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On Episode 84 of our In The Paint Podcast, co-hosts Ronnie Flores and Devin Ugland break down games three and four of the NBA Finals. Jimmy Butler's 40-point triple-double catapulted Miami to the game three victory, but the Lakers bounced back in game four with some help from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

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Can Butler recreate is epic performance in game three to keep the Heat's championship hopes alive? Or will LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the rest of the Los Angeles roster close out the series - and the franchises 17th title - on Friday?

Ron and Dev also discuss hoops at the high school level, first the guys fill listeners in on the updated live viewing period dates set by the NCAA for 2021. Ron & Dev explain why these dates are so important and why prospects and parents based in California need to pay special attention to them.

At the end of the show, the guys discuss the top players and under-the-radar players from the Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Camp last weekend in Texas. Who earned the honors as best guards and best big men in the event which was loaded with talent?

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On Episode 83 of our In The Paint Podcast, co-hosts Ronnie Flores and Devin Ugland open the show with an in-depth look at the NBA Finals match-up between the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat.

Hit the play button below to tune in to the latest episode of the In The Paint Show!

Which team has the advantages on offense and defense? What do the Heat need to expose to go punch-for-punch with the Lakers. Does LAL's fate rest on the shoulders of LeBron James and Anthony Davis? Can Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro continue their hot shooting? Who are Ron and Dev crowning as champions.

The guys' next topic is the Clippers parting ways with head coach Doc Rivers after failing to get out of the second round of the playoffs. Was this too much of a knee-jerk reaction from the Clippers' management? Which direction do they go with their next coaching hire? Ron and Dev throw out some names they should consider and names they should stay away from.

The final topic of Episode 83 is all about high school basketball and the Pangos All-West Frosh/Soph Camp. Who were the top players in the event? Which players upped their stock with their performance? Which players should be on the radar for Division I schools in the future? The guys break that down and more on ITP 83!

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In episode No. 26 of our  In The Paint Show," hosts Ronnie Flores and Devin Ugland go in hard on the 2019 NBA Finals, which will head to a game six with the Toronto Raptors one win away from its first NBA championship. Toronto led game five, 103-97, with just over three minutes remaining and let the game, and the championship, slip away. Did Toronto head coach Nick Nurse call a timeout at the wrong time? Did the team simply choke in the final minutes, or was it great Warriors shooting? Was Toronto shooting too many 3-pointers? The fellas GO IN on the hot topics surrounding the NBA Finals.

The other big news, of course, surrounding the Warriors-Raptors series was the potential achilles injury suffered by Golden State's Kevin Durant at the beginning of the second period of game five. Durant had missed nine games and a month's time with an injured "calf", but the two-time NBA Finals MVP is now obviously done for this series, and potentially the 2019-20 season.

Social media was quick to play the blame game with Durant's unfortunate injury, but is there fault to be place here, and if so, with whom? The Warriors' front office? The Warriors' team doctors who cleared him? Or was it just something that happens in pro sports?

The fellas also dish on a quick preview of the NBPA Top 100 Camp taking place this week at the University of Virginia that Ron is attending. Who are the talents that Ron looks forward to evaluating that were not at Pangos Camp?

To learn more about our hosts, Ronnie Flores and Devin Ugland, and to get more information about what "In The Paint" is all about, check out our intro below!

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Former NBA league official Tim Donaghy has 13 years of experience of officiating NBA games. A total of 772 regular season games and 20 playoff games before being let go due to his involvement in a gambling scheme back in '07 which required the league to take action & force him out of his position.

With that type of experience & years of officiating games, I'd take Donaghy's word that the NBA works indirectly with teams to better their chances when trailing in a best of 7 series. Why, you may ask? Because he actually worked with the NBA as an official referee & I didn't... nor will I ever, simple as that. In the video above, Donaghy makes a valid point that when the Warriors were trailing the Thunder in the WCF, the league did not suspend Green for his unintentional tae kwon shit kick to Adams' boys below the belt.  Was the decision not to suspend Draymond made to increase the Warriors' chances at making a comeback in the series?  And to add another remarkable chapter to their already historic season?  Maybe.  And when Draymond "swung" at LeBron's sweet gems after LeBron attempted to step over Dray (which was a punk move by LeBron, you're not Iverson) they decided to suspend Green for game 5 which of course resulted in a Warriors loss.  That right there definitely increased the Cavs' chance at winning the title & prolonged the series. Regardless this will result with either the Warriors taking home the trophy on the Cavs' home court (again) or my absolute favorite thing in sports... Game 7.

What're your thoughts? Do you think the NBA is working indirectly with teams to prolong series' to "assist" teams that are trailing in a post season matchup? Or is the league just doing the best they can at making the right call? Sound off in the comment section below.

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Shane Battier

While this might be the first Finals for Battier, the popular Dukie treats every game like a Finals Game Seven.  He is valued, and sought after by title contending teams every off-season for a reason, and that very reason is for this time of year.  Battier brings the intangibles that denote a good team from a contending team.  His defensive tenacity against Indiana in the wake of Chris Bosh’s injury was as important to the Heat advancing as Dwayne Wade’s knee being drained.  His size and activity are assets that allow head coach Eric Spoelstra to employ multiple lineups, as Battier’s defensive versatility allows the Heat to play different styles.  Battier can guard positions 2-4 and will be key in getting LBJ rest during the series, especially when guarding Kevin Durant or James Harden.  Battier is also a dangerous shooter, making him a nice offensive compliment to the Heat’s penetrating offense, spotting up and spacing the floor properly to allow for driving lanes.  Battier is shooting 35% from deep, but more important is the threat of him shooting which keep defenses honest, not allowing them to pack the paint.  Battier will also be the smartest guy on the court and probably the only player to create a PDF document on stopping Durant.  A player that’s been coveted for series like these finally has his chance.

Chris Bosh

Often considered the smallest pieceof the "Big Three", Bosh needs to play like he's it's biggest.  It looks like Bosh is fully back to health, which is great news for Heat.  In his absence, his team struggled mightily to replace his offensive production, making the Heat very one or two dimensional on offense.  Without the tripods third leg, Wade and James needed to play at brilliant levels to keep the Heat afloat.  They struggled desperately to score points.  Now that he’s back, he cannot show signs of rust and has to continue being aggressive.  Offensive playmaking is what he brings, and the Heat need him to deliver.  He is the Heat’s third best offensive playmaker and must play that way for Heat to be most effective.  He is the only low post presence the Heat have amongst their bigs, and defensively he cannot get exposed.  His physicality will surely be tested by the Thunder big men, Kendrick Perkins, Serge Ibaka, and Nick Collison.  What’s more important for Bosh though is offense, trying to make things easier for James and Wade when the Thunder will be dialed in to stopping their scoring binges.  Bosh came up huge in Game Seven against the Celtics, scoring 19 points and grabbing 8 rebounds while being aggressive in the fourth quarter, a quarter they went into with the score tied.  Bosh hit a career best three three-pointers in the game, with the last one coming in the fourth quarter, sparking the Heat's winning run.  His aggression and lack of hesitation show that he is back to form, which couldn’t come at a better time for the Heat.  As coach Spoelstra said after Game Seven, Bosh is the Heat’s most important player.

Udonis Haslem

Haslem is no stranger to big stages, and in a series where his team is outmanned down low, both his experience and physicality will be tone setters for the series.  Haslem is Miami’s best down-low banger, and the Thunder provide a lot of big, active bodies down low for him to collide with.  The Heat are known to play small with Haslem sometimes playing center, showing off his grit and versatility as a big man.   The battle in the trenches will be an uphill one for the Heat, and Haslem has his work cut out for him.  His offense though, might be more important than his defense.  Haslem is the Heat’s second best pick-and-pop option, consistently making mid-range jump shots that break the backs of defenses League-wide.  The consistency in his jumper is what makes him a dangerous option; just take a look at what he did to Indiana, especially in crucial moments of Game Four.  Contested 15 footers are a part of the bruisers arsenal and he’s not scared to pull the trigger in big moments, making him a threat on the court that must be accounted for.  Haslems role as their lone banger, combined with his pick-and-pop abilities, will make him a huge part of his team's Finals success.

James Harden

The Leagues Sixth Man of the Year Award winner will need to prove his title on the game’s biggest stage.  Hardens production off the bench is what has gotten the Thunder to this point, and is what makes them so dangerous.  It will also be the reason why they win, or lose the whole thing.  Harden is arguably the Thunders 2^nd best decision maker, and when the ball is in his hands, there isn’t a more creative play-maker than Harden.  Harden must find a way to score, and penetrate the Heat defense often.  He makes the right plays and is unselfish, typical of Coach Brook’s team.  He’s averaging almost 18ppg during the playoffs, along with 5rpg and 3.5apg in 30mpg. Getting the ball to the rim will be his most important job, creating fouls on the way as he is averaging nearly eight free throws a game these playoffs.  His offensive production is important to his team, as he’s not only their best bench player, but their third best player overall, the third leg of the Thunder’s own “Big Three”.  If Harden isn’t effective, the Thunder could be in serious trouble.

Thabo Sefalosha

Sefalosha made his presence felt last series in a huge way.  After Tony Parker went nuts, torching the Thunder the first two games of the WCF and giving the Spurs a 2-0 series lead, coach Brooks employed more of Sefalosha’s defensive services.  The defensive presence he brings changed the series for good.  Parker was limited in his penetration, and Sefalosha’s overall length and activity on the perimeter helped fluster the Spurs as a whole.  He starts every game over Harden and that’s for good reason; he’s the Thunder’s best defender.  He can guard any perimeter position, which allows Brooks to be versatile with his lineups and rotations, toying around with the athleticism he has at his disposal.  Sefalosha also helped put away the Spurs with his three-point shooting, being aggressive and shooting when he’s open, making himself a threat on offense.  He’s a streaky shooter and has connected on 37% of his threes this postseason, but that’s not what he’s on the floor for.  He will most likely be concentrating more on guarding James or Wade, and disrupting whatever flow the Heat offense falls into, getting hands on passes and contesting jumpers all over.  His intangibles may be a reason why his team wins the title.

Derek Fisher

And now for some real intangibles.  While the Thunder’s well-being doesn’t depend solely on the production of the 37 year-old veteran, Fish has played a big part in the Thunders run to the Finals this year.  Coach Brooks couldn’t have a better and more professional veteran presence in his young locker room than the 5-time champion.  Fish finishes games on the court for the Thunder, something the Lakers weren’t willing to try during the end of his LA tenure.  His experience, basketball IQ, and shot making abilities are immeasurable.  Fisher is the second guard off the bench, after Harden, and will be asked to play solid against a young, fast, and talented Heat.  Fish plays off the ball in OKC, making Brooks’ lineups small and quick, yet potent.  Always known for the big shot, Fish scored 7ppg during 20mpg in the WCF, helping discard the Spurs, his old nemesis.  Coach Brooks has done well in hiding the flaws that the Laker front office chose to expose in the 15 year vet.  Fish was initially signed to replace Eric Maynor, but his experience and veteran presence is exactly what a team full of 20-something year olds need in their first trip to the Finals.  It’s Fisher’s 8^th finals appearance, and it’s this kind of guts that you can’t teach or evaluate easily.  You can only enjoy it.

Honorable Mentions

Durants Mom-Her hugging abilities will no doubt be crucial to the outcome of the series.  Ok, maybe not.

The Needle that Drains Dwayne Wade’s Knee- Ok, this one might be serious.

The post The X-Factors of the 2012 NBA Finals; Who Will Be The Difference Makers? appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

As basketball fans, were lucky to have James and Durant, both once-in-a-generation players, grace the League at the same time, let alone these Finals.  It’s like the two are basketball playing cyborgs from outer space, and both happened to land on Earth at the same time, each revolutionizing the game as Small Forwards in their own distinct ways.  Now, they each get to battle it out for their first O'Brien trophy on National T.V.  Very rarely do the breaks of professional team sports allow the two best players in the League, playing similar positions, to square up in a Finals series.  Not even the all-mighty Nike could get what they wanted, when puppet characters of James and Kobe Bryant were busy taking up advertisements everywhere.  That ship has sailed and looks farther than it looks near.  James and Durant, now unanimously considered 1-2 in the world, decided to take matters in their own hands in their respective Conference Finals, and puppeteered there teams both into the ultimate round themselves.  It was far from easy though, as both James and Durant had to flex their muscles and grind their teams through to the Finals.  James, with his team down 3-2 to the Celtics, fought off elimination by showing a resolve not yet seen in LeBron.  His Game Six dominance in  Boston set the tone for his Heat to come back in the series, highlighting a team and superstar that had had enough.  All the criticism and hate that the world dished on James, he shot right back on the Celtics in the form of a historic ECF, with averages of 34pts 11rebs and 4asts on 52% shooting.  Durant and his Thunder squad faced a similarly uphill battle, against a Spurs team in the WCF that had them down 0-2 and in the midst of a 20 game winning streak.  Durant improbably led his team to four straight victories, averaging 30pts, 7.5rebs, and 5.5asts a game while shooting 53% himself and earning his first trip to the Finals.  Both James and Durant are the very definition of “super star” and both played up to their status when their teams needed it the most, setting up the matchup that can only be defined as a “dream”,  a crazy basketball fantasy.

When Kobe’s Lakers took on Allen Iverson’s Sixers in the ’01 Finals, its arguable that the matchup featured the two best 2-guards in the League going head to head for all to see.  Then Shaq kind of ruined that experience (along with Dikembe's face).  When Shaq and Hakeem went against each other in the Finals of ’95, the two also represented the best at their positions, with Shaq entering his prime.  It was the two best, matched head to head like the clash of two Titans.  Wilt and Russel had the same dynamic, and there was no second best to Jordan; he was the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, AND 5^th best shooting guard in the League (Latrell Sprewell, anyone?).  Even if MJ had a counterpart, being matched in the Finals is a situation that requires a touch of luck.  Then consider us, in 2012, very lucky.

These Finals will pit Durant and James against one another, the two best at their craft, at the height of their stars. Both are unique, physical specimens with highly transcendent talents, whose games capture our collective imagination.  Call it "Magic and Bird", the collision of two immovable objects at the same position, both focal points for their teams respective success.  While the NBA Finals are every ball players dream , Durant and James played against each other last summer in a less official arena.  Durant was notably busy last Summer during the lockout, playing in every and any game there was available in the world.  James didn’t keep a quiet profile himself, as the now three-time MVP made cameo appearances in charity and Pro-Am games, wowing crowds worldwide as well.  With a litany of NBA stars competing in these now, much hyped games, the two had a chance to match up last Summer twice, using the Team Melo vs. Team Goodman Challenge, and the CP3 All-Star Classic as a precursor for the 2012 Finals.  Ask anyone in those gyms last Summer which two they’d rather see go head-to-head in the NBA Finals, and I’d bet Durant and James would be a popular demand.  The two get together for at least four games this Summer in the 2012 NBA Finals, and with everybody watching, these ones all count.

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