The 2011 NBA Playoffs: If you want to crown them, then crown their ass!

this . .

 

I'm pleased that Carlisle got a ring. Former Pacer, Former Hoosier(Cuban) getting it done.

 

Three superstars can't deliver a championship if their game is too isolated, even the Celtic's big three were fortunate with Rondo's rise.

 

Congratulations to Dallas!!!!!

haha Lebron, you fail once again!!!!

 

I'm also happy that Dirk walked off the court after they won the title. Lebron and D-wade didn't deserve to shake Dirk's hand, after blatantly making fun of his illness.

Two arrogant sore losers!!!!!!! Nothing more!!!

 

So where does Shawn Marion rank in the pantheon of great defenders? He ate Durant, Kobe and LeBron alive in three straight series.

 

Of the many crazy subplots in these play-offs, Marion's excellent play through the past three series has been one of the bigger ones. Anyone who saw him play earlier this season and claims with a straight face they saw this coming is just flat-out lying.

 

I wonder if D-Wade now regrets this bit of posturing:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlqPpjrYUJQ"]YouTube - ‪Dwyane Wade hits 3, LeBron James celebrates | Miami Heat vs. Dallas Mavericks 2011 NBA Finals Game 2‬‏[/ame]

It galvanized the Mavs and it turned what would have been a 2-0 Heat series lead into a 1-1 tie.

 

One guy who probably slept very well tonight - if he slept at all - is DeShawn Stevenson. He has now one more ring than the self-proclaimed king.

Perhaps LeBron can ask Jay-Z to make another Rhyme at his expense, might dull the pain a little.

 

Interesting little stat: out of all the Superstars that won multiple rings, LeBron will now be the 2nd furthest along in his career if and when he wins his first.

If we just count the modern era (post-merger), the list (guys who won 2+ championships and the year in which they won the first) goes as follows:

Jordan: six titles, won 1st in 7th season
Hakeem: two titles, won his 1st in his 10th season
Bird: three titles, won his 1st in his 2nd season
Magic: five titles: won his 1st in his 1st season
Shaq: four titles, won his 1st in his 8th season
Duncan: four titles, won his 1st in his 2nd season
Kobe: five titles, won his 1st in his 4th season

Next season is LeBron's 9th. My point is, if he truly wants to win multiples, he has to start soon. Only Hakeem won his first further along his career arc and he "only" won two.

Even though James likely would take whatever he can get at this point, he did not join the Heat to win one or two titles...

 

LeBron and the Heat make most excellent villains, even down to the failure part. Congrats to them for playing their role so well.

I wonder if Thibs took away from this series that winning titles means scoring 100 points in a game, not obsessing because you held the opponent to 86 but you wanted to hold them to 82. Nah, probably not.

 

The Bulls need another reliable scorer besides Rose. Boozer obviously isn't it. Though Thibs could do himself a huge favor by hiring someone who can draw up less predictable attacking schemes.

 

Hmmm, I'd like to see the Mavs defend their title, but it hinges on an awful lot of stuff that seems very uncertain at the moment. In this post-season, they have gotten huge production out of a couple of guys many people thought were done (not just the aforementioned Marion, but also a guy like Peja in earlier rounds). Will these guys still have something left after another regular season? If not, could the Mavs find worthy replacements?

Marion's defense especially is something they won't easily replace.

 

Irony, thy name is Rose.

 

Surely this is the classic case of an old team that is one-and-done.

Then again, when the playoffs started I thought that Portland was lucky to draw the Mavs and that Portland would probably win that series. (In that, I had a lot of company.)

 

Absolutely, great catch . . . .

There might be a lesson here for Charles Barkley also, but if he learned it a lot of fun might be missing from the NBA telecasts . . .

In many ways, I admire their authenticity and willingness to give up "looking good" at the expense of having to be "right" Props to them!

 

You don't need 100 points, you just need guys who can make clutch buckets. Thibs is right to focus on team defense and defensive numbers, it is statistically the best chance you have to win a championship.

Pop did that for years and if it weren't for the Shaq/Kobe Lakers, his sytem would have netted a half dozen championships instead of just 4.

 

Jason Whitlock is calling for the disbanding of the Heat Dynasty. lol

 

Defense has certainly carried the Celtics to being in it every season, they just happen to have two guys who can hit a clutch shot when need be.

The Mavs held the Heat to under a hundred in 5 of 6 games.