or been on the teams to make it to the finals. That just means that Wade and Bryant had the oppurtunity to showcase their talents on a higher level. You can't really prove that any of the other players wouldn't have performed in the same given circumstances. Furthermore, if you count that, then lets look at how clutch Chauncy Billups has been in the playoffs and finals series that he has been in. You could make a good case for him being a huge clutch player. Lebron James was as clutch as he could be in the first round of the playoffs last year, and for alot of the Pistons series he was as clutch as he could be. He just didn't have the team to make it to the finals, and showcase his talents.</div>How many players have put up 40PPG through 4 games after being down 0-2 to a better team (AND your 2nd option is only scoring 14PPG)? Not many, and put on the game winners, game winning assist, and game saving steal, and that showcased his clutch ability. It could have been only 1st round and that would have been absolutely amazing.Melo has never done anything in playoffs, Arenas had a big choke in game 6, Bron didn't play well at all vs Pistons (they got lucky they won 3 games, very lucky), Bron was 2-20 in game winning shots up until the 2nd half of the season, so I'm not ready to call him clutch yet, either, etc.... Bottom line is Wade has been having amazing playoff series' since his rookie year, game winners since rookie year, always able to take over games, and this is all forgetting what he did with Marquette.
First off, he doesn't have to score alot for Shaq's presence alone to have a huge impact on the game. Him being out there causes the opposing centers to have to stay on Shaq and not come over for help defense. So when Shaq was in the game, he had a big impact on Wade's being able to get the rim easier. Lebron James had Z, who was playing very inconsistent, and just not good in the playoffs. Both the Pistons and the Wizards were able to send their centers to play help defense. That could have been amazing, but in the first round I would have found it no more amazing than in your first ever career playoff series averaging 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game. His first ever playoff game he showed no nerves, and came big getting a triple double He carried that team through that first series, also hitting two game winners, in game 3, and game 6. Could he have done that on the big stage, with Shaq on the court with him drawing defenders on James drives to the basket? I think he could have, but you can't prove it becauase he didn't have the luxury of a team like Wade had, that could get him into the finals to prove how clutch he is. So as I said, Lebron James was as clutch as he could have been in last years playoffs.
For me it is Tmac, the way he is able to take the big shot no matter how cold he is, keep son amazing me. I mean remember teh San Antonio game, Tmac had been having a horrendous night, but once the game got serious Tracy stepped up his game and took over. Another clutch guy for me its Ray Allen, he makes big shot after big shot and yet does not receive teh credit he deserves
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (valo35 @ Nov 14 2006, 05:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>First off, he doesn't have to score alot for Shaq's presence alone to have a huge impact on the game. Him being out there causes the opposing centers to have to stay on Shaq and not come over for help defense. So when Shaq was in the game, he had a big impact on Wade's being able to get the rim easier. Lebron James had Z, who was playing very inconsistent, and just not good in the playoffs. Both the Pistons and the Wizards were able to send their centers to play help defense. That could have been amazing, but in the first round I would have found it no more amazing than in your first ever career playoff series averaging 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game. His first ever playoff game he showed no nerves, and came big getting a triple double He carried that team through that first series, also hitting two game winners, in game 3, and game 6. Could he have done that on the big stage, with Shaq on the court with him drawing defenders on James drives to the basket? I think he could have, but you can't prove it becauase he didn't have the luxury of a team like Wade had, that could get him into the finals to prove how clutch he is. So as I said, Lebron James was as clutch as he could have been in last years playoffs.</div>Bron had it much easier vs the Wizards than Wade had it against the Mavs. They had no shotblocking whatsoever, and absolutely no one to guard LeBron. Wade had it tougher in 04-05 vs them as Larry Hughes was guarding him, but he still torched them (without Shaq for 2 games too). And with Wade and Bron, once they get into paint, it is pretty much over for the other team no matter who they face. Bron's problem against Pistons wasn't his driving ability and the fact he had Ben Wallace to drive against at center, but rather how Tayshaun Prince kept him out of the lane. What happenned? Bron couldn't hit jumpers consistently. Fast froward to Heat vs Pistons, and wade scored 30PPG on 70% shooting against the Pistons in first 5 games. Now, you could say that's because of Shaq, but watch games and you will see Ben always played him straight up, and Shaq was being played like they would play most centers. The majority of Wade's baskets were jumpshots rather than driving. That is why he did so well vs them compared to the previous season, and what bron did. It messed up the Pistons gameplan, and it opened up the jumpshooters to get their shots, which is what stopped the Lakers in 04 and Miami in 05. Wade was able to get to the rim at will in the Finals, and his jumpshot was also falling consistently. With and without Shaq he was unstoppable. He got doubled in 4th quarters and still went for 15+ a few times in the 4th in that series. He even got tripled and got to basket at will. Shaq took some pressure off him, but Wade was still being doubled and defense was totally focused on him, and a lot of times Shaq didn't play for fear of being fouled. When you go for 40PPG through 4 games, including a few GW's, while the 2nd option scored 5pts and outplayed by Erik Dampier in one game, it is understandable that Wade would be focused on much more than Shaq or his teammates who were cold agains tthe Mavs.Yes, bron had a great first playoff series, but his first game winner he traveled twice, and 2nd the Wizards defense was the worst you will see at the NBA level. He was facing the Washington Wizards, who Wade has torched in the past despite having a much better one on one defender that Bron had to face. LeBron was 2-20 before hitting his first GW of the year. Kobe totally bi*ched him out this year in last few minutes of game, and a week later Melo did same against Bron. He has a history of choking in big game situations, and he doesn't have the killer instinct Wade has to totally take over games. You can find a few times he has done very well in 4th quarters (like against Celtics this past week), but you can also find times where he has shot only 3 field goals in a close game during 4th quarter. So no, I don't think Bron could do what Wade did in Finals. I don't think he could have scored 17 straight pts, including game winner vs Pistons to turn the season around. I don't think he is near the clutch player Wade is.
