ESPN NBA Conversation

gt1master_ike

Wade needs to work on that post game this summer. The older Michael got the less pick and rolls he used to score. He became primarily a post up player to remain effective and save his legs.
335 Days ago

tommygtwo

Dirk won a championship where his team had only 1 All-Star - him. Name the last time that happened? Try. Go back as far as you like, you're going to find the main star had at least one other star player to carry the load when he's double-teamed. Not Dirk. Call him what you like, that achievement stands alone. Even if KD wins it all this year (Go OKC!!), he'll do it next to a top 20 player (Top 10?). If the Heat win, they do it with 3 All-Stars. Yikpee skippy. Big deal. The reason people love Dirk is that 1. he IS that good and 2. he's the rare champ who gives props to other great players.
339 Days ago

Groovnstar

At the end of the day, it is the players who played better games that won. No stars, 1 star, 2 stars, 7 stars, that doesn't justify anything at all because once you started talking about The Championship, you are already using a result-oriented point of view, a value that is defined by results. You said "a rare champ who gives props to other great players", that's just a very flawed claim. Many champs give respects to their finals opponents, it is just whether people wanna pay attention to what they say or if the media broadcast those interviews at all or not.
328 Days ago

gentrew1087

Hakeem olojuwon 94 rockets iris Thorpe kenny smith vernonmaxwell Robert horrible Sam cassell was good players but not all stars
328 Days ago

greg_77777

i'm not a dallas or dirk fan... but theres no question thats the worst supporting cast i've seen any star player win a championship with outside of wades 2006 heat with the shell of shaq&. okc is loaded&.. there are not 5 guys in the league right now that okc would trade westbrook for& and there arent 20 players theyd trade harden or ibaka for& okc is young and loaded& westbrook and durant are both spoiled to be on that team...
334 Days ago

Masterobog

3 stars or 1, A championship is a championship. Can talk all you want about whatever makes u sleep at night, but a ring is a ring.
338 Days ago

rwschaller83

Don't forget about Tyson Chandler on that team. Not a scoring all start but he was just as great on defense last year as Perkins or Ibaka is this year.
339 Days ago

tommygtwo

It was a well built team. But no one is doubling Terry or Barrea. That's where 2,3 star teams have the advantage. Tough to double Lebron when Wade can kill you for it. Can't double Durant if Westbrook is sitting there waiting for a kickout. Shaq in the middle makes life easier for Wade or Kobe. That's why it is so rare for a single star to carry a team to a title. On the Odom deal, 9 GMs out of 10 would have taken that deal. That failure is on Odom, not the Mavs.
339 Days ago

Big EL 42

All Star or not, that team was stacked.....Mavs may have been back if Cuban hadnt gambled the team on the Odom deal
339 Days ago

gudda5gaines

kd35>dirk>lebrownie
339 Days ago

OUgreat

Dirk the man....KD the rising MAN!...great characters.
340 Days ago

TheWoodman_99

Dirk is just telling the truth...as always. And for all the Dirk haters name how many other players have a better career than him: Champion NBA Finals MVP NBA Regular Season MVP 11 All-Star appearances Career playoff AVERAGE of 25+ ppg and 10+ rpg Hint: Its a VERY short list.
340 Days ago

DJ_Estasi

People need to slow their roll a little but here. Geez. I think the Thunder will win the series but let's not get carried away with one game. The same thing just happened for Christs sake in the last series. The Heat were well rested and played a Boston team in game one that had just come off a 7 game series and blew the doors off of them. Series wound up going 7. Heck, the Spurs dominated OKC the first two games and looked unstoppable. People need to relax. This happens all the time.
340 Days ago

chaneville

Dirk will end as possibly a top 10 scorer, 1 championship as the only all star on his team, and stayed loyal to one team. Hes a top - 20 player of all time, not his fault he played in the same conference as Duncan, Kobe, and Shaq all in their primes. If you watched last years playoffs i dont think anyone would call him "soft" but yes he also happens to be a grounded, nice person
340 Days ago

CanadaLakers

Lots of love for KD right now. A ring will kick his image into the stratosphere.
340 Days ago

fastbreak055

It's a shame that Dirk only gets 1/10 of the publicity as LeBron. One of the few guys in the NBA who hasn't forgotten how lucky he is to be living his dream.
340 Days ago

tpdspurs

You can always count on Dirk to give an honest, informative opinion about basketball. Class act on the court and class act behind the mike.
340 Days ago

NoriNY83

What other champion do you know that comes out and says "this kid is better than me"? This guy has so much class
340 Days ago

KBRabbani

that's not what he said exactly - unless you add "ten years ago" to the end of your quote
340 Days ago

adroppers7

The sky's the limit for Durant its going to be fun to watch his career progress.
340 Days ago

Jimmyjum

Dirk's stats are going to be great at the end of his career but his effect non statistically is what will be most long lasting. Best international ever, changed the way the game is played (7ft) , won a title as the sole all-star on his team and never leaving Dallas taking the easy way out after brutal defeats and blame on his shoulders.Only worked harder and got better with age.& did it all in the Western conference. But Dwayne wade is a baller because he won a title with the shaq bonus. Garnett is such a baller when he bailed to the celtics. & Lebron well..thats just
340 Days ago

sinastax

heres my prognosis...game2 okc108-heat105 http://dennismonroe.hubpages.com/_37q25i1um0ppa/hub/Tells-From-The-Script
340 Days ago

ag_man

Here's the thing, fans love a player that is a hard worker and a worker-holic. Jordan was great because he breathed and ate the game. Same for Kobe, as much as you hate Kobe you respect his work ethic. Dirk is the same way and now Kevin Durant. The reason why people hate Lebron is that it looks like everything came easy for him. Americans and people in general don't like that. They like a story where a guy succeeds after busting his butt to get there. Lebron was crowned from the jump. Maybe he works hard but you never hear stories of Lebron staying extra or the game means everything to him more than anything else. That's why Lebron is really wasted potential. Imagine if Lebron had Kobe and Jordan's drive, forget about it. It's over, rewrite the history books. Wilt Chamberlin had talent but no drive. It got him one ring. On the other hand Bill Russell with less talent has a heap of championships.
340 Days ago

BillyHandsomeface

Perfectly said. We love a blue collar player. Durant just seems to be one of those guys who doesn't look like he is moving that fast, but he is taking massive strides.
333 Days ago

amnesia1979

Russell had LESS talent? Are you kidding me? Those Celtics teams were super deep for most the period, quite a few All Stars and Hall of Famers.
339 Days ago

amnesia1979

From what I understand, LeBron works and plays a LOT during the offseason. The fact that he was "crowned" isn't his fault - ESPN did that to him. They showed all of his games, and put a guy in Akron to basically follow his every move. I've never seen the hate for him. And really it's all from that pep rally with the multiple title talk. People just need a villain...
339 Days ago

andyadontstop

very well said, ag_man
340 Days ago

bauer51003

ask any one who knew lebron pre-heat era and you will find a person that is obsessed with image. it was not reported by the shills in cleveland until after he left but anyone who came across him found out he was not the fun loving guy doing fake camera shots pre-game with his teammates. he was the the guy that tipped $20 on a $2000 bill. apparently he did not get the 1% memo....lol. that kinda person is not willing to really become a different person. post game? been working on it since 2003, how is it he doesn't use it?
340 Days ago

USAKnicksfan

Wilt only got 2 rings because before the Lakers his teams wasnt as strong as Russells.
340 Days ago

USAKnicksfan

I'm no LeBron fan but the dude is a gym rat and constantly works on his game. He has improved something every year he has been in the league. LeBrons work ethic seems fine.
340 Days ago

CBass1317

Look at LeBron physically. The guy can play 48 minutes a night, NEVER gets hurt, and has all the tools. You think that just comes by chillin and taking time off? The guy has not won a ring, of course, but people want to read so much into these personas they have just invented in their own heads. Stop just swallowing the popular story and think for yourself.
340 Days ago

USAKnicksfan

Well said CBass.
340 Days ago

adroppers7

completely agree with your thoughts. I think Lebron was so hyped so young that he got more into the business side of things rather than the work ethic it would take to live up to the expectations. Lebron's a great player, and seems like a decent guy considering the circumstances of his life, but I just don't see that killer instinct in him.
340 Days ago

andyadontstop

i agree with you... to me lebron seems more concerned about his brand and making money than winning a title... but considering his early life, that maybe the reason he is like that
340 Days ago

still ringless

Wilt had two championships.
340 Days ago