Not gonna be a popular opinion, but if not the CEltics I think I'd like the Heat to win. I know that sounds nuts, but I like the fact that the NBA isn't the NFL. In other words... I like the idea that there isnt' a new champion every year. I like that with the NBA, the best of the best usually takes home the title. And right now, nobody is better than LeBron. He's the king of the league and he deserves the gold. The heck with parity. I like prestige. And it'd be a shame if we looked back on this era without noting that it was the era of LeBron James. Plus, with them as the big bad evil champs, whoever eventually knocks them off will be a special thing.
Can't root for Oklahoma city. I live in Seattle. Just can't do it.
It's not tennis either. It's a team game. Lebron James may be the best player, but that doesn't mean the Miami Heat are the best team.
I root against the Heat precisely for the reasons that you root for them. I don't think of the game of basketball as an individual sport.
It's a team game. Sure. But look at who has won championships in the past and it's almost always the team that had the best player. Russell, Kareem, Magic, Bird, Jordan, Hakeem, Duncan, Shaq, Kobe... with a few aberrations sprinkled here and there. For the most part... dominant players get it done. It's probably LeBron's time. He deserves it. Dude is an all-timer.
http://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/finals_mvp.html
The league is changing. You have to go back more than a decade to find championship teams containing the league's best player. This notion that having the best player in the game necessarily wins you a championship is out-dated.
Catch up, man.
I dunno, brotha. You might be right. You'll be hard pressed to find many people who disagree that Shaq, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant were the greatest players of their generation. Bill Simmons in his "top 96 greatest players ever" list has Duncan #7, Shaq #11, Kobe #15 (I think he has him ahead of Duncan since the additional championships) and KG #22. In fact, the only other active player in the top 25 is LeBron (who he had ranked #20 at the time).
SO yes... it's a team game. But still... most champions have a least one pantheon player.
2000, 2001, 2002 - Shaq
2003, 2005, 2007 - Duncan
2008 - KG
2009, 2010 - Kobe
What are you talking about? Pretty much every champion has a top 5 player on the team. 2006's Heat team had the tail end of Shaq and the absolute prime of Dwayne Wade (probably a top 3 player at the time).
In fact... in the past 30+ years the only real exception to this rule would be Detroit in 2004... and I guess last year's Dallas team, but that really discredits Dirk (who was statistically in the top 10 last year and Bill Simmons had ranked #37 prior to his title)...
Yes. It's a team game. But you need a phenom to win a title. Nobody better than LeBron right now. He deserves a title.
If I didn't live in Seattle... I'd want the Thunder to win. I have too many heartbroken friends out here to root for Durant (as much as I love Durant). So I'll say Bron is my non-Celtic pick. He's paid his dues and I never had a problem with the guy. Actually... I might change my mind. I think I'd love to see Chris Paul win it. By far the best point guard alive and it would really p--- off Laker fans.
Yeah... Clippers. They have no shot this year, but that's who I'll root for in the West.
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Topic: If not Boston, who would you want to win the title? (Read 14681 times)