The Beginning of a Dynasty

[Built Ford Tough]

Anybody else get the feeling watching today's game between the Heat and the Celtics that we are witnessing the birth of a Miami Heat dynasty?

 

Sorry Kobe fans, but James is without a doubt the best player in the league right now, and as good as some of the young stars like Durant and Rose are, they will be lucky to be even close to the same level as James currently is (which is scary considering he can still improve his game as well) as an all around player. The way that he is playing on both sides of the ball is nothing short of brilliant and when you consider the fact that even when he does have an off night he has guys like Wade and Bosh who are more than capable of picking up the slack for him, especially Wade, it makes him even more dangerous.

 

The way that he just ripped out the Celtics' heart and stomped all over it in Game 5 was phenomenal considering up unil that point he was having a relatively average game. He seemed to just flip a switch and the end and the light finally went off in his head where he realized that there isn't a single player who has a shot in hell at stopping him. Call me crazy, but I think finally getting past the Celtics in the playoffs, and being the one who basically put the nail in their coffin of irrevelenacy (lets be realistic here, the Celtics are done) is going to be the turning point in his career.

 

Add Wade into this equation, who is going to be a top 5 player in the league for at least the next 2-3 years before he starts to experience any sort of drop off, as well as Bosh who, despite all of the shit he gets from pretty much everybody on the planet, including Heat fans, is a star player in his own right and you have basically the Heat team now. A team who relies entirely on 3 players to do everything on the floor and still look like the runaway favourites to win the NBA Championship.

 

Now, think about this. The Heat look like an unstoppable team right now with prety much nothing but the big three. What is the rest of the NBA going to do in 2-3 years when the Heat will no longer have a bench of 100 year olds like Juwan Howard, Zydrunas Ilgauakas, Mike Bibby and Erick Dampier and instead will have added role players like Tyson Chandler's, Kirk Hinrich, Shane Battier, etc... (not saying these exact players, but the types of great role players that all teams need in order to be successfull)? You don't think that players are going to be lining up to sign for the MLE or partial MLE with Miami after they see the Heat win it all on the backs of 3 players?

 

AboveLegit said in the game thread that it felt to him like there was a passing of the torch from one big three to another today, but I will take it one step further and say that we witnessed the beginning of a dynasty today. I am fully ready to eat these words in a few months time if the Heat flame out (no pun intended) and end up not winning it all this season, but I honestly don't see it happening and belive that we are going to witness the first of many championships for the Heat this season.

[fish7718]

AboveLegit said in the game thread that it felt to him like there was a passing of the torch from one big three to another today,

I said that and I agree LeBron has become the best player in the NBA, it was debatable throughout last year and part of this year but now LeBrons game is just at a level Kobe can't reach anymore. The only reason I wouldn't call it a dynasty (we though Pierce - KG - Allen would be a dynasty) is because we just don't know whats gonna happen with CP3 and Dwight and who is going to get better...

[EastCoastNiner]

They won't be winning it this year, so the answer is a resounding no!

[La Bomba]

I said that and I agree LeBron has become the best player in the NBA, it was debatable throughout last year and part of this year but now LeBrons game is just at a level Kobe can't reach anymore. The only reason I wouldn't call it a dynasty (we though Pierce - KG - Allen would be a dynasty) is because we just don't know whats gonna happen with CP3 and Dwight and who is going to get better...

My thoughts exactly. With the NBA's current situation where a big market team can go from a lottory team to a contender in the span of free agency, New York, the Nets, and others can easily put themselves in the equation.

[AboveLegit]

You took the words right out of my mouth.

 

You already alluded to this in your post, but it still shocks me that a team with virtually 3 players (and the occasional role player stepping up) can dominate a top 3 defense in the league like they did in this series.

 

Game 1: 67 of 99 total pts

Game 2: 80 of 102 total pts

Game 3: 44 of 81 total pts

Game 4: 83 of 98 total pts

Game 5: 84 of 97 total pts

 

And this is not even taking into account the number of assists LBJ and Wade rack up as playmakers in the offense.

[Dash]

Yep we're all doomed to 6 straight Miami Heat championships.

[Poe]

It's a dynasty as far as the Heat being on the road to winning multiple championships within the next several years, but I wouldn't call this team unstoppable by any means.

 

Boston created the blueprint, and the Heat were the first to follow. But not likely to be the last. The Knicks have been doing the same thing, except they are getting one piece at a time. It's only a matter of time before they add a third.

 

Also consider the Thunder. They drafted Westbrook and Durant, and both are still young and growing. They are one more star player from being dynasty-esque material.

[Poe]

And this is not even taking into account the number of assists LBJ and Wade rack up as playmakers in the offense.

 

If you are going to count assists as "helping" the team score, then you need to credit all ways of helping a team score.

 

More specifically, I'm talking about screen setting. There is a reason Joel Anthony has averaged 32 MPG during the playoffs. If screens that lead to scores counted as assists, Joel would have several per game.

[Built Ford Tough]

I said that and I agree LeBron has become the best player in the NBA, it was debatable throughout last year and part of this year but now LeBrons game is just at a level Kobe can't reach anymore. The only reason I wouldn't call it a dynasty (we though Pierce - KG - Allen would be a dynasty) is because we just don't know whats gonna happen with CP3 and Dwight and who is going to get better...

 

Sorry about that. ABL mus'tve quoted you and for some reason I remembered his post agreeing with yours instead of your original post. My bad.

 

As for your post, I'm not saying that they are going to be unbeateable and run through the league on route to winning the next 8 championships or anything like that. I am sure they will suffere a series loss here and there, but I would be willing to bet that they go on some sort of back to back streak, possible three peat or a situation that finds them winning 4 of 6 or 5 of 8 or something along those lines. I would definitely classify that as a dynasty.

 

The thing about any potential trio being formed, whether it is Paul or Howard ending up in New York, or something like that, is that regardless of what happens, the Heat are always going to have the two best players out of the 6 involved in the trio, as well as the best player in the league. They will also likely be a step ahead of any other team when it comes to surrounding their star trio with good role players due to the fact that they will have had a 2 year head start when it comes to building the complimentary pieces. Best case scenario for New York is that they strike a trade during the summer for Paul or Howard and even then, they will gut themselves of all assets (if they even have any left) and it will be basically a 2010/11 Miami situation all over, just a slightly less talented one. Meanwhile, the Heat will have added a good role player or two this summer to surround their group with and another the following year when the hypothetical Knick team will actually have the ability to add role players.

 

The Heat will likely be one step above the opposition when it comes to overall talent due to LeBon and Wade being the two best players regardless and when it comes to building an actual team instead of putting all of your eggs in three baskets.

 

Am I saying a potential Knick trio has no shot at beating the Heat? Absolutely not, but I wouldn't bet against the Heat so long as Wade continues to play at an elite level and I don't forsee a significant drop off for at least another 3 or 4 years, barring any sort of serious injury.

 

PS: I didn't predict a Celtics dynasty. I predicted a championship or two, but I did not think that they had the longevity required to actually become a dynasty due to their age, the fact that none of them were in their primes and all would experience some sort of regression in their games. The Heat trio are all in the middle of their primes and you could argue that LeBron can still even get better over the next few years.

 

It's a dynasty as far as the Heat being on the road to winning multiple championships within the next several years, but I wouldn't call this team unstoppable by any means.

 

Boston created the blueprint, and the Heat were the first to follow. But not likely to be the last. The Knicks have been doing the same thing, except they are getting one piece at a time. It's only a matter of time before they add a third.

 

Also consider the Thunder. They drafted Westbrook and Durant, and both are still young and growing. They are one more star player from being dynasty-esque material.

 

Best case for Durant is he becomes a poor man's LeBron. He can equal him, or slightly better him, in scoring but he will never become the all around player that LeBron is, and this is coming from a guy who really likes Durant and has never particularly cared for LeBron.

 

Westbrook is never going to be a superstar like James and Wade are. Some people mock the whole Miami big three because of Chris Bosh being involved, but Bosh is and will likely always be the better player than Westbrook will develop into. Unless the Thunder land some huge star like Howard, Westbrook takes a quantum leap in his development and Durant becomes a more rounded player, I don't see them being dynasty material. A perennial contender? Sure. But not a dynasty.

[andre smoothwhite]

Heat aint winning nothin man

[Built Ford Tough]

Heat aint winning nothin man

 

Nobody cares what you think anyways, so run along.

[Dash]

Best case for Durant is he becomes a poor man's LeBron. He can equal him, or slightly better him, in scoring but he will never become the all around player that LeBron is, and this is coming from a guy who really likes Durant and has never particularly cared for LeBron.

 

I still think Durant has the potential to be a better player than Lebron (the same can be said about Blake Griffin and Dwight). Not many people thought Lebron would ever make much of a defensive player early in his career but he turned out to be one of the better defenders at his position.

Edited May 12, 2011 by Dash

[Check my Stats]

Potential? Durant doesn't see the floor, not possess half the passing ability of LeBron James in his rookie year, nevermind now. LBJ in his 2nd year is probably better than Durant will ever be. That comparison is starting to make me sick.

[EastCoastNiner]

Durant is quickly becoming overrated?

 

Can someone name one thing he does better than LeBron? The only thing you could say is scoring, but that's only because LeBron chooses to distribute more. LeBron can still score 100 more ways than Durant.

 

I'm officially sick.

[Built Ford Tough]

I still think Durant has the potential to be a better player than Lebron (the same can be said about Blake Griffin and Dwight). Not many people thought Lebron would ever make much of a defensive player early in his career but he turned out to be one of the better defenders at his position.

 

Durant will never be the playmaker that LeBron is, nor do I ever think he will be the same type of all around defender that LeBron is. He may develop into a comparable man to man defender due to his length and quickness at his size, but I don't ever see him being the same kind of monster when it comes to help defense.

 

It was clear the moment that they both set foot in the league that they would both become exceptional scorers, good to great rebounders due to physical gifts (LeBron's freakish strength and athleticism and Durant's length at the 3) and would be franchise changing players, but Durant has never shown anything remotely close to the playmaking skills that LeBron has, and the playmaking ability that LeBron has is what makes him such a special player. Even when he isn't scoring he can still dominate a game through his defense and playmaking and I don't ever see Durant having that same kind of impact, or at least on the same level as LeBron.

 

I think that Durant definitely has the potential to be the clear cut best scorer between the two, but as an all around player I don't see him ever being the force that LeBron is. That is no slight on Durant at all because I think he will definitely be the 2nd best player in the league for the duration of LeBron's prime, it is just how good LeBron is. He will basically be what LeBron was to Kobe for the early parts of his career and eventually surpass him when LeBron's game falls off a bit.

 

Even if Durant matches LeBron, I don't see him ever leaving OKC, or at least not while he is in his prime, so unless OKC is able to lure another superstar I don't see how the Thunder will be good enough to stop the Heat from becoming a dynasty. They may win a championship during this time period, that is certainly feasible, but I don't see them eliminating the possibility of a dynasty.

[Legacy]

Based off what I've seen so far, I don't know if there is a team right now that can beat them in a 7 game series. Dallas might come close, but I don't think even they can take out the Heat. LeBron and Wade have destroyed anyone in their path.

[Check my Stats]

Durant is quickly becoming overrated?

 

Can someone name one thing he does better than LeBron? The only thing you could say is scoring, but that's only because LeBron chooses to distribute more. LeBron can still score 100 more ways than Durant.

 

I'm officially sick.

 

He has been overrated since last year when people said he should have been MVP, which was hilarious.

[kingfish]

Nahh. This man will have something to say about it

 

http://www.onlineusanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Basketball-Player-Kevin-Durant.jpg

 

and this man

 

http://www.nba.com/media/knicks/westbrookuclaheadshotin.jpg

[Newman]

As much as I hate to admit, yes. You look at this game and you look at other games when the Big 3, or even just 2 of the big 3 at times, have good games, they are just unstoppable.

[Flash]

Man I can only hope you guys are right, and if you are then crown Pat Riley as the GOAT whatever you want to crown him as. But just wow. Appreciate all the respect you guys are giving us right now but I'll wait until we win something before I crown us a potential dynasty. I do believe that LBJ is easily the best player in the world and it won't be even remotely close for a very long time.

[Real Deal]

There's no reason to apologize to Kobe and Laker fans. I'm sure some actually care, but still.

 

As far as a dynasty goes, I'm not going to go that far yet. I don't want it to happen, and I'll admit that, because LeBron is a jackass. I will always give credit where credit is due, as far as his game goes, and I also proved where I was saying how good the Heat can be back on TLN (among tons of Lakers fans, where you shouldn't say anything like that).

 

I'll say this much, to just close the personal agenda I have with the Heat: it's more about LeBron. If this were Durant, Wade and Bosh (even though I don't like Bosh), I wouldn't have a problem with them winning, and I would've been rooting against the green in this series, like I always used to. But, LeBron makes me sick to my stomach, once my second favorite player is now one of my most hated (I actually like Shaq more).

 

It has absolutely nothing to do with him catching Kobe, or doing anything of the sort. I never have that problem with players, past or present. I love MJ. Many Kobe fans don't, and vice-versa. Durant is awesome. I like Griffin, even though he's a Clipper.

 

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I think the Bulls present a problem bigger than the Celtics do. Chicago can run with the Heat. Garnett, Pierce, Allen...three guys all having to defend much younger superstars and all-stars (sorry Bosh)...it's a difficult task, and when you lose a massive contributor on the defensive end (gave the numbers already, Perkins did as much as Garnett when one or the other was out of the games), you can't rely on help as much, which is what the older players have to do.

 

If Memphis gets into the Finals, which would be astounding, I think they could give the Heat trouble (assuming they get there).

 

Dallas finally has a defensive anchor, but I don't have a clue who they will use to stop Wade. Marion can do whatever against LeBron, but the Matrix isn't who he was back in his younger days in Phoenix, so that series would become a shoot-out.

 

The Thunder have the goods.

 

However, all of this is concerning the current season only. A dynasty could also depend on the new CBA, which I don't think many are going to consider right now. If the league turns to a hard cap, you may not see a dynasty, anywhere, for a long, long time.

[Dash]

Durant will never be the playmaker that LeBron is, nor do I ever think he will be the same type of all around defender that LeBron is. He may develop into a comparable man to man defender due to his length and quickness at his size, but I don't ever see him being the same kind of monster when it comes to help defense.

 

It was clear the moment that they both set foot in the league that they would both become exceptional scorers, good to great rebounders due to physical gifts (LeBron's freakish strength and athleticism and Durant's length at the 3) and would be franchise changing players, but Durant has never shown anything remotely close to the playmaking skills that LeBron has, and the playmaking ability that LeBron has is what makes him such a special player. Even when he isn't scoring he can still dominate a game through his defense and playmaking and I don't ever see Durant having that same kind of impact, or at least on the same level as LeBron.

 

I think that Durant definitely has the potential to be the clear cut best scorer between the two, but as an all around player I don't see him ever being the force that LeBron is. That is no slight on Durant at all because I think he will definitely be the 2nd best player in the league for the duration of LeBron's prime, it is just how good LeBron is. He will basically be what LeBron was to Kobe for the early parts of his career and eventually surpass him when LeBron's game falls off a bit.

 

Even if Durant matches LeBron, I don't see him ever leaving OKC, or at least not while he is in his prime, so unless OKC is able to lure another superstar I don't see how the Thunder will be good enough to stop the Heat from becoming a dynasty. They may win a championship during this time period, that is certainly feasible, but I don't see them eliminating the possibility of a dynasty.

 

Lebron will always be the better all-around player than Durant (maybe even the best of all-time) but that doesn't automatically mean he'll be the better overall player. I.E. Iguodala might be the 2nd best all-around player in the league and I don't think he's even a top 15 player. It depends largely on how Durant excels as a scorer in his prime and if he can develop a defensive game, which I think he definitely can especially with the defenders on his squad already.

 

Anyways that is my 2 cents. FWIW I have found myself to be defending Lebron quite a lot this season and I do agree that Durant has been overrated like crap this year too (don't think he's a top 5-8 player just yet).

[Multi-Billionaire]

I know this, KMart is certainly leaving Denver to join title contenders at veteran minimum. Team he'll most likely sign with is whoever wins the championship this year... or if that team is stacked at PF, he will try to sign with the runner up.

 

Heat can really use KMart. Barring no injuries, KMart has about 1-2 really productive years left in him.

 

Or if Dallas reaches Finals, he can always sign there, since it's his hometown.

 

---

 

And if Nene (opting out this summer) somehow agrees to sign with Heat for full MLE, it's over. It's unlikely, but I wouldn't rule it out with Nene, he's all about winning.

[Flash]

I know this, KMart is certainly leaving Denver to join title contenders at veteran minimum. Team he'll most likely sign with is whoever wins the championship this year... or if that team is stacked at PF, he will try to sign with the runner up.

 

Heat can really use KMart. Barring no injuries, KMart has about 1-2 really productive years left in him.

 

Or if Dallas reaches Finals, he can always sign there, since it's his hometown.

 

---

 

And if Nene (opting out this summer) somehow agrees to sign with Heat for full MLE, it's over. It's unlikely, but I wouldn't rule it out with Nene, he's all about winning.

 

I doubt we take a look at Kenyon because we're pretty set with Bosh and UD at the 4. But if he's willing to play some minutes at C? Then by all means come in for the minimum.

 

I have a good feeling on Nene, especially if we do win it all this year. That would be just flat out scary.

[Dash]

I doubt we take a look at Kenyon because we're pretty set with Bosh and UD at the 4. But if he's willing to play some minutes at C? Then by all means come in for the minimum.

 

I have a good feeling on Nene, especially if we do win it all this year. That would be just flat out scary.

 

You guys are the favorites right now for Nene along with Denver because they can dish out the most cash. Only way he turns down Miami is if he wants more than just the MLE, he's easily worth more than it but I think there is a decent chance he accepts it since he already got his big payday.