Why you shouldn't be rooting for the Thunder...

[BigDofBA]

If you watched the games objectively you would know exactly what I am talking about.

I gave him credit for the times he has taken over games late but it is hit or miss.

Why can't you give me an example?

I can give you multiple examples of Lebron disappearing in the past month.

[Redscot]

They didn't have any stars but they were built well around Lebron. They had two decent big men, a few good shooters, and a decent PG in Moe Williams.

Williams is a better PG than Chalmers and Big Z and Varejao provide a much better inside presence than anything Miami has right now. I don't really consider Bosh a dominant player in the paint although he is a good player.

Basically, Lebron did his thing and dished to open shooters, the big men cleaned up the mess inside.

As for any other NBA Finals teams with that type of supporting cast I would say the Nets, Sixers, and Pacers from 1999-2003.

Good response bro. Don't have the time to delve into it at the moment, but you make valid points . End of the day if Lebron's worse case scenario puts him ( as the dominant player) on par as being equal too or better in those instances as J. Kidd, peak Iverson, the Pacers were a different animal (true balance)...I don't think he checks out too bad for that stage in his career.

[t-wizzle]

Why can't you give me an example?

I can give you multiple examples of Lebron disappearing in the past month.

Just recently, he didn't do anything in Game 5 at San Antonio. That was all Harden and Westbrook late. Durant barely even touched the ball. It has happened various times where he just gets taken out of games because of his vulnerability to getting pushed around a bit. It happened in the OT game against Memphis last year where he didn't even touch the ball until like the third overtime. It happens a lot but he is also spectacular a lot. I never said he wasn't.

[BigDofBA]

Just recently, he didn't do anything in Game 5 at San Antonio.

He didn't? He scored 27 points and I believe had the assist on the dagger three ball Harden drained at the end of the game.

That was all Harden and Westbrook late. Durant barely even touched the ball.

Do you not think that teams do everything they can to make someone else beat them? The Spurs did a pretty good job yet Durant still scored 27.

It has happened various times where he just gets taken out of games because of his vulnerability to getting pushed around a bit. It happened in the OT game against Memphis last year where he didn't even touch the ball until like the third overtime.

That was last year and I'm pretty sure Westbrook was being a dumbass that game.

Also, the common denominator in the games you mentioned, the Thunder won.

[t-wizzle]

He didn't? He scored 27 points and I believe had the assist on the dagger three ball Harden drained at the end of the game.



Do you not think that teams do everything they can to make someone else beat them? The Spurs did a pretty good job yet Durant still scored 27.



That was last year and I'm pretty sure Westbrook was being a dumbass that game.

Also, the common denominator in the games you mentioned, the Thunder won.

Look we are just going to continue going back and forth forever. I never had a problem with you until you started acting like an immature annoying prick constantly bumping threads, going on excessive rants, and rubbing your Thunder nonsense in everyone's faces.

I'm pretty sure by the end of the Finals one of us will look good and one of us will look like an idiot. If we both end up looking smart somehow then even better. Enjoy the Finals - it's not often that you get a team in a championship so embrace it and try not to spend too much time on sbr forum if your team wins.

[BigDofBA]

Look we are just going to continue going back and forth forever. I never had a problem with you until you started acting like an immature annoying prick constantly bumping threads, going on excessive rants, and rubbing your Thunder nonsense in everyone's faces.

I'm pretty sure by the end of the Finals one of us will look good and one of us will look like an idiot. If we both end up looking smart somehow then even better. Enjoy the Finals - it's not often that you get a team in a championship so embrace it and try not to spend too much time on sbr forum if your team wins.

If my team wins I'll still be in Denver on business which will suck.

Other than that, I think Lebron is the best player in the world and Durant is #2 but I would rather have Durant with the game on the line. Maybe we can just leave it at that.

[gregm]

I like the Thunder because they have been one of the most profitable teams to wager on over the last few years and I dont hate the Heat but this article is some very poor sports writing from "The Nation" a far left political journal put out by a bunch of out of shape leftists who couldnt hit a jump shot to save their life. They are way off base here and they dont know anything about sports. They just hate the owners politics but they they are way off base on this one.

The guys who are really responsible for the sonics departure are all in the city of Seattle. The washington state legislature, city of seattle, and howard shultz, could have saved the sonics if they hadnt of dropped the ball. Maybe Clay Bennett might be a villain in this as well but the city and all these rich guys and politicians in Seattle just blew it.

doc on sonics leaving seattle

OKC is one of the better stories in professional sports, alot of it came out of the success of the hornets playing there after katrina and they seem to have really revitalized the downtown area from what I have read after the bombings. There are so many franchises that leave cities and they build new traditions, the Colts was the worst case I can think of but tons of franchises leave.

The Thunder have some of the better attendance numbers in the NBA and seem to have shown a real profit since leaving Seattle and the city seems to be really behind them. Its a great story.

[oldscho0led]

**** Oklahoma for stealing the Sonics...but I'm cheering for them this finals rather than LeBron having that trophy and LeBron dickriders/media started talking bout his legacy, LBJ > MJ, LBJ > Kobe etc

[BigDofBA]

I like the Thunder because they have been one of the most profitable teams to wager on over the last few years and I dont hate the Heat but this article is some very poor sports writing from "The Nation" a far left political journal put out by a bunch of out of shape leftists who couldnt hit a jump shot to save their life and are way off base here. They dont know anything about sports. They just hate the owners politics but they are way off base here.

The guys who are really responsible for the sonics departure are all in the city of Seattle. The washington state legislature, city of seattle, and howard shultz, could have saved the sonics if they hadnt of dropped the ball. Maybe Clay Bennett might be a villain in this as well but the city and all these rich guys and politicians in Seattle just blew it.

doc on sonics leaving seattle

OKC is one of the better stories in professional sports, alot of it came out of the success of the hornets playing there after katrina and they seem to have really revitalized the downtown area from what I have read after the bombings. There are so many franchises that leave cities and they build new traditions, the Colts was the worst case I can think of but tons of franchises leave.

The Thunder have some of the better attendance numbers in the NBA and seem to have shown a real profit since leaving Seattle and the city seems to be really behind them. Its a great story.

Thank god someone knows what the hell is going on.

There is way more blame to go around in Seattle yet people want to make it about OKC and Bennett.

[Ghenghis Kahn]

i feel for cities that have to pay for new stadiums for a sports team. why can't the billion dollar owners pay for it themselves? learn from la, we don't need a fuckin football team and if they wanna bring a team back here, let those fuckers pay for their own stadium!!!!

[Devin22]

Do I have to get involved in this? No. Thought so.

[Devin22]

I think Pauulzcappin put in a huge live bet in on the Devils tonight. Looked good at the time. I hope not Paul. Trying to lighten all the tension in this thread. It's all good. Ready to rock tomorrow night for game one.

[djpremier36]

I, like most people, have been following LeBron James' career since he was in high school. The dude was and is destined for greatness...because of his incredible genes and his savvy basketball mind.

It all went downhill after...

1) Not shaking hands with the Magic players in on '09 ECF's was the first sign of childishness. (Which I personally let slide)
2)He visibly and emotionally gave up on his team in games 4,5 and 6 of the ECF's vs. the Celtics in '10
3)Taking off the Cavs jersey like a spoiled lil kid immediately after his side step to the Celtics
4)The decision hour long crap...was just plain bad marketing...just crap to build his brand up
5)The Promise..."to win not 5, not 6, not 7"...was plain arrogant and egotistical

Special player yet a confused soul.

I can't and NEVER will root for a player who gives up on his team. NEVER.

[InTheDrink]

Premier don't forget 6) the comment that he made about people talking shit about him having to go back to same lives and personal problems regardless of whether he won or lost or whatever....doesn't matter if it was true it was still a fukkin asshole thing to say

And some people wonder why the nba gets shit for respect from the public when they trash their own fan base.

[Sport_Fish]

A little something for LeBron haters to know...

[cdaniels24]

Don't care what the thunder owners did. I don't cheer for lebron james EVER. I hate him.

Why???

[BigDofBA]

A little something for LeBron haters to know...

Scottie Pippen wasn't shit without Jordan. Jordan made everyone on that team better.

Jordan made game winning shot after game winning shot. Jordan never lost in the Finals. Jordan was the most clutch player ever.

It's pretty obvious that we have a lot of young people in here that were probably like 8 years old when Jordan was dominating.

[Pauulzcappin]

I think Pauulzcappin put in a huge live bet in on the Devils tonight. Looked good at the time. I hope not Paul. Trying to lighten all the tension in this thread. It's all good. Ready to rock tomorrow night for game one.

please stop sucking my dick. I'm not queer like you.

[Pauulzcappin]

and yes i'm sure lebron's defense won't help the heat at all against durant. especially when durant scores 23.5 ppg/36 min when lebron is on the court and 36 pts/36 min when he's on the bench.

[The Kraken]

I root for the city I live in, so I root for the Thunder. If they're not playing, I root for teams that have players I like. Last year in the finals I was cheering on the Heat. For baseball I donn Rangers gear. To me that part of it is common sense.

To the author however, he sees it as black and white, leaving no room in the equation for the "likeness" factor. Most people I know don't like the Heat because they don't like the players. So the author is saying that they should go against their beliefs and cheer for the Heat anyways because of this great travesty that Stern masterminded. Don't forget, Stern also has a business to run and in hindsight, this move was a great move for the NBA. So the ends certainly justifies the means.

Most people could not give two shits about the politics of sports. They cheer for local teams and teams of players they like. Sorry what happened to Seattle but Schultz sold the team. I'm not going to hold that over OKC.

[andywend]

With all of the millions thrown in their direction, Lebron James and Dwayne Wade are still 2 pieces of ghetto trash and have proven it time and time again.

There's a reason everyone hates the Heat and there is no way I could ever root for the James/Wade team ever. Heres hoping they NEVER win a title.

On the flip side, look at the way Durant & company handles themselves both on and off the court.

GO THUNDER!!!

[icancount2one]

The real villain is Dan Gilbert. Had a once in a generation talent, a hometown hero nonetheless, and refused to get anyone to support him. Because of his penny-pinching ways, LeBron hit free agency, and who wouldn't want to play with two good friends/good players in a city with beautiful women and weather?

I just hope he wins so morons who judge players on whether or not they have a ring have to find something else to nitpick.

[brahmabull117]

Seattle?










Fukk Lebron and the Heatles. Go OKC

[brahmabull117]

A little something for LeBron haters to know...

What an awful comparison. Lebron's consistently been on 60 win teams and failed to win anything


Jordan's teams were like 30 win teams. He's supposed to carry 30 wins teams in the playoffs against far superior competition?

[brahmabull117]

The real villain is Dan Gilbert. Had a once in a generation talent, a hometown hero nonetheless, and refused to get anyone to support him. Because of his penny-pinching ways, LeBron hit free agency, and who wouldn't want to play with two good friends/good players in a city with beautiful women and weather?

I just hope he wins so morons who judge players on whether or not they have a ring have to find something else to nitpick.

It's not just the "decision" that makes people hate the Heat


It's everything


It's Lebron calling himself "the chosen one" and "King James" without ever winning anything
It's Lebron and Wade mocking dirk's illness, before he made them pay for it with a far superior clutch performance
It's Lebron telling all the fans out there that they're just poor folks who will wake up tomorrow with the same problems they have now and that their life is far inferior to his. Extreme arrogance there
It's this team flopping like crazy and just being a bunch of soft pussies
It's Lebron choking in the finals or the rest of the team having horrible numbers in clutch situations


There is literally nothing to like about Miami. They are the exact opposite of what a likable team is supposed to be about. As far as Lebron goes, Lebron haters aren't blind, we realize that he's a once in a generation kind of all around talent. The bottom line though is that he is a choker and he will choke again in the finals this season, even despite all his great natural talents, he doesn't have the mental toughness to be a winner

[The Kraken]

With all of the millions thrown in their direction, Lebron James and Dwayne Wade are still 2 pieces of ghetto trash and have proven it time and time again.

There's a reason everyone hates the Heat and there is no way I could ever root for the James/Wade team ever. Heres hoping they NEVER win a title.

On the flip side, look at the way Durant & company handles themselves both on and off the court.

GO THUNDER!!!

You are undoubtedly one of the biggest idiots on this forum. And that's an accomplishment.

Lebron and Wade are both class acts not only by NBA standards but by all standards.

So let's put aside your idiotic propaganda for just a second and look at only facts. I'll just do LBJ as I don't have don't have time for both.

Lebron James has donated over $2 million cash and $1 million dollars worth of computers and nike equipment to the Boys and Girls Club of America. He donated $130,000 to different clubs in Cleveland. He paid $60,000 to repair the leaky roof of a gym used by kids in Akron. He gave $70,000 to a Slavic Village Club for new gym floor and bleachers. The Elyria club received $110,000, money that is paying for a new fitness center and improvements to the basketball court.

"When his hour-long "The Decision" special on July 8, 2010 — in which he said he was joining the Miami Heat— raised more than $3 million for charity."

Lebron has NEVER been arrested.

Lebron has NEVER been suspended by the NBA.

Lebron has a bike charity in Akron called "Wheels for Education" which focuses on kids that come from single parent homes.

A story out of the Daily Oklahoman:

" A few weeks ago, the Heat stopped in Oklahoma City to refuel on a cross- country flight. They were on the ground at the same time as about a dozen military helicopters that were refueling nearby. When some pilots wandered over, the Heat’s security detail tried to turn them away. From The Oklahoman:Maybe LeBron could overhear the conversation, or perhaps he could just tell by their body language what was going on. Either way, he piped up.
“Hey, hey,” he said, “any of these military guys can take a picture with us.”
He turned to his teammates.
“You guys get up,” he told them.
He turned to the servicemen.
“Get your camera up,” he said.
He started to wave the servicemen over but noticed that some of the players weren’t yet on their feet.
“Hey, everybody get up,” he said. “Get in a circle here. Anybody that wants their picture taken with us, we’ll do it.”

Mr. Wend, what exactly have you done lately to criticize a man making such a positive impact in society?

And as a resident of OKC and Thunder fan and supporter, fukk off, we don't want your support.

[scholesy]

Totally agree Durant is soft.
He's going to get shut down this series if LBJ checks him, he's not going to get that jump-shot off against LBJ and he's way too weak to drive past LBJ. I'm personally going to bet the under Durant point scored props every game this series.
And for that reason, I think this is going to be a fairly easy series for Miami.

[Speedy88]

I like this thread.

[Reedeman]

I can't help feeling that some of the people in this forum are under the delusion that these two teams have never played each other before..

Last two matchups:

Miami 87 OKC 103. Durant 28 pts. James 17 pts.

Miami 98 OKC 93. Durant 30 pts. James 34 pts.

It's pretty obvious that we have a lot of young people in here that were probably like 8 years old when Jordan was dominating.

And this. Very frustrating.

[ZetaPsi808]

none of lebron's teammates in cleveland were all star quality. i think mo williams made it one year and thats it

it is dan gilberts fault that lebron left. he had 7 years to build a championship roster around lebron and he failed. the best players he got were role players vareajo and mo williams.

the difference between durant and lebron is that durant was drafted to a smart organization that knows how to build a team. they added westbook/harden/perkins/ibaka. now that is a very good supporting cast.

[PAYTON20]

[PAYTON20]

This is my authentic Durant Sonics jersey
I still can't believe the Sonics are just gone

[sando]

Great read. Really good article, however your forgetting one thing....

The Lebron James Factor!

People outside Miami (and some in Miami) do not want Lebron and his fake love team to win anything.

**** Lebron
**** Wade
**** Bosh
**** Miami

[Sportsbetting123]

I would guess about 70% of the public wants the Thunder to win.

[jizay]

Scottie Pippen wasn't shit without Jordan. Jordan made everyone on that team better.

Jordan made game winning shot after game winning shot. Jordan never lost in the Finals. Jordan was the most clutch player ever.

It's pretty obvious that we have a lot of young people in here that were probably like 8 years old when Jordan was dominating.

Jordan was the best and the most clutch. No denying and there is no comparison with any current player at the moment. But your argument is ridiculous and demonstrably false. If Scottie Pippen was so bad and Jordan only made him and others good, why didn't Jordan ever make a team good before Pippen? That team also had an all-star power forward in Horace Grant. Perhaps you were 8 years old and forget that when Jordan quit, Scottie Pippen and the Bulls had a strong season and deep run in the playoffs without him, perhaps being cost a 7 game series on a controversial call. That roster was a solid playoff team WITHOUT Jordan. No one can say the same of any of those Cavs rosters.