Who can supplant LeBron in 2013-14?

[ambchang]

Excellent article

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9667748/coast-coast-more-just-lebron-james

[DMC]

No one is going to supplant James next season. If the Pacers cannot do it, I won't get done. There's too much shuffling around in the league and only a settled team will win the ring.

[Katherine Robinson]

The only team the Heat have to worry about is the Pacers and if Oden can produce for two quarters, it will be less of a contest than last series.

[HarlemHeat37]

The Spurs and Pacers will challenge the Heat next year, tbh..

Making 4 straight Finals is rare in the NBA, especially on a team where the 2nd best player is on the decline and is barely still a top 10 player, tbh..

The Spurs were a Pop blunder away from winning the title, they cannot be counted out, tbh..

The Pacers filled all of their holes, they solved virtually all of their issues outside of their starting PG IMO..

Miami is still the favourite only because of Lebron, tbh..if he can win a title in 2014 in what should be the most competitive year in the NBA in a long time, he should be treated as the greatest ever, tbh..

[lefty]

Heat will 3 peat IMO

Pacers look like they can beat them, but they have an overrated coach (so do the Spurs)

[irishock]

They'll look like the 2003 Lakers, imo. Nets will beat them

[Rogue]

Heat ain't that great compared to the 05' spurs, 98' Bulls or maybe even the 11' Mavs, but they're still gonna 3-peat because the rest of the league are rather weak. OKC would've made a serious challenger had they not scuttled their own ship by sending Harden away. There're possibilities of some eastern teams turning out black horses, like the recouped Nets and the improved Pacers, but putting your money on Miami remains a safer investment than any other team imho

[RsxPiimp]

http://ballislife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/tumblr_mnc83bHvXS1reoh4mo2_r1_1280.jpg

[boga]

seems like you forgot the bulls?

[spurraider21]

seems like you forgot the bulls?

I'll remember them when Derrick Rose is on the court against them

[boga]

I'll remember them when Derrick Rose is on the court against them

hahahah, ain't gonna happen.

[Killakobe81]

The Spurs, Pacers and Nets will challenge the Heat next year, tbh..

Making 4 straight Finals is rare in the NBA, especially on a team where the 2nd best player is on the decline and is barely still a top 10 player, tbh..

The Spurs were a Pop blunder away from winning the title, they cannot be counted out, tbh..

The Pacers filled all of their holes, they solved virtually all of their issues outside of their starting PG IMO..

Brooklyn is the most talented team in the NBA on paper, tbh..

Miami is still the favourite only because of Lebron, tbh..if he can win a title in 2014 in what should be the most competitive year in the NBA in a long time, he should be treated as the greatest ever, tbh..

Some great points, HH.

I also subscribe to the 4 straight Finals theory it something even Magic, Bird and Mj struggled with on STACKEd teams. I agree that those teams pose the most challenges but I think the Spurs will be good but shot their wad last year. I have been predicting ONE more Finals run for Timmy for 5 years. He got it. Dont think it will happen again as the team is currently built. If it does Pop should get even more kudos.

YOu know I have also subscribed to the Lebron still has a shot at GOAT theory ... but just winning a 3peat and m aking 4 straight finals does NOT put him over MJ or even Magic ...yet. But he would have a strong case.

[Killakobe81]

Heat ain't that great compared to the 05' spurs, 98' Bulls or maybe even the 11' Mavs, but they're still gonna 3-peat because the rest of the league are rather weak. OKC would've made a serious challenger had they not scuttled their own ship by sending Harden away. There're possibilities of some eastern teams turning out black horses, like the recouped Nets and the improved Pacers, but putting your money on Miami remains a safer investment than any other team imho

agreed, Rogue. Perk should of been dished and they should of found scrap heap big men ... with those 3 even with russ's injury they would of been in great shape.

[AchillesHeel]

I think Pacers/Spurs/maybe Bulls will have a chance beating them. It takes a great defensive team with some size on the front court to beat the Heat. Spurs and Pacers did it best last year, a healthy Bulls squad could cause damage (heck, Nate Robinson won a game against the Heat in the playoffs).

[Michael Jordan.]

If Oden actually stays healthy and averages 10-15 productive minutes a nite, ain't anybody gonna challenge. Same thing with Beasley, stay out of trouble.

[Trainwreck2100]

They're due for an injury that HGH won't be able to fix, they've gone deep into the playoffs for 4 straight seasons.

[spurraider21]

Heat ain't that great compared to the 05' spurs, 98' Bulls or maybe even the 11' Mavs, but they're still gonna 3-peat because the rest of the league are rather weak. OKC would've made a serious challenger had they not scuttled their own ship by sending Harden away. There're possibilities of some eastern teams turning out black horses, like the recouped Nets and the improved Pacers, but putting your money on Miami remains a safer investment than any other team imho

the '11 Mavs are not on some pedestal tbh...

[DMC]

I think the league will look different this year for a few reasons. The Nets appear to be dangerous, but they have a couple washed up players who's photo ops look more intimidating than their box scores. I mean, if we got Ben Wallace and Rasheed in those uniforms, all black and shit, they'd appear to be deadly as fuck, but we're talking about a broken down KG, Pierce who's best days are long behind him, fatass PG, Lopez (only saving grace imo) and run by one of the most savvy and talented PGs to ever dress out, but he's a new head coach who never even assisted.

It's not going to be how you think it is going to be but even so they won't be the colossal diarrhea spew that the Lakers were, hell even if they only win 20 games that's still true.

Rose is tender, not in his knee but in his mind. When a leaper like that goes down, especially someone as delicate as that fucking flower, they start to defer upon their return, start to alter their game as if they are in their waning years. Don't expect Rose to be explosive. I could be wrong though.

Doc in LA, that's an interesting development. Doc likes balanced offense and staunch, suffocating defense. He doesn't give a shit about minutes. He'll play his starters until the last minute even up 40. He's either going to hit the WCF or he's going to have a bench full of suits.

OKC is back, I think, but not James Harden back. They'll win their share of RS games because Durant can almost do that single handed. They'll get good positioning in the playoffs, but they won't be able to hang with the Clippers or the Spurs. This is null and void if they acquire a high end 6th man.

The Spurs are poised to make a run at the Finals again with the caveat that injuries don't sideline Tony or Tim. Manu is pretty much pointless at this stage for anything but token minutes to appease the nationalists and the be@ners.

Knicks are still a joke. No need to talk about them. I cannot believe TC bedded with those ass clowns, he should be playing for a team that has a shot at the title. Oh they'll come out like gangbusters, Carmelo will score a shit ton of points, might break the MSG record, but so what? Hibbert still has his number.

The Pacers are going to be a beast. If they can find a suitable replacement for George Hill, bring George off the bench or whatever, they will be a terror. They need a PG who's a threat to shoot the three and who can dribble with both hands and doesn't look like a sand crab making it's way to the corner of the court to get trapped. They have no real PG. They have some seriously underrated talent in PG and RH, and West doesn't get the talent respect he deserves (he's a pussy with low BB IQ but he can shoot like crazy). I expect these guys to be back in the ECF.

I am not set on Miami to win the ECF. I think, like LA found out, that shuffling the deck when you've got a winning hand can be dangerous and they could hit a chemistry snag and fuck it up. That could allow the Pacers to get the EC championship. If they do, the Spurs could get 5. I think that matchup becomes a chess match and Pop wins.

Howard is such a wild card I cannot even call it. But if I had to guess, I'd say they do as well as last year but no better because Howard is a FT liability and until rule changes punish intentional fouls (probably never), Howard will have to earn most of his points from the stripe. That will kill momentum and Houston likes to run.

[spurraider21]

its hard for me to believe the Rockets won't be any better after acquiring Dwight. also, any thoughts on the Grizz or did they already peak?

[Ghazi]

lol did someone say MJ struggled to make 3 straight Finals?

The dude basically made 6 straight Finals.

[Ghazi]

can someone enlighten me on how the Pacers can actually beat the Heat in a 7 game series?

Put up a fight yes... close series yes... but what makes people think they're ready to overtake the Heat this year?

A team without a superstar... let's not forget Lebron is the 2nd best basketball player in history.

It's gonna take more than what the Pacers got, IMO..

[Sean Cagney]

The Spurs, Pacers and Nets will challenge the Heat next year, tbh..

Making 4 straight Finals is rare in the NBA, especially on a team where the 2nd best player is on the decline and is barely still a top 10 player, tbh..

The Spurs were a Pop blunder away from winning the title, they cannot be counted out, tbh..

The Pacers filled all of their holes, they solved virtually all of their issues outside of their starting PG IMO..

Brooklyn is the most talented team in the NBA on paper, tbh..

Miami is still the favourite only because of Lebron, tbh..if he can win a title in 2014 in what should be the most competitive year in the NBA in a long time, he should be treated as the greatest ever, tbh..
Greatest player ever? Slow down on that part, but he will be up there. Jordan still has that and 4 more rings.

[Sean Cagney]

The Spurs, Pacers and Nets will challenge the Heat next year, tbh..

Making 4 straight Finals is rare in the NBA, especially on a team where the 2nd best player is on the decline and is barely still a top 10 player, tbh..

The Spurs were a Pop blunder away from winning the title, they cannot be counted out, tbh..

The Pacers filled all of their holes, they solved virtually all of their issues outside of their starting PG IMO..

Brooklyn is the most talented team in the NBA on paper, tbh..

Miami is still the favourite only because of Lebron, tbh..if he can win a title in 2014 in what should be the most competitive year in the NBA in a long time, he should be treated as the greatest ever, tbh..
Greatest player ever? Slow down on that part, but he will be up there. Jordan still has that and 4 more rings.
lol did someone say MJ struggled to make 3 straight Finals?

The dude basically made 6 straight Finals.

If he did not retire I think he gets 8 rings, atleast 7. He would have made 8 finals in a row though IMO, no doubt.

[HarlemHeat37]

There's virtually no chance that the Bulls would have made it to more than 5 consecutive Finals, tbh..it's virtually impossible, the mileage would be an insurpassable feat, Steve Kerr himself said the team was burnt out during the run..they were lucky to play in a watered down era, tbh..

Lebron will never be the greatest from a career perspective, but peak is more important, and only Jordan and 2000 Shaq are as good or better, tbh..

[HarlemHeat37]

its hard for me to believe the Rockets won't be any better after acquiring Dwight. also, any thoughts on the Grizz or did they already peak?

Houston is going to be a great team, but I doubt they win the title in year 1, tbh..

Memphis aided their outside shooting flaws, but they still lack an alpha player, with Randolph clearly on the decline and Marc Gasol lacking the mentality to dominate a game on the offensive end..

[DMC]

its hard for me to believe the Rockets won't be any better after acquiring Dwight. also, any thoughts on the Grizz or did they already peak?

New coach, they'll take a while to get their act together and players will test him by showing up to camp out of shape. They hit the WCF last year. They feel like they won a ring already.