o s**t, didnt realize duncan guaranteed the W in Finals
spurs gonna sweep
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2013-2014 NBA FINALS Thread
May 31, 2014 at 9:37 PM
- ads_2006
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May 31, 2014 at 9:39 PM
- K1ngCoopa24
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Spurs in 6. Although I kinda hope it's SA in 5 for the gentlemens sweep lol.
May 31, 2014 at 9:52 PM
- Pillbusta
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Originally posted by 4ML:Originally posted by DonnieDarko:Heat over Spurs in 6
Yea I like the Heat in 6 too.
Miami found their Mike Miller in Rashard Lewis. He'll play a huge role imo. And, Wade is as healthy as he's going to be in June.
I got MIA in six. Rashard Lewis is the homie. Used to shoot ball with him back in Pineville Louisiana. Didn't know him real closely because he was a bit younger than me but he always could stroke it from distance even as a little one. His boys said he would go pro and boy were they right.
The thing is SAS is playing for a championship and MIA is playing for a 3 peat! SAS think they are going to win and I don't blame them but MIA is shooting better from midrange this season in particular the big three. All that zone defense and laying off Wade and LeBron won't work this time. They will kill that defense this time. It took them five games to figure out what to do but they obviously worked on those deficiencies last off season. SAS is facing a team led by a guy looking to catch MJ and a team looking to join the 90s Bulls and 00s Lakers by completing the trifecta. If there is a wing player that can truly catch MJ now it is LeBron. I remember that look and I am starting to see it again. The look of a guy chasing not just the chip but the NBA mount Rushmore. Barring injury I believe he is going to get it too. I am truly impressed with this guy right now.
May 31, 2014 at 9:56 PM
- 4ML
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Originally posted by ads_2006:o s**t, didnt realize duncan guaranteed the W in Finals
spurs gonna sweep
I like the guarantee.
Miami cannot come out all lethargic in game 1 against the Spurs. Spurs want revenge - but they are opposite of Pacers. They're professionals and they actually believe what they say. Hopefully, quotes like that will serve an early notice to the Heat.
May 31, 2014 at 10:40 PM
- vaden
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Originally posted by ads_2006:
boring so no1curr
For over a decade, I thought the same, but:
May 31, 2014 at 10:59 PM
- Pillbusta
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Originally posted by vaden:
Miami has gone from a -240 favorite in last year's finals to a slight +115 underdog this time. Granted, that's largely due to home court advantage reversing.
I am living in DAL right now and I told them last year that it would be SAS vs MIA in the Finals again this year and I told them it was because I believed in Kawhi Leonard and what he does for them guarding OKC wing players. When DAL drew SAS I heard a lot of their fans fretting but I told them that they matched up well vs SAS and that their coaching was on par with them. Pop vs Carlisle who I think is every bit as witty as Pop and is actually the only coach to have beaten the Heatles in a 7 game series. It bore itself out and if DAL hits a couple more of their FT shots in game 4 they take a 3-1 series lead over SAS that they would not have recovered from. The reason I felt SAS would go to the Finals again is because I have always thought that only 2 teams could go into SAS and win a game and those teams were DAL and MIA. MIA has already shown these last few years that they can care less about home court. MIA believes they can go into anyone's arena even in the playoffs and win the games they need to win. I don't know about betting odds but I know about this game and it will take a lot for SAS to stop MIA from 3 peat - ing. Now Wade is healthy and SAS doesn't have the wing defenders capable of guarding both LBJ and Wade when he is healthy. And they are hitting that midrange jumper that they were shying away from last year up until game 4 for Wade and game 6 for LeBron. I respect the greatness of the SAS but they are chasing the chip and MIA is chasing the trifecta. Big difference! This is going to be great because these are without a doubt the 2 best teams in basketball
BTW my wife is a SAS diehard but I am a MIA fan since '04-'05. I followed Shaq when he left LAL and then I fell in love with D Wade in '06 and have been pulling for him since. LBJ was my second favorite player in the NBA and when they joined up it was great to me and not 29 other franchises. I am not a MIA diehard because the 49ers are the only team I am a diehard fan of. To me the NBA is a player's league and I follow my favorite players wherever they play but the NFL is an owner's league and if I love a team I am bound to that franchise for life. Weird I guess but to me in the NFL no player is larger than the team but in the NBA it is quite the opposite. In basketball a team will sink or swim largely dependent upon the superstars
[ Edited by Pillbusta on May 31, 2014 at 11:06 PM ]
Jun 1, 2014 at 12:17 AM
- JerryRice1848
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There's not even a poll or any pictures, OP this is a terrible thread
Jun 1, 2014 at 12:50 AM
- marshulk
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Originally posted by JerryRice1848:There's not even a poll or any pictures, OP this is a terrible thread
Rob would be disappointed. Rip
Jun 1, 2014 at 12:59 AM
- TX9R
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Spurs in 6. Amazing they are even here after last year's soul-crushing finish. I'm not a Spurs fan, but this is one of the most resilient teams in sports history .People been saying they are finished since about 2008. I wish my team (Rockets) had this kind of heart, smarts, and perseverance. How can any basketball fan not love this team? They personify everything great about TEAM sports. Either way this is a historic Finals. We'll either see a 3peat, the crowning of James as Jordan's successor and legitimate possible equal, or Duncan be put on a near equal level as a winner to Jordan. Super stoked for this Finals.
Jun 1, 2014 at 1:12 AM
- Pillbusta
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Originally posted by TX9R:Spurs in 6. Amazing they are even here after last year's soul-crushing finish. I'm not a Spurs fan, but this is one of the most resilient teams in sports history .People been saying they are finished since about 2008. I wish my team (Rockets) had this kind of heart, smarts, and perseverance. How can any basketball fan not love this team? They personify everything great about TEAM sports. Either way this is a historic Finals. We'll either see a 3peat, the crowning of James as Jordan's successor and legitimate possible equal, or Duncan be put on a near equal level as a winner to Jordan. Super stoked for this Finals.
Duncan has never been a back to back repeat champion and even less so the repeat 3 peat champ MJ was. Shaq and Kobe saw to that but LeBron has that chance and I think he might get his 3peat. The Spurs and Duncan have shown resilience but no one in today's NBA has led their team to 4 straight finals while repeating as champ WHILE CARRYING Team USA to the gold medal in 2012. Duncan has been the ultimate pro and champion but right now LeBron is doing something no one in the game is doing. Only MJ 3 peated while winning the gold and even then he didn't have to carry Team USA to the gold medal. We are witnesses right now
Jun 1, 2014 at 1:18 AM
- 4ML
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Originally posted by JerryRice1848:
There's not even a poll or any pictures, OP this is a terrible thread
I don't like doing the poll in the main thread. Of course, I was going to add pictures
[ Edited by 4ML on Jun 1, 2014 at 1:25 AM ]
Jun 1, 2014 at 1:25 AM
- 4ML
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Originally posted by Pillbusta:
I got MIA in six. Rashard Lewis is the homie. Used to shoot ball with him back in Pineville Louisiana. Didn't know him real closely because he was a bit younger than me but he always could stroke it from distance even as a little one. His boys said he would go pro and boy were they right.
The thing is SAS is playing for a championship and MIA is playing for a 3 peat! SAS think they are going to win and I don't blame them but MIA is shooting better from midrange this season in particular the big three. All that zone defense and laying off Wade and LeBron won't work this time. They will kill that defense this time. It took them five games to figure out what to do but they obviously worked on those deficiencies last off season. SAS is facing a team led by a guy looking to catch MJ and a team looking to join the 90s Bulls and 00s Lakers by completing the trifecta. If there is a wing player that can truly catch MJ now it is LeBron. I remember that look and I am starting to see it again. The look of a guy chasing not just the chip but the NBA mount Rushmore. Barring injury I believe he is going to get it too. I am truly impressed with this guy right now.
That's pretty cool you know Lewis.
You make an excellent point. Now, I think Spurs have a great shot at winning it and I do think Duncan and Ginobili being close to the end of their careers will fuel the rest of the roster. But - Miami is playing more consistently this post-season than they played last two post-season. Part of it is exactly what you said - they're going for 3-peat...and they're hunting for legendary status. Last year against Pacers - they couldn't put together two good games. Against Spurs, same thing until they faced elimination. They may come up short - but so far they have a more serious demeanor.
IMO - the series is a toss-up and Spurs deserve to be favorites - but I'm biased as a Lebron fan and he's clearly the best player - so I think Miami will find a way to win a game they shouldn't have and therefore win the series.
Jun 1, 2014 at 1:37 AM
- Pillbusta
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Yes Spurs are no joke but LeBron right now is one of the two or three players I have ever seen to make significant improvements in his game and his mentality every season. SAS are the toughest opponent for the champs but Kawhi Leonard is going to have to hold LeBron down four times to win this thing and another wing is going to have to deal with a very healthy Wade and SAS don't have two Kawhi Leonards that I've seen. This ain't last season and these guys are burying those midrange Js now and are looking to take advantage of the defenses that give it to them. There is no hesitation and indecision as I saw last year. I criticized LeBron even last year during the Finals for his hesitation but I ain't seeing that this year. These Heat are reminding me about those 90s Bulls right now. They even have the same road game mentality right now where they don't care about home courtOriginally posted by 4ML:That's pretty cool you know Lewis.
You make an excellent point. Now, I think Spurs have a great shot at winning it and I do think Duncan and Ginobili being close to the end of their careers will fuel the rest of the roster. But - Miami is playing more consistently this post-season than they played last two post-season. Part of it is exactly what you said - they're going for 3-peat...and they're hunting for legendary status. Last year against Pacers - they couldn't put together two good games. Against Spurs, same thing until they faced elimination. They may come up short - but so far they have a more serious demeanor.
IMO - the series is a toss-up and Spurs deserve to be favorites - but I'm biased as a Lebron fan and he's clearly the best player - so I think Miami will find a way to win a game they shouldn't have and therefore win the series.
Jun 1, 2014 at 1:50 AM
- Pillbusta
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Another thing 4ML is I was telling my wife a SAS fan about that Bulls dynamic where you have a team that from year to year could be broken up or dismantled yet CHI played under that pressure and continued to win. Also year 3 of the second 3 peat UTA was the favorite after having been the dogs year 2 of the 3 peat. Still didn't stop MJ from doing UTA anyway and despite that same revenge factor for SAS I see LeBron doing them too.
At any time Micky Arison can choose to stop paying the luxury tax just like Jerry Reinsdorf of the Bulls but Arison will continue to pay the Heatles so long as they are winning chips. These scenarios are nearly identical and the parallels evident. Call me a dreamer but I am fascinated by what these guys are doing. This is how you birth a new generation of NBA fans worldwide
At any time Micky Arison can choose to stop paying the luxury tax just like Jerry Reinsdorf of the Bulls but Arison will continue to pay the Heatles so long as they are winning chips. These scenarios are nearly identical and the parallels evident. Call me a dreamer but I am fascinated by what these guys are doing. This is how you birth a new generation of NBA fans worldwide
[ Edited by Pillbusta on Jun 1, 2014 at 1:51 AM ]
Jun 1, 2014 at 2:14 AM
- 4ML
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Originally posted by Pillbusta:
Originally posted by 4ML:Yes Spurs are no joke but LeBron right now is one of the two or three players I have ever seen to make significant improvements in his game and his mentality every season. SAS are the toughest opponent for the champs but Kawhi Leonard is going to have to hold LeBron down four times to win this thing and another wing is going to have to deal with a very healthy Wade and SAS don't have two Kawhi Leonards that I've seen. This ain't last season and these guys are burying those midrange Js now and are looking to take advantage of the defenses that give it to them. There is no hesitation and indecision as I saw last year. I criticized LeBron even last year during the Finals for his hesitation but I ain't seeing that this year. These Heat are reminding me about those 90s Bulls right now. They even have the same road game mentality right now where they don't care about home court
That's pretty cool you know Lewis.
You make an excellent point. Now, I think Spurs have a great shot at winning it and I do think Duncan and Ginobili being close to the end of their careers will fuel the rest of the roster. But - Miami is playing more consistently this post-season than they played last two post-season. Part of it is exactly what you said - they're going for 3-peat...and they're hunting for legendary status. Last year against Pacers - they couldn't put together two good games. Against Spurs, same thing until they faced elimination. They may come up short - but so far they have a more serious demeanor.
IMO - the series is a toss-up and Spurs deserve to be favorites - but I'm biased as a Lebron fan and he's clearly the best player - so I think Miami will find a way to win a game they shouldn't have and therefore win the series.
IMO - Pop will once again put Diaw on Lebron and Kwahi on Wade for stretches. Last year, Miami was peaking during the streak and were exhausted by the time they reached the NBA finals. Lebron was spent and didn't look to attack the paint as often when the jumper wasn't falling. When he did attack - Spurs did a great job of helping off the shooters late. I fully expect Pop to give cushion once again.
Also, Bosh is a much better 3pt shooter this season. He'll get plenty of open shots in this series and if he's hitting about half of them - Duncan/Splitter will have to stay a little closer to him. That may be just enough opening for Lebron to attack the paint. Lewis is all of a sudden a huge piece of the equation. Lebron has lobbied Spols to play him more all season and Lewis is finally gettin' his chance. He was great against Pacers.
And, lastly...D-Wade has completely transformed his game. He has lost a lot of his elite athleticism due to injuries - but has become one of the better mid-range shooters in the game. He said he has been working on it for 3 years but this is the year where everything has come together for him. I expect a much better series from him this time around.
Spurs are great offensively. They'll whip the ball around to the open guy and shoot 3s. That's why they're such a dangerous team. They've so many shooters - it's ridiculous. Their bench is great. So, they have a great shot. If anyone can beat a healthy Miami Heat team - it's them.
Should be a great series. Can't wait.