As a mod, I approve these sentiments.
Repeat?
Repeat?
NBA Season - 2013-2014
- Thread starter tomalak301
- Start date
Congrats to the Spurs, particularly Pop and Timmie, two of the people I most admire in the NBA along with some others. They richly deserved the ring this year the way they dominated the Heat. Nice shot of Tim carrying his two kids after the game. He just went through a divorce so there is no telling how that has affected the time he gets to spend with them. He is truly a great, great player and deserving of nothing but the best in life.
As for LeBron and the Heat, who knows? They certainly have the core to continue to be a good team, but can they once again be great? Or will they continue to just be the best in the east which is not worth much in the Finals against the west. On the other hand, LeBron just might have to be satified with two rings.
Where oh where is that Heat fan who last season came bustin' up in here to crow about the Heat after they had secured the championship? Not surprsed to not see him.
As for LeBron and the Heat, who knows? They certainly have the core to continue to be a good team, but can they once again be great? Or will they continue to just be the best in the east which is not worth much in the Finals against the west. On the other hand, LeBron just might have to be satified with two rings.
Where oh where is that Heat fan who last season came bustin' up in here to crow about the Heat after they had secured the championship? Not surprsed to not see him.
They won't win again playing 3 on 15, that's for sure. And if Wade and company opt for cash over team, they won't be back, period. In fact, I see upside to San Antonio with MVP gym rat Leonard steadily expanding his game over the summer, and perhaps Duncan renegotiating for less to do more in the next 2 years.
^ I think the Heat's big 3 will stay put for now. But I wouldn't rule out a trade involving perhaps, Wade, assuming he is healthy. He is the kind of player a young up and coming team who can't seem to get over the hump and who has made a bad trade at the 2 position 8^), (cough-OKC-cough) could really use. Again, if he is healthy.
LeBron will get another chance to opt out in another year or two from what I've read. But he is boxed in between Miami and Cle. Imagine the outcry and vitriol if he moved to the Clippers or say, Golden State. I don't think he wants another firestorm at this point in his career.
I doubt seriously that the Spurs will return to the Finals next season barring some blockbuster acquisition. As great as they have been, one thing has shown for some time, this group does not play well after success (this last season notwithstanding).
LeBron will get another chance to opt out in another year or two from what I've read. But he is boxed in between Miami and Cle. Imagine the outcry and vitriol if he moved to the Clippers or say, Golden State. I don't think he wants another firestorm at this point in his career.
I doubt seriously that the Spurs will return to the Finals next season barring some blockbuster acquisition. As great as they have been, one thing has shown for some time, this group does not play well after success (this last season notwithstanding).
I think it boils down to motivation... if 6 championships puts the Spurs in the Bulls/Lakers category of recent all-time greatness, it may be a motivator.
Even so I know it's a long shot given how stacked the Western conference is...
Even so I know it's a long shot given how stacked the Western conference is...
I found it hard to believe that the Heat were Vegas' favorite to win it all next year...
That should be the Spurs without question.
You're kidding right? Who's going anywhere on the Spurs?
Who's the best coach in the NBA?
What's going to change in Miami? The big 3 are locked into big contracts that limit the Heat from aquiring quality young legs (which is what they need).
The Spurs were the FAR superior team. It wasn't even close. the Heat were lucky last year to win it and lucky this year to win just one game.
I loved watching the Spurs play real basketball...
Who's been in this same position 4 times previously and failed each time to repeat?
You have to remember, the Spurs play in the west, not the east. This is the main (but not the only) reason the Spurs have never repeated -- well, that and the fact that they've had good to great, but not dominant players. There are some really good teams in the west who are improving steadily. I wouldn't be surprised if the Spurs don't even make it to the conference finals.
It may not matter whether or not anything changes in Miami. They and the Spurs could end up in front of their T.V.'s next season watchng the Finals. Because the west has so many good teams, the Spurs have a somewhat better shot at the aforementioned scenario than does the Heat.
Who's been in this same position 4 times previously and failed each time to repeat?
True, but this should have been a repeat. I think the Spurs are better now than ever...
The west IS much better than the east for sure, but I think that only strengthens the Spurs.
I think we are seeing the peak of teams like the Thunder etc... the Lakers are far from good and who knows what's up with the Clippers. I see the steady team approach of the Spurs as the standard in the west (and the NBA for that matter).
Who's been in this same position 4 times previously and failed each time to repeat?
The Lakers in '80, '82, '85, and '87? Fifth time's the charm.
Who's been in this same position 4 times previously and failed each time to repeat?
The Lakers in '80, '82, '85, and '87? Fifth time's the charm.
You're not comparing the Lakers' to the Spurs are you?
First of all, the Lakers repeated as champions in 1988 (following their '87 title, so you're incorrect) -- first team in 20 odd years to do that. They also repeated in '01, '02, and 2010.
The Lakers have been in this position 4 times previously and have repeated. Get back to me when the Spurs have done it once.
Well but you realize that a team that may upset the Spurs in the playoffs doesn't necessarily have to be the eventual NBA champion, right? That is the difference between the east and west. The west has teams who are strong enough to knock the no. 1 seed out of the playoffs, the east does not, at least not as of today.
I would say that the Thunder, with HCA could have beaten the Spurs this playoffs. Failing to repeat is what has happened to the Spurs every time they have won the championship so I don't know why people are having such a hard time with recognizing what history has shown so clearly.
Here's something else, I'll bet that if the Spurs had beaten Miami in 2013, the Spurs would not be champions this year. Seems obvious to me that the Spurs are more motivated by defeat than success. Not necessarily a bad thing, but certainly a limiting thing.
It hasn't shown anything so clearly. They've won five titles in fifteen years. The fact that no two of them are consecutive is not statistically significant and does not prove the existence of a systemic factor explaining it, let alone that any such systemic factor is insurmountable.
It was just a month ago you were saying that history had shown the Spurs couldn't win their Conference in consecutive years. This year proved that this logic is not an accurate predictor of the Conference Finals, yet you still believe it works for the NBA Finals. Of course, the '80’s Lakers proved it wasn't a reliable predictor for the NBA Finals either.
History is meant to be broken.
Yes, history has shown quite clearly that the Spurs don't play as well in years following championships. As for "statistical significance", the stat is very signficant when counting the number of times the Spurs have repeated as champs, which, as of today, is zero.
You may not think there exists a "systemic factor explaining it", but there definetly is. My take on it, as I mentioned in one of my posts, is that the Spurs are more motivated by defeat than by success. Losing to Miami last season motivated them to return to the Finals and "right that wrong".
I agree...but that was the conference finals. Lets see them do it in the NBA Finals. Also, see my statement above about what motivates the Spurs. Losing in the Finals for the first time was the big difference for this team, IMO. They won't have revenge and the burn from failure to fall back on next season.
I think I'm going to be right about this.
As did the '00's Lakers. The Lakers in the 80's and the '00's were motivated to win the championship EVERY year regardless of what happened the year before. That is a big difference in the two franchises.
Now that is a "statistically significant" statement.
No one interested in the Joel Embiid broken foot dilemma and how that'll shake up this draft?
I sure as hell am. Considering the recent injury problems with Greg Oden, Embiid could fall to the bottom of the top ten or out of the top ten altogether. And the fact that the draft is next week, gives no time for the teams to have him examined or time for him to heal. He is screwed, unless maybe it is known that the injury and the surgery are not that significant.
You KNOW Philly is going to pass, right?
A team who is pretty set, but holding a maybe a 10 - 15 pick might be willing to take a chance on him. I would love for the Lakers to take him if we had a lower pick and if he felll that far, but with the no. 7, no way.
Philly is desperate for Wiggins and would be happy for Parker. Their nightmare right now is not having either. They can't go for Embiid. They have Noel now and just got out of the failure of the Bynum gamble. They can't take a risk on having two injury-prone big men on their roster.
I'm still holding out hope that they could tempt Cleveland with the 3 pick and Thad Young, but that seems unlikely if Embiid is as big a gamble for Cleveland as people are thinking, but, if Cleveland otherwise had wanted him, would be smart for them (since it would have been likely he'd be there at 3 so they'd get a free player out of it). But if Embiid is likely there in the teens, it's clearly a stupid trade, so it won't happen.
I'm still holding out hope that they could tempt Cleveland with the 3 pick and Thad Young, but that seems unlikely if Embiid is as big a gamble for Cleveland as people are thinking, but, if Cleveland otherwise had wanted him, would be smart for them (since it would have been likely he'd be there at 3 so they'd get a free player out of it). But if Embiid is likely there in the teens, it's clearly a stupid trade, so it won't happen.
From what I have read, and I may have missed it, Cle has not had any players in for second looks since the announcement of Embiid's need for surgery. The Lakers and Sixers have had players in for second looks. Appears to me that Cle wants to ensure that they get either Embiid or Wiggins. Staying at no. 1 keeps them in the driver's seat. Trading down to 3 could cost them the guy they now want, assuming they've soured on Embiid, Wiggins.
Outside of Embiid, Parker, and Wiggins, the Lakers really like Dante Exum, whose agent, Arn Tellem, has a close relationship wiht the Lakers. But Orlando likes him too, so that ain't happening or so it would appear.
Damn, this used to be the Clippers' time of the year.
Outside of Embiid, Parker, and Wiggins, the Lakers really like Dante Exum, whose agent, Arn Tellem, has a close relationship wiht the Lakers. But Orlando likes him too, so that ain't happening or so it would appear.
Damn, this used to be the Clippers' time of the year.
