****OFFICIAL 2013 NBA PLAYOFFS THREAD****

[-King-]

2012-2013 NBA Champions:

[tk13]

Originally Posted by SNR

The moment Jordan retired, everybody and their mothers biiiiiiiiitched and bitched and bitched and bitched about the quality of the league. No studs. No stars. Nothing to watch. Bunch of overpaid guys who don't try hard. Not even Shaq and Kobe were good enough for some people.

Now we've got a league with all kinds of budding stars, led by Lebron freakin' James, and people still aren't impressed?

Look, the NFL doesn't have Barry Sanders or Walter Payton, but it DOES have Adrian Peterson and Jamaal Charles. Sports change. They adapt to trends and new winning strategies. Players change. They train differently. They learn the game differently.

Get over it.

I think there are plenty of good players and there's been a resurgence of talent. But I feel like some more guys need to take the next step and challenge LeBron. That's why Hootie's argument has some merit. I think at this point it's LeBron's league... but I'd never count out any team with Durant.

Part of it is probably the lack of big men. Robinson, Olajuwon... Shaq. Those guys would destroy this league today. Dwight Howard could be that good but he's too much of a headcase. Blake Griffin has the physical talent, but I don't know. The Clippers find a way to screw things up.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by tk13

I'm not sure the point you're trying to make here. When Jordan scored 37 PPG he was not a true perimeter player yet. Without handchecking he would've been unstoppable attacking the basket. His 37 PPG year he hit 12 threes the entire season, shot 48% from the field and attempted almost 1000 FTs. Imagine how many FTs he'd attempted if hand checking was a foul.

dude you're not going to hear me ever bash Jordan

he's my all-time favorite athlete ever

now...I wasn't exactly privied to anything but his highlights of his 80's career.

I remember him being larger than life when I was FIRST old enough to retain memories during the Portland series in 1992.

and then I have my 10-13 year old memories of his 'mature' years...

so you're right...I didn't really get to athletic freak of nature Jordan at the peak of his prime because I was too young.

All I'm saying is...whatever I'm seeing with LeBron is the most physically gifted basketball player I've ever seen...

and I've always said in regards to arguing the NFL that I don't argue about Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana because I couldn't formulate my OWN opinion on those guys since I don't remember them playing (Montana I do, but not the REAL Montana).

I do know that all of the Kobe ballwashers on here are ****ing crazy and that Kobe isn't even in the same ****ing universe as either LeBron or Jordan.

[Hootie]

I just watch LeBron play and his vision impresses me more than any other aspect of his game...

oh that and the fact he's 6'8" and one of the fastest ****ing players on the court...or quickest...or both

he'll see a fast break developing and he'll be behind the break and before you know it he's there and he's getting the ally oop

it's ****ing ridiculous

but yeah, back to the vision...like I said, I don't remember Magic in his prime...or Magic Magic

but if he had THAT vision...or better vision than LeBron? JFC

LeBron makes passes that are just marvelous. It's just amazing to watch. I hate LeBron and the decision...I thought it was the worst ****ing thing I ever saw and I loved him choking/them losing that first year...

but he worked his ass off and developed his post game and his three pointer...and now he's just amazing to watch

he literally makes basketball exciting...him, Steph Curry and Durant are truly fun to watch...but LeBron is in a league of his own...he brings me back to my youth/Jordan days

[lcarus]

I hate Lebron with a passion, but I'm not gonna sit here and say he isn't one of the best athletes I've ever seen play the game. He's just a specimen.

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by unnecessary drama

but yeah, back to the vision...like I said, I don't remember Magic in his prime...or Magic Magic

but if he had THAT vision...or better vision than LeBron? JFC

That's right "JFC" Bird and Magic with their floor general skills were jaw dropping.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by unnecessary drama

I just watch LeBron play and his vision impresses me more than any other aspect of his game...

oh that and the fact he's 6'8" and one of the fastest ****ing players on the court...or quickest...or both

he'll see a fast break developing and he'll be behind the break and before you know it he's there and he's getting the ally oop

it's ****ing ridiculous

but yeah, back to the vision...like I said, I don't remember Magic in his prime...or Magic Magic

but if he had THAT vision...or better vision than LeBron? JFC

LeBron makes passes that are just marvelous. It's just amazing to watch. I hate LeBron and the decision...I thought it was the worst ****ing thing I ever saw and I loved him choking/them losing that first year...

but he worked his ass off and developed his post game and his three pointer...and now he's just amazing to watch

he literally makes basketball exciting...him, Steph Curry and Durant are truly fun to watch...but LeBron is in a league of his own...he brings me back to my youth/Jordan days

magic was an insane passer.

[tk13]

No disagreement from me. LeBron is one of the best specimens of an athlete to play any major sport ever. I'd agree he's more of a pass first guy than Jordan for sure. But he doesn't have Magic or Bird's court vision. But no one does. That's not fair.

Of course the guy who gets left out of these discussions is John Stockton, which is too bad. LeBron is probably closer to Stockton... at least in style of play. Although that's tough to compare, Stockton was amazing.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by tk13

No disagreement from me. LeBron is one of the best specimens of an athlete to play any major sport ever. I'd agree he's more of a pass first guy than Jordan for sure. But he doesn't have Magic or Bird's court vision. But no one does. That's not fair.

Of course the guy who gets left out of these discussions is John Stockton, which is too bad. LeBron is probably closer to Stockton... at least in style of play. Although that's tough to compare, Stockton was amazing.

Stockton had 2 HOF careers. Malone should thank John Stockton every day for his career.

[KevB]

Originally Posted by Tribal Warfare

Not nostalgia the skill level has dropped off and there isn't that many super stars compared to when I was growing up.

Ridiculous. Skill level is as high as it's ever been. The reason there aren't as many "stars" is that the differential in talent from the best players to the worst players is much closer today than it was during the time we were growing. Thus, it's more difficult to stand out as elite. Guys like Dave Corzine couldn't play in the NBA today, but was a starter for the Bulls early in Jordan't career.

[Hootie]

that's another thing

today's athlete is no doubt (and a lot of this has to do with the popularity MJ had with these stars in today's NBA) better than the typical athlete Jordan was facing in Jordan's prime

and you can say that about the NFL, too

which makes it really hard to compare everything...almost to the point that comparing eras is just impossible and we might as well just appreciate MJ for being MJ and LeBron for being LeBron (which is 100 X better than Kobe Bryant)

[tk13]

That's a great example. I guess that's what I mean. There are definitely more good players today. But if guys like Drexler, Stockton, Ewing, Robinson, Gary Payton, etc. won titles you wouldn't have been shocked by it. They were amazing players on the floor. I think right now we're kind of in that waiting area to see if guys like Chris Paul, Griffin, Paul George, Derrick Rose can reach that level.

[lcarus]

Originally Posted by KevB

Ridiculous. Skill level is as high as it's ever been. The reason there aren't as many "stars" is that the differential in talent from the best players to the worst players is much closer today than it was during the time we were growing. Thus, it's more difficult to stand out as elite. Guys like Dave Corzine couldn't play in the NBA today, but was a starter for the Bulls early in Jordan't career.

It also seems like maybe there are more second-tier stars today. Guys that aren't quite elite. I don't remember everything about the 80s and 90s, and certainly don't know a ton about decades prior to that. So don't quote me on that one lol.

[Deberg_1990]

It will be interesting to see if they put Lebron on Parker. Parker struggles against bigger guards. If Parker gets loose the Spurs tend to win. if you keep him in check, the Spurs will struggle. This has the potential to be an all time series. I won't predict a winner, but I predict 7 games. Spurs split in Miami, Miami wins 1 in San Antonio. Miami wins game 6...then anything goes in game 7.

[Hootie]

that's what I said the last few days to my friends

**** it

put LeBron on Parker...I WATCHED with my own two eyes him shutdown MVP Derrick Rose when Derrick Rose was BEASTING through the playoffs...they put LeBron on him...and it was over. LeBron PWNED him.

Rose is quicker than Parker, so I know LeBron can do it. LeBron takes Parker out of this series? Heat win in 5.

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by KevB

Ridiculous. Skill level is as high as it's ever been. The reason there aren't as many "stars" is that the differential in talent from the best players to the worst players is much closer today than it was during the time we were growing. Thus, it's more difficult to stand out as elite. Guys like Dave Corzine couldn't play in the NBA today, but was a starter for the Bulls early in Jordan't career.

What!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dude, either you have alzheimers or are delirious , the athletes are the same but the relative skill level isn't. For Example the Real Dream Team in 1992, yeah a who's who in HOF talent on one team outside of Lattener