Go Bulls!!!

Like the Thunder, the Bulls blow a double-digit lead in the 4th quarter and the they lose to the Heat, 83-80.

Mavs-Heat finals... Yuuuuck.

The Bulls choked! Damn!

I hope the Mavs will send the Heat crashing back to earth. It's high time for Dirk and Kidd to have a ring.

tirador wrote:

I hope the Mavs will send the Heat crashing back to earth. It's high time for Dirk and Kidd to have a ring.

And for LeBron to not get one.

Dan Gilbert must be feeling uneasy at the moment.

Takoyama wrote:

Dan Gilbert must be feeling uneasy at the moment.

I'm sure he's rooting for the Mavs... I know I am.

Heat and Mavs easily deserve to be there then the other 2 teams they beat, both of them have stars but are playing as a true team, the 2 teams they beat may have much talent but don't play as a team, Rose and Westbrook as PGs just don't realize you need to get the whole team involved instead of chucking up 25-30 shots a game and missing 2/3 of them. Would like to see the Mavs win, lot don't like the owner for good reason but they seem to be a fairly good bunch of guys plus it may be the last good chance for players like Dirk and Kidd to finally win it but the way the Heat are playing it's gonna be one difficult task.
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hitomi #1 wrote:

Heat and Mavs easily deserve to be there then the other 2 teams they beat, both of them have stars but are playing as a true team

Not sure if either is playing as a "true team" as you say: both teams typically only have two or three guys in double figures... They just seem to have more stars that are scoring well than the other teams that they've beaten.

I think Dallas is playing as a team. Sure they have only 2 or 3 who bring it every night (Nowitzki, Terry, and occasionally Marion or Kidd) but they have at least one other player that steps up for them as well, like Barea, Chandler, or Stojakovic.

As for Miami, they've pretty much been a three man team all season. But they are 3 of the best players in the league.
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Probably didn't phrase it all as I meant but sort of like MS just said about having other players for the 2 remaining teams step up, seems as though the stars on those teams don't mind having their stats suffer a bit and are willing to move the ball around and let whoever take the shot. Only game the Thunder won Westbrook was benched for the entire 4th quarter and they came back to win it, Harden ran the team and they looked good, matter of fact they look better with him as the main PG, was impressed with him and with Collison too who had a solid series, just seemed when the 4th rolled around for the Thunder only 2 players were allowed to touch the ball. And as MS also said the Heat's 3 are so good they don't need a lot of help from others though Miller and Haslem played well the last few games off the bench, bench is the one area the Mavs may have a huge edge in except if those 2 get some good minutes.
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mrsmith10 wrote:

I think Dallas is playing as a team. Sure they have only 2 or 3 who bring it every night (Nowitzki, Terry, and occasionally Marion or Kidd) but they have at least one other player that steps up for them as well, like Barea, Chandler, or Stojakovic. As for Miami, they've pretty much been a three man team all season. But they are 3 of the best players in the league.

As I said, that's not what I would consider a true team.

A lot of times it's a winning combo, but not a mortal lock... You've gotta share the wealth... The Celtics of the 60's and the Lakers of the 80's are prime examples.

True, but from the Bulls-dynasty on there hasn't been many true teams who could spread the wealth with 6 or so players averaging in double figures. The Bulls won 6 titles around Jordan and Pippen. The Lakers won their three-peat with Kobe and Shaq doing almost all the work. Even the Spurs, initially it was Duncan and Robinson then Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker. The Lakers the past three seasons come the closest to being the most balanced, but still not as well rounded as the 60's Celtics or the 80's Lakers. But honestly, with the league's expansion it's virtually impossible assemble a team that can have 6 or more players averaging in double figures. Also, IMO that doesn't necessarily give any indication that they're working as a team. The Suns for years were the closest in terms of having 6 or so offensive threats, but they never played defense as a team. Now, I think it's more beneficial to have 2 or 3 top scorers and a bunch of roll players who can rebound, hustle, and play defense.
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Perhaps they're still looking for analysts for the finals or next year, sure some of our observations are better than what the current analysts are giving, not that it's hard to. Wonder how big the oddsmakers made the Heat in the finals?
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Think Dallas has this one in the bag. I mean, how can the Heat compete with this!?

^ Hahaha. Let's just hope that David Stern and the zebras won't dictate the finals.

mrsmith10 wrote:

with the league's expansion it's virtually impossible assemble a team that can have 6 or more players averaging in double figures.

I think that's probably true even before expansion.

I've always preferred western NBA teams style and in favor of west-side NBA teams in the finals against their east opponents. I would have to pick Dallas as the team to win it, and it'll be nice to see Nowitzki finally get his first championship ring along with Kidd and other veterans on that team. It won't be an easy task, and I would say even next to impossible since considering who they are competing the trophy against. Lebron, Wade, and Bosh are probably going to be overwhelming dominate in this series as the have shown in all the playoffs, shutting down their opponents and putting on the offensive powers that they have. If Dallas is going to win it all, they will have to have Dirk play as he has been playing all playoffs long, and it'll have to be a very good team-defense and offense for the Mav's. Somehow, I think it'll be too much for the Mav's, and Lebron will get his first ring, as the Heat take the Mav's in 5 or 6 games. I doubt it will go to 7, and I really think Mav's will come up short again, too bad since I think they really deserve it, even more than 2006. I still think it'll be a nice deserving effort for Lebron, even if he help create the super team that everyone else seems to want to fail. I think they proved everyone wrong so far, and now are the favorites to take it all this year.

^^ Think you're right but hope you're wrong. Most NBA 'experts' thought the Heat would win at least one championship with the stars they have now but thought it'd take 2-3 years to get it, they've proven all them wrong, that team is still young and all the players are in their prime so they could actually win a whole bunch of rings. Was thinking they could actually be better in the upcoming seasons, there's probably some good free agents who'd be willing to take a little less $$ money to play with a winner.
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The NBA style of play is a "me" game, not a "we" game, and it's been that way since the Jordan era. It isn't played as a team sport. That's one reason why I stopped watching the NBA right around the time of Jordan and the Bulls dominance. The infrequent occasions when I accidentally stumble across a game on TV and watch a few plays just reinforces my opinion.
That's why coaching in the NBA has to be the toughest coaching gig around. In one form or another you have to be an ass kisser to your stars. Hell, even management is not immune to this. The Lakers' VP coming out and saying they should have consulted with Kobe Bryant before hiring their new head coach. WTF.

^^ You are sadly right about how it's more of a 'me' game than ever before, two of the teams closer to being a 'we' team though are still playing and good point about consulting a player about hiring a coach, something like that should never me done, if so then make them a player-GM too.
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