LeBron

[UNMerciful_1]

All right all you haters out there. What you got now? Not only did the heat win, but LeBron was clearly the best player in the series. I know some are gonna come up with excuses. Come on, give me your best shot.

[bonesw505]

No doubt. He also showed a lot of poise and class. Kudos.

[Gonzlobo]

Congrats, all you former Bulls and Lakers fans are celebrating tonight.
Congrats to James.

[WeAre]

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[danny_914]

I give all the heat player's credit for this but lebron has come a long way since his first 2 finals where both of his teams lost. However, congratulate the heat now the real challenge starts for lebron and Miami how will they do with going for 2 in a row

[lobohowl]

Congrats, all you former Bulls and Lakers fans are celebrating tonight.
Congrats to James.

This Bulls fan isn't celebrating tonight. I really don't care. I've been a Bulls fan all my life. That will never change. See one of the logos in my signature and that explains why. Congrats to Coach Miller's brother and Bob McAdoo.

[UNMerciful_1]

Also nice game for Miller! Especially in the first half. He came up huge.

[buddylee32]

How about Drew Drizzy Gordon joining that team next year!!

[LoboMike]

ESPN's wet dream comes true. This one is all they will be talking about for a while.

I didn't watch the whole series, but OKC seemed pretty bad overall. The NBA is a superstar league and most of those chosen superstars get a ring these days, so Durant just needs to wait his turn. Right now, Lebron is ahead of him in the pecking order. More stars and more super teams will be constructed because Stern believes that's what brings the good ratings. Even the Clippers will become more relevant being that they are in a big market.

[adobeman]

glad it's over, now we can start, err, keep talking college hoops.

[wolf1960]

Yep James got his ring congrats to the Heat team, Bosh made alot of difference against OKC... Eastern teams play a rough tough defense that Ok could'nt figure out.. Brooks will review the games, where was the 6th man of the yr player Harden ? I am happy we can stop hearing about James not having a ring !! GO LOBOS !

[loborick]

Miami won this game because of the rest of the team contributing, not the Big 3. They were getting contributions from everyone. Teams win championships, not individuals.

[bonesw505]

ESPN's wet dream comes true. This one is all they will be talking about for a while.

I didn't watch the whole series, but OKC seemed pretty bad overall. The NBA is a superstar league and most of those chosen superstars get a ring these days, so Durant just needs to wait his turn. Right now, Lebron is ahead of him in the pecking order. More stars and more super teams will be constructed because Stern believes that's what brings the good ratings. Even the Clippers will become more relevant being that they are in a big market.

Basically everything in this post is not true. Try again.

[LoboJoe5]

I find it funny how many heat fans there are all of a sudden. No doubt Lebron is an outstanding basketball player. I just have no respect for him for the way he handled "The decision" and some of his comments he made last year.

[AceAndTwo]

Miami was basically paid for like the NY Yankees. It's like they should win including last year against Dallas. They were favorite from the beginning of the year and the same will be said next year. I always go against the Yankees and long live the underdogs.

[LoboMike]

Basically everything in this post is not true. Try again.

LOL. Which part? Are you claiming the NBA isn't a superstar driven league?

[UNMerciful_1]

Miami won this game because of the rest of the team contributing, not the Big 3. They were getting contributions from everyone. Teams win championships, not individuals.

A triple double in the finals is not contributing? What would Lebron have to do for you to give him the credit he o rightly deserves? He was clearly the best player on the best team in this series. There's a reason he's MVP.

[UNMerciful_1]

Miami was basically paid for like the NY Yankees. It's like they should win including last year against Dallas. They were favorite from the beginning of the year and the same will be said next year. I always go against the Yankees and long live the underdogs.

lebron got less money from Miami. Both Cleveland and Chicago offered him more.

[bonesw505]

"Are you claiming the NBA isn't a superstar driven league?"

Thats the only part I agree with.

I don't think that OKC looked bad at all until tonight. Miami won three straight games that went down to the wire. The league does not crown superstars (they aren't "chosen") and your post insinuates that the league is rigged to reward certain stars or teams. it is not. There is no "pecking order." Lebron and Wade are more experienced than Durant and Westbrook and they beat them on the court. There is nothing in the league rules encouraging or restricting the construction of "super teams" (there is a salary cap), and super teams are not exclusive to the biggest markets (Two great examples of this are the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder. See New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets for the inverse).

[LoboMike]

"Are you claiming the NBA isn't a superstar driven league?"

Thats the only part I agree with.

I don't think that OKC looked bad at all until tonight. Miami won three straight games that went down to the wire. The league does not crown superstars (they aren't "chosen") and your post insinuates that the league is rigged to reward certain stars or teams. it is not. There is no "pecking order." Lebron and Wade are more experienced than Durant and Westbrook and they beat them on the court. There is nothing in the league rules encouraging or restricting the construction of "super teams" (there is a salary cap), and super teams are not exclusive to the biggest markets (Two great examples of this are the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder. See New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets for the inverse).

Okay, you can believe the NBA is all that. I don't care that much for it one way or the other, so I don't have anything invested in it or any one team. The NBA is tied at the hip to ESPN, which is more about marketing than actual reporting or news, so they need to make it about individuals. The NFL, a much more popular league, is not and any team in any market can thrive there with the system they have. When Stern can single-handedly approve or veto star player trades (Chris Paul) and the league itself actually owns teams at a given time, you can see why there is widespread skepticism about the NBA.

Like I said, I didn't watch the whole thing, but I didn't think OKC was all that. They have some star players, but the other parts are lacking. Durant is young and I still say he will get a ring, though. I watched more of the Pacers series because I was rooting for DG, and I was more impressed with the Pacers in that they got physical with Miami at least.

[ThreadKiller]

Lebron played great no doubt, but his legacy will always be that he ran from the challenge to bring a championship to Cleveland to team up with his buddy in south beach.
If he had committed to Cleveland maybe the organization would not have had such a hard time putting other big time players around him. Instead he wanted it both ways. He wanted them to build a team around him but didn't want to do his part and say he would be there long term.

[bonesw505]

"Okay, you can believe the NBA is all that. I don't care that much for it one way or the other, so I don't have anything invested in it or any one team. The NBA is tied at the hip to ESPN, which is more about marketing than actual reporting or news, so they need to make it about individuals. The NFL, a much more popular league, is not and any team in any market can thrive there with the system they have. When Stern can single-handedly approve or veto star player trades (Chris Paul) and the league itself actually owns teams at a given time, you can see why there is widespread skepticism about the NBA.

Like I said, I didn't watch the whole thing, but I didn't think OKC was all that. They have some star players, but the other parts are lacking. Durant is young and I still say he will get a ring, though. I watched more of the Pacers series because I was rooting for DG, and I was more impressed with the Pacers in that they got physical with Miami at least."



I'm not an NBA apologist. Much bigger fan of college basketball for a number of reasons. NBA is actually joined at the hip with Turner Broadcasting. David Stern blocked the Chris Paul trade to prevent a talent rich team from acquiring another superstar, to encourage parity, which you ostensibly support. I would characterize the widespread skepticism of the NBA that you describe as conspiracy theory.

OKC looked like the best team in the league until this series and was the odds on favorite to win the championship, and as much as I would have liked to see Granger's Pacers upset the Heat, the way they conducted themselves in that series was pretty pathetic. Granger looked like a punk stepping up to Lebron, not rattling him at all, and then getting dominated.

[UNMerciful_1]

Lebron played great no doubt, but his legacy will always be that he ran from the challenge to bring a championship to Cleveland to team up with his buddy in south beach.
If he had committed to Cleveland maybe the organization would not have had such a hard time putting other big time players around him. Instead he wanted it both ways. He wanted them to build a team around him but didn't want to do his part and say he would be there long term.

I guess Kevin Garnett ran from a challenge too. He demanded a trade from Minnesota and wound up playing with 2 other stars in Boston. The fact cleveland never gave James any help. I don't blame him for leaving. Kobe was all set to leave the lakers before they traded for gasol.

The fact is that every superstar needs help. Name me any superstar who's won a championship without at least one other all star on his team.

[LoboMike]

I'm not an NBA apologist. Much bigger fan of college basketball for a number of reasons. NBA is actually joined at the hip with Turner Broadcasting. David Stern blocked the Chris Paul trade to prevent a talent rich team from acquiring another superstar, to encourage parity, which you ostensibly support. I would characterize the widespread skepticism of the NBA that you describe as conspiracy theory.

OKC looked like the best team in the league until this series and was the odds on favorite to win the championship, and as much as I would have liked to see Granger's Pacers upset the Heat, the way they conducted themselves in that series was pretty pathetic. Granger looked like a punk stepping up to Lebron, not rattling him at all, and then getting dominated.

So Danny's a punk just because he doesn't bow down to Lebron and Wade? Yeah, okay. I have a lot more respect for him because I know what he's all about. I can respect guys who show some fight.

As far as the Paul thing, Stern vetoed it now that Kobe is past his prime. After approving a much more lopsided trade (Gasol) a few years back when Kobe was still the main man in the league. Instead, Paul was joined up with another rising superstar in the league (Griffin) who is seen as very marketable and in LA also. OKC having the stars that they have was all from the draft. You won't see such a collection in the NBA in a small market via trade or free agency. That's why Lebron bailed on Cleveland.

[COLOLOBO]

Like the talent but don't like the man!

[toddl18]

The only thing I learned watching this is it's great to be a heat player as long as your name isn't Mario Chalmers. He has to be yelled at the most out of everyone in the league. Grats to Joel Anthony for getting his ring and for the Miami Heat on winning it.

[aLobojg]

OKC looked like the best team in the league until this series and was the odds on favorite to win the championship, and as much as I would have liked to see Granger's Pacers upset the Heat, the way they conducted themselves in that series was pretty pathetic. Granger looked like a punk stepping up to Lebron, not rattling him at all, and then getting dominated.

You have GOT to be kidding. What games were you watching? LeBron threw an elbow close to Danny (no danger of hitting him) and Danny got in his face letting him know he wasn't afraid of him? Would you prefer he do what the Knicks did and just take it? Not try to guard him? Not foul hard to make sure that there are no three point plays?

It's hard to believe anyone who has ever played a team sport would have a reaction like this. DG clearly had his teammates back and they clearly had his. There was nothing punk-like about it. And Granger looked like a punk? How about LeBron complaining after every tiny piece of contact in that series wasn't called? That was by far the worst part of that series, the constant foul trouble the Pacers found themselves in because the refs were consistently calling fouls that people would be laughed out of the gym for calling in a game of pick-up.

And by the way, I'm not sure if I should explain the concept of self-interest, but the Lakers trade was clearly a better trade from the Hornets' perspective than the Clippers trade (unless the plan was to tank enough to win the lottery in which case we'll have to see how Davis plays).

[Mark]

I credit Mike Miller for last nights win. So there. Long live @M33M! Ha

[ThreadKiller]

I guess Kevin Garnett ran from a challenge too. He demanded a trade from Minnesota and wound up playing with 2 other stars in Boston. The fact cleveland never gave James any help. I don't blame him for leaving. Kobe was all set to leave the lakers before they traded for gasol.

The fact is that every superstar needs help. Name me any superstar who's won a championship without at least one other all star on his team.

Totally different situation. For years Garnett remained steadfast in his commitment to Minnesota, even when everyone around him was telling him to force a trade. He gave the organization the opportunity to build around him and they did their best. It was only after years of trying that he made the decision to leave.
Same thing with Kobe, he resigned after Shaq left and they told him they would build a contender around him. Kobe did his part and gave his commitment, the onus was on the organization to go out and put the pieces around him.
In contrast, Lebron and his people made no secret of the fact that he would be a free agent after 2010. For years he talked about how he would love to play in New York or LA. That handicapped the franchise. They didn't want to force his hand because they feared he would leave, which he did any way. But without a firm commitment from him they couldn't go after free agents. What FA would sign there knowing Lebron was most likely gone when his contract was up? Cleveland was left trading for guys like Antwan Jamison and signing guys like Mo Williams and a late 30's Shaq.
Lebron got his ring and earned it on the court, but IMHO what he did, or didn't do in Cleveland will be his legacy.

[NewMexPoke]

Still don't like him and he's still 5 short of Jordan and okc is going no where.