OT: Heat up 2-1

[maniax]

Jordan failed many times as well, but with the game on the line win or lose the ball was going to be in his hands. The thing is with the game on line where was Lebron? Why was the ball not in his hands more often down the stretch. It's not like it was only this 1 game either. Lebron throughout his career has been known to disappear late in close games. Why was he not forcing his offense and looking for his shots? Kobe and Jordan would have been in that situation. I really don't think calling Lebron the evolution of Scottie Pippen is that far off from reality. They both can fill up stat sheet, they both can play any position on the floor, and they are both excellent defenders, but when the game is on the line the ball is in someone else hands. A lot of people take the comparison the wrong way because they want to believe Lebron is more like Mike, but he is not like Mike. He is Pippen only better and more capable of taking a game over on his own.

1 great Finals run does make you a great player. If the Heat lose this that makes 3 or 4 times Lebron has reached the Finals and lost. The sad thing is Wade right now. Wade 3+ years ago was the guy that would take over a 4th quarter and will the Heat to a victory. Either Wade can't do that anymore or he is giving up to much to Lebron. The Heat really could have used one of them stepping up in the 4th quarter of Game 1 though. They can't rely on Bosh, Miller, Chalmers, and Allen being the guys to hit tough shots down the stretch.

Lebron's willpower to win has improved over the years, but his willpower to win is nowhere near in the category of Jordan's or Kobe's.

 

[dredinis21]

I said it a week ago and I will say it again on this board. Spurs in 5. Talent doesn't beat discipline with regularity and the Spurs are about as disciplined as the NBA has seen since Jordan's Bulls. Plus, the Spurs have arguably the best 2-3 defensive combos in Green and Leonard on the wings, exactly what is needed to beat Miami.

 

[erckm510]

No but I would think 4 freaking MVP's count for something. So I guess Garnett and Dirk aren't great because they only had 1 finals run. Steve Nash must be awful for never making the Finals.

And I suppose all the the game winning shots that Lebron makes doesn't count either? All you have to do is google game winning shots lebron or clutch stats. It's funny how you keep knocking down what Lebron has accomplished in the NBA. You don't like Lebron. We get it.

 

[Kinzu]

No but I would think 4 freaking MVP's count for something. So I guess Garnett and Dirk aren't great because they only had 1 finals run. Steve Nash must be awful for never making the Finals.

And I suppose all the the game winning shots that Lebron makes doesn't count either? All you have to do is google game winning shots lebron or clutch stats. It's funny how you keep knocking down what Lebron has accomplished in the NBA. You don't like Lebron. We get it.

Of course all of those guys are great, and Lebron earned all of those MVP's. The guy can do whatever he wants on the court and fill up stat sheets nightly. I do question building the team around him though. He is not the type of player to carry a team on his back. It's not so much that he can't do it, but rather it's not his game to do such. If Wade was playing like the Wade of old the Heat would be unstoppable, but the Heat with a quickly aging Wade are essentially not much better than the teams he had in Cleveland. They are good defensive team that thrives on turnovers. They are weak inside. They have some really good outside shooters, but their only true offensive playmaker is Lebron. I'm pretty sure to win this series the Heat either need Wade to step up or have Lebron trying to score 40 points a night.

 

[Badger8843]

Of course all of those guys are great, and Lebron earned all of those MVP's. The guy can do whatever he wants on the court and fill up stat sheets nightly. I do question building the team around him though. He is not the type of player to carry a team on his back. It's not so much that he can't do it, but rather it's not his game to do such. If Wade was playing like the Wade of old the Heat would be unstoppable, but the Heat with a quickly aging Wade are essentially not much better than the teams he had in Cleveland. They are good defensive team that thrives on turnovers. They are weak inside. They have some really good outside shooters, but their only true offensive playmaker is Lebron. I'm pretty sure to win this series the Heat either need Wade to step up or have Lebron trying to score 40 points a night.

Haha umm there is NO ONE in the NBA better then King James, NO ONE. So yes you build your team around him because not only is he the best player on the planet, he makes everyone around him better, aka Chalmers, Cole, Mike Miller, Haslem, the list goes on. Not to mention the Heat won by 20 last night and were up 30pts at one point, they couldnt stop the pick n roll

 

[Badger8843]

I said it a week ago and I will say it again on this board. Spurs in 5. Talent doesn't beat discipline with regularity and the Spurs are about as disciplined as the NBA has seen since Jordan's Bulls. Plus, the Spurs have arguably the best 2-3 defensive combos in Green and Leonard on the wings, exactly what is needed to beat Miami.

Well the Spurs in 5 isnt going to happen, so get a new prediction

 

[Flyingiguana]

No but I would think 4 freaking MVP's count for something. So I guess Garnett and Dirk aren't great because they only had 1 finals run. Steve Nash must be awful for never making the Finals.

And I suppose all the the game winning shots that Lebron makes doesn't count either? All you have to do is google game winning shots lebron or clutch stats. It's funny how you keep knocking down what Lebron has accomplished in the NBA. You don't like Lebron. We get it.

lebron can be great but he's not even in the same ballpark as guys like duncan, jordan, kobe, etc.

 

[erckm510]

lebron can be great but he's not even in the same ballpark as guys like duncan, jordan, kobe, etc.

Never said that he was. But he absolutely can be when he's done with his career.

 

[Badger8843]

LeBron is great, 4x MVP, after his career I assume he will catch Kareem who has 6 and be the all time MVP leader, he will also add a couple more NBA titles before its all said and done but I dont think he will have as many as Kobe and MJ when he is done. But the guy dominates on both sides of the ball like no one at his position before.

 

[dreday]

Don't know why people hate on the guy. He's the best player in the world hands down. He can't win 4 losing n this world.

 

[maniax]

Don't know why people hate on the guy. He's the best player in the world hands down. He can't win 4 losing n this world.

He is the best player in the NBA, but I still cannot stand "The Decision" and then after that the big 3 pep rally in Miami on stage. What a bunch of arrogant a-holes.

Jordan, Kobe, Shaq or none of the other dominant players of their time never had any crap like either of those two BS events.

 

[Badger8843]

^ I agree with this, he is the best player but the pep rally they had was dumb. But at the same time the Heat org wanted it to happen and you have to remember LBJ was 24-25 when that took place, he has grown up a lot since then. We want to hold that against him but people seem to forget that Kobe cheated on his wife and was accused of r*pe, to me he is a dirt bag

 

[erckm510]

^ I agree with this, he is the best player but the pep rally they had was dumb. But at the same time the Heat org wanted it to happen and you have to remember LBJ was 24-25 when that took place, he has grown up a lot since then. We want to hold that against him but people seem to forget that Kobe cheated on his wife and was accused of r*pe, to me he is a dirt bag

Yes he cheated on his wife. So do many athletes. They are dirt bags for it. But as a fan of sports I don't care if Magic, Jordan, Tiger or whoever cheated on their wives.

However his r*pe accusal and to hold it against him is just lame. His accuser didn't want to testify in court so why shouldn't we forget about it? The accuser obviously did.

 

[sjballer03]

He is the best player in the NBA, but I still cannot stand "The Decision" and then after that the big 3 pep rally in Miami on stage. What a bunch of arrogant a-holes.

Jordan, Kobe, Shaq or none of the other dominant players of their time never had any crap like either of those two BS events.

Oh yes, why don't we forget about Kobe's power struggle with Shaq (at a cost of winning more championships) and then his trade demands later on. Gotta love the selective memory of some people. And since I'm on the subject, maybe I should bring up a certain incident in Colorado. But no, it's way worse for a player to have a tv special (where all proceeds went to charity) announcing where he's going to go (as a free agent). And God forbid a team to have a pep rally to pump up their fans.

 

[sjballer03]

It absolutely amazes me that people are so butthurt about a player assembling a super team. What is wrong with a star player taking matters into his own hands? Is that the sacred domain of owners/GMs? Also, I gotta love how Lebron gets more hate than players like Carmelo and Dwight Howard who quit on their teams and subsequently forced trades.

And let's not forget that Lebron made a sign and trade deal with Cleveland, giving them a salary cap exception and extra draft picks. But please continue with your unbridled ignorance.

 

[NinerSickness]

Oh my crap the Heat are getting destroyed.

 

[tomikcon1971]

Oh my crap the Heat are getting destroyed.

They may win the series, but all time great teams don't get dismantled like this in the NBA Finals. JMHO.

 

[Flyingiguana]

heat have the talent to pull out a game or two, but i think the spurs take this.

 

[MHSL82]

It absolutely amazes me that people are so butthurt about a player assembling a super team. What is wrong with a star player taking matters into his own hands? Is that the sacred domain of owners/GMs? Also, I gotta love how Lebron gets more hate than players like Carmelo and Dwight Howard who quit on their teams and subsequently forced trades.

And let's not forget that Lebron made a sign and trade deal with Cleveland, giving them a salary cap exception and extra draft picks. But please continue with your unbridled ignorance.

I know you weren't talking about me, but I don't care about the super-team and I don't care about the Decision. I don't see the Decision as a charity thing like Sickness does, but I don't hold anything against him for it. Think it was dumb, but so what? What bugged me was the concert show-like appearance thing. I don't hate LeBron for it, but if he loses here, and Wade fades more, I think it would be pretty funny in retrospect. It was so unnecessary and while I'm not rooting for them to lose, I don't exactly want them to succeed. But if they hadn't done that, who knows? Maybe I'd be wanting him to win because of his talent and all that?

 

[MHSL82]

Yes he cheated on his wife. So do many athletes. They are dirt bags for it. But as a fan of sports I don't care if Magic, Jordan, Tiger or whoever cheated on their wives.

However his r*pe accusal and to hold it against him is just lame. His accuser didn't want to testify in court so why shouldn't we forget about it? The accuser obviously did.

I wouldn't apply that in general to r*pe accusers, even those accusing celebrities, but in that specific case, it seemed like she was a faker accusing the Laker. The friends that said she bragged about it to them obviously aren't friends anymore, but were they really friends or people who wanted to say they knew something? If the truth, I am glad her name was leaked; if not, those "friends" can go to hell, even if Kobe is innocent.

I'll never know, but she had the prosecutors and maybe lawyers (civil case or just criminal?) and while lawyers can't make actual r*pe victims (don't want to use the word, "legitimate" here) brave enough to take the stand, let alone for a public figure, they had to have tried to convince her. I don't know what else to do if she won't. I will say though that being guilty in the court/jury's eyes is a different thing than the public eye. I don't know what a jury would think, but it appears that besides people who hate Kobe or the Lakers, figure, right or wrong, that she was a gold-digger.