A Spurs win Thursday would be a monumental upset even though they've been the better team. NBA Game 7s are without a doubt the worst because the home cooking is absolutely absurd. Hopefully its like the Bruins taking down the Canucks in game 7 and sending the douchiest fan base in the sport home crying, but I doubt it.
__________________
"Think I'm gonna be the scapegoat for the whole damn machine? Sheeee......."
Lebron puts up a triple double and one of 4 guys to ever put up a 30-10-10 but he got "bailed" out and should feel embarrassed.
I am actually not a big James fan but the BS that he gets is ridiculous.
I'd say this was his 2nd best game so far in the finals. He turned it up when the Heat began to take the lead. He hit the big three down the stretch but you can't deny that turnover with around 25 second left almost cost the Heat the Championship. If Ray didn't hit that 3 his legacy would be tarnished. He wasn't even good in OT.
LeBron stepped up when he needed to no doubt. But he was still outplayed by Mario Chalmers for 80% of this game. I don't think there are many other all-time greats who were outplayed in an NBA Finals deciding game by a guy who's the 20-25th best point guard (and maybe 200-300th best player) in the league. LeBron is great, but top 25-30 all-time great, not top 3, 5 or 10.
__________________
"Think I'm gonna be the scapegoat for the whole damn machine? Sheeee......."
Crazy game. Ray Allen's 3 pointer to tie the game is exactly what Riley brought him to Miami to do. You can't make this stuff up. Had any championship team won Game 7 after almost losing Game 6 like the Heat almost did?
If the Heat did win game 7, it would be the closest to the brink of death that the Finals had ever seen.
I'd say this was his 2nd best game so far in the finals. He turned it up when the Heat began to take the lead. He hit the big three down the stretch but you can't deny that turnover with around 25 second left almost cost the Heat the Championship. If Ray didn't hit that 3 his legacy would be tarnished. He wasn't even good in OT.
He has two triple doubles this finals, did something only 3 other guys have ever done in the finals tonight and scored 18 points in the finals.
Sure he wasn't perfect but he was the best player in the game Duncan (and his 0 points in the 4th/OT) included.
If Ray didn't hit that 3 sure his legacy is tarnished but he put the Heat in position to take advantage. I may have missed it but I don't remember MJ or Magic making every shot in their finals appearances. Guys helped them out many times as well.
But you're not a LeBron fan? Ok then, make the argument cause I can certainly make mine. He can rise, but right now, sorry not even top 20.
I'd say right now he's top 15. If he wins a few more championships and MVP's then he'll be in the top 10 for sure. But i highly doubt he'll crack the top 5.
Winning matters for the NBA. Its not the NFL where its so much more of a team game. The NBA is an individually dominated game, because really the Heat are much weaker than the Spurs when you compare guys 4-12. But individual talent can make so much more a difference in the NBA, and the Heat are better than the Spurs 1-3. If this was the NFL and the Spurs were better for guys 5-53 they would easily beat the Heat. So that's why winning rings absolutely matters for LeBron, and if he only wins 1 or 2 that has to count against him.
__________________
"Think I'm gonna be the scapegoat for the whole damn machine? Sheeee......."
But you're not a LeBron fan? Ok then, make the argument cause I can certainly make mine. He can rise, but right now, sorry not even top 20.
Look at his numbers regular season and play-offs. The guy is doing things that very few players ever have and on pace to have insane numbers.
He has been in the league for 10 years with 4 finals appearences and likely a few more to come.
Winning matters sure and that's what impressive about him he is winning with sub-par teams and carrying them farther than they should go.
At worst I could see him maybe 5th behind MJ, Russell, Magic, Bird maybe Duncan but that seems like a stretch. No other player is better than him now and if he wins say 4 titles he passes everyone other than MJ and Russell easily.
Heat are not better 1-3. Parker is better than Wade or Bosh the way they are playing now and Bosh is a wash with whoever decides to be the 3rd best Spurs player that night.
And Pop is light years ahead of Spo in terms of coaching.
What an amazing game that was. So many ups and downs. How Lebron played in the 4th should always be Miami's game plan. He brought the Heat back in the 4th (I think he was in on 18 out of 19 points at one point). What a clutch shot by Ray Allen as well. Crawford is a terrible ref. He missed so many blatant calls both ways. Duncan on one play basically did a wrestling take down on Bosh and no foul. And
It's funny to see Laker/Kobe fans complain about the refs yet they were given preferential treatment in their playoff runs. The refs never cost the Spurs the game. Leonard missed a free throw that would have made it 96-92. Instead the Spurs were up 3 and got a miss from the Heat but did not get the rebound. That happened on the last 2 possessions. I guess it's the league's fault that they let Miami get 2 attempts at 3's (a miss and a make each time) on the last 2 possessions.
Popovich made some dumb decisions tonight. Why was Splitter out and not Parker at the end? Is Splitter going to hit a 3? Taking Duncan out at that point in the 4th was bad too. He coached like it was game 6 win or bust. It blew up in his face. A lot of the Spurs guys played big minutes. I see James/Wade taking over game 7. Props to Duncan, what a 1st half. They should have kept going to him though. Hopefully Miami can take game 7.
I hate Kobe to death but there's no shot for LeBron to pass him. Kobe wants the big moments, he demands them. LeBron usually doesn't. I also think its insane to suggest he can even pass Magic, Magic was better at just about everything (shooting, defense, assists, leadership), despite not being nearly as gifted athletically as LeBron. Ugh defending not one, but two Lakers. I feel dirty.
I think the absolute best LeBron can do is top 10, somewhere in the 6-8 range. The fact he bailed on Cleveland also matters, because when you talk the top 5 guys you mentioned they all played in one place. If the Heat lose Thursday LeBron could theoretically play in 3.
__________________
"Think I'm gonna be the scapegoat for the whole damn machine? Sheeee......."
