Congratulations to the Miami Heat.

[j804]

Here is the thing. I am convinced the Heat got help during the playoffs, especially against Indiana and Boston. This is not "poor loser" syndrome (some of you may recall I picked Miami to beat Boston in 5 games).

But the finals ending in 5 games makes NO sense for the NBA...assuming they are actively controlling series for their benefit. I 100% expected this series to go 7 games, with the first 6 games engineered to end up 3-3 and then game 7 would be just a game, no interference.

Why would the NBA not ensure the Finals go 7 games when it had such massive ratings? The fact it didn't really lets the air out of the theory that the NBA is messing with the flow of the game intentionally, for profit.

I am so confused.

Is it next season yet?

They make their money in the earlier rounds, can't blatantly do it on the big stage and the Finals

[indeedproceed]

They make their money in the earlier rounds, can't blatantly do it on the big stage and the Finals

Is this meant to be sarcastic?

[NoraG1]

Here is the thing. I am convinced the Heat got help during the playoffs, especially against Indiana and Boston. This is not "poor loser" syndrome (some of you may recall I picked Miami to beat Boston in 5 games).

But the finals ending in 5 games makes NO sense for the NBA...assuming they are actively controlling series for their benefit. I 100% expected this series to go 7 games, with the first 6 games engineered to end up 3-3 and then game 7 would be just a game, no interference.

Why would the NBA not ensure the Finals go 7 games when it had such massive ratings? The fact it didn't really lets the air out of the theory that the NBA is messing with the flow of the game intentionally, for profit.

I am so confused.

Is it next season yet?

Their desire to make sure Lebron got his ring and that nothing came in the way of that. Going to 7 games might allow OKC to get ideas that they could win in their heads and anything can happen. Lebron winning a title is what NBA thinks will make them a bundle of $$$. At least that is what they hope.

[fairweatherfan]

No matter what you think of Miami, it is remarkable that David Stern was able to drop a triple-double in a championship closeout game at his age.   

Heat were the best team in the playoffs and LeBron was the best player - otherworldly in a few key games (Game 4 Indiana, Game 6 Boston, most of Game 4+5 OKC).  As much as I hate to say it, he's officially The Man now, and Miami The Champs, til somebody takes it away from them.  Good for them, we'll try to be that somebody next year.

[j804]

They make their money in the earlier rounds, can't blatantly do it on the big stage and the Finals

Is this meant to be sarcastic?

it is somewhat while I don't fully believe that is true ( NBA wouldn't be fun anymore if I did) at the same time it wouldn't even surprise me if it were the case

[indeedproceed]

They make their money in the earlier rounds, can't blatantly do it on the big stage and the Finals

Is this meant to be sarcastic?

it is somewhat while I don't fully believe that is true ( NBA wouldn't be fun anymore if I did) at the same time it wouldn't even surprise me if it were the case

It's completely counterintuitive. The Nba lost millions of dollars, tens of millions more likely, by ending the series at 5 games. If money is their main motivator, and they could sway games, if they could extend a series, there is no series more watched than the finals, which means more money from advertisers the longer it goes. The conspiracy that the notion is based upon would need to be complex, and wide, and smart enough to not get caught.

If they were so powerful, willing to act, and smart enough to not get caught before, why would they fail to act in the finals?

It's just not a logical conclusion.

[NoraG1]

No matter what you think of Miami, it is remarkable that David Stern was able to drop a triple-double in a championship closeout game at his age.  

Heat were the best team in the playoffs and LeBron was the best player - otherworldly in a few key games (Game 4 Indiana, Game 6 Boston, most of Game 4+5 OKC).  As much as I hate to say it, he's officially The Man now, and Miami The Champs, til somebody takes it away from them.  Good for them, we'll try to be that somebody next year.

Will never forget what happened in game 2 of both the Celtics series and the OKC series. I know it is over and nothing can be changed but those games the refs made sure that Miami got every call at the most crucial time of the game. All calls went to the Heat. Not saying Lebron was not great in some games but the fact is even if not all games were the calls clearly in Heats favor there were these 2 games. It would be nice if ALL games were decided by players, not the refs. It shouldn't be too much to ask. But in the NBA it is apparently.

[j804]

They make their money in the earlier rounds, can't blatantly do it on the big stage and the Finals

Is this meant to be sarcastic?

it is somewhat while I don't fully believe that is true ( NBA wouldn't be fun anymore if I did) at the same time it wouldn't even surprise me if it were the case

It's completely counterintuitive. The Nba lost millions of dollars, tens of millions more likely, by ending the series at 5 games. If money is their main motivator, and they could sway games, if they could extend a series, there is no series more watched than the finals, which means more money from advertisers the longer it goes. The conspiracy that the notion is based upon would need to be complex, and wide, and smart enough to not get caught.

If they were so powerful, willing to act, and smart enough to not get caught before, why would they fail to act in the finals?

It's just not a logical conclusion.

to not put anything in question and keep things under wrap since the Finals are so BIG  w/ everybody watching.... Eh milk the first few rounds for what we can then let the players decide the Championship lol

[j804]

on topic though Miami earned the title make no mistake about it James was huge and the roleplayers shot the lights out