The West is WEAK

[tontoz]

The blazers had double digits leads in the last three games. Last night went to OT. Let's not pretend these games were a cakewalk.

[Spurs m8]

Lebron has both...this doesn't make sense.

He could have more rings than Jordan if he didn't sacrifice rings for stats.

Fvck, you're a daft cvnt hahahah

[3ball]

We all know if LeBron were on either of those teams, you'd be hyping the SHIT out of them

Middleton/Lopez/Bledsoe/Mirotic or Lowry/Siakam/Gasol/Ibaka would then become stacked rosters. We'd see dozens of threads about how Middleton or Siakam were better than Pippen. You ain't fooling anybody

^^^ But that's what you're ignoring - we can't say "if" because he already failed to do what Giannis is doing in 09' and 10'..

he had his chance with non-star, 60-win, 1 seeds........ and failed twice, quitting in 10'... so he stacked the deck from 11-18' to ensure Finals runs..

That's why you can't say "if", as if we can just replace guys here and there willy nilly.. Lebron HAD his chance and failed, so he stacked the deck for 8 years - but now he's gone, and order is restored with 1-star teams romping to the Finals like Lebron failed to do in 09' and 10'

A star cast hasn't been needed to win the East since 98', except for Lebron's sabatoge from 11-18', and a couple other more one-off or two-off instances

Unfortunately, people ignore these facts, and are then shocked when the West exposed him..
.

[NBAGOAT]

the west was like a better 16 east this year but also had some bad luck. Hou should've done better than the rs because of injuries but were still considered a heavyweight so it's fine. Hou is obviously better than the 16 raptors still so rs win total isnt a big deal. I dont really feel that way about the other teams however even though 3 had 50+ and 3 more were around that total. It's all subjective however. You think OKC will one day figure it out with their big 3, people certainly predicted them to be great

The East was like a worst 16 west with the top tier teams but poor depth outside the top 4. even with the poor showing bos had, I think I take them over portland especially without nurkic. Obviously philly arent as good as the thunder and mil isnt as dominant as gs was but there's a similar hierarchy

[FKAri]

6 finals losses negates that and you know it.

You're so desperate, you lie to yourself.

Making the Finals will never negate anything. No matter how weak a conference is.

[3ball]

Making the Finals will never negate anything. No matter how weak a conference is.

Giannis is making the Finals with a non-star, 1 seed - Lebron failed to do this in 09' and 10', so he stacked the deck from 11-18' to ensure Finals runs

but now he's gone, and order is restored with 1-star teams romping to the Finals like Lebron failed to do in 09' and 10'

A star cast hasn't been needed to win the East since 98', except for Lebron's sabatoge from 11-18', and a couple one-off or two-off instances

Unfortunately, people ignore these facts, and then are shocked when the West exposed him..

[bullettooth]

Making the Finals will never negate anything. No matter how weak a conference is.

Why do you lie?

[tontoz]

Making the Finals will never negate anything. No matter how weak a conference is.

I typically try to stay out of this nonsense but I really don't get how making the finals and losing is worse than losing in earlier rounds.

[aj1987]

i disagree with the nets. I mean d'angelo is just as bad on defense and they're hugely reliant on him and dinwiddie and levert. He may be a better playmaker but he's not a top tier one.

Denver likely would've given the warriors more trouble but still lose clearly. I like jokic's chances of having a great series which should be enough to win a game. The Blazers have never matched up well with GS, even pre KD.

Did you watch the series? Lillard, at times, was either scarred to take the shot, or he was just trigger happy. Dude put his low IQ on display for the whole world. Lost a ton of respect for him.

[FKAri]

Giannis is making the Finals with a non-star, 1 seed - Lebron failed to do this in 09' and 10', so he stacked the deck from 11-18' to ensure Finals runs

but now he's gone, and order is restored with 1-star teams romping to the Finals like Lebron failed to do in 09' and 10'

A star cast hasn't been needed to win the East since 98', except for Lebron's sabatoge from 11-18', and a couple one-off or two-off instances

Unfortunately, people ignore these facts, and then are shocked when the West exposed him..

1-star team? Is basketball really so black and white to you? 76ers are a multiple star team. As are the Raptors. And yet the Bucks are primed to get into the Finals.

[3ball]

I typically try to stay out of this nonsense but I really don't get how making the finals and losing is worse than losing in earlier rounds.

It isn't worse, it's just worse than winning the Finals

making the Finals is just winning the conference finals.. it's a whole nother level to win the championship

And btw, it can be perceived as worse if you're a high seed and get swept by record amount or if you lose as the favorite.. Anytime you get destroyed or upset with a Finals team, you deserve heat

[SpaceJam2]

It isn't worse, it's just worse than winning the Finals

9 Finals is just 9 conference finals wins.. it's a whole nother level to win the championship

Why did MJ only make it to the Finals 6 times

All the other top 10 players made it more times.

[NBAGOAT]

Did you watch the series? Lillard, at times, was either scarred to take the shot, or he was just trigger happy. Dude put his low IQ on display for the whole world. Lost a ton of respect for him.

eh he's always had bad shot selection and made more than most. I'm taking him over d'angelo all day however lol

[3ball]

1-star team? Is basketball really so black and white to you? 76ers are a multiple star team. As are the Raptors. And yet the Bucks are primed to get into the Finals.

Middleton is worse than Mo Williams and Jamison by every metric - they're all low level all-stars... Varejao was all-defense in 2010, so he's greater than 19' Ibaka or whatever role player you named

And you're splitting hairs on word choice, so I'll define what I'm saying

By "star", I mean "superstar", as in HOF-level (i.e. high HOF probability on bballref)

Only a biased person would consider Middleton a star or superstar like Love or Bosh were, let alone Wade or Kyrie

Middleton and Lowry aren't superstars - Wade, Love, Kyrie, Bosh are and likely HOF's

1-star team? Is basketball really so black and white to you? 76ers are a multiple star team. As are the Raptors. And yet the Bucks are primed to get into the Finals.

Again, Giannis is making the Finals with a non-superstar, 1 seed - Lebron failed to do this in 09' and 10', so he stacked the deck from 11-18' to ensure Finals runs

but now he's gone, and order is restored with 1-star teams romping to the Finals like Lebron failed to do in 09' and 10'

A star cast hasn't been needed to win the East since 98', except for Lebron's sabatoge from 11-18', and a couple one-off or two-off instances

[COLOR="DarkRed"]Unfortunately, people ignore these facts, and then are shocked when the West exposed him..[/COLOR]

[aj1987]

eh he's always had bad shot selection and made more than most. I'm taking him over d'angelo all day however lol

Yeah, no shit, but I'm saying that the Nets would've given them (Warriors) more competition than the shitty Blazers. As a team.