Western Conference Finals: Dallas Mavericks vs Oklahoma City Thunder

I'm glad to see that someone here gets it.

The truth is, there's no way to really compare players in a team sport, especially across eras. You can look at titles, but that is always going to be dependent on teammates and competition. You can look at stats, but that is going to be dependent on teammates and competition and game pace.

Generally, athletes get better over time. We see this in individual sports (say track & field or tennis) and there's no reason to believe it doesn't apply to team sports either. Basketball is more popular now than it was in earlier eras, especially internationally, so the pool of players is larger. It reasons that the best of this era is likely the best of any era. Of course, there will always be exceptions to this rule; Wilt would have been a star in any era, and some will preach the same about Jordan. However, as time goes on, who we see as the GOAT will change as new fans argue for those they grew up idolizing. Most fans here are probably in their 20s or 30s and so Jordan is the guy. No one talks much about Wilt anymore. In twenty years, I don't think it's a stretch to say LeBron will be the guy, at least if he continues to dominate the league as he has done since he entered AND wins titles with his superteam.

 

Portland in 4 and OKC in 5 is just hilarious, that's how you lose all your credibility as an "expert".

 

PS: I want to see what you guys wrote about the series, take a look at the past pages and it's a stupid discussion about LeBron, Jordan and Bird, that has absolutely nothing to do with Mavs/OKC, not even with Western Conference. Seriously wtf is wrong with you guys, post in the Heat/Bulls thread or better, stop the silly discussions when Bron is in his mid 20s right now.

 

lol I was about to come in here and post the exact same thing. What in the world did this series have to do with LeBron and his comparison to players from back in the day.

 

usually hearing all the talk about "superstars" by the experts makes me sick. But wow, just watching Durant play and how he carries himself at all times is something special. While Westbrook rushes to locker room with his pouty face, Durant takes the agony of defeat like a man and stays out there showing sportsmanship.

Also pains me to say this, Good luck in the finals Mavs!
I need a shower now.

 

Folks saying they arent biased toward either Jordan or Lebron are in denial...People gonna say its because of this or that era, because Lebron went to Miami, becuz Jordan had Pippen, becuz hand-checking, etc........ Jordan is NBA basketball(even today)....Theres nothing Lebron does that will ever equal that.....

now congrats to the muthaf'n bytch azz Mavs....Its the year of the old-timers (1st B-Hop,now Mavs)

 

The Mavs cannot beat Miami Heat I'm afraid.

 

Based on his development over 3 years and his play during the season, WB deserves a max contract and Scott Brooks has to return. OKC has no choice in either matter. I just hope these playoffs didn't reveal that WB will be a huge problem going forward. Like I said, after defending him against Denver and Memphis, I have some doubts now after looking at all 3 rounds and the reg season as a whole. The completely idiotic technical against Jason Terry broke the camel's back. From now on, I will no longer (almost unconditionally) defend WB's actions as those of a younger player. He's had 3 seasons and a deep playoff run to grow up and see the consequences of his negative behavior. I hope he thinks all summer about how he sat the entire 4th quarter in the one game OKC won against Dallas.

WB needs to get his head together and better realize what he can do on the basketball court instead of overestimating his ability and killing his team at key times.

On the other hand, I don't have much hope for Scott Brooks. A trip to the WCFs earns him another season for sure. But Ron Adams leaving shows Brooks had little to do with OKC's stellar defense a year ago. It's hard to believe how good it was despite Jeff Green playing full-time PF. It's now been revealed to everyone that Brooks also suffers on the offensive end and is extremely uncreative. Basic playground will crumble under the pressure of the playoffs. I've seen OKC's meltdowns all season. Unless it's at the very beginning of a game, when OKC's offense get out-of-sync, they never recover get it back during a game. Brooks is also near the bottom when it comes to drawing up end of game plays. Again, seen it all season and now everyone knows.

 

Stats are more than just averages, there's also the pts scored, rebs rebounded, shots blocked etc. Since LBJ plays 45 minutes a game in the playoffs he'll compile more playoff stats than guys like MJ etc, esp. since MJ had to go to college. So yeah, unless something mindboggling happens LBJ supplanting MJ has to be assured.

P.S. LBJ has already surpassed bird, even if he still doesn't have the stats or rings to prove it. Bird only put up like 9 years of MVP play, and even then he's still played under magic's shadow. LBJ's been playing that long, and he's only reaching his prime. Bird wasn't this athletic, and LBJ possesses the same kind of feel for the game Bird had. Saying LBJ has to 5 rings to be comparable to Bird's 3 is BS, bird played on a stacked team with 2 other superstars. LOL who the hell do you think coined the big 3?

 

Why is someone excluded for choosing to have as much supporting talent, and still arguably less supporting talent, than the dudes they are being compared to?

 

<a target='_blank' title='ImageShack - Image And Video Hosting' href='http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/854/lolfac.jpg/'><img src='http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/9983/lolfac.jpg' border='0'/></a>

 

Dirk was a beast and he proved how special he is...hate all you want, he's played unreal...I know he wants to play the Heat again and he'll make sure they win...

 

what's he gonna do???....sleep with Lebrons mom too....it didnt work for Boston

 

I remember when Stockton & Malone really wanted their revenge. Didn't matter since neither was the best player on the court and the same matchup disadvantages existed. Same with facing Miami again.

 

I worry whether the Mavs have the athleticism - though they can compensate with savvy - to hang with Miami. The rest should help, at least. I like OKC, but my biggest concern out of this series was having hope that someone could beat the Heat. I'm struggling to have that now. That's two games in a row where OKC was clearly the superior team, talent-wise, but imploded down the stretch with a comedy of self-inflicted errors.

I want to believe in Dallas, but that had as much to do with OKC just self-destructing as it did anything on Dallas' end. I can't for the life of me figure out why Brooks stayed small as long as he did, and didn't sub Ibaka for Maynor. Yes, I get that they had been effective in transition for a lot of the game. But down the stretch of an NBA playoff game, it's almost always going to come down to halfcourt execution - and the Thunder were completely unable to compete on the glass. Yes, Chandler fouled Westbrook on the possession that ended up with Dirk's go-ahead three - but perhaps Westbrook isn't having to get the rebound in the first place if you have a second big to box out Chandler.

I also can't figure out why they went away from Harden, or why Maynor had the gall to shoot even once with the superior weapons on that team. Harden was incredible last night - made positive plays every time he touched the ball - and after about the six-minute mark, he was mostly MIA. I only counted two possessions that went to him - on one, he found Westbrook for an uncontested layup that he missed. The other was the fluke play where he lost control of the ball with 2:30 left. The Mavs couldn't stop the Harden P&R to save their lives. The Thunder/Brooks did it for them.

Also, while the Mavs would've been in good position to win, regardless - the Durant foul on the Marion dunk (50 sec left) might've been the single dumbest play I've seen all season. Marion was 4 steps ahead of Durant. He had absolutely no chance to make a play. Moreover, with the dunk, OKC would still be within one possession. So, Durant decides to give him the slightest of nudges in the back to make it a two-possession game. I love the guy, but incomprehensible stupidity. Reminiscent of the inexplicable "And 1" that Ginobili gave Dirk in the 2006 Game 7, which allowed the Mavs to force OT and eventually beat the Spurs.

Anyway, I know the Thunder are young and many of those lapses in judgment should get better with age. (Though I do worry about Brooks.) My concern now is whether the Mavs have the talent to compete with Miami. I really want them to, but I have my doubts. To me, this series was more about the Thunder losing it than the Mavs winning it. Hope I'm wrong.

 

100% agree, The Cat. - must spread reputation around, blah blah

The better coached team won.

(smh - Haywood 36% ft shooter went 10-14 combined in the last 2 games. Incoming 0-14.)

 

Much credit to pulling them off, but the Mavs can't rely on 4th quarter comebacks in the Finals. And Dirk can't have a bad game.

 

With all due respect to Lebron and DWade, Dirk will be the best player in this series. I'm not saying he's a better player than Lebron (DWade yes), but as well as Lebron's playing - Dirk's playing better. Just my $0.02.

 

bro your on hater board just keep it to yourself

i agree with u but haters gonna hate