What's the need for a super-team with Durant out? What was the need in 2011?

[Mr Feeny]

Yeah due to all that offensive fire power they added in the off season.

Utah was the same team offensively that they were the year before. Don't know how the fvck people (and the Jazz themselves) thought they could get over the hump by doubling Adam Keefe's minutes and cutting Osterstiff's in half from the year before.

I'm not saying you're wrong about the Jazz' expectations, but not sure why people thought that. It's not like Utah got younger and better on offense. It's was quite the opposite.

How many wins did they get in 97? How many in 98?
Chicago weren't the same team in 1998 either. Jordan dragged then to that title with Rodman averaging 3ppg and 8 rpg and Pippen"a back going out, resulting in consecutive single digit scoring games in games 5 and 6.

[Mr Feeny]

Utah went 7gms in the WCF in 1996 and then went to B2B Finals. Jazz were just as tired.

In other words, they didnt make 3 consecutive finals. Great.
A 35 year old Jordan with a damaged index finger had to carry the Bulls playing 82 regular season games because Pippen got hurt and missed half the season. As did multiple players. They were hobbled and both mentally fatigued and physically compromised.

But Jordan was Jordan.

[Hey Yo]

How many wins did they get in 97? How many in 98?
Chicago weren't the same team in 1998 either. Jordan dragged then to that title with Rodman averaging 3ppg and 8 rpg and Pippen"a back going out, resulting in consecutive single digit scoring games in games 5 and 6.

And after all of that, Utah scored only 54 points in one game and their 2nd leading scorer avg. 10ppg for the series. That's fvcking pathetic.

Like I said, nobody should have expected Utah to win cause they didn't address their offensive needs from the year prior.

What a shit era.

[bigkingsfan]

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/...e-favored.html

"Las Vegas oddsmakers have the Bulls the favorites to win the series"

[PP34Deuce]

I believe the Lakers are in a tough position.

High level role players available are on restricted contracts and playoff teams see a window to compete with 2 of Golden states top players out.

You put in an offer sheet for a restricted player and watch GM's take the full number of days to match it. It will mess up plans.

Seems like the fastest way is if Kemba is available... you take him and build out the roster out with vets and hustle guys.

[3ball]

-Missed playoffs in West
-Opposing position players collect FMVP off him
-Da Real Lambo/Delonte West

-Getting roasted by Charles Barkley for collusion.

The Barkley dispute where lebron got personal shows what a weak bitch Lebron is, and that Barkley touched a nerve/hit the truth... That's why lebron got sensitive

Barkley:[COLOR="White"].[/COLOR] damn Lebron, you want all the good players?

Lebron:[COLOR="White"].[/COLOR] **** you c***.. you spat on a kid and are a horrible person


What a p****.. a non-competitive bitch.. MJ would wipe the floor with him and make him tap out like the old Spurs in 14'

[sdot_thadon]

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/...e-favored.html

"Las Vegas oddsmakers have the Bulls the favorites to win the series"

Well, there's that.

[SamuraiSWISH]

There wasn't a need in 2011. That Celtics Big 3 from 2008 and 2009 that destroyed LeBron / Wade / Kobe before KG's injury weren't the same. Rondo emerged. But KG was never the same. He was like 75% of the player he was at best pre injury, and the rest of the guys PP / Ray aged rapidly.

It really was out of: desperation, insecurity, failure, mental weakness, competitive cowardice, and ultimately SEVERE overkill.

And it destroyed the league. It instituted this AAU team up, super friend mind set that has made competitive balance, and competitive nature amongst the league's top players all but vanished.

Kobe truly was the last of the Mohicans in that regard. With that old school, I'm good enough to prove myself even without Shaq, want my own team vs YOUR TEAM level of competitiveness we as a basketball audience were accustomed to out of the world's best players. Not this, I need more HALP BS.

[Mr Feeny]

And after all of that, Utah scored only 54 points in one game and their 2nd leading scorer avg. 10ppg for the series. That's fvcking pathetic.

Like I said, nobody should have expected Utah to win cause they didn't address their offensive needs from the year prior.

What a shit era.

Agree that the Bulls' defense was incredible. Part of what made them the greatest team of all time.

[bigkingsfan]

Kobe truly was the last of the Mohicans in that regard. With that old school, I'm good enough to prove myself even without Shaq, want my own team vs YOUR TEAM level of competitiveness we as a basketball audience were accustomed to out of the world's best players. Not this, I need more HALP BS.

Nah, he demanded a trade as soonest it got hard. He would be gone if not for his no trade clause.

"A source with knowledge of the trade talks said Deng has been included in proposals swapped between the teams, but Bryant has continually threatened to veto almost any deal in which Deng would be included. Bryant wants to be sure that the team he joins has enough talent remaining to compete for the NBA title."

[3ball]

There wasn't a need in 2011. That Celtics Big 3 from 2008 and 2009 that destroyed LeBron / Wade / Kobe before KG's injury weren't the same. Rondo emerged. But KG was never the same. He was like 75% of the player he was at best pre injury, and the rest of the guys PP / Ray aged rapidly.

It really was out of: desperation, insecurity, failure, mental weakness, competitive cowardice, and ultimately SEVERE overkill.

[COLOR="DarkRed"]And it destroyed the league. It instituted this AAU team up, super friend mind set that has made competitive balance, and competitive nature amongst the league's top players all but vanished.[/COLOR]

Kobe truly was the last of the Mohicans in that regard. With that old school, I'm good enough to prove myself even without Shaq, want my own team vs YOUR TEAM level of competitiveness we as a basketball audience were accustomed to out of the world's best players. Not this, I need more HALP BS.

Precisely

And the team-up mindset has killed organic teamwork.. these temporary super-teams are a hodge-podge of mercenaries that would get destroyed by the organic teamwork of prior eras

[Hey Yo]

Agree that the Bulls' defense was incredible. Part of what made them the greatest team of all time.

So Pippen's back was completely fried, but still could play amazing defense? Rodman was so bad in 1998 (your words) he still played amazing defense?



Nice try, Chico. Utah was shit and so was that era.

[NBASTATMAN]

Rice was 32 and well past his prime, so that's a desperate attempt to overrate the Laker cast

Now if you want to call the Lakers a superteam because of just Shaq and Kobe (2 top 10 all-time players), then that's fine, but lebron has something similar with AD (#3 all-time PER behind MJ and Bran)

[COLOR="Navy"]Most importantly[/COLOR], Kobe won with just Gasol - only Kobe and MJ won multiple rings with one all-star teammate, except Shaq (who had Kobe) and Hakeem (when MJ was out of the league)..



Wtf? Kukoc and Dele were role players - why do you guys cite role players to counter lebron's star teammates?..

That alone shows how much the bulls lacked star power because you must cite role players

The reality is that the Bulls had the #1 offense in the league despite playing 4 on 5 with Rodman, and a weak-scoring Pippen - how did that happen???.. the bulls had the goat offensive player, that's how




Actually their best comp was the b2b champion Pistons, who had 3x all-stars at every starting spot - lebron never beat b2b champs, nor did he face a 1 to 4 deficit in all-star teammates like MJ did vs Isiah - MJ beat the Pistons' 5 all-stars with 1 all-star teammate

Secondly, the KD-less Warriors are 8-10 in the Finals and lost to everyone - this includes Kawhi, and also bran twice (if not for injuries in 15') - they're infact 0-3 in the Finals if not for injuries in 15'.. every Finals opponent that MJ faced would destroy them..

i.e. the 98' jazz swept shaq's 4 all-star Lakers and Popovich/Duncan/Robinson's Spurs, so they would crush the Warriors

dude the BULLS would have won 60 games without MJ if Pippen wasnt injured.. The Bulls would have gone to the NBA FINALS if THE BULLS werent STERNED so that MJ could keep his legacy..

[NBASTATMAN]

Yet, 34yr old / 56,0000+ career minutes LeBron is still in his prime??

3BALLS A JOKE

[NBASTATMAN]

[QUOTE=LostCause]Yes he is





Utah was obviously getting over the hump in 97 and 98 if Jordan didn