The 2013-14 NBA season

tempo_n_groove

pjhawks said:

tempo_n_groove said:

The Heat look absolutely deflated. I would say that something happened behind closed doors and that changed the Heats attitude.

Something is wrong with them. Last night It seemed like everyone was waiting for the other to spark the team but it never happened.

Years prior the Heat would play slow ball then come back the 2nd half with a vengence. I haven't seen that this year.

^^As far as "legacy"? I do remember Bird and Magic losing a few championships. To not like Lebron is fine but to try and tarnish his accomplishments and talk them down is plain silly.

My $.02

Bird and Magic mostly lost to each other. and those Celtics and Lakers teams were far superior than the teams today.

that being said can we just let Lebron's career play out before we talk about his legacy. he has way too many years left to add onto what he has already done. we don't need to force a legacy on a guy who is still playing at such a high level.

A totally different style of play back then. You can't close line Kurt Rambis anymore, you give a shot in the ribs and it's a flagrant nowadays.

I loved that rough style of ball but the guys now are wayyyyyyy more athletic and fit. Magic johnson and Bird weren't buff. Wad, Bron, Bosh, Duncan, Leonard, all ripped.

I love the debating because a lot of points are valid and it can go on for days!

Something IS wrong with that Heat team. Their hearts aren't in it. The Spurs are playing lights out ball. Last 2 games they averaged over 60% shooting? If a player does that it's awesome, but the WHOLE TEAM?!?

There's always next year with Melo I guess?

Indifference71

tempo_n_groove said:

pjhawks said:

tempo_n_groove said:

The Heat look absolutely deflated. I would say that something happened behind closed doors and that changed the Heats attitude.

Something is wrong with them. Last night It seemed like everyone was waiting for the other to spark the team but it never happened.

Years prior the Heat would play slow ball then come back the 2nd half with a vengence. I haven't seen that this year.

^^As far as "legacy"? I do remember Bird and Magic losing a few championships. To not like Lebron is fine but to try and tarnish his accomplishments and talk them down is plain silly.

My $.02

Something IS wrong with that Heat team. Their hearts aren't in it. The Spurs are playing lights out ball. Last 2 games they averaged over 60% shooting? If a player does that it's awesome, but the WHOLE TEAM?!?

There's always next year with Melo I guess?

So I guess the Spurs just being the better team isn't the answer?

If Melo goes there, I'll fucking puke. And I'll be done with the NBA.

cutz

Ledbetterman10 said:

I think a small portion of the Heat's struggles in the finals could be attributed to how fucking shitty the Eastern Conference is. The conference is so bad that they didn't give a fuck about being the #1 seed. They cruised through their three playoff series (against three teams that possibly wouldn't even make the playoffs in the West). And now they're being faced with a real basketball team and they are struggling. The Spurs had to dig pretty deep to beat the #8 Mavs (the Mavs would be like a #4 seed in the East), they had to deal with stopping Durant and the young Thunder, all while the Heat sat around counting down the days to the Finals. The Heat have shown a knack over the past 3 years for being able to "turn it on" when needed. But that's not gonna work every time....and it sure isn't working now.

One more note on the Eastern vs. Western conference. I think drastic realignment is needed. It's just flat-out not fair to the Western teams and hasn't been for 15 years. Atlanta made the playoffs in the East with a 38-44 record while Phoenix landed 9th in the West with a 48-34 record. That's just not fair. So you win 10 more games competing against much harder competition and you don't make the playoffs? Bullshit. Abolish the conferences, rework scheduling (maybe 3 games against everyone instead of 4 vs conference and 2 vs non-conference), rank the teams 1-16 and put them into a playoff tournament. Of course, this will never happen. But it should. I've been saying this since the Nets made back-to-back finals in 2002-2003 despite the fact that they wouldn't have survived the first round in the West those year. People say that Lebron can't win the finals without help...which is true. But he could get to the finals himself...and that's stupid.

Man, i like your idea about the playoffs.

cutz

lastexit78 said:

Championships define the all time greats in the NBA. Magic 5, Bird 3, MJ 6, Hakeem 2, Shaquille 4, Kobe 5, Duncan 4. As fans we all know the numbers. No doubt LeBron is an all time great but he needs rings and lots of them. That where the legacy talk comes in, he wears #6 for a reason. The NBA has a borderline meaningless regular season, if your the best player in the world and have been for the better part of a decade you should have more than 2 rings. Especially after bolting for this so called super team and promising to make a run at MJ's 6 championships. Despite 2 rings and 4 straight conference titles (in an atrocious conference) it feels like its been an absolute struggle. The Dallas defeat, trailing an ancient Boston team 2-3 in '12 and then last years 7 game survival match vs San Antonio. With a roster that's clearly aging it might actually make sense for LeBron to head home to play with Kyrie and that #1 pick.

Oscar Robertson? Wilt Chamberlain? So, were their legacy's damaged? I think they ONLY won 3 Championships between them and they're considered to be in the TOP 5 players of all time. I just don't think that winning championships is all that matters for one's legacy because wouldn't Robert Horry be considered better then those players you named?>LOL or how about Steve Kerr?>LOL!> Of course Championships help, but i don't think it hurts a legacy.

I'd be surprised if LeBron went back to Cleveland because i don't think he cares for that owner(Gilbert?)> Probably better off staying in South Beach and let Pat Riley bring the talent down there. I mean, i know i would rather stay in South Beach then go to Cleveland>LOL

eeriepadave

Spurs turning it up!

eeriepadave

wonder who gets MVP in the finals? Leonard?

CROJAM95

Spurs woooped the Heat

Shoulda been a sweep... Great ball

lastexit78

cutz said:

lastexit78 said:

Championships define the all time greats in the NBA. Magic 5, Bird 3, MJ 6, Hakeem 2, Shaquille 4, Kobe 5, Duncan 4. As fans we all know the numbers. No doubt LeBron is an all time great but he needs rings and lots of them. That where the legacy talk comes in, he wears #6 for a reason. The NBA has a borderline meaningless regular season, if your the best player in the world and have been for the better part of a decade you should have more than 2 rings. Especially after bolting for this so called super team and promising to make a run at MJ's 6 championships. Despite 2 rings and 4 straight conference titles (in an atrocious conference) it feels like its been an absolute struggle. The Dallas defeat, trailing an ancient Boston team 2-3 in '12 and then last years 7 game survival match vs San Antonio. With a roster that's clearly aging it might actually make sense for LeBron to head home to play with Kyrie and that #1 pick.

Oscar Robertson? Wilt Chamberlain? So, were their legacy's damaged? I think they ONLY won 3 Championships between them and they're considered to be in the TOP 5 players of all time. I just don't think that winning championships is all that matters for one's legacy because wouldn't Robert Horry be considered better then those players you named?>LOL or how about Steve Kerr?>LOL!> Of course Championships help, but i don't think it hurts a legacy.

I'd be surprised if LeBron went back to Cleveland because i don't think he cares for that owner(Gilbert?)> Probably better off staying in South Beach and let Pat Riley bring the talent down there. I mean, i know i would rather stay in South Beach then go to Cleveland>LOL

Nobody is saying he's not an all time great. He's already top 10 in most peoples eyes. In the post Jordan NBA I'd put him behind Duncan, ahead of Shaq and barely behind Kobe. But when he chose Miami and made ridiculous promises of titles things changed. When you create that level of expectation and join some phoney super team you create a lot of enemies. His behavior in the summer of 2010 will unfortunately never be forgotten. I don't fault him for leaving Cleveland, but the circus show they created in Miami was a colossal mistake. Although they had a lot of success the contracts of Bosh and Wade are now about to prevent them from likely ever getting back unless Riley can work some kind of miracle. Bosh is not the inside presence they desperately need and Wade if probably best suited as a 6th man, that's not good when those guys are making max money.

cutz

lastexit78 said:

cutz said:

lastexit78 said:

Championships define the all time greats in the NBA. Magic 5, Bird 3, MJ 6, Hakeem 2, Shaquille 4, Kobe 5, Duncan 4. As fans we all know the numbers. No doubt LeBron is an all time great but he needs rings and lots of them. That where the legacy talk comes in, he wears #6 for a reason. The NBA has a borderline meaningless regular season, if your the best player in the world and have been for the better part of a decade you should have more than 2 rings. Especially after bolting for this so called super team and promising to make a run at MJ's 6 championships. Despite 2 rings and 4 straight conference titles (in an atrocious conference) it feels like its been an absolute struggle. The Dallas defeat, trailing an ancient Boston team 2-3 in '12 and then last years 7 game survival match vs San Antonio. With a roster that's clearly aging it might actually make sense for LeBron to head home to play with Kyrie and that #1 pick.

Oscar Robertson? Wilt Chamberlain? So, were their legacy's damaged? I think they ONLY won 3 Championships between them and they're considered to be in the TOP 5 players of all time. I just don't think that winning championships is all that matters for one's legacy because wouldn't Robert Horry be considered better then those players you named?>LOL or how about Steve Kerr?>LOL!> Of course Championships help, but i don't think it hurts a legacy.

I'd be surprised if LeBron went back to Cleveland because i don't think he cares for that owner(Gilbert?)> Probably better off staying in South Beach and let Pat Riley bring the talent down there. I mean, i know i would rather stay in South Beach then go to Cleveland>LOL

Nobody is saying he's not an all time great. He's already top 10 in most peoples eyes. In the post Jordan NBA I'd put him behind Duncan, ahead of Shaq and barely behind Kobe. But when he chose Miami and made ridiculous promises of titles things changed. When you create that level of expectation and join some phoney super team you create a lot of enemies. His behavior in the summer of 2010 will unfortunately never be forgotten. I don't fault him for leaving Cleveland, but the circus show they created in Miami was a colossal mistake. Although they had a lot of success the contracts of Bosh and Wade are now about to prevent them from likely ever getting back unless Riley can work some kind of miracle. Bosh is not the inside presence they desperately need and Wade if probably best suited as a 6th man, that's not good when those guys are making max money.

So, what is it? Legacy or all time great?>HAHAHA

I agree, that, as of right now, i would have him just behind Duncan(BEST 4-Man in The NBA ever?) and ahead of Shaq. But, i have him ahead of Kobe as he's a better all-around player.

Ridiculous promises? So, he would've been better off saying they would not win any Titles.>LOL.... Super phoney team? The Heat only went to 4 straight Finals and how many franchises have done that? 2 or 3? And won 2 Titles so how is that a mistake? What did he do in the Summer of 2010 that was so bad? Did he beat up his girlfriend or some other shit? The media created the circus show in South Beach.

Agree about Bosh(lack of inside presence) & Wade(SHOULD be a 6th man) and that they can't take Max money(did they take Max on their last contracts?) if they want to get back to the Finals any time soon. Riley has to work a miracle is right>LOL!! But, the way the Eastern Conference is it might not take that much.

lastexit78

The legacy is still being written but getting blown out worse than any team in Finals history doesn't look great on the resume. Also the 4 straight Finals appearances mean very little when you look at the state of the Eastern Conference the past 4 years. If they played out West they might not have even gotten to a Finals. As for 2010 it wasn't the media who came up with "The Decision" or the parade or whatever that was when they all danced out on stage. Two titles is nothing to overlook, but when the team was formed it was supposed to be an all time great collection of talent that would dominate for 6 to 7 years. In my opinion neither of their two title teams even rank in the top 20 teams of all time. Outside of that amazing winning streak last season they never dominated at a level of the great teams of the past. Just looking at the post Jordan era they would have gotten flattened by the Kobe/Shaq Lakers or even the Kobe/Gasol Lakers. The Spurs at their peak were clearly better as we just saw and they couldn't even handle a good but hardly great Mavs squad in '11.

cutz

That blow-out has no bearing on LeBrons legacy IMO. Hell, he ONLY averaged just under 32 pt.s and shot around .57% and i think he lead the team in rebounds and ast. too. He did it all. What did he have in the last game? 31 pt.s 10 reb.s 5 ast. 2 stl.s and 1 TO, and he played point guard most of the game>LOL

I don't care how bad the Eastern Conference is, and it is, but to make 4 Finals in a row is impressive regardless.

Actually i think it was the media, not that it matters to his legacy on the court, who came up with "The Decision": ESPN.Though, he had to agree to do it. You do know he donated around 2.5 million to the Boys & Girls club where they had that circus?>LOL. Again, NONE of that has anything to do with his legacy on the court.

Great collection? Who besides LBJ, D-Wade & Bosh were great players? I think the rest of the team were no more then role players. Now, if they would've had Ray Allen in his PRIME?

I agree that the Heat team doesn't rank in the top 20 teams of all time. That's the TEAM and not LeBron James>LOL

CROJAM95

Jordan said it best...you dont run to other great players, they come to you when your top dog.

The whole "take my talents to south beach" fiasco just showed the world that he is immature and not the one calling the shots on his behalf. His entourage blows, and he shoulda had the balls and brains to realize how polarizing that was....spit in Cleveland's face on LIVE TV and the idiot did the announcement 15-20 miles from NYC...way to piss off the biggest market in the US off too.....foolish.

Then the introduction of the BIG 3...wow that was a lil over the top......then if Ray Allen doesnt hit that three after 10 other things went wrong for the Spurs and right for the Heat prior in Game 6 last yr...and lets say both these teams made it this yr to the Finals and the results were the same....thas 1-4 record in finals opposed to 2-3 which still kinda sux...but 1-4...thats pretty shitty. Lebron didnt play well in last yrs finals until game 7 which never should have been played....so he played great in this yrs finals...good for you Lebron, thats what your suppose to do.Team still got smoked.

We all know Wade will opt in for 20mil...he has no options...I suppose Bosh and Lebron will do the same.....it will be fun to see the shitty squads they play with the next 5 yrs after they are cash strapped....Micky Arison isnt Prokhorov in Brooklyn...he wont touch that luxury Tax

eeriepadave

should be an interesting draft.

eeriepadave

McDermott traded to the Bulls

Jason P

Do the new owners of the Milwaukee Bucks spend a lot of time sniffing glue in the back parking lot?

RP112579

Jason P said:

Do the new owners of the Milwaukee Bucks spend a lot of time sniffing glue in the back parking lot?

) Yes.

norm

i'm not gonna link it because it's just too gruesome but paul george's injury.... :-&

Cliffy6745

norm said:

i'm not gonna link it because it's just too gruesome but paul george's injury.... :-&

That is disgusting

Jason P

Damn .... I guess the Pacers should have given Crazy Ass Lance the money in retrospect. Hopefully he can come back from that injury, but that was a bad one.

The Pacers are pretty much screwed next season.

eeriepadave

The new Spurs assistant coach is pretty cute

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11312366/becky-hammon-hired-san-antonio-spurs