NBA Finals

Marine1

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3-6 in the finals. Ouch. The East is garbage is the only reason he has been to so many finals. If Bronnie was in the West this conversation would be different. I can't argue that huge series vs GS 2 years ago but damn...3 and 6 is awful.

Take just this year. Boston is one of the best teams in the league. They should have been in the finals. They are a vastly superior team than the Cavs and have an infinitely better coach. They would have beat the brakes off the rockets and would have given GS a run for their money before losing.

Lebron beat 3 west teams in the finals. If had gone to the west instead of back to Cleveland he might very well have still gone to the finals every year AND won them. If he were on the Warriors, Rockets or Spurs or maybe even the Clippers they all would have been very formidable.

All you can do is go out there and play the competition. The best team really does usually win a 7 game series. MJ is the Goat and undefeated in 6 title runs. But all nine times he was on a team NOT considered the best his team was beat in a 7 game series prior to the finals. There are only so many ‘69 Mets teams out there. The best team usually wins a 7 game series. Lebron has matched up in 7 of the 9 finals to GS 4 times and the Spurs 3 times. Those are generational legacy teams.
 

T REX

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Marine1

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I think he goes to Philly. Add Lebron to Philly and they will win the east. They would be scary good. They’ll have size, speed, passing mentality like Lebron loves, defense..the whole deal. It would be a fun team to watch.

But where he should go...but won’t...is to San Antonio. If they could keep Leonard and get Lebron...Pop would have him playing the best basketball of his career AND would extend his career by at least 2 years.

I would like to see him go to Houston so I could laugh at the 3 of them trying to be the point guard. LA makes the most sense business wise.

For legacy...come back to Miami and you wont look like you are bouncing all over the league like Shaq and Charles did at the end.

But its Philly!
 

Marine1

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And I guess that's where I have a problem with LeBron. I saw MJ will his team to wins. He made everyone around him better. His practices were famous for the intensity. Here's a quick article that I could find...

http://www.espn.com/chicago/columns/story?columnist=isaacson_melissa&id=4463664

Self-explanatory. I have never heard about Bron at practice being like MJ.

There is no comparison to MJ’s intensity and will to win. It is the actual reason he is the goat.

But to keep it fair....all 6 titles runs a case could be made that not only were they the best team in the league each year...several of them are in the argument for best team EVER. You saw him will THOSE teams to championships. You never saw him will the 9 teams that were not considered the best team in the league to a single championship because they were all eliminated early. That does not diminish him at all. Other than Russell nobody wins them nearly every year for an entire career.

Bill Russell on the other hand actually did will his teams to championships where they were the underdogs...including # 11 as player/coach.
 

T REX

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There is no comparison to MJ’s intensity and will to win. It is the actual reason he is the goat.

But to keep it fair....all 6 titles runs a case could be made that not only were they the best team in the league each year...several of them are in the argument for best team EVER. You saw him will THOSE teams to championships. You never saw him will the 9 teams that were not considered the best team in the league to a single championship because they were all eliminated early. That does not diminish him at all. Other than Russell nobody wins them nearly every year for an entire career.

Bill Russell on the other hand actually did will his teams to championships where they were the underdogs...including # 11 as player/coach.

I don't really count his years after he came back the 2nd time but you could see the progression of MJ from his early days then finally getting over the Piston hump. He matured as a player and teammate. Had he not left for baseball and had they stayed together for another year or two...we're talking about 8-9-10 titles....consecutively. His basketball IQ matched the talent on the floor(which is crazy).
 

ChiefGator

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Great comments. I think that Magic Johnson would be considered the GOAT is he did not get HIV. He is the only player I know of who has played all 5 positions in the NBA.
 

heversle

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epa_usa_basketball_nba_finals_100416043.jpg

He wore this before Game 3...interesting color scheme. He should fire his stylist for putting this together. He'll have much better options in LA however. :grin:
 

T REX

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Lavar and Lebron and Magic and LA...nascar couldn't bring you a better wreck.

That'd be must see TV. They wouldn't win dick. I hope he goes there.
 

MJMGator

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I just hope “The Announcement Part II” is as good as the first one.
 

Swamp Donkey

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Great comments. I think that Magic Johnson would be considered the GOAT is he did not get HIV. He is the only player I know of who has played all 5 positions in the NBA.
And could play them well. He was big and tough too.
 

Marine1

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I don't really count his years after he came back the 2nd time but you could see the progression of MJ from his early days then finally getting over the Piston hump. He matured as a player and teammate. Had he not left for baseball and had they stayed together for another year or two...we're talking about 8-9-10 titles....consecutively. His basketball IQ matched the talent on the floor(which is crazy).

Who knows what would have happened. Hypotheticals are only that. How many titles would Wilt have had if he was on the Celtics? How many would Magic and Bird have if they didn’t match up against each other? Would Magic have another if he and Scott don’t get injured in the Pistons first title? History begs us to keep it to what actually happened not what might have been.

I dont like being the one that defends Lebron as he wasn’t even my favorite when he was on MY team much less someone else’s....but I hate the hate. Magic lost 4 finals, West 8 or 9. Lebron is the most team oriented guy in the league, good man, good father.

I also don’t like sounding like I’m putting down MJ. I hated the Bulls but loved watching him. Loved his game. But we forget that his rise as the ultimate warrior with an intense “will to win” and all that .....coincided perfectly to the Bull’s rise in talent and becoming one of the best teams in history. Michael once scored 63 points in a playoff game and lost. He could not will that team to win. His first 7 years the real difference could be summed up as Orlando Woolridge v. Scottie Pippen. MJ’s fire, intensity and desire was equal then to what it was during the run. What changed the most was the talent around him.

The truth is imo....Lebron should have one more title than he has. The Heat should have beat the Mavs. The other 3 losses to the Warriors and 2 to the Spurs were to two of the greatest teams the sport has ever produced. Only the Heat loss to the Spurs were they even close to equal talent.

I guess for me just as it is for Magic, Bird, Russell....MJ’s anointing should not diminish Lebron.
 

Marine1

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He wore this before Game 3...interesting color scheme. He should fire his stylist for putting this together. He'll have much better options in LA however. :grin:

Not sure what these NBA players are thinking with their fashion choices. Westbrook and Wade are up there as well. I wouldnt step outside wearing these getups.
 

Marine1

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Great comments. I think that Magic Johnson would be considered the GOAT is he did not get HIV. He is the only player I know of who has played all 5 positions in the NBA.

I loved Magic. I lived in SoCal for much of their run. Went to as many games as I could get to. The games against the Celtics were the most intense, exciting games I have ever witnessed.
 

78

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Great comments. I think that Magic Johnson would be considered the GOAT is he did not get HIV. He is the only player I know of who has played all 5 positions in the NBA.
He played all five positions in the deciding game of the 1980 Finals. Kareem was out with something. However, I don't think it happened again.
 

Marine1

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If he goes to LA will he run off Walton or would Walton just be another yes man like lu

I think he would like Walton and he would be great for Lonzo but Lavar would be a real issue.

I’m hearing San Antonio may very well make a legitimate pitch for him. Interesting.
 

ChiefGator

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