I think this is pretty much what everyone is thinking... and let's be honest - there are only so many superstars to go around.... Everyone is thinking superstars and GSW type offense... the problem is if everyone is doing the same thing its much harder to get any point of differential... That's why I would flip the script... Give me 2 potent offensive weapons (your superstars), a third good offensive weapon (a fringe all-star)... and focus on glue guys and defense.... Somebody like battier wasn't an all-star - but I'd take him on any team in a heartbeat... Guys like Bev and Ibaka arent all-stars but when looking at both offense and defense they can contribute to an all-star level... There's only 1 ball.... as everybody scurries to get a starting 5 of all scoring options - the point of differential is defense... Don't get me wrong... hey if you can get the star power to run with GSW - go for it... but if not... you gotta find other ways to improve your team...
The Celtics were good but were CLEARLY past their primes, so were the Detroit team with Billups and Rip
Lebron's teams beat the Western Conference Champs 3 times on 8 trips. He's having a helluva career. What's every othe "Star's" record in the Finals? Who's better?
Warriors went 73-9 last year and lost to the Cavs in the Finals (losing 3 games in a row) . But the Cavs wouldn't have come out of the West? Lol! Man you guys really hate LBJ!
we'll find out years from now once kd's run with this super team is done. you know the same when lebron left and formed his own in miami. never forget not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5,....................
So he has lost the majority of the time against a Western Conference team in the finals, without having to run through the Western Conference Playoff Gauntlet. Back to my initial point. Without a doubt, he would have had a much tougher time in the West. Your last questions are irrelevant to the point I am making.
Those Warriors were banged up. If the CAVS were in the west, they would have gotten stomped by a healthy Warriors team...the same healthy Warriors that had a 3-1 lead with 3 blowout wins before Bogut goes out and Draymond is suspended and Iggy was hobbled as well. That's like if a team beat the 72 win Bulls missing Luc Longley, Rodman for a game and Kukoc hurt the whole series. That's no longer the 72 win Bulls.
KD played with Westbrook, Harden, and Ibaka at one time so he's had talented teams before. He seems to get a pass for blowing a 3-1 lead in the playoffs. But hats off to KD for balling in the Finals, he played great.
once upon a team when both harden/ibaka goes into his 3rd years and still learning the nba, along with westbrook a year ahead. hats off to lebron forming his superteam with guys in their prime, a mvp candidate wade and one of the best bigs in the league #not1not2not3not4not5
Warriors are 36-8 vs the West in the last 3 playoffs, including sweeping the field this year. Only KDs Thunder came close to a competitive series. Hardly a "gauntlet". Warriors are 11-7 in the Finals vs the Cavs over the same span. Sounds like the West needs to step their game up too!
LBJ was talking about his own personal appearances in the Finals. LOL! It's 8 BTW! Congrats to Harden on the possible extension. Well deserved for the way he's carried the load since he's been here. Let's get him some superstar help and see if he can exercise those playoff demons!
Kyrie and Klove were hurt in the 1st year they met in the Finals so it evens out. After adding KD, Warriors lead 2-1 in the trilogy. Cavs like the rest of the NBA has work to do building rosters to compete.
LeBron is one of the greatest ever, but I think Cavs can't come out of the west, unless they could defeat Warriors.
Sounds like revisionist history. The Celtics were the reason Lebron went to Miami. He needed to get past them and they had some good games against each other. And I didn't say anything about the Pistons. Hell, Lebron beat them single handedly when he went to his first finals.
lol, no, that is not the reason. I am a rookie because one of administers did not like my frankness on revealing truth.
The East usually has one team each year that can challenge Lebron. The difference in the West is that there are normally 4-5 teams that can beat each other up. This is the first year I think where the West's winner just laughed their way to the finals. Lebron could certainly take a team out of the West, but it would be much more difficult. In any given NORMAL year of the last 5 (so not including this last Warriors year), the Cavs would get a challenge out of the Spurs, non-Durant Warriors, health Clippers, Thunder and then either Rockets or Grizzlies depending on which one decided to be good that year. In the East he'll get one challenge per year. Maybe.
I don't think they would've came out the west, considering the path they would've had to take. There's a big difference when you're forced to play more than one 6-7 game series just to get to see the finals. I don't think Lebron wants anything to do with the western conference