lol if Cleveland tried this year without LeBron they would have still won 50 games and probably could have won the #1 seed.Actually the Cavs might not even be a playoff team without LeBron. Do you what the Cavs record is this year when LeBron sits out ? What their record is since he came back and sits out ?
Something like 0-6 this year and 4-18 since he came back.
Come on. gamblers will be thereThis statement has me wondering. Outside of GS and Clev fans, are people really excited to see the same final for the third year in a row? I have to imagine for most fans not in a GS or Clev jersey, another year of the same ol' is kind of "meh." But maybe that's just me.
The Heat played the young guys early and didn't want to win this year - they were playing for the draft. When Winslow and Richardson got injured, they played their best players and went 30-11, and would've been even better if Waiters hadn't gotten injured the last 13 games of the year.They couldn't even make the ####ing playoffs. Get real.
This statement has me wondering. Outside of GS and Clev fans, are people really excited to see the same final for the third year in a row? I have to imagine for most fans not in a GS or Clev jersey, another year of the same ol' is kind of "meh." But maybe that's just me.
What exactly is your point? I said before the series the Spurs would give the Warriors trouble.Maybe. The way game 1 was going gs may not have even made it to the finals. GS has had to play one good team in the west over the last 3 playoff runs.
I haven't read all the rules yet, but isn't that if they make all NBA or something, and players can't still leave for less. In the NFL they can be tagged and the player can leave, but not without a pick coming back.huh? these teams can give their stars like $50 million more than all other teams.
Just stop.Maybe. The way game 1 was going gs may not have even made it to the finals. GS has had to play one good team in the west over the last 3 playoff runs.
And Cavs weren't at full strength the year before. Hopefully both can stay healthy this time around.What exactly is your point? I said before the series the Spurs would give the Warriors trouble.
Cleveland hasn't had one tough test in three years. Even Golden State wasn't full strength last year for the entire series.
It's funny when people complain about the east being so bad. There have been tons of big name free agents that have either gone out west or stayed out west. It's almost like they have been avoiding something in the east for the last.... oh I don't know, maybe 14 years.
dumbest post in this thread and this one will be impossible to top.Can you name a good team they have played besides the thunder in the past 3 years in the west playoffs?Just stop.
What does that have to do with them playing poorly in the 1st half of game 1 and you saying they might not even make the finals?Can you name a good team they have played besides the thunder in the past 3 years in the west playoffs?
So you can't?What does that have to do with them playing poorly in the 1st half of game 1 and you saying they might not even make the finals?
As a Houston homer. HAHAHA HAHAHA... HAHAHAThe Rockets, please go away.
yes that is the extreme example but i was mostly thinking of stars. but incumbent teams can offer larger raises, more years and now can offer better extensions earlier. durant moved based on a very unique set of circumstances. the cavs were set up by a trade for love and a fortuitous draft pick.I haven't read all the rules yet, but isn't that if they make all NBA or something, and players can't still leave for less. In the NFL they can be tagged and the player can leave, but not without a pick coming back.
I could have said the dream team and you would have disagree because LeBron wasn't on the team.As a Houston homer. HAHAHA HAHAHA... HAHAHA
Sure buddy.I could have said the dream team and you would have disagree because LeBron wasn't on the team.
If they don't want super teams then they need to do something else. Too many big names have jumped or forced their way out. It is early in this new attempt so we will have to wait and see.The Durant to GS scenario was made possible by the once-in-a-lifetime jump in the salary cap. Teams already had major advantages in signing their own players and even moreso with the new CBA.
They already have done something else. The "home" team can offer more than $50M more than anyone else to max players. And if someone still really wants to play somewhere else that's their right.If they don't want super teams then they need to do something else. Too many big names have jumped or forced their way out. It is early in this new attempt so we will have to wait and see.
What would be foolish is making short-term moves just so you get blown out less than you currently are...what good does that do...the team's win totals the past four years are 25-40-48-53...Ainge knows what he is doing as they have passed all the Eastern teams that don't have the best player in the NBA...they have a ton of assets to improve over the next couple of years...if they don't address their holes (and those holes are apparent) in that period we can knock them but right now there is absolutely nothing they could have done (outside of getting Durant...which they tried to do) that would have made more than a decent dent in the gap between them and the Cavs...and i do think the Celtics org can be called out for this debacle... i hear the idea of not sacrificing your whole future, but the fact that they had 2 years to get some defensive strength in the paint and they didn't shouldn't be ignored
By putting an artificial cap to how much moneyy they can earn?It will never happen, but stop catering to the stars of the league.
A full-strength Miami Heat would've slowed down the Cavaliers. They had size, penetrators, 3-point shooters and a few good defenders.
Didn't realize the Warriors were better without Iggy and West.In the second half of the season, in games that mattered, they beat a full-strength GS...
This. You can't underestimate the importance of Kyrie and Love, two players who never lost a playoff game before joining up with LeBron.lol if Cleveland tried this year without LeBron they would have still won 50 games and probably could have won the #1 seed.
Five of the games LeBron sat out were the second night of a back to back road game. They lost their first five in that situation even when LeBron played. They didn't win a game in that situation until they scored 43 points in the 4th quarter to barely beat the Lakers by 5. This didn't happen until MARCH. Their only other win in that situation was when they smashed Boston. The other two losses James sat out so did Kyrie and Love. The last loss was without Love.
Cleveland didn't give a flying #### all regular season. This team only won 51 games?Come on.
Can you name a single NFL player that has been tagged to prevent him from title chasing. I am going to go out on a limb here and say that 100% of the time it was to avoid paying the player market value. The NFLPA may have the weakest leadership in the four major sports.I haven't read all the rules yet, but isn't that if they make all NBA or something, and players can't still leave for less. In the NFL they can be tagged and the player can leave, but not without a pick coming back.
Replace "may" with "unquestionably" and you're spot on.Can you name a single NFL player that has been tagged to prevent him from title chasing. I am going to go out on a limb here and say that 100% of the time it was to avoid paying the player market value. The NFLPA may have the weakest leadership in the four major sports.
I don't follow NHL negotiations too closely, had to leave some wiggle room.Replace "may" with "unquestionably" and you're spot on.
The NFLPA - continuously folding since 1987,
I've said this before, but the clear and simple answer is eliminating max contracts. You'll have to convince the league that super teams are an actual problem first though.If they don't want super teams then they need to do something else. Too many big names have jumped or forced their way out. It is early in this new attempt so we will have to wait and see.
I'd guess there's not going to be a robust market for him this year either. He's great but he's a difficult guy to build around as a centerpiece, he's heading into his thirties, and he's about to get paid.Jackie MacMullan (who is as good as there is with regard to the NBA...and the Celtics in-particular) saying the Celts were willing to move IT last offseason...gonna be a fascinating offseason...
http://www.csnne.com/boston-celtics/report-ainge-wanted-trade-isaiah-last-year-another-lottery-pick
If there isn't a lot of interest in him than who is going to pay him?I'd guess there's not going to be a robust market for him this year either. He's great but he's a difficult guy to build around as a centerpiece, he's heading into his thirties, and he's about to get paid.
Overtime losses are not the same as regulation losses in hockey, so combining them to make those teams look average doesn't make a lot of sense.The "problem" people are trying to solve here is caused in large part by the fact that the league simultaneously has arguably the greatest player in history in one conference and the arguably greatest collection of talent on one roster in its history in the other conference. These are not normal circumstances, and they will correct in a few years.
In the mean time, note that right now there is a not-insignificant chance that the Stanley Cup Finals will feature a 44-38 team taking on a 41-41 team. Is that really what you want the NBA to become?
but I'm mad nowThe "problem" people are trying to solve here is caused in large part by the fact that the league simultaneously has arguably the greatest player in history in one conference and the arguably greatest collection of talent on one roster in its history in the other conference. These are not normal circumstances, and they will correct in a few years.
In the mean time, note that right now there is a not-insignificant chance that the Stanley Cup Finals will feature a 44-38 team taking on a 41-41 team. Is that really what you want the NBA to become?
Someone will pay...no doubt about it...the NBA is not like the other sports...it is very difficult to obtain a star (especially if you are not an elite team or popular destination) and someone will step up because they may not get another chance of a player of this caliber for years...If there isn't a lot of interest in him than who is going to pay him?
Also gotta remember he took a huge leap this past year...that should have a bearing on his value...he was not a second-team all NBA guard scoring close to 30 last season...I'd guess there's not going to be a robust market for him this year either. He's great but he's a difficult guy to build around as a centerpiece, he's heading into his thirties, and he's about to get paid.
That could work, and if you get the Cavs and Warriors continuing to lose only a couple games on the way to the finals the next couple years they may see it as a problem.I've said this before, but the clear and simple answer is eliminating max contracts. You'll have to convince the league that super teams are an actual problem first though.
Usually the title contenders are pretty obvious in the NBA from year to year, I think in the last few years it has gotten to the point where there aren't very many good games in the playoffs. There used to be good games even if the team wasn't a title contender and you would see them push title contender a game or 2 and other than a couple games with Indiana and the Spurs the two title contenders haven't been pushed very often this year.Overtime losses are not the same as regulation losses in hockey, so combining them to make those teams look average doesn't make a lot of sense.
Basketball has always been pretty predictable. In just about every season at the start, you can point to three or four teams and say one of them will win the championship, and except for maybe 2004, you would be right every single time.
Besides, even though it is usually predictable, it is usually not this bad. How many legit good games have there been in this postseason? Maybe two (Game 5 of Spurs/Rockets and Game 1 of Warriors/Spurs)? In hockey, there are at least two great games EVERY NIGHT in just the 1st round alone! There really is no comparison between the Stanley Cup playoffs and the basketball playoffs (unless you are a big fan of basketball already and not hockey).
Teams that might be willing to pay him may not want to give up a lottery pick or another promising young asset for the privilege of doing so.If there isn't a lot of interest in him than who is going to pay him?
The Jordan Era where it was the Bulls and whoever rose up to get beat from the West. Yes that was totally different than now.This why NBA Basketball has become boring and why I hated the Super Teams from day 1. Go back to Jordan Era where guys hated to play with each other and wanted to beat each other. To much friendliness these days. I haven't really watched a minute since Chi was eliminated.