Difference = The Heart of a Champion. The Rockets had it up and down that roster. Dream, Horry, Cassell, Thorpe, Maxwell, etc... The Mav's don't, with the exception of maybe Jason Terry.
hmm, my mistake. i swear i heard numerous times from the ABC broadcasters that Detroit was the only team to win all 3 games at home. i guess it was someone else.
I heard that and they were wrong too, the last team to win all three middle games were the Lakers, but they won them on the road against Philly.
no one has won game 3, 4, & 5 before, right?? i mean the home games for the team without homecourt advantage. no one has won those 3 in a row before, right??
Do you guys really want Shaq to get a 4th ring, and be propelled into the "Best Center of All Time" discussions? I mean, he flirts with that already, but this will propel him further into those talks. He'll then be tossed around as better than Hakeem, The Admiral, even Wilt?! Don't forget who else is on the Heat's roster: Gary Payton - Do you guys want to hear him in any championship conversation? Do you want to cement his place in the hall of fame (ok, that may be stretching it a bit)? Antoine Walker - the biggest ballhog of the millenium gets a championship? Are you kidding me? Pat Riley - probably the most overrated coach in history would be back in the limelight and would add more hardware to his collection? He hasn't been in the finals in, what, 12 years? ARGH! Stop the madness!! Let your love for the Rockets, Hakeem, and all that is good overshadow your hatred for the Mavs. I can't stand the Mavs either.....and I live in Dallas. So I have to listen to the fairweather fans DAILY!! But I still cannot allow myself to pull for Shaq, Payton, and the rest.
Actually, I was wrong and macalu and the announcers were half right, Detroit did win 3 in a row at home, but that was against the Lakers in 2004. Before them nobody else has done it.
my hate for Dallas is so strong that i'm willing to give Shaq the title of best center ever if it means the Mavericks never win a championship.
I'm with you all the way. The Shaq/Hakeem thing is the main reason. Also the crap Riley pulled this year when taking over should never be rewarded. But don't forget about Jason "kill you like Vietnam" Williams.
in my view, shaq getting his 4th ring means absolutely nothing in the debate with olajuwon. this is wade's team and everyone knows it. hakeem was a better player than shaq. whether the heat win has no effect on that.
Then again, you got Stackhouse, Van Horn, Terry, Howard, and DIRK!!!! ..... Also, Avery, Cuban all getting rings. Go down the list, you have people like Marquis Daniels getting one too along with the 2nd best center in the NBA.... I'll still cheer for Miami.... But don't jinx this team with this thread. This series is anything BUT over. Dallas wins game 6 and they are the favorites again. How could anyone say this series is over...?
Well, you know it, I know it, and the American people know it. BUT, you'll still have to listen to it in the media from now until eternity. The records, statistics, and the HARDWARE doesn't lie, right? Right now, if Shaq and the Heat lose.....Shaq will likely not increase his stature in the history books. If he wins, I certainly think he does. We all know who the better player was. However, even though this is Wade's team.....Shaq was still an integral part of this run to the finals. Do you think the Heat would have gotten here without Shaq? Highly doubtful.
