Thoughts watching the NBA Finals...

[r_u_s_t_b_u_c_k_e_t]

Personally, I'll be shocked if Dallas doesn't win game 2. They missed a lot of easy shots, although they got a little flustered with Miami's D as well. Miami will always have the advantage so long as Lebron and Wade play well. But I think Dallas is going to find ways to make them play games they don't want to and will beat them. I'm saying Dallas wins game 2 and wins in 6.

2-3-2 format in the finals. did you mean "wins in 5"?

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

Larry Bird hates this.

I know, but he's from the 80s, back when Brad Daugherty was the 3rd best center in the league and girls wanted to look like Madonna.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

I think you can beat, or at least compete with Miami if you have two bigs like Derrick Favors dunking on everything and making every other aspect of the game completely irrelevant.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

The San Antonio Spurs were never stocked to the brim with elite athletes.

Duncan, Parker and Gino in their primes were elite athletes.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Duncan, Parker and Gino in their primes were elite athletes.

I wouldn't exactly say elite, they just knew how to maximize their athletic abilities to help them.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

One of the most winning teams and champions in the last 10 years.. the San Antontio Spurs disagree with this thread.

As do I.

Its about defense, you need a team to play team defense and be able to play REALLY good defense in the 4th quarter and clamp down on a team.

Also dont forget Miami tied a record 11 NBA three pointers for a Finals game. Shooting helps....ALOT.

But if you look at how James and Wade dominated defensively in the 4th quarter, this is part of it. Elite athletes make big plays on both sides of the ball. I honestly don't know if the Spurs could slow down James and Wade in this year's playoffs. The Mavs have been playing pretty good team defense this year, so did the Bulls.

 

[framer]

I wouldn't exactly say elite, they just knew how to maximize their athletic abilities to help them.

Exactly. Before Duncan developed his bag of tricks, I saw him get dominated by Greg Freakin' Ostertag in the Rocky Mountain Review. Elite Athletes NEVER get dominated by Ostertag.

Ginobli is a Soccer Player that can twist and turn and put the ball through the hole always keeping his shoulders square. His footwork is precise. He is like a Jimmer with length and decent defensive instincts. He is not an athlete like Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, or Durrant.

Parker, I've got nothing. I have always hated his game. I hate the run to the basket, flop, and hope for the foul. If he were an athlete he would finish like Allen Iverson, who although I wasn't a huge fan, never flopped for the foul.

 

[Beantown]

Wade also is much less athletic than before, he's not the same as the 2006 finals player.

 

[Lakers_Slapper]

So Im having trouble and I need help. I still dont know who I want to win. I hate both teams, here's why. I really dont like the way that Lebron and Bosh left their former teams. However I dont like Dirk either because his teeth are always hanging out of his mouth like a horse and because of his cheap shot to AK47 and to Harpring a couple of years ago. So who do you go for if you want both of them to loose?? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[LogGrad98]

Bird was definitely not an elite level athlete. Neither was McHale, Parrish or DJ.

Magic, although more athletic than Bird, was no thoroughbred athlete either. His lakers teams had a few solid athletes (Cooper), but they did not really make up the core. Worthy, Magic, Kareem were not elite level athletes, although definitely above average.

Who was the elite level athlete on the pistons squads? I don't think anyone would argue that Billups or Prince is an elite athlete. Hamilton was more so, but not the level of Wade or LeBron. Isaiah was pretty damn athletic, but Laimbier and Dumars were not.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Wade also is much less athletic than before, he's not the same as the 2006 finals player.

He's as athletic. It's pretty obvious when you realize kamikaze does not = athletic. He's a more complete and much smarter player now.

 

[vslice02]

Bird was definitely not an elite level athlete. Neither was McHale, Parrish or DJ.

Magic, although more athletic than Bird, was no thoroughbred athlete either. His lakers teams had a few solid athletes (Cooper), but they did not really make up the core. Worthy, Magic, Kareem were not elite level athletes, although definitely above average.

Who was the elite level athlete on the pistons squads? I don't think anyone would argue that Billups or Prince is an elite athlete. Hamilton was more so, but not the level of Wade or LeBron. Isaiah was pretty damn athletic, but Laimbier and Dumars were not.

Worthy was definitely athletic, as was Cooper and Byron Scott. Rodman was also a heck of an athlete for Detroit, as was the Prince and Wallaces who were long, rangy, and definitely athletic.
Were these guys at LeBron's or even Wade's level? No, but understand it's hard to compare athleticism across the board now back to the mid-80's as athletes are so much bigger and faster.

The Celtics are the one championship team that didn't place an emphasis on athleticism - but when you've got the greatest frontcourt to every play the game you don't necessarily have to.