I don't like the spurs at all, but that was a BS play. Zaza was still moving under him well after the ball was released.
If the basketball Gods are just, the Heat will defy the odds and get a top 3 pick tonight. Here's why: I'm not sure LeBron ever leaves if the Cavs don't win the lotto netting them Kyrie and Wiggings (as ammo to get Love). The last two times the Heat finished in the bottom 5, they got jumped in the lotto process. They were one of the only lotto teams that actually tried to win throughout the year. In the long term, the best move might have been to sell off the contract year players, in the middle of career seasons, but that's not the Heat way.
Idk why I'm this excited for the lottery knowing damn well our chances. After Miami jumping into the top 3, I'm rooting for the Big Baller Brand clown show to end up in Orlando.
After Miami landing a top 3 pick, the next best outcome for me is for the Nets to get jumped by 3 teams so that the Celtics have to pick at 4.
I like this simulation best. Then trade Melo to Boston for pick 2 and walk out of this with Jackson and Fultz.
Keep simming until the heat squeeze in the top 3. I want the knicks to be good too. I miss those old battles.
Welp, that was a worst case scenario. I didn't expect the Heat to move up, but I was really hoping the Celtics would fall. My early favorites for 14 are taking a shot with Giles, Zach Collins, OG Anunaby, or TJ Leaf. I could probably also get on board with Justin Jackson or John Collins. Ideally someone unexpected falls like Smith, Ntilikina, Markkanen, or Isaac.
Should give all 14 the equal amount of combinations to prevent such tanking. Or, hold a 14 team tournament somehow. Teams are competing to suck harder and getting rewarded.
Deflect all you want, it probably eases the pain and anger of not getting even a top five pick after purposely tanking the season, while also pissing off your best player and begging him to waive his no trade clause. Meanwhile the Heat ended their season 30-11 and almost made the playoffs and have one of the more rounded rosters in the east headed to next year. I think we are recovering just fine since Lebron left. Not going to contend anytime soon but at least there is no confusion between the Magic and the Heat like there is between the Nets and Knicks.
If you are "not going to contend soon" then guess what all those half *** accolades you mentioned mean? Less than nothing. If you are going to be a bad franchise may as well get it out of the way while the King is still making it impossible for any other team to win the East. Heat, Knicks whomever may as well be on a 3-4 year plan. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If you're going to talk about about the Knicks at least have all the facts. For one, one of the things that's been said is that Melo doesn't want to and won't run the triangle. His iso play pisses off Phil. Melo doesn't like that "grind it out" style for an 82 game season but the rest of the offense is rather tailored for it. This is a two way street, it's just that Phil has always had an abrasive way of handling stars (see For reference: Jordan, Michael and Bryant, Kobe) and he likes to talk through the media. Why? I wish I knew. But in the words of Joel Embiid, "Trust the process". Secondly the Knicks are not in, nearly as bad a shape as you make them out to be. KP is a future star at the 5. Yes he's got to be smarter with his fouls and become a better rim protector but his offensive skills are what GMs and coaches dream about for a big. Hernangomez is a very good compliment as a 4 with an ever developing offensive game. There's a lot of Kevin McHale to his offense (minus the dirty play) in that he has outstanding footwork and can play face up or back to the basket even in slow motion. Willy consistently improved throughout the year, winning rookie of the month a few times. Not bad for a 2nd round pick who had to come to a new country, learn a new language and a new style of play. There are pieces there on the bench with guys like Ron "Burgundy" Baker, Courtney Lee, Lance Thomas, Mindaugus Kuzminskas and Kyle O Quinn who are part of the solution with their willingness to accept supporting roles and work on defense. Certainly I could do without Noah, but in the scheme of things, he really doesn't matter as the Knicks are better off not having money to mess up their rebuild in free agency. Plus there's always the Kings if you want to unload your trash. Your Heat may be further along right now in their rebuild but the Knicks are accumulating assets, have another high pick this year and for a change in future years as well. And this is before they get some kind of young player/pick back for Anthony. Just a different type of rebuild them your Heat are doing as Riley seems to want to speed this along via the free agent route if the Hayward rumors are true.
Pat Riley is never on a 3-4 year plan. If he was, they'd have dumped players at the deadline, picked up more picks, and ended up at the top of the lottery. The truth is, if Miami had gotten the 8th spot (something they missed out on because of a tiebreaker when Chicago got to play the Heat one more game at home, and almost certainly would have gotten had Waiters not gotten hurt), they could realistically still be playing right now. And before you call me a homer on that, think about it, look at how the Celtics probably should have lost in round 1, and tell me I'm way off base.
Big baller brand has got to be the lamest brand name I can think of. It seems like something outta Payless in 2005.
Meh, I'd rather he get stuck in Milwaukee or something. I could probably smell him if he were that (Indiana) close to me. The sports media just keeps giving him headline after headline, interview after interview. It's a waste of air time. He is basically a Kardashian. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
At this point Vegas is going to have to make the Cavs the favs in the next series. Sandbagging bastards, goes through an entire year fooling everyone into believing something was wrong. Going to be a great Finals. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
No, Jordan actually faced great opponents. Don't ever put Jordan's name in the same sentence as Ledweeb.
You mean like a 73-9 team down 3-1 with 2 of those games on the road? If he beats the Warriors and tosses aside the fact they added a top 3 player in the NBA then we shall call him LeGOAT. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Lebron is already better than Jordan. Lebron is a combination of Magic Johnson and Karl Malone with a jump shot. The greatest player I've ever seen and I'm old enough to have watched plenty of Jordan in his prime. Of course it's just my opinion that lebron is better. But to say they don't belong in the same sentence is just wrong.
Theyll never belong in the same sentence. Ever. Jordan played in an era that they were allowed to play defense and dominated offensively. And he was an assasain in crunchtime. Even in playoff games MJ averages more PPG against better competition. MJ played in a golden age for elite HOF caliber big men....lebron faces no such challenge and faces no intimidating presence if he does go to the hoop. Its my opinion, that nothing lebron does can ever get him in that conversation because hes not clutch (compared to MJ) and he plays in a wimped up era so his stats look better then they otherwise would be. I realize the 2nd half of that statement isnt necessarily his fault and that hes almost a victim of circumstance but it is what it is. Mj also never had the benefit of playing in a watered down eastern conference for most of his career so that evens out.
No, i mean like having to face teams that didnt choke awwy the title because one of their star players was too busy kicking people in the nuts. Its ok, the warriors are going to wreck them this year and i cant wait.
It's tough, because like you say, he's a victim of circumstance in this case. That being said, the Warriors are a historically good team, and he beat them last year, Green or no Green. If he beats them this year with Durant, then this whole argument goes out the window, because Jordan never faced a team like GS. Not even close. What we CAN say about LeBron currently, is there has never been a player that can do what he does in NBA history. He's the size of Karl Malone, but can do things athletically, that 6'4'' players wish they could do. It could be argued that he is the best defender in the NBA at guarding any single position. He has the court vision and passing ability of Magic Johnson, and the scoring ability of Oscar Robertson. He is also a leader of men in a way Jordan never was. Whether LeBron deserves it or not, he'll probably never get the label of best ever because of the way Jordan took that title, and how long he had it. Maybe when our generation gets old, and most people alive never saw Jordan play that changes, but I doubt it simply off of his legend. But LeBron absolutely deserves to be in that discussion.
Oh, you're one of THOSE people. Nevermind. There's nothing to say. But I can't help myself....those 90s Knicks and Pacers teams were not very good. Sorry. They took the Pistons's blueprint and bastardized it without having great backcourts like the Bad Boys did. Your beloved Knicks backcourts SUCKED. All the 90s Knicks could do was bang. Lebron vanquished very good Bulls, Celtics and Pacers teams on his way to his rings. Yes, we have a down year in the East in 2017. But its not like he sleepwalked his way to the Finals 7 times in a row.
Lol the most iconic shot of Jordan's career was over Craig Ehlo. In the Finals he was often guarded by guys like Jeff Hornacek. LeBron is 250 lbs., about the same as Patrick Ewing. The fouls LeBron takes today are much harder and from much more physically imposing players. Jordan never even had to play against zone defenses. The idea that the NBA was "tougher" back then is ridiculous IMO. Not to mention that LeBron essentially built a championship team from nothing, while Jordan quit as soon as he realized he couldn't have Phil Jackson. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
