Are you ready?

[LAD]

Probably not, but I still think the Spurs and GS would have been their greatest stumbling blocks overall..I dont buy much into what Houston did this season, I think Cleveland would have scored 130 vs that team every game........I dont pay much attention to where they ranked this season only b/c they never really made any push to toppling Boston for the #1 seed, I think they knew they could rest this season with no fear of getting through the East.....

I agree, there wasn't a real push on the Cavs end to get the top seed because the only one that mattered was #1 overall, which they knew would be GS. And, I also think they let the #1 seed slip away knowing that the #2 seed would play in the slightly easier bracket.

But, again without the league being divided by conferences it would be in each team's best interest to achieve the highest seed possible.

 

[LAD]

To be fair, for 7 years, Jordan couldnt get past the Celtics or Pistons when they were at their best.....It took the Pistons and Celtics hitting the end of their runs for Jordan to start to dominate

And Jordan continued to play through those challenges without leaving to form super teams.

 

[flyerhawk]

Cleveland ranked # 5 in the league when we consider the win/loss records. They were tied with 3 teams, two of which were in the West. Do you think if the post season was the 16 best teams that LBJ makes it to 7 consecutive Finals?

If the Heat were in the West you don't think they would have been favored to go the finals just about every year? Do you think that the Heat would have lost to anyone other than the eventual winner that year?

 

[flyerhawk]

And Jordan continued to play through those challenges without leaving to form super teams.

Free agency was very different back then.

 

[LAD]

If Michael Jordan had to face off against the mid-80s Lakers every year, would he have been undefeated in finals appearances?

Some of you guys seem to flip your arguments to suit your agenda.

This sounds like it's flipped to favor LBJ. The facts are they play who is in front of them.

With LBJ being head & shoulders so much better than everyone in the league most would think he should also have a winning record in the Finals. He doesn't. And the guy who is perfect in the Finals is somehow no longer the GOAT?

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

And Jordan continued to play through those challenges without leaving to form super teams.

Different game back than, and Jordan also knew he was on the best team already, dont forget that point

When lebron left Cleveland for Miami, he knew he maxed out with that talent, he wasnt winning a title there, mostly because recruiting stars to play in Cleveland at the time was damn near impossible

Take away Pippen mostly, and Jordan kept running into a brick wall in the postseason because of lack of talent around him, I wouldnt have been shocked if he looked to re-locate

 

[LAD]

If the Heat were in the West you don't think they would have been favored to go the finals just about every year? Do you think that the Heat would have lost to anyone other than the eventual winner that year?

Which year are you talking about? He was there for 4 seasons, yes?

 

[LAD]

Free agency was very different back then.

but, it was available, yes?

 

[flyerhawk]

but, it was available, yes?

Who were the big name players that left via free agency in their prime in the 90s?

 

[flyerhawk]

Which year are you talking about? He was there for 4 seasons, yes?

Yes all 4 seasons.

 

[LAD]

Different game back than, and Jordan also knew he was on the best team already, dont forget that point

When lebron left Cleveland for Miami, he knew he maxed out with that talent, he wasnt winning a title there, mostly because recruiting stars to play in Cleveland at the time was damn near impossible

Take away Pippen mostly, and Jordan kept running into a brick wall in the postseason because of lack of talent around him, I wouldnt have been shocked if he looked to re-locate

And LBJ wasn't on the best team those 4 seasons in Miami? Wasn't I just asked if the Heat played in the West whether or not they'd be favored to make the Finals every year? He had arguably the best talent & still lost 2 of 4 seasons.

Come on, it can't be both ways. End of the day LBJ picked his team in Miami just like he did this second time around with Cle. Because of him opening up the flood gates of creating super teams it opened up the eyes of others to follow suit. KD just happened to capitalize the most so far joining the team that was already at the top of the league.

 

[LAD]

Who were the big name players that left via free agency in their prime in the 90s?

That's not the point- the point is FA was also available to them as it is now. Guys like MJ, Magic & others chose to stay put & grind out wins.

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

And LBJ wasn't on the best team those 4 seasons in Miami? Wasn't I just asked if the Heat played in the West whether or not they'd be favored to make the Finals every year? He had arguably the best talent & still lost 2 of 4 seasons.

Come on, it can't be both ways. End of the day LBJ picked his team in Miami just like he did this second time around with Cle. Because of him opening up the flood gates of creating super teams it opened up the eyes of others to follow suit. KD just happened to capitalize the most so far joining the team that was already at the top of the league.

LBJ came back to Cleveland for obvious sentimental reasons, and joined forces with 2 players that never played one postseason game between them, so Im a little hesitant to call them a super team.........I think the fact is once Lebron joins a team, and you have a couple of good players around him, they are labelled a 'Super Team' when in reality people dont want to admit, he's the reason they are a super team

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Who were the big name players that left via free agency in their prime in the 90s?

To lazy to look for that specific era.

But, here's a decent list of players who left in their prime.

Ranking 25 best NBA stars to change teams in their primes, from Wilt to KD

Eta: Mourning, Dikembe, Hill, Webber?

None of those guys are the same caliber star as Lebron or Durant.

 

[flyerhawk]

That's not the point- the point is FA was also available to them as it is now. Guys like MJ, Magic & others chose to stay put & grind out wins.

That simply isn't an accurate statement. Free agency didn't even exist in the NBA until the 1988 season.

I'm not sure why MJ would have left the Bulls? Didn't they win the finals the last 6 years of his career with them?

 

[LAD]

Yes all 4 seasons.

There's no way to know because without the division of conferences the wins/losses possibly changes. They change because right now the schedule is predicated on where each teams sits geographically-meaning Eastern teams play each other more & vice versa.

Do the Cavs have the same record if they play GS 4 times in the reg season vs. only twice? How about if they played the Spurs 4 times a year & OKC?? How about if GS played the Pacers 4 times a year? Do you think their win column looks a little different?

 

[LAD]

LBJ came back to Cleveland for obvious sentimental reasons, and joined forces with 2 players that never played one postseason game between them, so Im a little hesitant to call them a super team.........I think the fact is once Lebron joins a team, and you have a couple of good players around him, they are labelled a 'Super Team' when in reality people dont want to admit, he's the reason they are a super team

Hesitant to call them a super team?

Kyrie was drafted #1, and has been a franchise player his entire career - even if he couldn't get them into the playoffs prior to LBJ. Kyrie has been called one of the best iso guys in the league along with the best closer in the league.

Kevin was drafted #5 and was the franchise player in Minny. Until recently some actually thought he was in the conversation for best PF in the league.

Both guys are in their prime at the moment, and you don't think they make up a super team???

 

[flyerhawk]

To lazy to look for that specific era.

But, here's a decent list of players who left in their prime.

Ranking 25 best NBA stars to change teams in their primes, from Wilt to KD

Eta: Mourning, Dikembe, Hill, Webber?

None of those guys are the same caliber star as Lebron or Durant.

Alonzo Mourning was traded.

Grant Hill was a sign and trade. So I guess we can go with this.

Dikembe really didn't his peak until he joined with the Hawks.

Webber was traded both to Bullets and then to the Kings.

The best example of a player leaving for greener pastures would be Shaq in 96. He definitely bailed on his team.

 

[LAD]

That simply isn't an accurate statement. Free agency didn't even exist in the NBA until the 1988 season.

I'm not sure why MJ would have left the Bulls? Didn't they win the finals the last 6 years of his career with them?

How is my statement inaccurate when BOTH MJ & Magic were playing when FA was introduced? Just because you can't argue that they chose to stay vs. leave to team up together & create a super team?

And they did win with MJ as a Bull, eventually as already pointed out for us. LBJ left after 7 years of not winning a title despite making the Finals once. But, he left, for a super team rather than doing what MJ did which was grinding through the losing period.

 

[flyerhawk]

How is my statement inaccurate when BOTH MJ & Magic were playing when FA was introduced? Just because you can't argue that they chose to stay vs. leave to team up together & create a super team?

Magic played 3 seasons after FA was introduced.

And they did win with MJ as a Bull, eventually as already pointed out for us. LBJ left after 7 years of not winning a title despite making the Finals once. But, he left, for a super team rather than doing what MJ did which was grinding through the losing period.

Well modern FA restricts players from leaving in their first 7 years. By MJ's 7th year, he won a title. If Lebron wins a title in his 7th year, you think he leaves the Cavs?

I just don't get this belief that players back then were nobler. MJ and Magic were already on GREAT teams. Why would they want to leave?

You think someone like George Gervin wouldn't have left and gone to a power house if that option was available?

The super stars of the 80s and 90s for the most part WON championships. The ones that didn't did try to chase titles. But the problem is that they either did it too later or they couldn't get enough other talents on the team to challenge for rings.