Why aren't we talking shit about the Heat?

[Spider-Dan]

I've actually been surprised at the amount of blame Wade has (deservedly) received for this loss.  I thought he was the untouchable golden boy.

[DZA]

What pissed me off is that the Spurs was HUNGRY. They wanted it more than Miami did. They played with heart.  Im a die hard HEAT fan since 88 and hell i did not see a sense of urgency from them.

WHAT  HAS CHANGED...... Miami was simply the same team as last yr minus Mike Miller. San Antonio not so much additions like Patty mills and benelli helped.

Its pondered from game 2 that The HEAT was expecting to play the same way they did last year and was not expecting the spurs to play with that level of intensity that they did in this series. Its not that the HEAT were bad is just that the SPURS was a different spurs team with a different approach to play the HEAT.

ALL the Haters got what they wanted. So what will Miami have to do, its never enough they went to 4 Finals in the Big 3 era,  winning 2 of 4.  Many teams in this modern era dont get to go yr after yr.  The spurs never went back to back let alone go to Finals every yr.   Hopefully this experience will humble  them and its time to adress the need of a true PG . Mario chalmers has never been a good PG and the need for a true center. Will the Greg oden experiment work next season, I hope so...  If the Big 3 remain,  its a matter of surrounding them with a supporting cast that will help

[bsmooth]

No one is talking about them because you haters were waiting til right now to bust out with your shit talking. (typical) Laugh it up and be happy, because everyone was quiet for the last two years. One championship win off of these same Spurs. And save that "they gave the championship away" talk.

I am far from being an apologist, what the Spurs did was amazing to say the least. Setting records and playing sound basketball...  SA made Miami look like they didn't even belong in the Finals. Miami played awful. Congrats to San Antonio, they played incredible. Hats off.

And on a side note -- so the East magically became awful year in and year out in 2010. Jesus, you people and your hatred for that one guy is idiotic. Can't even give credit... 

No the East has not been tough even before 2010. They have been a couple good teams at best. Look at the West. Much more competitive to make the playoffs and get through. Indiana, the team who was supposed to challenge the Heat, completely died prior to the playoffs. I am an East fan, and the conference has not been able to produce more than two really good teams for years.

[EDGECRUSHER]

No, the East really is Godawful and the Heat are partially to blame. To be a contender, you need at least one superstar and then solid teammates, some can even be All-Stars themselves. But, it's rare for a team to have 2 Hall of Famers or MVP candidates on the same roster.

Miami took Lebron James, killing the perennial contenders Cavs. They took Chris Bosh who wasn't doing much with Toronto, but could've pushed a team like the Bulls over the top and of course they have Wade who at the time was an elite player. So, they essentially raided the East and then Derek Rose essentially retires from the sport. That would be the MVP Derek Rose who led an excellent Chicago team.

The Knicks flirted with relevance for a season with Carmelo, but they are the Knicks and will never be good. However, Carmelo would make the Bulls legit contenders or the Rockets. Instead, he may go the sad sack route and join Miami for a cheap ring.

There really is only so much elite talent to go around, when you prevent other teams from having any, you eliminate your competition. Good strategy? Sure. Respected as all time greats like the 80's Lakers, 90's Bulls or 00's Spurs? Not even close.

[Spider-Dan]

Why is it even remotely relevant who else is good in the East?  Who were the "great teams" in the West when the Showtime Lakers went to the finals 9 times in 12 years?

The Eastern Conference champion still plays the Western Conference champion.  Miami beat the best team in the West twice.

[Thundergod]

No the East has not been tough even before 2010. They have been a couple good teams at best. Look at the West. Much more competitive to make the playoffs and get through. Indiana, the team who was supposed to challenge the Heat, completely died prior to the playoffs. I am an East fan, and the conference has not been able to produce more than two really good teams for years.

Totally understand that and agreed. All I was trying to say is that for the last, oh I don't know, four years all I hear from the masses is the same contrived crap that Miami only made it to the Finals because the East was so bad. When Boston made it twice in three years (AFTER THEY AQUIRED Garnett and Allen for THEIR big three). Not a mention...

Since '99 really only two teams (Lakers and Spurs) have dominated the West. What does that really say about the West? I mean, that's the NBA, that type of domination goes back years. This isn't new.

[Thundergod]

No, the East really is Godawful and the Heat are partially to blame. To be a contender, you need at least one superstar and then solid teammates, some can even be All-Stars themselves. But, it's rare for a team to have 2 Hall of Famers or MVP candidates on the same roster.

Miami took Lebron James, killing the perennial contenders Cavs. They took Chris Bosh who wasn't doing much with Toronto, but could've pushed a team like the Bulls over the top and of course they have Wade who at the time was an elite player. So, they essentially raided the East and then Derek Rose essentially retires from the sport. That would be the MVP Derek Rose who led an excellent Chicago team.

The Knicks flirted with relevance for a season with Carmelo, but they are the Knicks and will never be good. However, Carmelo would make the Bulls legit contenders or the Rockets. Instead, he may go the sad sack route and join Miami for a cheap ring.

There really is only so much elite talent to go around, when you prevent other teams from having any, you eliminate your competition. Good strategy? Sure. Respected as all time greats like the 80's Lakers, 90's Bulls or 00's Spurs? Not even close.

Cry me a freakin river Edge. TOOK? Seriously? RAIDED?  Sort of the same way the Lakers TOOK Shaq, killing the perennial contenders Magic? Helping lead the Lakers to four appearances in 5 years to the Finals and three straight? I guess that's why the West was "godawful" from 1999 to 2004 where only the Spurs snuck one in during that time span. And have you actually followed Bosh since he's been in Miami? Just wondering...

Oh, and it really isn't that rare to have two HOF'ers on an NBA team. Check your list of champions ESPECIALLY those from the 80' and 90's. Oh wait, they were "built" not "bought" right?  Cause we know you're forbidden to make your team better through free agency. And relax, only two titles in four years. So they can be beat...

There really is only so much elite talent to go around, when you prevent other teams from having any, you eliminate your competition.

Listen up Yankees.

[EDGECRUSHER]

The Yankees spend like drunken sailors, bu even when they do get it right, there is still far more talent in MLB than NBA because that's how their game is. NBA teams have 5-6 real players and baseball has about 18 when you count the pitchers. Every real team has multiple stars....except the Astros because they are horrible.

It is pretty relevant the competition level of the East, the Heat have practically had a bye for 4 years. Not saying they wouldn't have made it anyway because of their talent level, but much like the Patriots name being put on the AFC East winners list before Week 1, it does leave a bunch of "What ifs?".

[Cathal]

^^^ And plus baseball is really just standing around and catching and throwing. Not much skill necessary. 

[Spider-Dan]

It is pretty relevant the competition level of the East, the Heat have practically had a bye for 4 years. Not saying they wouldn't have made it anyway because of their talent level, but much like the Patriots name being put on the AFC East winners list before Week 1, it does leave a bunch of "What ifs?".

Like I said, the Showtime Lakers went to the Finals 9 times in 12 years.  They had no real competition at all.

[Dave Gray]

This West > East is meaningless garbage.  Yes, their 4-8 teams are better, but you really had 4 teams that had a chance to win this year: Miami, San Antonio, OKC, and Indiana.   ...and OKC was generous to include.  Indiana fell apart, but was championship calibur earlier in the year.

But Miami would've rolled over anyone else in the West.  San Antonio got hot at the right time and play a brand of basketball that is tough for the HEAT to defend.