NBA Finals 2012

[JasonP]

I honestly do not get the LeBron hate, unless you're a Cleveland fan (or a Knicks fan b/c they mistakenly thought he was going to sign there).

He's a consummate professional
He has an intense work ethic
He plays elite offense AND defense (so few NBA players play any D, much less elite D)
He never throws his teammates under the bus
He never blames his coaches
He's polite and accessible

Did he act the fool with "The Decision?" Yes.  And I think it's pretty clear he would do it differently if he could take it back. But a LOT of other celebrities and athletes have done far more egregious things and been completely forgiven for them.

I think Bron gets hate because of the 1,2,3,4 -7 championship count that they had with the whole creation of the trinity.  He is a gifted athlete there is no doubt, but anyone who wants to guarantee championships needs to hit his free throws down the stretch and score at the end of games.  I think with the guarding Nick Collision at the end of game 1 he needs to step up and say I have Durant.  As a coach when my best player says he wants that challenge I think it shows leadership which is something he has struggled with since his days in Cleveland.  If you are the best player in the NBA you need to lead your team.  Bron wants nothing to do with it, when signed he said this is Wade's team.  Bron has done it in the past, he did it against the Bulls last year with Derrick Rose, he said I got him and disrupted Rose's entire flow in the game.  He needs to do it now.  I am going to stick with OKC in 7 with the home team winning.   

[PercussionMasta]

The Labron hating is so old, and so trite. He has paid his dues. He fessed up to making an ass out of himself w/ the way the Decision went down (which still raised 2 million dollars for charity) and as a fan of basketball history I would hate to see one of the greatest athletes to play the game be remembered as Malone 2.0. It's easy and lazy to paint him as a villain, which he is far from.

THIS.   

I honestly do not get the LeBron hate, unless you're a Cleveland fan (or a Knicks fan b/c they mistakenly thought he was going to sign there).

He's a consummate professional
He has an intense work ethic
He plays elite offense AND defense (so few NBA players play any D, much less elite D)
He never throws his teammates under the bus
He never blames his coaches
He's polite and accessible

Did he act the fool with "The Decision?" Yes.  And I think it's pretty clear he would do it differently if he could take it back. But a LOT of other celebrities and athletes have done far more egregious things and been completely forgiven for them.

THIS.   

Seriously, the LeBron hate is so freaking ridiculous.  Yes, he has a pretty huge chip on his shoulder.  Welcome to professional sports.

[The Questyen]

I can't comprehend how anyone can pretend that Lebron is even the slightest bit likable.

[nilcam]

Whomever wins, I hope it goes 7. Some great, if inconsistent, performances from both teams tonight.

OKC'a crowd is amazing. Takes me back to the golden era of seeing the Kings. Last playoff series of theirs I attended  was against the Sonics, ironically. RIP Arco.

Disclaimer: I really don't like sports.

But, living and working in downtown OKC is very cool right now. People are out-of-their-fricking-minds excited and it's very cool to see.

[Kenney]

OKC lost last night, and much is being made of Westbrook's end game decisions (I think this is being overblown myself), but if I'm OKC I feel good today. The Heat came out SWINGING last night. It looked like they might win by 20 points at spots, but the Thunder just maintained their composure and fought back to make this game a real contest. I think they actually would have won the game, if they didn't get into so much foul trouble.

Really glad the Heat got one, because if they went back to Miami down 0-2, this series would be over.

[S. Earl]

Disclaimer: I really don't like sports.

But, living and working in downtown OKC is very cool right now. People are out-of-their-fricking-minds excited and it's very cool to see.

And that is the beauty of Sports, it brings a sense of community like no other at times like these. Karma for appreciating it even though it's really not your thing.

[PercussionMasta]

I can't comprehend how anyone can pretend that Lebron is even the slightest bit likable.

I can't comprehend how people think he is so different from most other superstar athletes. 

[S. Earl]

I can't comprehend how people think he is so different from most other superstar athletes.  

Exactly. MJ wasn't a saint. Or Ali. Or Babe Ruth, Kobe, Garnett, Armstrong... the list of asshole athletes is far longer then the likable guys.

[PercussionMasta]

OKC lost last night, and much is being made of Westbrook's end game decisions (I think this is being overblown myself), but if I'm OKC I feel good today. The Heat came out SWINGING last night. It looked like they might win by 20 points at spots, but the Thunder just maintained their composure and fought back to make this game a real contest. I think they actually would have won the game, if they didn't get into so much foul trouble.

Really glad the Heat got one, because if they went back to Miami down 0-2, this series would be over.

Man, that was a close one.  Going home 0-2 I think would have guaranteed an OKC win, so I'm really glad they split the series.  Again, it seemed to me that the Heat cannot keep up their early pace.  Last night they happened to hold on.  IMO, it was a fluke that Durant missed that last baseline jumper.  Yeah, some people are making a stink about a no-call, but he still had a wide-open look at the basket, with no defender elevated in his face.  Durant makes that 9 times out of 10.  It was a stroke of luck that he didn't make it last night.

I think Shane Battier is having the series of his life right now.  LeBron also going 12 for 12 from the line was enormously clutch.  I just wish the Heat could have a little more consistency, rather than each quarter being a crapshoot.

I'd also like to say, there were some moments where there was some really hideous basketball being played by both sides.  

[PercussionMasta]

Exactly. MJ wasn't a saint. Or Ali. Or Babe Ruth, Kobe, Garnett, Armstrong... the list of asshole athletes is far longer then the likable guys.

Yeah, I think even the vaunted MJ was kind of an ass at times. I think LeBron James is an interesting case study, because the guy has basically lived in the spotlight his whole life.  That's got to do something to you psychologically, and I think we saw some of that in The Decision and the Heat introduction.  I think he's past that now.  His play has been way more consistent this year, his attitude and outlook seem much more positive.  I like where his head is at, and I think he could spend the rest of his career working hard and making plays and setting aside the craziness of his youth.

If people can forgive a guy like Michael Vick, they can certainly show a little grace to LeBron James.

[stvnhthr]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/TWukgBsDlJQ&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/TWukgBsDlJQ&rel=1</a>

Have you watched this video where comics and the NBA collide?

[PercussionMasta]

Lol, nice.

[Kenney]

Yeah, I think even the vaunted MJ was kind of an ass at times.

I adore MJ, but the more I learn of the man, the more he seems like a dick. I just watched the Dream Team special, and MJ had a real mean streak in him (which is a large reason why he was so great). LeBron I would argue is TOO nice.

[The Questyen]

Exactly. MJ wasn't a saint. Or Ali. Or Babe Ruth, Kobe, Garnett, Armstrong... the list of asshole athletes is far longer then the likable guys.

What does that have to do with Lebron's likability? Kobe is my favorite player but I'm not going to pretend in this thread like I can't understand why some people don't like him. People in here are posting like Lebron is a saint and saying well other athletes are assholes too doesn't make Lebron any less of one.

[Kenney]

I don't know LeBron, and I'm guessing you don't either. So we just have what we know to go off of. And outside of the Decision, there isn't really much I can point to that makes me think -- that LeBron...what a dick.

The biggest reason I think people don't like star athletes is because they play on teams that aren't yours. That I get. But outside of that, or The Decision, or even "Not one, not two, not three" -- I really don't know what the guy has done to receive the ire of so many. Can you point to something that he does that makes him so unlikeable? I'm honestly curious, because maybe there is something I don't know about.

[Farrell]

The finals is a losing proposition all around for a Blazers fan like myself, especially fresh off such a nightmarish season.  I don't know anybody who isn't a Miami fan who wants Miami to win.  And OKC, with Durant, is too pointed a reminder of the Oden debacle right now.  Is it too late to call another work stoppage?

[Wood]

I'm really loving Jalen Rose. He's become such a calm, logical analyst of the game.

He made the point today that if Jerry West played in today's era, we would never have had him on the NBA Logo and he would've never been known as Mr. Clutch. Why? Because he went to nine NFL finals before winning his one NBA title. Rose's point is spot on. West was AMAZING, but couldn't win a title in spite of getting there. In today's era he would've been EVISCERATED for being a choker. And this is a guy known today as Mr. Clutch.

Anyway, last night was awesome. Durant is so good it's stunning. He's Iceman Gervin on steroids.

But the Heat did exactly what they needed to -- take one of two in OKC.

[S. Earl]

You listen to Rose's weekly Grantland podcast Wood? He does a great job breaking down the week in the NBA. He and C-Webb both are having great post Fab 5 post NBA careers.

[Kenney]

I like Jalen too. My favorite thing he did was go on First Take and call Skip Bayless out on how ridiculous he is. The gret thing about Jalen is he isnt very hyperbolic like so many sports analysts tend to be today. I do think he may go the Mark Jackson route one of these years

[InspectorSpacetime]

was so wrong with wanting the king to actually earn his crown?

jerry west played the celtics six times in the finals. he was up against the winningest dynasty in sports. if that same circumstance happened today, west would have become just as big because he was worthy challenger.
also he was the first draft pick of a LA team. he would have done just fine.