This is a great finals...

[Knicks411]

I've always believed if Cleveland had pulled the trigger on that Stoudemire trade that the Cavs would have won a title that season.

I can't believe they didn't. I mean, I guess in retrospect it didn't work out too badly (though maybe they don't re-sign him), but he was really good that season

 

[OrangeDW]

Shaq was still decent in Cleveland; he could only play 23 minutes a game, probably mostly cause of how fat he was. Definitely not as good as the year before, but he was also a 37 year old fat center, the guy was bound to collapse at some point.

I think you're off a little on Jamison. He was traded in the 2009-2010 season. In 2008-2009 he averaged the 21/9 you mentioned. Before the trade, with Washington, he averaged 19/8 on 45% shooting. After the trade, with Cleveland, he averaged 18/9 on 48.5% shooting. Wouldn't exactly call that falling off a cliff. Just about the same, really.

Hughes did see his game fall off pretty significantly, at an age where you wouldn't expect that to happen.

I think you're looking at it wrong. 20.5 ppg before the trade, 15.8 after. Though it wasn't until the next season where his FG % went way down.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jamisan01.html

 

[OrangeDW]

You're naming some great players in Zo, Mash, Glen Rice and Hardaway. Not to mention a Cuse favorite in Sherm. I'm guessing there are a few that go that far back.

Maybe, but I'm very skeptical. In my life, I've known ONE Miami Heat fan(a huge Zo fan). I don't acknowledge all of the ones who jumped on board when Lebron went there. Awful. Those type of fans should just wear one of these ridiculous things and be done with it...

 

[Knicks411]

I think you're looking at it wrong. 20.5 ppg before the trade, 15.8 after. Though it wasn't until the next season where his FG % went way down.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jamisan01.html

Sorry, I was looking at the per 36 minute stats. He went from playing 39 minutes a game in Wash to 32 in Cleveland. That's why his per game averages fell. His shooting % actually went up. I would not call playing fewer minutes because you kinda play the same position as the best player in the league falling off a cliff. Like I said, his per minute numbers were pretty much the same, and his efficiency went up.

 

[moqui]

Congrats to Miami fans (I'm guessing Francis, Fireball Jr., Moqui, O'Sully, 44cuse) and others I missed.

I am not a Miami fan, but I am a Lebron fan. I'm just a basketball/NBA fan. I stated before the series began that the Spurs are probably the closest thing I have to a favorite NBA team, because I love the way the play.

 

[moqui]

As you say this is not my first rodeo either, and I had no dog in this fight, I just wanted to watch good basketball. I came away thinking the Spurs got all the 50/50 calls.

If you think the NBA was trying to manipulate a Miami win, I would really like to hear how they did that despite these hard numbers in free throws.

Game 7: Spurs +6 despite the fact that they were intentionally fouling at the end. In actual play it was +10.
Game 6: Spurs +7
Game 5: Spurs +3
Game 4: Spurs +14
Game 3: Spurs +9
Game 2: Even
Game 1: Spurs +1

yep . . . people throw the name "Donaghy" out there like it is some kind of trump card that automatically wins the hand. In most cases, they don't even appear to be aware of the details of Donaghy's allegations -which, as you note, were centered around the calling of fouls in order to benefit one team or another. The most efficient way to score in the NBA is free throw shooting, so putting a thumb on that scale is the easiest way to nudge the outcome. The fact that the Miami/San Antonio fouls went in the opposite direction of the supposed conspiracy puts a gaping hole in the argument.

or, put another way:

 

[Knicks411]

yep . . . people throw the name "Donaghy" out there like it is some kind of trump card that automatically wins the hand. In most cases, they don't even appear to be aware of the details of Donaghy's allegations -which, as you note, were centered around the calling of fouls in order to benefit one team or another.

Also, more often than not, though I could be wrong, I though he was betting more on the total, not the point spread, so he was more concerned with calling fouls bnecause he had the over on the total, and just wanted SOMEONE to score

 

[djcon57]

Also, more often than not, though I could be wrong, I though he was betting more on the total, not the point spread, so he was more concerned with calling fouls bnecause he had the over on the total, and just wanted SOMEONE to score

That was the case
The only time I believe there was specific game allegation (that I believed to be true) was that Kings/Lakers Game 6 which felt like obviously cheating was going on.

And no point in any series this year did I feel that. I just hate the flopping. That's not on the refs though