The Basketball Thread

[nyikolajevics 2,422]

it's ok kiddies.

Lakers can shine again in a few years but not with Bryant. Kobe is one of the best NBA players in the XXI. century but he is 36, got injured a few times and Lakers need time to get their shit together.

[Styles 9,790]

Not long to go now can't wait

[iseah100 5,612]

LET'S FUCKING GOOOO SPURS!!!

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

Tough to think about basketball with OKC eliminated and all

But anyways, im going for the Heat, and it's not even that i 'like' them its just my sheer hate for the Spurs. I honestly cannot stand them, would be a joy to see them lose in another heart-breaking fashion. Everyone has that team in all sports and the Spurs are that for me, right next to the Patriots/Man United/Boston Red Sox.

They can talk all they want about the 'team' but talent usually always reigns supreme. (Except the WCF). The last team to win without a superstar was the 2004 Detroit Pistons. That team was solid 1-5 and chauncy billups was as close to a star that team had. Them days when the Spurs beat my NJ Nets in 2003, stopping J-Kidd and Kenyon Martin from getting that elusive ring, since them days man, the Spurs have always been 'that' team for me.

I always liked LBJ but that 'teaming-up' thing really rubbed me the wrong way. Winning a championship again, must noticeably a three-peat at that would be nice for his legacy. All eyez on him now.

I predict Heat in 6.

LBJ-Finals MVP

[Sheva. 5,373]

Hyped.

[iseah100 5,612]

Tough to think about basketball with OKC eliminated and all

But anyways, im going for the Heat, and it's not even that i 'like' them its just my sheer hate for the Spurs. I honestly cannot stand them, would be a joy to see them lose in another heart-breaking fashion. Everyone has that team in all sports and the Spurs are that for me, right next to the Patriots/Man United/Boston Red Sox.

They can talk all they want about the 'team' but talent usually always reigns supreme. (Except the WCF). The last team to win without a superstar was the 2004 Detroit Pistons. That team was solid 1-5 and chauncy billups was as close to a star that team had. Them days when the Spurs beat my NJ Nets in 2003, stopping J-Kidd and Kenyon Martin from getting that elusive ring, since them days man, the Spurs have always been 'that' team for me.

I always liked LBJ but that 'teaming-up' thing really rubbed me the wrong way. Winning a championship again, must noticeably a three-peat at that would be nice for his legacy. All eyez on him now.

I predict Heat in 6.

LBJ-Finals MVP

Wow. I didn't even know it was possible for someone to hate the Spurs so much. Duncan, Pop, Parker, etc. Exude class.

The Decision and Teaming up was the easy way out. Spurs in 6, game on!

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

Wow. I didn't even know it was possible for someone to hate the Spurs so much. Duncan, Pop, Parker, etc. Exude class.

The Decision and Teaming up was the easy way out. Spurs in 6, game on!

Its not really them per-say just the team and them ALWAYS being competitive.

Its something probably better said in person, rather than in a post.

Like yes Duncan-Pop are first ballot HOFs no doubt about it. But thats one team i really want to just 'go away'. Like when will they leave the basketball scene. They have already cause enough damage to 'my' teams. It really isn't a dig at the players personally just the team in a sports fashion.

[Amblève. 4,995]

Rationally thinking, there's not one reason to hate the Spurs. Class organization from top to bottom, intelligent and hard workers in every single position, best scouting in the NBA, humble players, GOAT coach, the best run offense EVER in the NBA, second to none basketball IQ in the entire NBA, fundamentals everywhere.

Like a friend of mine put it, the Spurs are a homage to the sport of basketball. Watching them is witnessing the best basketball has ever had to offer.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Glad to see the Spurs off to a good start and hope they win. There is no greater gap in sports than the difference between what actually wins in the NBA (team efficiency, taking good tram shots) and what people think actually wins which is star players. The NBA is a star-obsessed league.Basketball is a team game and the Spurs play it as a team game. They will always be competitive under Popovich. They don't have a single elite player anymore and are already transitioning new players like Leonard and Green into regular minutes.

OKC will never win the championship with Scott Brooks. In the NBA, coaching does matter and he's not a good coach. He's just been lucky to have one of the most talented teams in his time there which can carry itself a long way. He just makes too many baffling decisions and has a simplistic gameplan that will catch up with him.

And Kobe rising again? Give me a break. The Lakers will never win again with Kobe there. If he's healthy, he'll score a lot of points ( a big if) but he's not the kind of player that can carry a team anymore and the Lakers have killed themselves with re-signing Kobe. As Jurgan Kilnsmann said "“This always happens in America,” Klinsmann told me, waving his hands in the air. “Kobe Bryant, for example — why does he get a two-year contract extension for $50 million? Because of what he is going to do in the next two years for the Lakers? Of course not. Of course not. He gets it because of what he has done before. It makes no sense. Why do you pay for what has already happened?"

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Spurs looking convincing in game 1..

[kellzfresh 7,226]

Don't want heat to win back to back titles so I guess I'm supporting spurs. They have the best team play in the game

[iseah100 5,612]

Don't want heat to win back to back titles so I guess I'm supporting spurs. They have the best team play in the game

They've already won back-to-back titles:ph34r:

[kellzfresh 7,226]

They've already won back-to-back titles:ph34r:

Oops I meant winning again after winning last year. They've gotten to how many finals in a row already

[iseah100 5,612]

Oops I meant winning again after winning last year. They've gotten to how many finals in a row already

Lol i knew what you meant. 4 in a row, if they lose this one they'll be a respectable 2-2.

[Sheva. 5,373]

If Lebron didn't leave game 1, Spurs would be 0-2. What a performance

[iseah100 5,612]

If Lebron didn't leave game 1, Spurs would be 0-2. What a performance

Not at all. Spurs killed themselves with 4 consecutive missed free throws. Plus the refs kept the spurs in foul trouble. Duncan got NO CALLS.

[Reddish-Blue 2,223]

Very happy to see Miami bounce back

Would be great to see Lebron get a 3peat

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

LBJ went on a tear, epic game after all the jokes and criticism he received after game one. LBJ is by far and away the most criticized super-star i have every seen, he can't ever catch a break. All the jokes and hypothetical questions like "What would Jordan have done?" get so annoying you just gotta tune those idiots out.

One minuet LBJ is the unanimous "Best player in the world" next thing you know they question his "mental" toughness after cramps. Sigh.

Glad to see the Spurs off to a good start and hope they win. There is no greater gap in sports than the difference between what actually wins in the NBA (team efficiency, taking good tram shots) and what people think actually wins which is star players. The NBA is a star-obsessed league.Basketball is a team game and the Spurs play it as a team game. They will always be competitive under Popovich. They don't have a single elite player anymore and are already transitioning new players like Leonard and Green into regular minutes.

You couldn't be any more wrong. Talent wins NBA Championships. Look at the history books, the last team to win a championship w/o a superstar was the 2004 Pistons, name a team other than them to win a championship. Heck i'll even give you the Mavs, that's two teams out of the NBA's 67 Championships, got any more teams?

Why are people hell-bent on believing something that is not true in the sport of basketball? The spurs are a feel good story and i get that some want to see them succeed in order to 'prove a point' but Spurs winning this year wouldn't prove anything in the grand scheme of things. This is not the NFL where team chemistry on (offense AND defense) and getting hot at the right time is paramount to post-season success. Nor is this the NHL where a hot goalie can carry you deep into the playoffs.

The NBA has very little to no history of 'team-play' upending the more talented ones. Or better yet, don't tell me teams that win Championships don't have/need a superstar because all of the do.

You don't think star players win championships? Come off it.

Bulls two 3-peats with Jordan/Pippen LA -3 peat Shaq/Kobe. San Antonio-3 championships in 5 years with Tim Duncan/Manu/Tony. LA-Back to Back with Kobe/Odom/Pau and Bynum. Miami back to back-Wade/LBJ/Bosh

NBA is a talent driven league. The Spurs can be your feel-good story, just like the Mavs were in 2011 (and i was pulling for the Mavs cause of Kidd), but this won't prove your 'theory'. People react to what they see, and when the big three formed in miami they reached 4 straight championships. Oh but star players aren't the key? ok then.