NBA Finals

[sjay2k]

I've (sadly) been a huge Mavs fan since I became interested in bball in 1994..... LET'S GO MAVS

Seriously who could cheer for Lebron James these days anyway?

[lightfungus]

Anybody who is a fan of basketball? Not an emotional vagina who thinks these players don't have every right to do what they want...

If someone puts in their two weeks to go from a shitty company to a better company, do you have a hate aneurysms too?

I mean it's a great story. Everybody slung mud all over them when they sucked. Spoelstra, a nobody, pulls a sick collection of talent together and makes a winning team when it matters. Let's not forget that Haslem and the bench have played well and it hasn't been just the big 3 that have gotten them to the Finals. It's just awesome basketball and I am more excited about this finals than I have been about the finals since the first Celtics/Lakers (this decade).

[Wes]

I don't hate LeBron. Only reason to dislike him is that he has made it so much less compelling for the fan factor since Florida deserves no sports teams outside of football. I don't have TV though so didn't even bother with the whole decision fiasco.

Florida sports fans are the absolute nut worst. And that's saying something considering you might get stabbed if you piss off the wrong Mexican in LA.

[GTDawg]

That TV show was absolutely retarded and that celebration pep show was idiotic.

But, past that, you can't be MAD at him for going to play for the Heat. He took slightly less money to play with friends and try to win a championship. Lots of people talk about wanting players to just try and win championships instead of chasing giant dollar signs.

As for the finals, I don't know which would be funnier: To watch LeBron haters go in to meltdown when they win or to see them froth at the mouth going on attack if they lose

[Kurn]

Either one works for me. I, however, will be paying much more attention to the Stanley Cup finals.

[Gordogg]

I predicted the Heat would win the championship as soon as the "decision" went down. That kind of talent on the same team is 3/5 of an all star team. The only question was chemistry. But, I hope they get killed by Dirk and the Mavs just for the fact they were out dancing like faggots when the deal got done. Look at us, we are the shit yo. Champions X7. Fuck them.

[sjay2k]

"So the last time you changed your mind was yesterday?

The last time I changed my mind was probably in my dreams. And when I woke up this morning I knew it was the right decision."

*vomit*

Fungus you are way off base; he obviously has the right to do whatever, but he's still an arrogant d-bag... I would much rather support dirk, durant, Dwight, etc

[sjay2k]

Good game here, both teams playing some great defence

[Wes]

I can only hope that Peja and Mike Bibby somehow get into a fight so neither of them play anymore.

[lightfungus]

I can't disagree with you more. Lebron is one of the least arrogant athletes I have ever watched. Granted, we all get exposed to a media prepped version of anybody on TV, but I still think the guy is ridiculously humble. He has no reason to be, he has been viewed as the King since he was 13, and yet all he wants to do is win, play ball, and earn some dough. 95% of humans would be complete divas growing up the way he did. He has mentioned many times (none since The Decision as I think he realizes the backlash it might have at the moment) that he wants to be the first billionaire athlete. I think all the press conf, decision thing, Heat celebration thing was just marketing. Let's not forget The Decision thing also benefited charity...

Sjay, assuming The Decision and the Heat celebration thing didn't happen, and still tell me he is an arrogant d-bag?

If so, what are you watching?

[lightfungus]

It's the same reason San Diego fans suck: there are just so many ways to fill your weekends that you just can't commit to sports all the time.

See: Pittsburgh/Boston

[Wes]

I also hate that people bring up the argument that he is going to make less if he moved to Florida. No he wouldn't. No personal income tax there. He makes bundles more moving to Florida than any other place besides perhaps NYC with the marketing opportunities.

[Kurn]

True enough, though he'll still pay State income taxes for the percentage of his income attributed to games played in States that do have an income tax. each away game is legally time worked in that State.

[Wes]

That's not exactly saying a whole lot, but I agree with the sentiment. Probably the most I've cared about the NBA Finals since the Barkley Suns vs. Jordan in 92-93 (a personal horrifying tale of childhood sports obsession).

[sjay2k]

Sidenote would you support Lebron asking to be traded to Dallas now?

We could use him to spell Dirk in the first three quarters

[Wes]

I'd still bet Miami to win 4 of the next 5 NBA championships at everything less than -200. No one in the east is going to compete against them barring some huge free agent moves (extremely unlikely of big contracts moving with lockout coming). This years Bulls is the best they will ever be (aka stick Lebron on D Rose and watch the Bulls score 70 a game), the Magic will not have D. Howard after next year, the Celtics were old last year, and the Knicks still need any semblance of a defense. Every other team in the east is pretty loltastic as far as talent goes. The Heat are going to be the Finals every year for the next six at least.

Dwight Howard is the only man to stop Miami from winning a ton of championships. When, not if, he moves to LA (preferably the Clippers [lol at that]) it will cause some reverberations to the rest of the league. If he moves to the Lakers, expect the Heat to just thump the rest of the league. The Lakers were exposed for being old on the perimeter and that is not going to help any time soon.

Heat and Thunder finals 3 of the next five years with the Heat just nearly sweeping them every time is my expectation.

Really the only chance the rest of the NBA has is the players to win the labor negotiations with the caveat of somehow shared revenues between all organizations with a higher luxury tax threshold.

[sjay2k]

I disagree. Over the next 5 years I think the over/under for Miami championships is 1.5, nowhere near 4.

I think the Mavs, Lakers, Thunder and Celtics are all capable of beating the Heat over the next couple of seasons.

The fact is Dallas destroyed Miami. The Heat were 1-2 on their own court, and Lebron James was a non-factor in the fourth quarter. The zone defence was just nasty at times.

If that wasn't impressive enough, consider Dallas' records on the road in the playoffs against the Lakers, Thunder and Heat: 6 wins, 1 loss. That record is admirable for a January road swing, let alone against top tier teams in the playoffs.

The Mavs should be the favourites for next year.

Also, I think the Thunder would have been a good shot to beat Miami this year. They match up really well with Sef against Wade and Durant/Ibaka on James. The Thunder will be a bigger threat with a real coach (Scott Brooks has overseen his team shoot a 3-pointer in the last possession of tied games maybe 10 times this season??).

[Wes]

Actually Scott Brooks did that six times (cause haralabob said that on twitter).

The reason why the Heat will be much improved next year is that they will only improve their roster. Look at their roster. Mario Chalmers (and maybe a healthy Udonis Haslem) is the only one who doesn't completely suck outside of the big 3. Mike Bibby and Ilgauskaus are completely worthless. Mike Miller can't play defense and now he can't make 3s. For fucks sake they had Joel Anthony and Juwan Howard playing significant minutes.

If they stick any warm body in there it will be an improvement.

Lebron still averaged 18 points, 8 boards, 7 assists (roughly) in a series that he was dreadful in. Maybe he has no heart, but if he chokes and puts up 20/10 every game, yikes.

The West is the still the much better conference. Grizzlies, Nuggets and Thunder are all young and bound to improve. Portland is always dangerous, and they are always at like 80% health wise. Lakers may actually show up on defense with a better defensive coach.

The East, well, not so much. Celtics are OLD. No way the Heat get beat by them. Bulls got the #1 seed largely due to how terrible the rest of their division is (Bucks, Pistons, Cavs, Pacers). Bulls do have a good coach though so they could beat them, but Lebron on D. Rose shows how little the Bulls have for a second option offensively. Hawks are likely to only team to improve as their roster is largely young.

Dallas and San Antonio are the only teams that play a zone well in the league so I wouldn't worry too much about zone killing the Heat.