Man, how did it come to this? The team that wins it this year will not be even close to the same caliber of last year's Celtics, or the previous champion Spurs, Detroit, and Or Dynasty Lakers etc. Even Jeff Van Gundy stated right before the Lakers series ended today, that there is no stiff resistance left like last years Celtics with insane defence with 3 seasoned stars. That other dude than tried to counter that if these Lakers bring their A game- their unbeatable. BULLCRAP. -And what really irritated me was how they were reporting on LA were happy to have a difficult test with Houston - and then and " an EVEN MORE DIFFICULT test against Denver." How is it like that when a starless Houston brought them to a Game 7??? I dont even think these ramining teams could even win on the 2006 Mavs or the earlier Pheonix in a seven game series . The best teams (Celtics and arguably Houston) are out with injuries. Whats left is 4 good teams(but not great) 1 team can win by team play, and the others of course have a player that have beyond human superstar talent, with surrounding want to be role players. Winning a championship in the NBA is not a small task (I guess I shouldn't be speaking, I cant even raise my leg beyond the table to do a Karate kick anymore without pulling something). But I will not buy into this overdose steroidal hype... In anycase this is a great opportunity for these remaing teams to win it all, because I don't think they would have done it in any other case. (damn! if only Houston Squeeked by.....)
I have no love for the Lakers...I don't hate them either. They beat the Celtics at full strength...TWICE this season. What I hate is that the Lakers will be the best team in the NBA for at least 3-4 more years. That Gasol just messed up the NBA.
Not sure how Cleveland this year isn't as good as Boston last year. They took them to 7 last year, played a close 7th game iirc, and then added Mo Williams in the off-season.
There have been far too many major injuries to top playoff teams - Houston, San Antonio, Boston, Dallas, and Orlando. It's not a fluke that the team expected to win it all has all their players intact.
I think any of the four teams that played in the conference finals would have beat that Pistons team that won the championship in 2004.
This years Lakers would of had a chance, yeah. Cleveland- Maybe, I mean the superstars on these teams in a 7 game series will have their way in a Game or two. But Orlando and DENVER- NEVER Boston would not have their backs against the wall with this Orlando Team. I just dont see any of these teams on the same level of Boston last year (or any of the previous mentioned teams). I think this years LA ould have provided a better sense of exciting competition this year against Boston, and not just sense the inevitable. It looks like I'm one of the few thinking like this......
A team that went 7 games with Rockets without 3 of their best players (Yao, Mutombo, and T-Mac) and knocked around abit by the surprise Denver Nuggets. I'm not ready to give them the next 3 to 4 years. To many teams in the West who can beat them, especially with one move or two.
I disagree, because the team that those Pistons beat could possibly sweep every team in both conference Finals, especially if Karl Malone plays. 1. The Shaq-led Lakers > Kobe-led Lakers, and except for maybe Orlando. Who is going to guard Shaq? For the Lakers, Bynum, Gasol and MBenga... Shaq averages 35 ppg and 13 rebs against those players. For the Cavs, an aging Big Z and broken down Ben Wallace, Shaq averages 32 and 14. Denver essentially has two power forwards. 2. If we (the Rockets) in the playoffs had to play that team, instead. We would've lost in 5 games. Shaq would've completely dominated us after Yao went down. Also, the Pistons could pretty much beat most of these teams, even the Lakers. That Pistons squad was super hungry with Larry Brown who was master tactician. Orlando can barely beat Detroit, now in the regular season. Could you imagine them playing against Ben and Rasheed in their prime. Denver, no chance. Ben/Rasheed > Kenyon/Nene. Prince could totally handle Melo. If the Lakers couldn't beat them with prime (26/12) Shaq, what makes you think they could with Bynum and Gasol. If they struggled with our defense, they wouldn't stand chance against real front (defensive) line.
The league is just extremely weak right now, a real dearth of 'quality' teams that could be put up there with the champions of the past. But then again, it is nothing new really, have been saying that all season long. This is how you can have teams like the Magic and Cavs looking as good as they have looked all season. A one-man Cavs team winning 66 games in a regular season? Well, if that is not telling then I don't know what is. Outside of a healthy Boston team and, perhaps, a motivated Lakers team, the NBA is really lacking right now. Then again, you could view this as a good thing, since I really do believe that for the first time in years the road to the championship is wide open, you don't really have to go 'through' anyone. A couple of breaks here and there and it could be the Nuggets or the Rockets in the finals this year, and should they take care of business next seasons they could very well end up winning it all. This is also precisely why I believe that if you are a team which is truly close to winning it all (like the Rockets, or Nuggets, or Blazers, or Spurs), you gotta go for broke right now.
Perhaps, you could always make the argument that this has been the case for a couple of seasons, but I really think it reached almost an all-time low this year. Of course, that Mavs team was a pretty damn good one just the year before, and you had the Suns still doing their thing, with Miami and Detroit in the other conference holding down the fort. This year, by comparison, is quite a bit worse. You could always argue injuries, but I really think it has been more than just that. Just my two cents...
I take the Lakers success as a positive sign for us... we took them to 7 with who we had out and they are the best team going round... now for once please if we had an injury free season...
I wouldn't say the teams are "weak". Though I would say the EAST has no changed much. The east have a few very high quality teams, but the rest who made the playoffs cannot be compared to teams that didn't even make it to the playoffs in the west (Suns). Things will change up a lot next year with all the free agency. The Rockets with morey, in my opinion, is probably going to move up. Nuggets and Portland will continue to rise as well. The only teams I see going down in the west are the Spurs, Mavericks and the Suns.
LOL that's probably because you're looking at the teams who made it to the playoffs. Remeber we're just a year removed from one the most contested West conferences in a long time. There's just been a high number of injuries this season, partly due to the "old" teams getting up there in age. If everyone were healthy look at all the quality teams in the league: WEST: Lakers New Orleans (Cp3, West, Chandler big 3) Houston Denver Nuggets Spurs Suns EAST: Boston Philly (AI, Brand,Dalembert) Magic Cleveland Because of injuries though, you're just left with Lakers and Nuggets out west, and Magic and Cleveland out east
