Well we’d better all get our aspirin ready because it’s going to be another year of constant LeBron James and Miami Heat hate.
The Mavericks just flat out wanted it more and they deserve every piece of recognition they deserve. Dirk Nowitzki was terrible for three quarters, but as we have seen so many times throughout the playoffs and the Finals he came good in the fourth as did his team.
Jason Kidd for me was the Finals MVP. I know Dirk was incredible and un-guardable and unconscious and undeniable and every other adjective you can associate with that same theme, but Jason Kidd was the collected leader Dallas never had and he continually made the right play to ensure he got his long awaited and deserved championship. I am very happy for both those guys, as they can finally leave that ‘they were very good but never won a championship’ conversation.
Jason Terry infuriated me over 6 games perhaps more than anyone else has in a series before. OK that’s a lie Paul Pierce trumps him in one game, but he definitely got under both my skin and the Miami Heat’s. His idiotic decision to get a championship trophy tattooed on his arm before the season may now become a craze for bidding NBA champions. Despite me hoping someone would shoot him down when he pretended to be a plane, or a ‘Jet’, him and Barea were two of the biggest reasons that can be attributed to Dallas’ comeback from a 2-1 deficit.
Coming into the series I truly doubted Marion could guard either James or Wade. I couldn’t figure out how Dallas, known for having probably the poorest defense of the elite teams, were going to stop Miami’s offensive onslaught. Despite Dallas’ firepower, I presumed Miami’s athletic defense would be the extinguisher, especially given their performances against the Celtics and Bulls.
How I was wrong. Dallas played unbelievable defense, defense we didn’t even see from the Celtics nor the Bulls, supposedly two of the top 5 defenses in the league, if not top 3. Dallas showed the zone is still relevant in the NBA.
Miami, much like the media that slammed LeBron for failing late, had completely forgotten about the Celtics and Bulls series’ and what had been so successful for them. They became so passive and stationary on offense it was embarrassing. When Wade had the ball James stood in the corner and vice versa. Bosh again went hiding and only popped up every now and then to give up easy buckets on defense.
So we come to LeBron James. Following the Boston and Chicago series he had even Scottie Pippen believing he could be better than Michael. How quickly that turned around. Before game 1 of the Finals everyone had forgotten every criticism they had on LeBron’s game as he, at times single handedly, tore apart the East’s best defensive teams, even more so in late game situations.
Rumours sprouted around the place of Rashard Lewis apparently sleeping with LeBron’s long time girlfriend and wife of his two children whilst she was living with LeBron in South Beach. As far as I am aware Savannah and James’ children live in their palatial mansion in Akron, Ohio and does not live in Miami because they did not want to re-locate the kids. That is why James still spends his off season in Akron. People believe this had a lot to do with LeBron’s dip in form, but until that is proved correct, which we all know won’t happen, it’s just an excuse to cover up his failures.
LeBron failed. Simple as that. Everyone fails, everyone has bad games or bad weeks. Unfortunately for him he lost form in the NBA Finals and his teammates were not good enough to cover for him. No one remembers Kobe Bryant shooting 6/24 in game 7 of last year’s Finals because his teammates were good enough to get the Lakers through, and the universe of hate that surrounds Miami too will be forgotten once they start winning.
Dallas wanted it more and they were clearly the better team. Miami must go away and get better, but I’ll discuss that tomorrow when I take a look at Miami’s season as a whole and how to move forward.
As a Cavaliers fan it wasn’t hard to watch Miami lose. As a LeBron James fan I have become accustomed to disappointment.
Regardless of the conflicting emotions nothing stirs me up like the abuse on LeBron James, and be sure he will be feeling the same way.
For the Heat fans out there, they will be back. For the LeBron James fans out there, this is only the beginning.
The Mavericks just flat out wanted it more and they deserve every piece of recognition they deserve. Dirk Nowitzki was terrible for three quarters, but as we have seen so many times throughout the playoffs and the Finals he came good in the fourth as did his team.
Jason Kidd for me was the Finals MVP. I know Dirk was incredible and un-guardable and unconscious and undeniable and every other adjective you can associate with that same theme, but Jason Kidd was the collected leader Dallas never had and he continually made the right play to ensure he got his long awaited and deserved championship. I am very happy for both those guys, as they can finally leave that ‘they were very good but never won a championship’ conversation.
Jason Terry infuriated me over 6 games perhaps more than anyone else has in a series before. OK that’s a lie Paul Pierce trumps him in one game, but he definitely got under both my skin and the Miami Heat’s. His idiotic decision to get a championship trophy tattooed on his arm before the season may now become a craze for bidding NBA champions. Despite me hoping someone would shoot him down when he pretended to be a plane, or a ‘Jet’, him and Barea were two of the biggest reasons that can be attributed to Dallas’ comeback from a 2-1 deficit.
Coming into the series I truly doubted Marion could guard either James or Wade. I couldn’t figure out how Dallas, known for having probably the poorest defense of the elite teams, were going to stop Miami’s offensive onslaught. Despite Dallas’ firepower, I presumed Miami’s athletic defense would be the extinguisher, especially given their performances against the Celtics and Bulls.
How I was wrong. Dallas played unbelievable defense, defense we didn’t even see from the Celtics nor the Bulls, supposedly two of the top 5 defenses in the league, if not top 3. Dallas showed the zone is still relevant in the NBA.
Miami, much like the media that slammed LeBron for failing late, had completely forgotten about the Celtics and Bulls series’ and what had been so successful for them. They became so passive and stationary on offense it was embarrassing. When Wade had the ball James stood in the corner and vice versa. Bosh again went hiding and only popped up every now and then to give up easy buckets on defense.
So we come to LeBron James. Following the Boston and Chicago series he had even Scottie Pippen believing he could be better than Michael. How quickly that turned around. Before game 1 of the Finals everyone had forgotten every criticism they had on LeBron’s game as he, at times single handedly, tore apart the East’s best defensive teams, even more so in late game situations.
Rumours sprouted around the place of Rashard Lewis apparently sleeping with LeBron’s long time girlfriend and wife of his two children whilst she was living with LeBron in South Beach. As far as I am aware Savannah and James’ children live in their palatial mansion in Akron, Ohio and does not live in Miami because they did not want to re-locate the kids. That is why James still spends his off season in Akron. People believe this had a lot to do with LeBron’s dip in form, but until that is proved correct, which we all know won’t happen, it’s just an excuse to cover up his failures.
Dallas wanted it more and they were clearly the better team. Miami must go away and get better, but I’ll discuss that tomorrow when I take a look at Miami’s season as a whole and how to move forward.
As a Cavaliers fan it wasn’t hard to watch Miami lose. As a LeBron James fan I have become accustomed to disappointment.
Regardless of the conflicting emotions nothing stirs me up like the abuse on LeBron James, and be sure he will be feeling the same way.
For the Heat fans out there, they will be back. For the LeBron James fans out there, this is only the beginning.
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