Rockets: Any chance OKC wins the le this year?

[StrengthAndHonor]

Indiana has a chance no matter how overrated they are. The only year the Heat really cruised to the Finals was in 2011. The tired old bag Celtics with a completely pathetic offense managed to push the Heat to 7 in 2012.

I give credit where it's due. Miami won the series against Indiana last year fair and square, but despite being overmatched in talent and depth, the Pacers showed a great amount of resiliency and almost took the series. They are far better this year in both experience and roster. It's weird to say this but it's going to be a monumental task for Miami to beat the Pacers this year.

[Rogue]

agree with my kobe4life. Durant just doesn't have the leadership that the leader of a champion team is supposed to have. Durant would be a perfect #2 on a championship contender playing alongside a great player like Dirk or God, but you could never imagine a team led by the frog mutant winning the championship. Durant will win some rings but not before he moves out of Meth City tbh.

[Thread]

I have no recollection of such details you're accusing me of. We've been relatively friendly throughout the years with the exception of that Committee stuff a couple years ago.

I may have mixed you up with your fellow Hornets fan, BR. Sorry, guy.

[RsxPiimp]

agree with my kobe4life. Durant just doesn't have the leadership that the leader of a champion team is supposed to have. Durant would be a perfect #2 on a championship contender playing alongside a great player like Dirk or God, but you could never imagine a team led by the frog mutant winning the championship. Durant will win some rings but not before he moves out of Meth City tbh.

What happened to you man?

[KaiRMD1]

There is always a chance that a team can win a championship, even all the teams you mentioned in the original post. But will OKC actually win it? No, probably not but there is a chance

[benefactor]

I don't see it with Scotty Brooks coaching and Durant going servant all of a sudden... if those things change, they have a shot.

Truth bomb. Despite all their talent, they are not foundationally built to win a le.

[AchillesHeel]

Well they have the 2nd best player in the game and they'll probably end up with the 2nd best record in the league, I see a dogfight against the Spurs in the WCF with the series going either way, but it doesn't matter because Lebron will destroy anyone coming out of the Western Conference.

[Thebesteva]

disagree about Spurs being done, they're still in 3rd gear at the moment.

OKC could win it this year, they'll get the most favorable officiating. Plus it looks like they'll get homefield advantage, so I expect a FT fest. I still think Westbrook could screw things up though.

Honestly, I respect the Spurs a lot. However, the main reason they made it to the finals last season is because miraculously the entire Western Conference became injured. Kobe was out making that 1st round a joke, yes Spurs would have won anyway but it would have been a difficult first round trust me on that.

Westbrook being out made it an easy WCF's. The Spurs were for real last season but a lot of it had to do with restoration walking into the finals healthy.

[Rogue]

What happened to you man?

My kobe4life converted me to Koballah. My other Shadowflames proselytized me to Johanssonism like a year ago and now I'm also a believer of Kobe who is God thanks to my kobe4life. I'm a fan of both God and Goddess at the same time, and I feel double blessed tbh.

[Phillip]

Dude this era is MUCH weaker compared to back then. If anything, miami has an easy route of getting back in the finals. What's miami's only comepe ion in the east? Pacers and........yep that's about it. Now of course, the pacers are a team capable of preventing the heat to go to the finals, but it's a better route than most teams had to go through back then when they faced 2 or more championship caliber teams and then face the best of the opposite conference. It is possible though the fatigue might get to them in the finals. But to say the heat have no chance in getting its third is stupid, heat have such an easy route.

what team has ever had to go through 3 championship contending teams just to get to the finals??

teams RARELY even have to face 2 serious contenders to get to the finals. In fact, the last team to do it, was probably Miami, when they had to beat both the 61 win Bulls, and the defending EC champion Celtics to get to the finals in 2011.

But I just went through all the championships that both Boston and LA won in the 80s. 1st off, you forget that for a few years, higher seeded teams didn't even have to play in the quarterfinals. So that is one less series of basketball that had to be played, and in addition to that, for a while the first round was best 2 out of 3, then when all teams had to play in the Quarterfinals, it was still only best 3 of 5. So less total games needed to be played in general, saving a lot of wear and tear on them, as opposed to today's playoffs.

Through the early 80s, it was basically Boston, Philly, Milwaukee, and crap in the east. A couple times Philly played both Boston and Milwaukee on their runs, but generally, it was just one series any of them had to play against a true contender. And the Lakers? the West was basically like the modern day eastern conference. It pretty much sucked overall.

As the 80s went on, in the East again it was basically Boston and Detroit slugging it out (Chicago with MJ was NOT a serious contender yet, while Milwauke and Philly was on a heavy downslide), while in the West it was basically still LA and everyone else, occasionally with a team stepping up to give them a challenge for a year like Houston or Dallas.

Don't let your mind get clouded by revisionist history. The league back then was basically the same as it is now. One stronger conference with 2-3 serious contenders, and one weaker conference with 1-2 serious contenders. That is basically how the league has ALWAYS been at virtually any point. Almost never did anyone have to play 2 serious contenders to make it to the Finals. ONLY ONCE IN HISTORY did anyone play 3 serious championship contenders as you suggest, which was the 95 Rockets who had that crazy run where they somehow beat 3 teams with 59 wins or more to get back to the Finals. But it certainly never happened in the 80s.

[Seventyniner]

I'd give the Thunder the 4th-best chance of winning it all, behind Miami, Indiana, and SA in that order. I would probably pick the Thunder over the Spurs if the Thunder have HCA, but the Spurs would have a better chance of actually winning the Finals.

If everyone is healthy and the Pacers keep the 1 seed, the Miami/Indiana ECF will be one for the ages.

[SpurSwag]

It all comes down to Westbrook. His production has been solid since his knee injury, but it just isn't the same. He was destroying us in the playoffs by just jumping into a group of 2-3 defenders and drawing the foul. He may be more hesitant to do that given his knee issues now, and if he even lacks a little aggressiveness it badly hurts them. It is pretty underrated how much they thrive off of all the energetic plays he makes, and if he plays like he is fully capable of I have a very hard time seeing anyone other than Miami beating them, and that'd be tough for them.

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

However, the main reason they made it to the finals last season is because miraculously the entire Western Conference became injured.

Is this a joke? Who would have beaten the Spurs? Oh, the Thunder? Because they played so well as a team without Westbrook against Memphis...

[timtonymanu]

Only if Miami fails to make the Finals which is highly unlikely.

[StrengthAndHonor]

They are playing on another level now. After trashing the Clippers, I won't be surprised if they actually win it all this year. Their composure and confidence is just different.

i wouldn't mind seeing a Heat-OKC series again. Winning it will break the scale for Lebron.

[Killakobe81]

Well they have the 2nd best player in the game and they'll probably end up with the 2nd best record in the league, I see a dogfight against the Spurs in the WCF with the series going either way, but it doesn't matter because Lebron will destroy anyone coming out of the Western Conference.

this. Doubt Lebron "destroys" either team. Spurs should of won last year. OKc probably wins two games and keep it close in at least two others.

[jimbo]

this. Doubt Lebron "destroys" either team. Spurs should of won last year. OKc probably wins two games and keep it close in at least two others.

the Heat should have won in the first place

Spo letting Donald Green go off was the only difference tbqh

[baseline bum]

My best guess:

Heat: 50% to win the le
Spurs: 25% to win the le
Sonics: 25% to win the le
Sterling: shining shoes with Jimmy

[sook]

I think the spurs take them out

[JohnnyMax]

Durant and Lebron are my two favorite players. It would suck deciding between them.

[Spurs 4 The Win]

Durant and Lebron are my two favorite players. It would suck deciding between them.

Frontrunning get

[elmanutres]

Could we actually witness the crowning of Durant winning an MVP, FMVP along with an NBA le in 2014?

Nope

[ambchang]

Spurs are done, Clippers and Rockets are in it to lose it while the Heat looks like they wouldn't be able to sustain extend their championship run this year.


Indiana doesn't match-up well with OKC.


Could we actually witness the crowning of Durant winning an MVP, FMVP along with an NBA le in 2014?

Awesome take.

[RsxPiimp]

Awesome take.

The Spurs got lucky. Admit it. Without 100% Ibaka, their spirits were broken and never recovered. Also, I was right with Houston and Clippers not advancing plus the Hear not being able to extend their championship.

[ambchang]

The Spurs got lucky. Admit it. Without 100% Ibaka, their spirits were broken and never recovered. Also, I was right with Houston and Clippers not advancing plus the Hear not being able to extend their championship.

Followed by even more awesome takes.