Two teams own 32 of a possible 62 NBA Finals trophies. In this league, when you are favored, you are ing favored. As in, injuries are the only thing that can prevent this from happening.
Do you have any stock advice as well, because I'm looking to get rich and retire. I'm assuming you have some sort of ability to predict future events...
Two teams own 32 of a possible 62 NBA Finals trophies. In this league, when you are favored, you are ing favored. As in, injuries are the only thing that can prevent this from happening.
I see what your saying. Yeah everyone knows is not right in the NBA but the Heat just ran into a star struck Thunder team last year. They never been there. All the players that killed us in the WCF choked. We saw what happened to them the year before when they ran into a more experienced team. But yeah, LeBron looks like he has figured it out. The next few seasons are his to lose, but not to say he can't.
I honestly like OKC's chances if they still have Hardon. Replacing him with Kevin Mrtin makes them worse while the Heat added Ray Allen.
Spurs, Grizzlies, and Lakers would give the Heat the most problems if both teams are 100%. Clippers need to get more consistent if they're to be taken seriously, but they do look better than last year and are getting 100%. So maybe they could be added into the conversation at some point as well.
Nets and Knicks need to really step it up to be put into legit contender status. Right now they're just 2nd round fodder, or "default ECF bound" since someone has to be there to face Miami.
I don't think it will happen, but as a few mentioned, if any team can, I actually do like the Knicks more than any other team. Amare might it up, but if he doesn't, I like the pieces the Knicks have to give the Heat some trouble. They have the scoring, they have three point shooting, they have athletic wings, they can play in both the halfcourt and in the open court, they have multiple big men to protect the paint against LeBron and Wade, and they have a point guard in Felton who may be up and down but if playing well could give the Heat trouble. The Knicks would have to play really great and the Heat not so great, but if any team could give them a run in a playoff series, the Knicks may be as good a team as any. Still don't think it will happen though.
I'm aware of that. It boils down to 3-4 teams every year. I'm not suggesting Golden State is going to threaten for the le this year. I'd venture to say Dallas was not a heavy favorite early in 2011. There's 4 teams, I believe, that have a reasonable shot at winning the le this year. I'm not suggesting Miami isn't the favorite. I'm simply saying some people seem to have already given them the le and written off the possibility of any contenders. I only have to assume, based on your smart ass answer that I'm "new to the NBA", that you disagree with me and believe that no team has a reasonable chance of beating Miami for the le this year. That's absurd. Now, if you believe Miami is the favorite, I agree. HOwever, to say that no other team has a chance in and then basically call me ignorant for suggesting that they do really displays quite a bit of ignorance.
OKC, without a doubt, is a better team than they were last year. Would they be better with Harden? Maybe so. Still, they are an improved team over last year. I'm not implying that's a result of having Martin over Harden. It's a combination of several things, but Martin is certainly not holding the team back from improving on last season.
That's reaching
LMAO @ anyone who thinks the Thunder have a legit chance to beat Miami in the finals.
its easy to kill it when you have 10+ wide open 3s every game thanks to the defensive attention Lebron takes away from everyone else
Not really. I don't know what you've seen of them this year, outside of game 1 @ SA. Again, not saying they are better with Martin than they would be with Harden - but Martin has been fantastic. Him and Harden have different games on the surface, but how different are they really? The results speak for themselves. Harden plays the power game and can finish at the rim, Martin's penetration game consists more of runners in the lane, but he gets penetration and gets to the line and puts up very efficient offensive #'s. People made Martin out to be a guy who just shoots jumpers and can't play defense. #1 - his defense is good. Great? No, but I just do not see any glaring holes in this guy's defense. Offensively, yeah you don't have a Harden to run plays so you're relying on RW, but RW has been fantastic lately. KD is assisting the ball a lot more, Martin moves off the ball tremendously. Ibaka is about the best 16-20 ft jump shooter in the NBA. Really, they are showing to be an improved team over lastyear.
Harden was a foundation peice for the Thunder, much like Ginobili was/is for us.They had a true big 3. It took multiple seasons to create that chemistry and iden y they had. You can't just replace that with no drop-off. He would continue the playmaking and aggression on offense for the Thunder when Durant & Westbrook rested. You can't replace what he did for that team. W/O Harden the Thunder don't get to the NBA Finals last year.
The Thunder are still deadly And VERY good... one of the best in the west. They would be the favorites this year to come out of the west had he stayed tho. This year it's up for the taking.
It's not just a Harden and Martin thing. I don't disagree with you necessarily, and again I'm not saying that OKC is better this year than they would be had Harden stayed, but compared to last year, I think they are a stronger team. There's some drop off in some areas with Martin replacing Harden, but you adjust accordingly, or try to. Brooks has changed his subs ution patterns so that you have either KD or RW on the floor basically at all times, without increasing their minutes, vs last year benching the two together and relying on Harden. Ball movement is much better. Good Russell has been showing up for several consecutive games now. KD's assist #'s are up quite a bit this year. Ibaka is very noticeably better offensively. It's just a combination of things that I think have resulted in them showing to be a little better this year, and the chemistry will only improve with time.
Well Durants still getting better. Well see, they're still a lot of RS left. May the best team win come playoff time![]()
Tbh, the Lakers have to start actually resembling a playoff team before everyone starts sucking them off and declaring them as Miami's toughest test, tbh.... and frankly, with the lack of defense being played in Lakerland, not really sure how'd they be stopping LeBron in a theoretical Finals anyway....
Lakers in your head much? I just skimmed the entire thread and I didn't see one post saying the Lakers.
Kidd K
That's one. I missed that. I guess that makes "everyone."
&the spurs bench
came here to say this.
What now ?
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