NBA Finals
- Thread starter Tilted
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Larry Gude
Strung Out
You know, the conventional wisdom was that it had to be Cavs/Lakers to have THE great match up. Bottom line, the Cavs are merely very good with LaBron, not great. Orlando was, clearly, the better team. Their best player spent most of the series in foul trouble and they still won handily. Cavs would have gone down in 4 straight if James had Howard's foul trouble.
The Lakers are capable of GREAT play with the people they have and I'll take Kobe over James in must win games. On the other hand, Orlando has proven themselves as a total team and against super stars. They are just devastating with their ability to score, especially shooting threes.
I say seven games and flip a coin.
Tilted
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Nelson is definitely playing? I hadn't heard that, that changes things a bit. Orlando is a great team, and they may be the best team in the East for the next few years. I just think it will be hard to overcome Kobe's heart - he wants it more than anyone, and he is the most competitive player this league has seen since you know who.
On another note - I don't think the Magic beat the best team in the league - I think they exposed Cleveland for what it is. They had a great regular season, but they are still just LeBron and a patchwork cast. I think they will get worse next year, if they don't make major off-season acquisitions.
Beta84
They're out to get us
Heck, the Magic would have swept if not for that all-timer prayer of a shot in game 2.
I heard that Nelson was playing as of...Tues or Weds. Is that a 100% given? No. I doubt he'll get a ton of minutes, especially at the start of the series...plus he may be off his game. But the players were really excited watching him in practice.
I completely disagree with this Kobe's heart crap. He has *3* championships already. There are probably 20+ other guys on the court that haven't had their first yes. Somehow I think some of them will want it a little more than Kobe. Lebron wanted his desperately and even though he was scoring 40 a game they still lost. Is Kobe scoring 50-60 each night or what?
As for best in the East for the next few years...we'll see. Cleveland has some expiring contracts so they might swap some players. Orlando's Turkoglu is going to test the free agency waters and will probably get a higher contract elsewhere. Losing him would really hurt their staying power as the top team in the East.
Larry Gude
Strung Out
We can all agree that scoring 60 points a night is not the key, yes?
I think Kobe plays better defense. I think Kobe pushes his teammates harder. I think he brings more to the game in terms of what the team should be doing, coach on the court.
Kobe reminds me of Jordan; what does it take to win? Scoring? A stop? Get a rebound? What does the TEAM need to do?
James reminds me of a super star who is just a bit more about himself than the team.
Beta84
They're out to get us
We can all agree that scoring 60 points a night is not the key, yes?
I think Kobe plays better defense. I think Kobe pushes his teammates harder. I think he brings more to the game in terms of what the team should be doing, coach on the court.
Kobe reminds me of Jordan; what does it take to win? Scoring? A stop? Get a rebound? What does the TEAM need to do?
James reminds me of a super star who is just a bit more about himself than the team.
I was kidding about the 60 points. LA has Gasol also, but Howard is a top notch defender too. James was shutting down Lewis or Turkoglu (I think those were his two assignments?) but the guy he wasn't covering would just go off. Kobe might be able to cover Turkoglu, but I don't really think he has the size to cover Lewis. That might give Orlando a bigger advantage.
James is immature...he'll come around. But he's definitely a "me first" type of player. Kobe is the better teammate for sure.
Larry Gude
Strung Out
It is a legit point, though. Young Jordan would try to score more to win and so did a young Kobe. Thing is, they were pizzed when they'd lose and go back to the drawing board. James was like "Tough series. I LOVE New York!"
Tilted
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How competitive someone is, isn't necessarily a function of what they've already achieved. Some people are just wired to be more competitive, they just want it more. Tiger Woods has achieved more than anybody that he competes against, yet, one of the main things that continues to separate him from the field is that he simply wants it more than they do. When it comes time to play, nothing enters his mind or heart, except the desire to succeed.
Kobe probably wants 10 championships, he certainly wants 7. And, you can bet that he especially wants number 4 - so that he's got one without Shaq, since Shaq's got one without him. Kobe is one of those very rare athletes who wants it more than those around him - even though those around him want it a great deal.
And, Kobe isn't scoring 50-60 a night, because he doesn't need to. He usually does what his team needs him to do on a given night, because all he wants is the W. I don't think he cares much anymore if he scores 5 or 55. If he needs to hang 56 one night in the finals, he will.
T
toppick08
Guest
Magic won both games this season, Jameer Nelson is back, and the Magic stomped the best team in the league. GO MAGIC![/QUOTE]
Larry Gude
Strung Out
As Kobe said in an interview, I think today, paraphrasing, "They just shoot good. They can get on a roll and just not stop..."
Here's the thing, The Magic, as you noted, shot 482% and BARELY won. Kobe makes his free throws, LA may well have won.
My guess is LA wins. My hope is Orlando.
Larry Gude
Strung Out
so it's 3-1 LAL but coulda been 3-1 Orlando, or at least 2-2, if only they knew how to play in overtime
I heard the dumbest thing on one of the sports shows; LA's experience doesn't make much difference. It's ALL the difference. You're more likely to make your free throws with the game coming to a head if you'd done it before. You're more likely to hit big threes if you've done it before and you're more likely to run your sets under the biggest pressure if you've done it before.
It's a great match up, but, LA has a distinct advantage; experience.
Tilted
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so it's 3-1 LAL but coulda been 3-1 Orlando, or at least 2-2, if only they knew how to play in overtime
Yeah, and the Wizards coulda been playing for the NBA championship if this and if that. When the game is over, you either won or you didn't. (Except for complaints about officiating - that's always a legitimate grounds for saying shoulda, woulda, coulda.
)I'm rooting for the Lakers tonight, but if I had to bet, I'd bet that Orlando sends it back to L.A.
Larry Gude
Strung Out
I'd like to thank the Magic for their magic act; they were able to pull off seeming to be there, playing for a championship and yet be sitting on a beach, sipping cocktails at the same time.
*thud*
*thud*
Beta84
They're out to get us
Experience made all the difference. Kobe had been there, done that. Derek Fisher's experience is what won them game 4, no doubt about it. Some commentators are stupid.
I was just commenting on how tight a couple of games were and that the Magic had a chance to win both in regulation. They choked twice. That's a big difference from the Wizards pulling an all-timer of a horrid season with the supposed talent they had.Yeah, and the Wizards coulda been playing for the NBA championship if this and if that. When the game is over, you either won or you didn't. (Except for complaints about officiating - that's always a legitimate grounds for saying shoulda, woulda, coulda.
I'm rooting for the Lakers tonight, but if I had to bet, I'd bet that Orlando sends it back to L.A.
What a horrible series. Orlando won both games against LA during the season, plus they beat Boston and Cleveland in the playoffs. I just don't get it. How could you have everything going for you and just pull a disappearing act? They may not have been good enough to win the series, but there's no doubt it should have been a 6 or 7 game series.