Series Thread: NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Miami Heat

[Heatles84]

You cant compare the 2. They are different players...if LBJ plays for another 4 years I think 1a 1b is legit and most will agree but there will always be those people that loved 90’s bball and will never back down...MJ was declared GOAT after 3 titles for some and they cant appreciate how the game has changed. MJ had the best prime but there is a reason we have never witnessed a player dominate for this long.

MJ couldnt last 3 more years, why do you think he retired for a year. Kareem is the only player could have the same dominant, long prime like Lebron and he was a big man.

Neither Smith or Sanders are the GOAT RB so lol

Lies.

 

[trojanfan12]

It's just a formality.....LOL.

That kind of thinking lost them game 3.

 

[Gman]

I tend to lean towards MJ in the debate over GOAT...

That said, one important area that LeBron has MJ beat is in physical conditioning, particularly later in their respective careers. LeBron is a workout warrior who has taken immaculate care of his body... where MJ very noticeably put on some fat pounds that slowed him down into his 30's.

 

[shopson67]

I don't know anything.

Flag that take....

 

[shopson67]

Nope. People place longevity and stats as a reason for saying someone's the GOAT. I look at dominance. Lebron will always come in 2nd, at least in my opinion.

The best analogy I can come up with in terms of this debate is when people talk about best RB - Emmitt Smith or Barry Sanders. People always talk about Smith being the rushing yards leader. Anyone with any knowledge would tell you that Barry Sanders was better. He didn't have the rushing yards because he left in his prime and didn't play as long as Smith did.

Jordan retired from basketball for nearly 2 years. And left when he was still without a doubt the best player in the league. Imagine if he had 3 more years under his belt of basketball what his stats may look like.

Yeah, I have the same issue with Frank Gore being a shoo-in for the HOF. He has played forever but has never been THE guy in the league for even a single season. Longevity is obviously a big plus, but only part of the picture.

 

[trojanfan12]

Well, that was ugly. But a win's a win.

Anyone who thinks this is over, hasn't been paying attention.

Are the Heat going to beat Lebron and AD 3 straight games? Not likely...but they're damn sure going to try. If the Lakers approach game 5 like they did game 3, there will be a game 6 on Sunday.

Like I said at the start of the series, the Heat will fire every bullet they have, throw the gun at you and then challenge you to a fistfight.

The Lakers may win this in 5...but it's gonna feel like 7.

 

[shopson67]

You are right.

They aren’t as good.

Given that games 2 and 3 were played without Bam and Dragic, I think it is a mistake to rule out the Heat.

If both teams were fully healthy, this series could have gone either way.

The Heat were getting run in game one before Dragic and Bam got hurt. Tough to say what would've happened. One thing for sure, the Lakers would lose intensity for at least one game; they've done so each series this postseason.

If Bam doesn't miss time, you probably don't get that scoring outburst from Olynyk. If Dragic doesn't miss time, does Jimmy have the ball enough to go off like that in game 3? Does Nunn make an impact? There's always a tradeoff, and Miami has quality depth to offset these losses pretty well.

 

[Black Adam]

Final game of the series and season too.

we'll see. with THIS Heat team i'm taking nothing for granted...

 

[PPhan]

Came across this on Twitter because Perkins replies to this tweet and i think it is hilarious. The disrespect for Giannis is wild.

Giannis is better. Switched Giannis for AD and the Bucks aren’t as successful. I hope we get him in free agency btw.

 

[PPhan]

You cant compare the 2. They are different players...if LBJ plays for another 4 years I think 1a 1b is legit and most will agree but there will always be those people that loved 90’s bball and will never back down...MJ was declared GOAT after 3 titles for some and they cant appreciate how the game has changed. MJ had the best prime but there is a reason we have never witnessed a player dominate for this long.

MJ couldnt last 3 more years, why do you think he retired for a year. Kareem is the only player could have the same dominant, long prime like Lebron and he was a big man.

Neither Smith or Sanders are the GOAT RB so lol

Who would you have over Barry Sanders for RBs? He was the most talented by far

 

[Black Adam]

Well, that was ugly. But a win's a win.

Anyone who thinks this is over, hasn't been paying attention.

Are the Heat going to beat Lebron and AD 3 straight games? Not likely...but they're damn sure going to try. If the Lakers approach game 5 like they did game 3, there will be a game 6 on Sunday.

Like I said at the start of the series, the Heat will fire every bullet they have, throw the gun at you and then challenge you to a fistfight.

The Lakers may win this in 5...but it's gonna feel like 7.

lol which one of us DIDN'T know this Heat team is a team of scrappers and overachievers...?

bastids are tough. the smart ones among us knew we'd have our work cut out for us...

 

[bksballer89]

Giannis is better. Switched Giannis for AD and the Bucks aren’t as successful. I hope we get him in free agency btw.

Exactly lol. Both are great players but if im starting a team, I'm choosing giannis over Davis

 

[bksballer89]

we'll see. with THIS Heat team i'm taking nothing for granted...

Yep.

 

[Heatles84]

Yeah, I have the same issue with Frank Gore being a shoo-in for the HOF. He has played forever but has never been THE guy in the league for even a single season. Longevity is obviously a big plus, but only part of the picture.

My biased nature's going to come in. But Gore did put up Pro Bowl years. As a RB to survive in the league as long as he had and remain productive is insane. Having said that, even though his numbers are up there with Sanders, I wouldn't put Gore in that category. But I would put him in the HOF, just not as a 1st ballot.

So I guess we're sort of in an agreement.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Cowherd either hits the hammer on the nail or he is totally off imo. He brings up a lot of good points here and we all forget at this time last year we were all talking about how the Lakers might be one of the worst run franchises, the pieces they put together looked like a trainwreck other than AD. Lebron has somehow made it work. Some don't realize how hard it is to adjust to different rosters like Lebron's has done so many times and not only that but consistently winning and taking his team to the Finals year in and year out. It still amazes me he is 35. He is chasing around 23 and 24 year olds out there.

 

[Heatles84]

lol which one of us DIDN'T know this Heat team is a team of scrappers and overachievers...?

bastids are tough. the smart ones among us knew we'd have our work cut out for us...

At this point, I'm looking for moral victories. Force this to a game 6, and I'm more than satisfied, especially with the obstacles we had. But, early congrats on the title.

 

[Heatles84]

Cowherd either hits the hammer on the nail or he is totally off imo. He brings up a lot of good points here and we all forget at this time last year we were all talking about how the Lakers might be one of the worst run franchises, the pieces they put together looked like a trainwreck other than AD. Lebron has somehow made it work. Some don't realize how hard it is to adjust to different rosters like Lebron's has done so many times and not only that but consistently winning and taking his team to the Finals year in and year out. It still amazes me he is 35. He is chasing around 23 and 24 year olds out there.

Oh, Lebron's a freak of nature. But having a player who's near your equivalent in talent in AD makes up for it.

This is not a knock on the Lakers, but it helped that pretty much all super teams have dissolved at this point. There was no GSW to content with (as they lost KD). And people were saying that this would be one of the most interesting seasons given the parity.

At the risk of pissing off Lakers fans, I have respect for Vogel. I don't have much for Pelinka. Everyone knew that AD wanted to be traded to the Lakers. He didn't exactly pull off making a great fantastic roster. Lebron and AD are just that damn good.

Edit: Also, I don't understand Colin's point about Lebron taking his 5th HC to a Finals, where Jordan couldn't take a 2nd. Jordan had 3 coaches while in Chicago. Once Phil and MJ synced, it was over. MJ didn't hop from franchise to franchise, Lebron did. So that's a moot point, IMO.

And in terms of Lebron leaving franchises and they deteriorate - you could really only point to Cleveland and Miami. Miami had to deal with Bosh's blood clots, but not long after Lebron left, were one win away from the conference finals. Six years later, are in the NBA Finals.

If he wants to stand on his soap box about how he's carried a pedestrian franchise like the Cavs, then hey, no argument from me.

 

[trojanfan12]

But, early congrats on the title.

Oh no you don't. Not accepting your reverse jinx attempt.

 

[trojanfan12]

Cowherd either hits the hammer on the nail or he is totally off imo. He brings up a lot of good points here and we all forget at this time last year we were all talking about how the Lakers might be one of the worst run franchises, the pieces they put together looked like a trainwreck other than AD. Lebron has somehow made it work. Some don't realize how hard it is to adjust to different rosters like Lebron's has done so many times and not only that but consistently winning and taking his team to the Finals year in and year out. It still amazes me he is 35. He is chasing around 23 and 24 year olds out there.

Agree with most of what he said, but there are 2 points I take exception with.

1. The Heat didn't get worse/struggle because Lebron left. With what they had left, most thought we would get Heat vs. Cavs in the ECF that season. The Heat got worse because of Chris Bosh's health and they had Bosh's contract counting against their cap for several years even though he couldn't play.

2. MJ never got a chance to play for another coach or take another team to the titles because in order to do that, you have to leave. MJ didn't leave except to retire.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

You are right.

They aren’t as good.

Given that games 2 and 3 were played without Bam and Dragic, I think it is a mistake to rule out the Heat.

If both teams were fully healthy, this series could have gone either way.

Im not convinced of that.. Butler may have been taking a back seat in some ways for Drogic and Bam.. Once given the green light, I. Think the Heat was more effective led by Butler.. The Lakers destroyed the Heat with Bam and Drogic in the first game....The problem for the Heat is they dropped that first game before they tightened up their defense and that put them in a hole