If Miami wins the title, is this the GOAT Cinderella story ever in sport?

[Hey Yo]

If Miami wins, it would surpass the 04 Pistons as the biggest upset in NBA finals history.

[Wally450]

2015 Leicester City far and away.

[BurningHammer]

2015 Leicester City far and away.

Considering they has just been demoted to Championship, hell yes. It is near-impossible in today's top soccer leagues.

It was the perfect storm; a combination of clever signings (Kante, Mahrez, etc), a late bloomer having an amazing season (Vardy), and all top teams being terrible at the same time. Their strategy ends up eventually causing the implosion this season but it was well worth it.

The closer comparisons in NBA probably are Kawhi's Raptors or Sheed's Pistons.

[ILLsmak]

...Due to the nature of NBA playoff.

There has been 'beating the odds' stories in sport like Douglas beating Tyson or 1980 US Hockey team. But those are usually one game event.

I guess there were the 2011 Mavs team but I think this eclipse that by a long mile.

Ye so goat it’s near impossible.

Axe, it doesn’t matter how good the nuggets are tho they are playing well, nugs aren’t the only team they faced. It’s more about how Miami is a mid lvl playoff team and that’s with all their players. Right now, they are dog shit talent wise. By watching college bball u get to see talent differentials, in the nba finals, there should not be this level, but they already beat a bunch of teams.

Weak era but still def goat. Play in isn’t even 8seed. Even if they were seeded higher, they had to play extra gms which, again, looking back at college cuz that’s the only place it used to happen, does have an effect.

Edit: speaking only abt nba stuff.


-Smak

[Heat_chips]

It will be to the media followers and casual fans who know nothing about the sport. But to the basketball purists this is just another stroll for the Heat.

The Heat have won 38 playoff games since 2020, by far the best in the league. Nobody else is close.

And like i said in another thread:

The Heat up and down are the top notch organization in their league. Like the Patriots were in the NFL when they dominated. Like the Steelers were with Roethlisberger where they were always in the thick of things, they were always respected as a force.

Seven finals appearances since 2006 for the Heat, that is first in the nba, Golden state has 6 finals appearances since 06 for 2nd.

The heat were one shot from the nba finals last season which would have been their 8th finals appearance in the last 17 years, and as the #1 seed last year.

The Heat are just consistently incredible.

[MrFonzworth]

It will be to the media followers and casual fans who know nothing about the sport. But to the basketball purists this is just another stroll for the Heat.

The Heat have won 38 playoff games since 2020, by far the best in the league. Nobody else is close.

And like i said in another thread:

The Heat up and down are the top notch organization in their league. Like the Patriots were in the NFL when they dominated. Like the Steelers were with Roethlisberger where they were always in the thick of things, they were always respected as a force.

Seven finals appearances since 2006 for the Heat, that is first in the nba, Golden state has 6 finals appearances since 06 for 2nd.

The heat were one shot from the nba finals last season which would have been their 8th finals appearance in the last 17 years, and as the #1 seed last year.

The Heat are just consistently incredible.

Meltdown fakkit

[Axe]

Holy. Copy-pasta. Crap.

[Axe]

Meltdown fakkit

[Heat_chips]

Meltdown fakkit

This Finals encompasses the Heat's previous finals to such a tee. Take for example 2006 when the 60-win Mavericks were heavily favored to beat the Heat in the finals. Dallas was led by a 7 foot white passing facilitator in Nowitzki who didn't play postup offense ( exactly like Jokic now), and everyone was calling for a sweep for the Mavericks. Well the Heat laid the gauntlet with great defense and efficiency on offense and beat the Mavs in 6.

Nowitzki simply wasnt ready to win it yet, needed more finals experience, just like Jokic now. All the greats like Hakeem Olajuwon said losing hard was necessary to win later.

Fast forward to 2011 when the Heat faced the Mavs again. The Heat led 1 game to 0 heading into game 2 at home, and just like last night in Denver with the Nuggets having a 15-point lead, the Heat had a 15-point lead in the 2nd half over the Mavs in the 2nd half of game 2. The Mavs came back on great shooting. The Heat were not the same after that crushing loss and lost 3 of the next 4 games in the series. Lebron and Bosh had to learn how to win together in their first go around, this prepared them to win the next two Finals in 2012 and 2013

It was Dirks time to win his title over the heat in 2011, along with a more experienced and savvy all around Mavs team. Jokic will have that opportunity in the future like Dirk did. Not this year however.

The Heat today have seven players with finals experience, the Nuggets just have one. And experience MATTERS at this big stage. The nuggets will have their chances in the future, jokic is still young. But this year is the heats year. It's that simple.

[ILLsmak]

Meltdown fakkit

Get that alt outta here lool

Ps: not u in case ppl don’t get tone in text.

-Smak

[iamgine]

Don't forget Heat also lost one of their main scorer/facilitator in Herro.

[And1AllDay]

So what?

No HCA in any round
Lost their starting PG (20 ppg scorer and their best volume 3PT shooter) for the Playoffs in G1 of the 1st round, Oladipo injured and out as well
Butler injured to start the 2nd round
Vincent injured in the ECF
survived the Derrick White game with a road G7 win against the title favorites to make the Finals

I don't understand why you guys are so miserable and have to downplay everything. "Oh the Heat run actually isn't that special", gtfo lol.

breathe pvssy

[nineiron]

pretty sure the Mavs were a bigger underdog when LeChoke lost to JJ Barea.

[RogueBorg]

This just goes to show how insignificant the NBA's regular season is today. Just have to get in and you have a shot. Miami is alot better than their record indicates. If they win the title they'll have knocked off the Eastern Conference's top 2 seeds and the top seed in the West.

[nineiron]

This just goes to show how insignificant the NBA's regular season is today. Just have to get in and you have a shot. Miami is alot better than their record indicates. If they win the title they'll have knocked off the Eastern Conference's top 2 seeds and the top seed in the West.

it's called "choking". this is what guys like Tatum, J Brown, Harden and Embiid are good at doing. also, they don't have someone to rely on to close games.

LeChoke had Austin Reaves, but they probably didn't want to give him the spotlight even if it meant getting swept.