Celtics or Lakers

[Guest]

Haha the one hour show on ESPN was over the top (and I didn't watch it), although the second i heard that's how he was going to make the announcement I knew for sure he was going to Miami. He'll fit right in.

The Cavs owner's letter to the fans was priceless.

BR I will bet you a steak dinner right now that Miami wins the championship.

[Guest]

[QUOTE=grimm1111;36673]Haha the one hour show on ESPN was over the top (and I didn't watch it), although the second i heard that's how he was going to make the announcement I knew for sure he was going to Miami. He'll fit right in.

The Cavs owner's letter to the fans was priceless.

BR I will bet you a steak dinner right now that Miami wins the championship.[/QUOTE]


You're on.

[Guest]

I'm with BR. Last time I checked, the NBA only plays with one ball.

[Guest]

[QUOTE=Rhody;36675]I'm with BR. Last time I checked, the NBA only plays with one ball.[/QUOTE]


Here's my question?

When the game is on the line and someone HAS to take the game over who does?

Will Lebron take a back seat to Wade? Will Wade take a back seat to Lebron? Bosh isn't a superstar anyways, he's more of an elite player, so he won't be taking the last shot. Who takes the game over?

We've all seen that Wade can do so. Will Lebron, the guy that put on an hour long special to announce his defection, take a back seat to Wade when it really matters?

I think they're going to have chemistry issues. Not to mention that the team will lack depth and the players that actually win you games...the Rodman's, Rondo's, Horry Grant's, of the world. What happens if one of the big 3 goes down with an injury?

Riley can still put together a great team, but only if the big three take reduced salaries than the league max. What are the odds of that? Lots of holes to fill in that roster.

Even with the big 3, the Heat aren't any better than the Lakers and are neck and neck with the Magic/Celtics (pending any other moves on the part of any of the three). And, don't expect the Lakers to sit by without making a big move to upgrade their already superior team.

[Guest]

[QUOTE=Smirks;36672]I think it's bullshit that Lebron is so desperate to build a legacy that will rival Jordan's that he's pulling stunts like this. I hope B R is right, but those 3 could easily carry that team...they'll play basketball like Texas Tech plays football...all offense, little to no defense. WILD ASS SPORTS.[/QUOTE]

Ok, fisrt of all if you could only think think this if only casually follow basketball.... Do you know who lead the league in blocked shots for their position last year? D-wade (1rst for all sg's) and Lebron (2nd for all small forwards) Steals? D-wade (2nd for all sg's) Lebron (2nd for all small forwards) Defensive rebounds? D-wade (6th) Lebron (2nd)
Bosh is actually the worst defender of the bunch beacause he is way in the bottom half of the top 10 in defensive stats for his postion.
I know all 3 players can't be on the court the whole game every game, but this team will be able to lock down just about any team defensibly as well as outscore them.

Secondly it kinda amazes me how in sports we constantly rag on guys for how selfish they are and how they put themselves before a team... this guy took less money to score less points, get less personal acclaim and play for championship... just saying! This is unheard of nowadays! Sure Barkely and pippen and drexler tried to that back in the day, when their carreers were on the slide, never the best player in his prime.

Third I agree with BR about the role players deciding the season. They did get Mike Miller(awesome player) looks like their going to get derek fisher (bleh) and it's rumored that Ray Allen, and possibly Shaq!!! I'm pretty sure me, Betty White and Gary Coleman (R.I.P.) could fill out that roster and win a few titles.

This is going to be the most exciting team in the league to watch next year. For now I'm not just on the wagon... I'm driving the bus! But if Carmelo and Chris paul go there next year it will be pretty gay and they will just end up being the yankees of basketball.

[Guest]

[QUOTE=Ram;36678]Ok, fisrt of all if you could only think think this if only casually follow basketball.... Do you know who lead the league in blocked shots for their position last year? D-wade (1rst for all sg's) and Lebron (2nd for all small forwards) Steals? D-wade (2nd for all sg's) Lebron (2nd for all small forwards) Defensive rebounds? D-wade (6th) Lebron (2nd)
Bosh is actually the worst defender of the bunch beacause he is way in the bottom half of the top 10 in defensive stats for his postion.
I know all 3 players can't be on the court the whole game every game, but this team will be able to lock down just about any team defensibly as well as outscore them.

Secondly it kinda amazes me how in sports we constantly rag on guys for how selfish they are and how they put themselves before a team... this guy took less money to score less points, get less personal acclaim and play for championship... just saying! This is unheard of nowadays! Sure Barkely and pippen and drexler tried to that back in the day, when their carreers were on the slide, never the best player in his prime.

Third I agree with BR about the role players deciding the season. They did get Mike Miller(awesome player) looks like their going to get derek fisher (bleh) and it's rumored that Ray Allen, and possibly Shaq!!! I'm pretty sure me, Betty White and Gary Coleman (R.I.P.) could fill out that roster and win a few titles.

This is going to be the most exciting team in the league to watch next year. For now I'm not just on the wagon... I'm driving the bus! But if Carmelo and Chris paul go there next year it will be pretty gay and they will just end up being the yankees of basketball.[/QUOTE]


I don't think they'll be the most exciting team to watch in the league next year...at least after the first few months...once the wow factor of the whole thing wears off.

I understand they have amazing defensive stats, but I was mainly referring to the fact that James and Wade have an average of 30-ish ppg...and Bosh isn't far behind with 20-something. Bosh isn't the best at his position number-wise, but James and Wade are very comfortable playing with him (I mean hell, they've been working on setting this up for like 3 years.) Yes, they did take salary cuts, but for LESS THAN 20 MILL over the LIFETIME of the contracts...and they have the option to go back in to free agency after 4 of the 6 years of the contract. Meaning they have plenty of time to wrack up some championships so when 2014 rolls around, they'll more than make up for that 20 mill loss.

To me, it's just like a team captain picking all the big kids for his dodgeball team and leaving all the scrawny little bastards on the other...and yes, they will end up being the Yankees of basketball.

[Guest]

[QUOTE=Smirks;36679]To me, it's just like a team captain picking all the big kids for his dodgeball team and leaving all the scrawny little bastards on the other...and yes, they will end up being the Yankees of basketball.[/QUOTE]

Awesome analogy, seems pretty acurate! This just has the feel of an arcade game or something, and something in me wants to see the big kids who are generally liked in this case beat up the other big kids named kobe, lamar and gasol.

[Guest]

[QUOTE=Ram;36681]This just has the feel of an arcade game or something, and something in me wants to see the big kids who are generally liked in this case beat up the other big kids named kobe, lamar and gasol.[/QUOTE]


I'm 100% w/ you on this haha...mainly the Kobe part.

[Guest]

LeBron may be going to Miami to win a championship, but if the team does win a championship it will still not make him a champion.

D Wade is a champion. We all saw how he picked the Heat up and carried them to a championship in the series against Dallas. He is a champion. He took HIS team and pulled them over the finish line through sheer will and his abilities.

By defecting to Miami, LeBron has essentially said that he is not in the same world as the truly great players of basketball legend. The guys like Jordan, Duncan, Bird, and, yes, Kobe. The guys that led THEIR team to a championship. This is not and will not be LeBron's team. I see his defection as the biggest pussy move that can be made. Some might call it 'smart' but I think of it as one sourced in fear. He wants to win. Fine. And, he will win in Miami. But, he will never be a truly great player because he took the cowardly way out and went to a team that was stacked with talent. If he truly had the heart of a champion, he wouldn't have given up in his last outing as a Cav. If he was really a champion, he would have stayed with HIS team and pulled them across the finish line the same way the greats have done.

Personally, I find it embarassing for a guy with so much talent to just sell himself so short. And, I find it to be emblematic of one of the problems in our culture: LeBron took the easy way out. Period. End of story. A real man, a real champion would have stayed and fought and scrapped and clawed his way to the promised land. Jordan did it. Kobe's doing it. Wade did it.

As for the quality of the team, well, numbers are all fine and good but they mean nothing. If championships were decided on paper the Patriots would have gone undefeated, the Yankees or Red Sox would win the World Series every year.

The last time I remember a dream team like this being assembled was in 2003-2004 with the Lakers. Gary Payton, Shaq, Kobe, and Karl Malone. How could this core of future Hall of Famers not win the championship?

Easy. They got beat in 5 by a team that played awesome defense, had no real superstars, great chemistry, had some of the best role players assembled on a team, and played together as a unit. The Pistons beat the 'dream team' in a very boring way.

How about the American Dream Teams that compete on the world stage? They don't always win AND, more often than not, they get taken to the wire by a group of unknowns from Spain. Come on.

One or two players can change the course of a season for a basketball team. But, it still takes the team to win the championship. Usually, the best recipie is to have a superstar that takes the game over when it matters, surrounded by one or two elite players, with the rest of the roster filled out with veterans and role players. Sounds like the Lakers to me...not the Heat.

Next year will be interesting, but I suspect it will be a huge let down for the Heat. And, considering LeBron's lack of class and virtue and hunger and heart, I will ALWAYS be cheering for the team that plays against him. He has NO class, none.

[Guest]

[QUOTE=Bull Run;36683] The guys that [B]led[/B] THEIR team to a championship. [/QUOTE]

I think that sums it up best. If I had the time to look up Lebron's statement about the whole ordeal, you'd see quite a few comments that elude to the fact that he isn't the leader in this. I don't think he really wants to be the leader, either...such a shame. His legacy would have been better (imho) than most of the other legendary players because he grew up in Cle. So much for the sappy greatness story of Lebron James on ESPN Classic.. :(