Series Thread: NBA Finals. Cleveland vs. Golden State...

[DJ Fieri]

A team doesn't have to be successful to be a super team.

Heck, the failed super teams are more fun because we get to mock them.

The Philadelphia Eagles....

 

[trojanfan12]

the Nash/D12 season comes to mind...

Exactly.

Kobe/Dwight/Nash and Pau might be the ultimate example of a failed super team.

It's not as epic a fail as that one, but I have Shaq/Kobe/Mailman and The Glove as another.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Exactly.

Kobe/Dwight/Nash and Pau might be the ultimate example of a failed super team.

It's not as epic a fail as that one, but I have Shaq/Kobe/Mailman and The Glove as another.

LOL

dude just because the national media gets a boner for you or because guys USED to be good DOES NOT mean you are a super team.

that Lakers team was more dumpster fire than super team.

its like saying hte Cavs were a super team with Derek Rose and Dwayne Wade this year.

 

[bksballer89]

LeBron James Confirms He Asked Cavaliers Not to Trade Kyrie Irving

 

[DJ Fieri]

LeBron James Confirms He Asked Cavaliers Not to Trade Kyrie Irving

Which means he's gone since they didn't listen to him and the FO did what they wanted to.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Exactly.

Kobe/Dwight/Nash and Pau might be the ultimate example of a failed super team.

It's not as epic a fail as that one, but I have Shaq/Kobe/Mailman and The Glove as another.

Nash was 39 in the playoffs that year. Kobe was 34 and that was his last year of being anything close to a star (he did not play in the playoffs becuase of an injury and would not ever play in the playoffs again).

Its hard to assume a super-team when one guy is 39 and one guy is as old a 34 as Kobe was- when he came in the league as a teenager and had been playing huge minutes his entire career. Kobe had great stamina but he also got and played through a lot of injuries that built up.

Age is undefeated and while that Lakers team had a lot of hype- it really did not have much substance.'


the other team you mentioned is even worse--- Karl Malone was 40 and the Glove was 36. Calling those guys part of a super team at ages 40 and 36 seems like a stretch doesnt it? If Paul Pierce and Amare Stoudemire want to come out of retirement i dont think id call them parts of a "superteam".

I mean shit- Wade and Rose for the Cavs this year were only 29 and 36.....and both those guys went to college unlike Kobe who came into the league as a teenager and played incredible minutes.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

LeBron James Confirms He Asked Cavaliers Not to Trade Kyrie Irving

Which means he's gone since they didn't listen to him and the FO did what they wanted to.

And the purpose of him confirming this now vs any other point of the season accomplishes what?

 

[WiggyRuss]

LeBron James Confirms He Asked Cavaliers Not to Trade Kyrie Irving

Yah hes definitely hinted at that at times and not expressly said it but everyone knew that LeBron wanted Kyrie back- but Kyrie was done with the Cavs as Griffen has said multiple times

I thought this part of the article was interesting

"It's not about me and Dan -- we have a great working relationship," James told Nichols. "It's not like we're not the best friends, and I don't think you should be best friends with a player and an owner shouldn't be best friends unless I'm your father and that's my son, and, OK, cool we could be great then. But I think it's worked out for us both in these four years so far since I've been back."

 

[WiggyRuss]

And the purpose of him confirming this now vs any other point of the season accomplishes what?

i think right now he feels comfortable and that the pressure is off---- he feels like he is kind of vindicated and feels good that he eliminated the celtics and that kyrie is at home nursing an injury.

if he would have lost to the Celtics he would have NEVER EVER said this.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

 

[WiggyRuss]

its interesting to me that at one point the he had serious doubts about the team.

Everyone could see that the game right before the deadline he re-focused...it seems the trades re-invigorated him and gave him the belief that they could still accomplish great things this year and make history and continue his Finals streak.

I think if before the trade deadline and the deals if you gave LeBron truth serum he would have seriously doubted it--- after words I think it was clear he had a lot more confidence and a better mindset.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

i think right now he feels comfortable and that the pressure is off---- he feels like he is kind of vindicated and feels good that he eliminated the celtics and that kyrie is at home nursing an injury.

if he would have lost to the Celtics he would have NEVER EVER said this.

1. Pressure isnt off of him. He only plays for rings. Anything short is a lost opportunity.

2. Not sure how it vindicates anything. Had he have stayed and the injury occured, are the Cavs still in Finals?
Isnt he better off to say nothing?

 

[WiggyRuss]

1. Pressure isnt off of him. He only plays for rings. Anything short is a lost opportunity.

2. Not sure how it vindicates anything. Had he have stayed and the injury occured, are the Cavs still in Finals?
Isnt he better off to say nothing?

oh dude the pressure is 100% off

if they lose no one is going to blame LeBron--- if they win he will be put on a level as the greatest ever. Its all gravy for him at this point.

Pluto wrote an article for hte PD saying that very thing- that if Irving stayed and got hurt the Cavs probably arent in the finals

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

its interesting to me that at one point the he had serious doubts about the team.

Everyone could see that the game right before the deadline he re-focused...it seems the trades re-invigorated him and gave him the belief that they could still accomplish great things this year and make history and continue his Finals streak.

I think if before the trade deadline and the deals if you gave LeBron truth serum he would have seriously doubted it--- after words I think it was clear he had a lot more confidence and a better mindset.

Finals streak means an opportunity.
If he loses, hes prob internally thinking he wished he’d have lost earlier vs killing himself into late June again

 

[WiggyRuss]

Finals streak means an opportunity.
If he loses, hes prob internally thinking he wished he’d have lost earlier vs killing himself into late June again

no fucking way--- he loves that 8 straight titles streak and having claim to that bit of history-- he loves beating hte Celtics in their arena in a game 7--- no effen way would he give that up to lose in the first round- you must be crazy. He loves having those 2 game winners against Toronto to continue to prove that while their is a false narrative that Kobe was clutcher- that LeBron has WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY more buzzer beaters than Kobe EVER did and is way more clutch.

he has MONTHS to recover for next year.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

oh dude the pressure is 100% off

if they lose no one is going to blame LeBron--- if they win he will be put on a level as the greatest ever. Its all gravy for him at this point.

Pluto wrote an article for hte PD saying that very thing- that if Irving stayed and got hurt the Cavs probably arent in the finals

I agree he wont be blamed.

Still doesnt change the fact its a wasted season. Hes playing for ring count.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I agree he wont be blamed.

Still doesnt change the fact its a wasted season. Hes playing for ring count.

dude LeBron's legacy is cemented if he got in a car accident and had his leg amputated tomorrow.

Of course he wants to win and will kill himself to win---- but its all upside for him at this point. You have heard the narratives for the last month---- he has dragged this team to the Finals.....this could be his greatest accomplishment just getting there......He has never played better at the age of 33......etc. etc. etc.

Id love for the Cavs to win- and i am sure LeBron will kill himself trying- but its all gravy right now--- dude 3 months ago the guy was worried about making the playoffs. lol.

He just beat Boston in their house in a Game 7....he just made his FIFTH buzzer beater to win a playoff game. He has scored 40 points in what? 7 playoff games?

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

no fucking way--- he loves that 8 straight titles streak and having claim to that bit of history-- he loves beating hte Celtics in their arena in a game 7--- no effen way would he give that up to lose in the first round- you must be crazy. He loves having those 2 game winners against Toronto to continue to prove that while their is a false narrative that Kobe was clutcher- that LeBron has WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY more buzzer beaters than Kobe EVER did and is way more clutch.

he has MONTHS to recover for next year.

He plays for rings.
The other stuff you can save for your runner up speach.
James will never utter those words.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I agree he wont be blamed.

Still doesnt change the fact its a wasted season. Hes playing for ring count.

Terry Pluto- one of the best writers in sports, let alone the NBA--- wrote that if they lost Irving- they would have never had Hill or Nance- both of who helped win games that if they lost- they would be out.

If the Cavs had Irving and the same thing happened- which is a fairly reasonable assumption since its not like a contact injury hurt kyrie- it was wear and tear from a previous injury- they probably arent in the Finals right now.

I PROBABLY agree with that.

The one thing i would say is that while they would not have gotten someone the caliber of George Hill- they mightve been able to get SOME kind of backup PG.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

dude LeBron's legacy is cemented if he got in a car accident and had his leg amputated tomorrow.

Of course he wants to win and will kill himself to win---- but its all upside for him at this point. You have heard the narratives for the last month---- he has dragged this team to the Finals.....this could be his greatest accomplishment just getting there......He has never played better at the age of 33......etc. etc. etc.

Id love for the Cavs to win- and i am sure LeBron will kill himself trying- but its all gravy right now--- dude 3 months ago the guy was worried about making the playoffs. lol.

He just beat Boston in their house in a Game 7....he just made his FIFTH buzzer beater to win a playoff game. He has scored 40 points in what? 7 playoff games?

Im not talking legacy.
Im talking why he still continues to play.
He wants rings.
Its the only reason.

Hed retire tomorrow if he knew he couldnt win any more.