That's just an opinion that Lebron will never be respected if he never wins a title. Mostly from Kobe nuthuggers with no other argument. Nash doesn't have a ring, you think he isn't respected when he retires. Plus Lebron's fricken 25, how about stop worrying about your image and legacy after you retire in 10 years and carry your team to a championship.
Again, besides the "decision", LBJ hasn't done anything that countless other players haven't done before him, and countless more won't do after him. All he did was leave one team to go to another. Did Shaq receive this kind of hatred when he left Orlando in shambles? The point is that LeBron is being crucified because he's good (you said as much yourself-- Brand doesn't get hatred even though what he did was worse, simply because he was never good enough to carry his team to contender status). Ultimately, he moved teams. He got a lot of criticism for it. Enough already.
Heat are way more talented, so they should win. If they don't, it's an indictment of their fortitude.
they have the 2 best players in the series, but they don't have more talent. the celtics have the better PG, PF, C (believe it or not w/ jermaine o'neal), better bench, and a better coach. the key to winning this series for the heat are: 1) wade cannot average 12.8 points on 28% shooting like he did during the reg season. if he gets his average or anywhere near it, the heat should win this series pretty easily. lebron will get his. bosh and KG are pretty much a wash through the 4 reg season games. 2) containing rondo. if rondo explodes, that means ray allen will explode with a ton of wide open 3s. they have to force rondo into scorer mode. i'm assuming rondo's re-emergence in game 3 and 4 vs the knicks coincided with the heat having the terrible toney douglas guarding rondo. rondo has been mediocre since the all-star break. 3) win game 1. they win game 1, they win this series.
LOL. Miami has 3 max players. They have more talent than anyone in the NBA. If they lose it will be a huge choke job. Deal with it.
chris bosh is NOT a max player. their great talent is due to lebron and wade, who are 2 of the top 3-4 players in the NBA. we haven't had that type of combination since MJ/pippen or shaq/kobe or shaq/penny.
no one's stopping him.. he can do that and did just that.. but when was the last time the franchise player from a team which had the leagues the best record for two years in a row in which he won two MVP's joined another franchise player's team with another franchise player and promised 7 'ships before the season even starts?
Think people are forgetting the Heat have been without there 4th and 5th best players for most of the year, yet keep on winning. Haslem and Miller have still injured, and might not return for a couple of weeks. Says a lot about how Wade Bosh and James talent.
How is Chris Bosh not a max player? A lot of team were willing to offer him a max contract, us included.
The Heat have the best top three in the league. They probably also have the worst 4-8 of any of the contending teams.
Shaq didn't get nearly the hatred leaving Orlando that LeBron has gotten. Not even close. That said, LeBron brought much of it on himself by going out of his way to act like a complete jerkhead.
He is not a max player, but every single team offered him the max and he is currently getting paid the max.. makes sense.
He is very close to a max player, and as a 3rd option in the 1st round of the playoffs he averaged 19 points 9 rebounds and 1 block a game. Thats some great stats from any PF in the game, let along a 3rd option..
Celts stick it to the Heat in 6. They've had their number all season and i don't see that changing into the playoffs.
I've got to question your memory there. Shaq didn't get much hate at all, and certainly nothing like what Lebron has faced. He may have been hated by Orlando fans, but he was not seen as a villain all around the league.
Shaq won't be back for the playoffs barring a "miraculous recovery". http://www.eagletribune.com/sports/x461197727/Source-Cs-not-expecting-Shaq-in-playoffs
Look at the amount of all stars or ex-all stars in this series. WOW Paul Pierce Ray Allen Jermaine Oneal Rajon Rondo Kevin Garnett Shaq Dwayne Wade Lebron James Chris Bosh Juwan Howard Jamal Magloire
