The Spurs' remarkable display of team basketball was beautiful to watch.

SA simply played much better this year's finals.

Could have been a sweep had they won game 2.
Also could have been a game 6 had Miami won game 1.

5 games was about right. Simply not going as far as to find cosmic significance in SA playing better in this finals than Miami. It means they won. Maybe they get back next year, maybe not. Same for Miami.

Still- this model franchise tanked a season- to get a better draft pick. Just as many still resent James for a poorly orchestrated charity benefiting press conference, a playoff team tanking does as well.

In the finals- they played great.

But since they last won, the Lakers won twice as did Miami- and both the Lakers and Miami were in additional finals. THIS YEAR SA, another good team, had a great finals. If it was purely systematic, they would have been on top more. As it is- 5 titles in 16 seasons is a tremendous accomplishment. The Bulls won 6 in 8. The Lakers in the 1980s won 5 in 9. Then 5 in 11 in the 2000s. The Celtics won all the time in the 60s then won three in 6 seasons in the 1980s. The Spurs are up there with those teams to a degree now.

Miami, if James plays there next year, right now is more like the late 1980s Detroit. 2 titles with other finals' appearances. They simply seem likelier than Detroit to remain a title contender for the next half decade. Like San Antonio did. Will not win it every year, but will be in the mix.

(06-16-2014 06:30 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  The Spurs' remarkable display of team basketball was beautiful to watch.

I like how the camera singled out Leonard's defense of LeBron. Our kids can learn from those hand moves of KL's.

Miami needs a lot more help than getting Melo, who doesn't play no defense by the way. They have no bench and no inside game whatsoever and that's why I see a downturn for Heat unless something big is in the works in FA

(06-13-2014 01:39 PM)Rob Wrote:  Lebron is better than Magic.

Not even close.

We were talking about this at work the other day.

Go back twenty years and pick an all star team, LeBron isn't on the first team.

Magic
Bird
Jordan
David Robinson
Malone

Who is LeBron going to start in front of?

(06-16-2014 06:30 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  The Spurs' remarkable display of team basketball was beautiful to watch.

There is something to be said from having so many international players, they seem to be much more fundamental. And I was told that the kids who grew up playing soccer have so much better footwork when they come over to basketball.

(06-11-2014 09:20 PM)snowtiger Wrote:  

(06-11-2014 04:59 PM)Tiger46 Wrote:  Pulling for the Spurs in this series, not a LeBron fan.

But it seems like when you are playing the Spurs Genobli kills you and when you root for him he's cold as ice. He did make a few nice plays.

Genobli...I don't know. He's just a freak of nature who happens to be able to ball.

I jumped out of my chair when he made that slam the other night. He must have the two longest steps in basketball.

(06-17-2014 11:55 AM)Tiger46 Wrote:  

(06-13-2014 01:39 PM)Rob Wrote:  Lebron is better than Magic.

Not even close.

We were talking about this at work the other day.

Go back twenty years and pick an all star team, LeBron isn't on the first team.

Magic
Bird
Jordan
David Robinson
Malone

Who is LeBron going to start in front of?

David Robinson? Are you nuts? In what way is Magic better than Lebron? Lebron is superior in every way except it's probably even in passing, maybe the edge to Magic.

(06-17-2014 11:59 AM)Rob Wrote:  

(06-17-2014 11:55 AM)Tiger46 Wrote:  

(06-13-2014 01:39 PM)Rob Wrote:  Lebron is better than Magic.

Not even close.

We were talking about this at work the other day.

Go back twenty years and pick an all star team, LeBron isn't on the first team.

Magic
Bird
Jordan
David Robinson
Malone

Who is LeBron going to start in front of?

David Robinson? Are you nuts? In what way is Magic better than Lebron? Lebron is superior in every way except it's probably even in passing, maybe the edge to Magic.

No I'm not nuts but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you weren't around to watch Magic play. In what way was he better? He made everybody better, nobody could stop him. That comparison is not even close.

David Robinson was on "The" Dream Team as the starting center.

(06-17-2014 11:55 AM)Tiger46 Wrote:  

(06-13-2014 01:39 PM)Rob Wrote:  Lebron is better than Magic.

Not even close.

We were talking about this at work the other day.

Go back twenty years and pick an all star team, LeBron isn't on the first team.

Magic
Bird
Jordan
David Robinson
Malone

Who is LeBron going to start in front of?

Magic/Bird are not better than Lebron...

Lebron Shoots better than Magic, plays MUCH better defense than Magic, Drives better than Magic, Magic was a better passer and I wouldn't even give Magic being a better rebounder.

Bird was 6-9 playing in a league where that was tall for a small forward...That is almost the norm now, he would not be able to post or shoot over shorter players the way he used to and definitely would not be able to hide on defense.

Replace Lebron with Magic and this heat team and they don't even make the finals and with bird they are gone in the early rounds.

(06-17-2014 11:55 AM)Tiger46 Wrote:  

(06-13-2014 01:39 PM)Rob Wrote:  Lebron is better than Magic.

Not even close.

We were talking about this at work the other day.

Go back twenty years and pick an all star team, LeBron isn't on the first team.

Magic
Bird
Jordan
David Robinson
Malone

Who is LeBron going to start in front of?

Bird, Robinson or Malone.

Miami right now Vegas favorites for next season. Which does not change the fact San Antonio played lights out in the finals. Miami does not need much- they are title contenders now- simply lost to another good team that played extremely well. Unlikely Chalmers ever disappears for an entire series again- although yes, Wade lost a step.

(06-17-2014 06:12 PM)Mimi Wrote:  

(06-17-2014 11:55 AM)Tiger46 Wrote:  

(06-13-2014 01:39 PM)Rob Wrote:  Lebron is better than Magic.

Not even close.

We were talking about this at work the other day.

Go back twenty years and pick an all star team, LeBron isn't on the first team.

Magic
Bird
Jordan
David Robinson
Malone

Who is LeBron going to start in front of?

Bird, Robinson or Malone.

Miami right now Vegas favorites for next season. Which does not change the fact San Antonio played lights out in the finals. Miami does not need much- they are title contenders now- simply lost to another good team that played extremely well. Unlikely Chalmers ever disappears for an entire series again- although yes, Wade lost a step.

You do realize the Spurs went 63-19 don't you? You're acting like the Spurs just played well and got hot at the right time vs the Heat. The way they played in the Finals is how they played all year. The Heat were completely outclassed

(06-17-2014 06:12 PM)Mimi Wrote:  

(06-17-2014 11:55 AM)Tiger46 Wrote:  

(06-13-2014 01:39 PM)Rob Wrote:  Lebron is better than Magic.

Not even close.

We were talking about this at work the other day.

Go back twenty years and pick an all star team, LeBron isn't on the first team.

Magic
Bird
Jordan
David Robinson
Malone

Who is LeBron going to start in front of?

Bird, Robinson or Malone.

Miami right now Vegas favorites for next season. Which does not change the fact San Antonio played lights out in the finals. Miami does not need much- they are title contenders now- simply lost to another good team that played extremely well. Unlikely Chalmers ever disappears for an entire series again- although yes, Wade lost a step.

Miami is favored because the East is garbage, historically horrendous! Outside side of Indiana and maybe a Chicago with a healthy DRose (that's 8 total games) the Heat doesn't have to face the gauntlet of the West. There were 5 western conference teams that had a equal or better record than Miami. The East only had 1 team with more wins than the Heat, that being Indiana. The Western teams beat the Eastern Conference teams 67% of the time during the regular season and the list goes on and on and this has been going on for a few years now in East. As much as Lebron is a great player and the best player in the league the question of what if he and the Heat was in the West is a legitimate question because the NBA conferences are unbalance. Its not his or the teams fault but there's doubt they would make it out of the West

You guys are younger.

In 1983 the LA Lakers were swept by the Philadelphia 76ers. The Lakers had won it all in 1980 and 1982, beating Philly both times. Philly added Moses Malone and they won it in 1983- sweeping LA. In THAT season, a good team, Philly, beat another good team, LA, badly, in the finals.

You guys would be concluding that LA was suddenly outclassed. Last I checked they made it back to the finals in 1984, and won it all in 1985, 1987 and 1988.

SA, similarly, has been a good team. But elevating them into 1996 Chicago status is as much anti LeBron sentiment as it is based on any sense of reality. This season, in large part due to Wade being less than his former self, Miami indeed seemed a step behind last year, while SA seemed a little better than they were the prior year. You do realize they were the 1 seed in 2012 and 2011 right?

And while the East is certainly down making Miami getting to the finals more likely thus making their odds of winning it all stronger, the idea that they were just lucky winners of a crap conference is more anti LeBron paff.

They beat OKC in 5. They beat SA last year (it seems as though SA winning this year makes them the 2013 champions too, at least for those not born in the 1980s- see the Lakers). They lost to a really hot Dallas team after blowing a 15 point late lead in one of those games that likely enabled Dallas to win. But- we get it- SA should have won because they lost a 5 point lead. Miami should not have won for losing a 15 point lead.

One day the hate will wane. But Miami with James will likely win 2-3 titles over the next 5 season. But in the seasons they do not- you can pile on like crazy. Just like those done and outclassed swept 1983 Lakers.

Miami's odds are only high because they play in the incredibly weak eastern conference. If Adam Silver released a press statement that the Miami Heat were playing a western conference schedule and were going to be put in the western conference playoff bracket, their odds would plummet right down the f****** toilet.

(06-17-2014 05:03 PM)Tiger46 Wrote:  

(06-17-2014 11:59 AM)Rob Wrote:  

(06-17-2014 11:55 AM)Tiger46 Wrote:  

(06-13-2014 01:39 PM)Rob Wrote:  Lebron is better than Magic.

Not even close.

We were talking about this at work the other day.

Go back twenty years and pick an all star team, LeBron isn't on the first team.

Magic
Bird
Jordan
David Robinson
Malone

Who is LeBron going to start in front of?

David Robinson? Are you nuts? In what way is Magic better than Lebron? Lebron is superior in every way except it's probably even in passing, maybe the edge to Magic.

No I'm not nuts but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you weren't around to watch Magic play. In what way was he better? He made everybody better, nobody could stop him. That comparison is not even close.

David Robinson was on "The" Dream Team as the starting center.

He was the starting center on the Dream Team because Hakeem wasn't a US citizen. You don't think Lebron makes those around him better? You think Magic carries that bum Cleveland team to a finals? I surely don't.

(06-17-2014 10:29 PM)Mimi Wrote:  You guys are younger.

In 1983 the LA Lakers were swept by the Philadelphia 76ers. The Lakers had won it all in 1980 and 1982, beating Philly both times. Philly added Moses Malone and they won it in 1983- sweeping LA. In THAT season, a good team, Philly, beat another good team, LA, badly, in the finals.

You guys would be concluding that LA was suddenly outclassed. Last I checked they made it back to the finals in 1984, and won it all in 1985, 1987 and 1988.

SA, similarly, has been a good team. But elevating them into 1996 Chicago status is as much anti LeBron sentiment as it is based on any sense of reality. This season, in large part due to Wade being less than his former self, Miami indeed seemed a step behind last year, while SA seemed a little better than they were the prior year. You do realize they were the 1 seed in 2012 and 2011 right?

And while the East is certainly down making Miami getting to the finals more likely thus making their odds of winning it all stronger, the idea that they were just lucky winners of a crap conference is more anti LeBron paff.

They beat OKC in 5. They beat SA last year (it seems as though SA winning this year makes them the 2013 champions too, at least for those not born in the 1980s- see the Lakers). They lost to a really hot Dallas team after blowing a 15 point late lead in one of those games that likely enabled Dallas to win. But- we get it- SA should have won because they lost a 5 point lead. Miami should not have won for losing a 15 point lead.

One day the hate will wane. But Miami with James will likely win 2-3 titles over the next 5 season. But in the seasons they do not- you can pile on like crazy. Just like those done and outclassed swept 1983 Lakers.

Well, I'm certainly old enough to remember the NBA of the 80s. While the Lakers were great in the 80s, they were outclassed by that Sixers team in '83. I would say anytime a team sweeps in the championship series, they outclassed their opponent.

I think the reason people are saying SA outclassed the Heat (a statement I agree with) is because of the manner in which the Spurs won. While they did not sweep the Heat, Games 3, 4 and 5 were absolute blowouts. They even spotted the Heat a 15 point lead in Game 5 and still blew them out. Miami didn't even look like they belonged on the same court because they were absolutely dismantled. I'm not a Spurs fan but the total beat down was obvious to anyone who didn't have a dog in the fight.

As far as Lebron winning 2 or 3 titles at Miami in the next 5 years, not with that current team he won't. We will see what moves Miami makes in the offseason but I don't think Miami would have even beaten a much younger OKC team this year.

It's impossible to forecast Lebron doing anything while his future is so uncertain.

(06-18-2014 12:19 AM)Rob Wrote:  

(06-17-2014 05:03 PM)Tiger46 Wrote:  

(06-17-2014 11:59 AM)Rob Wrote:  

(06-17-2014 11:55 AM)Tiger46 Wrote:  

(06-13-2014 01:39 PM)Rob Wrote:  Lebron is better than Magic.

Not even close.

We were talking about this at work the other day.

Go back twenty years and pick an all star team, LeBron isn't on the first team.

Magic
Bird
Jordan
David Robinson
Malone

Who is LeBron going to start in front of?

David Robinson? Are you nuts? In what way is Magic better than Lebron? Lebron is superior in every way except it's probably even in passing, maybe the edge to Magic.

No I'm not nuts but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you weren't around to watch Magic play. In what way was he better? He made everybody better, nobody could stop him. That comparison is not even close.

David Robinson was on "The" Dream Team as the starting center.

He was the starting center on the Dream Team because Hakeem wasn't a US citizen. You don't think Lebron makes those around him better? You think Magic carries that bum Cleveland team to a finals? I surely don't.

He carried Michigan State to a national title, that's the only comparison I can make to Cleveland. LeBron carried, oh yeah, he's so great he didn't even play college.

(06-17-2014 06:12 PM)Mimi Wrote:  

(06-17-2014 11:55 AM)Tiger46 Wrote:  

(06-13-2014 01:39 PM)Rob Wrote:  Lebron is better than Magic.

Not even close.

We were talking about this at work the other day.

Go back twenty years and pick an all star team, LeBron isn't on the first team.

Magic
Bird
Jordan
David Robinson
Malone

Who is LeBron going to start in front of?

Bird, Robinson or Malone.

Miami right now Vegas favorites for next season. Which does not change the fact San Antonio played lights out in the finals. Miami does not need much- they are title contenders now- simply lost to another good team that played extremely well. Unlikely Chalmers ever disappears for an entire series again- although yes, Wade lost a step.

No way he starts in front of Bird or Malone. If LeBron were to play center( and I don't doubt that he could ) he might start in front of Robinson. Bird joining the Celtics turned them around +32 games and a first place finish in the East. LeBron joining the Cavs was +17 games but 26 games out of first place. The Cavs fired their coach in LeBron's second year.