New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season

[Ron Party]

I am very happy I was wrong.

I am very surprised Dallas was able to contain D Wade in the 4th quarter. Miami left a ton of points at the free throw line. And Dirk coming through as he had to in the 4th with 10 points.

So, now, you're Pat Riley, GM of the Heat. What tweaks to the roster do you make?

 

[rblnr]

So, now, you're Pat Riley, GM of the Heat. What tweaks to the roster do you make?

Quality size. Doesn't need to score

 

[Ron Party]

Something that has been buggin' me since he said it with about 4 minutes to go in the game: Mark Jackson proclaimed Dirk one of the top 20 players ever. What do you think?

 

[jadis]

This is one finals where I feel very close to the joy and satisfaction of the Celtic win last 2008. This group of players is quite special and I enjoyed watching them celebrate at the end of the buzzer. You can see they are so bonded, particularly Dirk, Kidd, Terry and Marion. The old guard can still rule! Congratulations to the Dallas Mavericks - a great example of a champion team.

 

[jadis]

And why has Mark Cuban been so silent in the whole series

Now it can be told, after the game, he was interviewed and he basically showed he has grown wiser after all these years. LOL

 

[jadis]

And while Dirk is the main man, I'm so happy to see a 38 year old point guard excel in this league with gusto. Shooting 3's, guarding Wade and even James, sprinting to lead the break, playing tough defense, and distributing the ball sooooo well. I'm so impressed. And he said he expects to play 2 more years because he 'feels good' now. Hats off to the guy.

 

[jadis]

Something that has been buggin' me since he said it with about 4 minutes to go in the game: Mark Jackson proclaimed Dirk one of the top 20 players ever. What do you think?

Maybe we need to check out the top 20 list, but I'd nominate him to be in the top 50 easily. And, after winning a championship, every great player seems to be elevated to a higher echelon. Being removed from the top 20 great players who NEVER won a championship should be good enough for Dirk. But to me, he showed he's a leader of this Dallas team.

 

[jadis]

So, now, you're Pat Riley, GM of the Heat. What tweaks to the roster do you make?

I hope nothing. So that Boston can get back at them next season.

 

[jadis]

The Miami crowd is dead silent

And most likely, next season, the empty seats will be back.

 

[JackD201]

Quality size. Doesn't need to score

+1 and add good outlet passing as a requirement for the new bigs

 

[rblnr]

And most likely, next season, the empty seats will be back.

Fans were leaving with 2 minutes to go -- amazing. Would not have happened in most cities.

 

[jadis]

And considering that Caron Butler did not play the whole series, and 7 foot back-up center Haywood played only a game or 2, they still won without the homecourt advantage.

 

[steve williams]

Simply put....the better team won. I was confident they would close out the Heat in 6 in Miami

 

[FrantzM]

I remain puzzled by Lebron play these past two games... I am pleased the Mavericks won yet I would have liked a game 7. I would have liked to see Lebron play as well as he can or should. The Heat unraveled in the fourth period, they were in a daze. No fire..

Now let's see how the NBA head honchos deal with the labor situation . Hope they don't follow the NFL lead

 

[steve williams]

LBJ was a no show in the 4th quarter of each game much the same as he was in Conference finals and NBA Finals when he was with Cleveland. I don't get it

 

[jadis]

Allow me to volunteer a theory of that puzzling performance of James.

What I can think of is he cannot sustain pressure. As in all the way pressure from beginning of the playoff to the end of the championship game. He does a great start, in Philly, Boston and Chicago. Not too bad the first 3 games, but on the fourth quarter when he is needed most to contribute, he falters. Specially on Game 6, he plays like an ordinary folk in the 4th quarter, without fire and without much enthusiasm it seems. The pressure is too much for him, as faced with a splendid offensive sock from Kidd, Barea, Terry and Dirk, he seems to actually lose heart and lose focus. Incoherent drives and passes, charges and wild 3s that are 50-50. That's not the James that beat Boston and Chicago down the wire in the 4th. This is the end game, the Dallas series, and he sputtered. He said it best in the post game show, I won 0 games against the Spurs, and I won 2 now in this Finals, maybe in the next I'll win 4. Question is, when is the next? It took Dirk 5 years to redeeem himself from the choker tag. How many more years for James? Magic won it all in his first year, Bird on his second year. These 2 are the benchmark of fire and desire to win a championship right away. The desire never faltered, and they sustained whatever pressure that was thrown at them. James has 8 seasons already and till today, had not delivered even on his second team.

 

[JackD201]

I can't help but wonder if a couple of years playing college ball would have helped him. You know, living in a dorm and learning to fend for yourself, being independent.

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

This is coming from memory. Didn't Pat Riley hire a Psychologist to travel with the Lakers of the mid 80's especially after their loss to the Celtics in 1984? THe team then was deemed talented of course but somewhat lacking in fire and intensity ... Bob Mac Adoo was also part of this team, maybe they will help ... James at times had that odd-looking face , a "deer in the headlights" kind of expression, not the fire he is able to summon in some games ...
I am sure Pat Riley is keenly aware of this failure to deliver from James these past games and will address it . They went further than I though they would. There are a few players whose stock has improved or at least been solidified: Udonis Haslem and Mario Chalmers. They will be part of next year Heat ..
I wonder now what my Lakers are up to.

 

[FrantzM]

I can't help but wonder if a couple of years playing college ball would have helped him. You know, living in a dorm and learning to fend for yourself, being independent.

Funny you posted this. I read similar somewhere online. Players who have won championships overwehlmly were of this opinion... Not that Kobe or Moses Malone to name these two needed that but diferent personality may need different methods to bring their potential to concretization...

 

[JackD201]

Lebron just reminds me of Michelle Wie. She skipped college to join the LPGA. Like LBJ she's insanely gifted. She's six feet tall, hits the ball a mile. Problem is she didn't know how to win yet. Like LBJ she'd disappear at crunch time. They say beating up on her peers like Tiger or Jack Nicklaus did as amateurs would have prepared her mentally by giving her more to draw on. Instead she got on the big stage and got beat up mentally instead. Like LBJ she continues to endure a disproportionate amount of scrutiny because she should be doing much better given her talent. They even have the same sponsor.