NBA Playoffs 2014

Paully D

So happy for Leonard. He's speechless.

astonaidan

Was waiting since for the owner to start chanting USA USA USA

Paully D

The achievement by the Spurs in winning the Finals this year is really something else. Losing the Finals last year they way that they did, with so many miles on the clock for their main guys, you could have forgiven them for not having the drive to go again. How they somehow did, is testament to them all.

buyer95

Chuffed to bits for the Spurs. Such a great team, any basketball lover could never begrudge such a pure, team basketball driven team this win. Delighted in particular for Timmy he has been through a lot both on and off the court in the last year. Have to admit I got emotional there during his interview. Kawhi is the future guys, Pop told us this before, and we should have known better than to doubt Pop. Well deserved finas MVP. Manu was exceptional as was Borris, who I wrote about before as being the glue to the whole team. Too many more to mention, but really with the spurs its all about the team. Credit to RC Buford for going out and improving the bench from last year also.

buyer95

Paully D wrote: »

So happy for Leonard. He's speechless.

Delighted for the guy also, but I think you'll find he is that way all the time. He is one of the quietest guys in the league, and does his talking on the court.

Carcharodon

The classic tale of good triumphing over evil.

RobertKK

It was a pity the NBA finals turned out so one sided.

Best team won.

NufcNavan

Had a great day yesterday, went to the Meath game in Carlow and then watched the soccer in the evening, only for my broadband to crap out at around midnight Missed the game. (DON'T get UPC Horizon by the way. F*cking awful).

If anyone knows of a link where you can watch the full game that would be much appreciated.

Delighted for Timmy and the boys.

Kobe 5-2 in the Finals, Lebron 2-3. It's only one stat but a big legacy stat.

Paully D

NufcNavan wrote: »

Kobe 5-2 in the Finals, Lebron 2-3. It's only one stat but a big legacy stat.

Jordan 6-0 and 6 Finals MVP's.

ButtersSuki

ButtersSuki wrote: »

With more than a little help from the refs!

Think San Antonio will take it tonight, and the series in 5 (I know 6 is the popular number but I'm going for 5). I don't think they'll play as badly as they did through quarters 1-3 the other night (relatively) and equally, I don't think Miami will play as well as they did.

Called it. Shame I only got to see highlights of all the games - as in the 3 min clip you get next day on nba.com

Manu throwing it down big time again, nice to see!

Nuri Sahin

Butters, I can possibly sort you out with the full game if you really want to view it?

padraig_f

Great stuff. Something I've said a lot in recent years is 'there are no fairy tales' (in pro sports), but the Spurs winning is a rare fairy tale. Coming back from the way they lost last year in the finals, and doing it the way they did it, with some of the best team basketball ever.

And it's just great to see, with so much money in professional sport these days, and a fair bit to be cynical about, that championships can be won on team effort and unselfishness.

Popovich, Duncan, Parker, Ginobili. Each have contributed so much to the NBA over their careers. They were already a great team, but had it ended like it did last year, I think despite everything they achieved, there would've been a tinge of regret at how things finished up. That's not the case now.

Paully D

LeBron last night: "Obviously I'd take 50% of championships any day."

I don't like that comment to be honest. You'd expect him to be mad about not winning them all. Getting to 4 straight finals is a hell of an achievement, going 2-2 in them is a "could do better" scenario IMO. You'd certainly think so from players on the actual team anyway.

Where's the fire and desire in a comment like the above?

ec18

Paully D wrote: »

LeBron last night: "Obviously I'd take 50% of championships any day."

I don't like that comment to be honest. You'd expect him to be mad about not winning them all. Getting to 4 straight finals is a hell of an achievement, going 2-2 in them is a "could do better" scenario IMO. You'd certainly think so from players on the actual team anyway.

Where's the fire and desire in a comment like the above?

Thats the difference between him and kobe really.....Jordan alluded to it in an interview for his 50th.....Kobe's cursed just like he was with that fire and need to win. If kobe was healthy this year even with the rag tag lakers he's have been pissed when they lost.....not the ah sure we never expected to get that far

NufcNavan

ec18 wrote: »

Thats the difference between him and kobe really.....Jordan alluded to it in an interview for his 50th.....Kobe's cursed just like he was with that fire and need to win. If kobe was healthy this year even with the rag tag lakers he's have been pissed when they lost.....not the ah sure we never expected to get that far

I think the question now is does Lebron hang around with the Heat. I think he might think twice about staying now. It was obvious who was the better team. Heat are getting older and Lebron has been there long enough he might want a change. Does he bolt?

However, is it really a good look for an all time great to change teams so frequently in the prime of his career? Every other all time great player has that one team that everyone identifies them with. Sure Shaq changed teams loads at the end of his career, but everyone on the planet identifies him as a Laker first and foremost because he had 8 dominant years there. Does Lebron really want to be a guy who changes teams every few years when things aren't so rosy?

PizzamanIRL

Paully D wrote: »

LeBron last night: "Obviously I'd take 50% of championships any day."

I don't like that comment to be honest. You'd expect him to be mad about not winning them all. Getting to 4 straight finals is a hell of an achievement, going 2-2 in them is a "could do better" scenario IMO. You'd certainly think so from players on the actual team anyway.

Where's the fire and desire in a comment like the above?

He's either covering himself for the hateful comments he's going to get by pretending he's happy etc. or he's trying to look at the positives at a bad time.

Or it's what you said.

Paully D

NufcNavan wrote: »

I think the question now is does Lebron hang around with the Heat. I think he might think twice about staying now. It was obvious who was the better team. Heat are getting older and Lebron has been there long enough he might want a change. Does he bolt?

However, is it really a good look for an all time great to change teams so frequently in the prime of his career? Every other all time great player has that one team that everyone identifies them with. Sure Shaq changed teams loads at the end of his career, but everyone on the planet identifies him as a Laker first and foremost because he had 8 dominant years there. Does Lebron really want to be a guy who changes teams every few years when things aren't so rosy?

He'll stay IMO. He's comfortably in Miami, his family supposedly love it, it's a perfect city for a rich athlete to live in, tax reasons etc. He knows Riley will go deep into the luxury tax.

Of the other teams that he could go to, who gives him a better opportunity than the Heat, who play in the East against, for the most part, horrible opposition? He can play in third gear during the regular season while finishing as a high seed, be an MVP candidate single year and be tested in one playoff series in the East at a push on his way to the Finals every year.

Clippers would be the one other option I could see and he reportedly really likes LA, but they have too much money tied up in other players to pull it off.

NufcNavan

Paully D wrote: »

He'll stay IMO. He's comfortably in Miami, his family supposedly love it, it's a perfect city for a rich athlete to live in, tax reasons etc. He knows Riley will go deep into the luxury tax.

Of the other teams that he could go to, who gives him a better opportunity than the Heat, who play in the East against, for the most part, horrible opposition? He can play in third gear during the regular season while finishing as a high seed, be an MVP candidate single year and be tested in one playoff series in the East at a push on his way to the Finals every year.

Clippers would be the one other option I could see and he reportedly really likes LA, but they have too much money tied up in other players to pull it off.

Yup. One way to look at it is LeBron will be on the wrong side of 30 next season . People keep saying he will go back to the Cavs, but he is not interested in spending the rest of his prime teaching another group of 19-22 year olds how to win. Kyrie Irving's own teammates can't stand him so I don't see how he's any kind of a draw for LeBron.

Wade is already 32 with the knees of a 52 year old. No NBA team will offer him a max deal when he can't even play back-to-backs anymore.

Paully D

Durant not overly impressed with Leonard it seems.

buyer95

Paully D wrote: »

Durant not overly impressed with Leonard it seems.

Durant is just pissed that he plays for a terrible coach who doesn't know the meaning of the word system.

NufcNavan

PG in the Spurs system would be epic.

Kinet1c

I'd rather do the system work and be a champion as opposed to being a chump MVP.

ec18

he is right to an extent though.....Kwahi is lucky in who he ended up playing for, not taking away from his effort and work but if you swap him on to any other team (bar MAYBE the bulls) he wouldn't have had as much success. The spurs are the best run franchise in the league and have one of the best coaches ever. And durants right if you swap paul george and Kwahi, it would be George that with the finals MVP....probably

padraig_f

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNZvNs6r800

lebron would be mad to stay with the heat the only way i see it as being a viable option is if wade and bosh either leave or take massive pay cuts and they can add another pice or few pieces.

the reason he left the cavs was for rings so now would be a crazy time to let emotions get in his way he needs to get i feel a minimum of 4-5 rings to silence the "haters" and with wade and bosh regressing more again next year not to mention the likes of ray allen its not happening bar some big moves in miami.

iv heard a few roumers of a meet up with melo in philly which could be interesting with the cap they have and the high draft pick they have this year.

buyer95

ec18 wrote: »

he is right to an extent though.....Kwahi is lucky in who he ended up playing for, not taking away from his effort and work but if you swap him on to any other team (bar MAYBE the bulls) he wouldn't have had as much success. The spurs are the best run franchise in the league and have one of the best coaches ever. And durants right if you swap paul george and Kwahi, it would be George that with the finals MVP....probably

If your auntie had balls she'd be your uncles. Theres a lot of if's and but's in that comment. Fact is, Leonard played at an elite level and led the spurs the title. Of course Pop is an all time great coach, and that was a big reason, but to call the player who wins MVP "lucky" is ludicrous.

Paully D

Myla Shallow Sunblock wrote: »

lebron would be mad to stay with the heat the only way i see it as being a viable option is if wade and bosh either leave or take massive pay cuts and they can add another pice or few pieces.

the reason he left the cavs was for rings so now would be a crazy time to let emotions get in his way he needs to get i feel a minimum of 4-5 rings to silence the "haters" and with wade and bosh regressing more again next year not to mention the likes of ray allen its not happening bar some big moves in miami.

iv heard a few roumers of a meet up with melo in philly which could be interesting with the cap they have and the high draft pick they have this year.

He'd be mad to leave IMO. There's surely absolutely no chance he leaves Miami to go to Philadelphia of all places. They have a very promising future but I think they'll be a team that really gets going around the same time LeBron is winding down from his peak, when their young players have come of age.

LeBron's the best player on the planet in one of the biggest markets on the planet. He doesn't have to leave to join players any more, they'll come to him. I think his "I'd take 50% of championships any day" comment in the post-match press conference the other night outlined that he's not all that bothered now he's been to 4 Finals in a row and won 2. Even if it's the same core of players back in Miami next year, they're likely in the Finals again while barely breaking sweat and he's MVP.

The only team I feel would be a good, realistic move for him at this stage would be the Clippers. Huge market, a great coach and very good pieces on their roster at their peak, but alas they have far too much money tied up in other players to do it and Donald Sterling doesn't seem to be going down easily.

ec18

buyer95 wrote: »

If your auntie had balls she'd be your uncles. Theres a lot of if's and but's in that comment. Fact is, Leonard played at an elite level and led the spurs the title. Of course Pop is an all time great coach, and that was a big reason, but to call the player who wins MVP "lucky" is ludicrous.

I'm not taking away from kwahi's effort and work.....he played at an elite level and deservedly won the MVP. But I'd argue that with the Spurs you could sub in most forwards league wide and have the same result. I'd go with 50% Kwahi - 50% System.

He is lucky for where he's playing....if he never got traded to the spurs he'd still be in Indiana....maybe playing behind George who knows. I wasn't commenting that Kwahi was lucky to be MVP......just lucky he ended up at the spurs.

Paully D

Paully D wrote: »

He'd be mad to leave IMO. There's surely absolutely no chance he leaves Miami to go to Philadelphia of all places. They have a very promising future but I think they'll be a team that really gets going around the same time LeBron is winding down from his peak, when their young players have come of age.

LeBron's the best player on the planet in one of the biggest markets on the planet. He doesn't have to leave to join players any more, they'll come to him. I think his "I'd take 50% of championships any day" comment in the post-match press conference the other night outlined that he's not all that bothered now he's been to 4 Finals in a row and won 2. Even if it's the same core of players back in Miami next year, they're likely in the Finals again while barely breaking sweat and he's MVP.

The only team I feel would be a good, realistic move for him at this stage would be the Clippers. Huge market, a great coach and very good pieces on their roster at their peak, but alas they have far too much money tied up in other players to do it and Donald Sterling doesn't seem to be going down easily.

market is irrelevant to lebron at this stage his brand is set he will be the biggest brand in basketball until he retires.

i agree in theory players would come to him but if he stays wade and bosh would have to take pay cuts on what could be for bosh and what is for wade there last big contracts there hands are tied otherwise.

i disagree with your point that they would walk back to the finals with the same core of players wade is showing less and less every year and bosh has been destroyed as a player he's not what he was at all. also a massive job would have to be done with the role players.

to be honest while not as bad as the cavs teams he dragged to the playoffs this team is being dragged kicking and screaming by lebron. they walked through a weak east but I'm not sure if they make the finals from the west even ignoring the spurs

padraig_f

ec18 wrote: »

I'm not taking away from kwahi's effort and work.....he played at an elite level and deservedly won the MVP. But I'd argue that with the Spurs you could sub in most forwards league wide and have the same result. I'd go with 50% Kwahi - 50% System.

Yeah I think 50-50 is fair. Wojnarowski had a good article about him a few days ago....

How Kawhi Leonard revived the Spurs' fading dynasty

...shows how the Spurs' success is part coaching, part GM, and part players.

But when the best two players in the league are Durant and Lebron, had the Spurs not got Kawhi, I'm not sure they'd be champions now.