players win games...teams win championships

Spurs in 6

spurs to sweep.

Cavs in 6 with Lebron averaging 28PPG, 10apg and 7rpg

spurs will sweep

but i want LB23 to win it instead

sweep? lets not forget spurs didnt beat the cavs in the regular season. And we all know how Mavs v GS turned out...

But anyway, Spurs in 6. Maybe next year, Lebron.

I dont like the spurs.
Lock in Cavs (for all us who love a happy ending)

LBJ the first triple double average in Finals History!
35.6ppg 11.2rpg 10.4apg

Having just woken up, I would love to see the series go to 7 and not be a complete Spurs whitewash.

Spurs in 6

Spurs in 5 - Cavs supporting cast just too week

Parker to have a killer series

Spurs in 5

Cavs get a back slap for effort this year but have not a snowflakes chance in hell.

Lebron can dominate but it's the
supporting cast that will be the downfall.

I reckon Cavs in 7 with Tim Duncan out for 1 game injured, and Lebron MVP averaging 28 9 and 10.

i like your wishful thinking DB5

Wishfull or stupid skink ?

Even the virgins are on board the SPURS bandwagon.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-cheeringnuns&prov=ap&type=lgns

Unfortunately in the long run I think Spurs will win, like tmaqz03 said, individuals don't win championships, teams do.
Although saying that, the Cavs are paying $4.50 for the win, so it's worth a bet.

Spurs in 6

Must be stupid Greg Ritchie..

DB5 - Kyron said to say hello.

hi

Go the cavs
Spurs will win in 6

Jordan lead a very raw supporting cast past Magic and the exepreienced Lakers in 1991, if LeBron wants to be measured against MJ, he has to do the same.

For the Cavs to win, LeBron will have to average 30+ at least.

Spurs in 6

Lebron maybe could single-handedly win 1 game, 2 at most. It's impossible to do it all series against the spurs.

Plus, Bowen will knee him in the nuts or kick him in the calf. That'll slow him down a bit.

Saving that, Cheap shot Bob will come out and put him into the scorer's table. If that happens there won't be wussy pushing and shoving, Larry Hughes will pull out a gun and shoot somebody.

i dont get how u predict that a player will get injured db5...that makes no sense to me...this series will be an anti-climax...spurs in 5

The better question is who does David Stern want to win....





Head is telling me Spurs in 6, everything else is crossed that the Cavs get up in 7.

what do u mean the real question is who does david stern want to win?

Panther, why don't you just open your office window and throw your money outside.. it'll at least save you a trip to the TAB

jules - see last year. Stern didn't want Dallas to win, so they called that phantom foul/time out in i think game 4.

the whole NBA is conspiracy. Kobe not shooting in that last quarter game 7 06 finals v phoenix. Knicks getting that number 1 pick (Ewing) Boston and Memphis not getting the number 1 pick this year. Stern can affect this whole series by telling the officials how to call the game (either Lebrons way or Duncans way)

so the nba's corrupt..is that what ur trying to say? the league i follow so closely..and am so passionate about..is all rigged?

Just a little conspiracy theory I'm running with Jules where I feel Stern has a greater influence on the outcome of games and series than a commissioner should.

Some things to think about:


Knicks v Heat in 1997. Brawl between Ward and PJ Brown started. Ewing, LJ, Starks and H20 were on the bench, stood up and slightly moved towards the melee, but never got envolved or even close. Next thing all the Knicks starters are suspended, they go on to lose the series. Instead of suspending all the players in one game, the suspensions are spread over two games (Ewing/H20 and LJ/Starks).

Same story in the recent Spurs/Suns series. Won't go into that one, refer to all the other threads, but Stern couldn't have his lovechild lose.

Ever wonder about the refs. People tell me that NBA refs are elite, best of the best, but sometimes you watch a game and wonder how the hell they stay employed. Everybody makes mistakes and bad calls, but not to the degree that same games are called. Horrible officiating doesn't cover it when all three refs are as bad as each other.

1985 NBA lottery.... watch youtube.

To a degree even the current lottery has some questions which need answering. If it's sooo legit then why are the ping pong balls drawn behind closed doors. Sure there is an independent witness, but independence can be bought. Surely they could do that on TV. Mind you, the recent draft has made me rethink this one. Portland and Seattle one-two when larger markets (Boston) miss out.

Do you realise that since 1980, only three NBA Finals have not involved the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, Houston Rockets or Los Angeles Lakers. This years is the third. All large markets.....

Also only seven NBA Finals since 1980 have not involved Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan or Shaquille O'Neal. All money/rating pulling people.

Do we have to talk about last years Finals where all Wade had to do was be inside the three point arc on the offensive end and he's heading to the line. Similar to MJ for all those years (he got many 'star' calls).

During a 2005 playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy was fined a record amount for a coach, $100,000, for asserting that he had a source within the league who informed him that the referees were being instructed to call more fouls on Yao Ming, due to protests by Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.

Remember Game 6 of the 2002 Lakers v Kings. Actually remember the whole series, the Kings got absolutely JOBBED by the refs. NO team deserves to goto the charity stripe 27, yes 27 times in a quarter let alone the fourth.

More games played in a series equals more money for the NBA and television companies. A CBS TV executive was quoted saying

"Ratings are a factor, but the 'conspiracy theory' misses the whole point. It has nothing to do with a great matchup, it has to do with the total number of games. NBC would trade a great matchup that's a sweep in a flash for a bad match up that goes seven games"..... Hmmm interesting....

As I said above, I think Stern has a little more control over events than he's letting on. Any evidence, hell no, but sometimes things just don't sit right.

"Also only seven NBA Finals since 1980 have not involved Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan or Shaquille O'Neal. All money/rating pulling people."

u just mentioned arguably the three best players to ever play the game...that might have something to do with that...shaq isnt far off either

the getting off the bench rule is a set in stone rule...u do it..and ur out...regardless who and what situation...i dont agree with it...but it is actually written...so stern isnt going to go...ok ...to avoid questions being asked about the nba im not going to suspend them..wouldnt that be a bit more suss.

and reffing is a tough business...not every time a ref has a bad game do u question whether or not they are involved in something else...

and why cant the spurs just be a great team? sterns 'lovechilds' i think u refered to them as is a load of crap...explain to me why they are sterns love childs? i dont get that one bit - they are just a classy team with outstanding individual talent who win because of that...dont really understand that...

and theres gonna be lots of examples where teams go to the line more...or get fouled more...that happens in games...and when every team has to play 82 in a season..its gonna happen even more - the officiating isnt always going to be 50-50...and accurate...doesnt mean we point the finger and start saying that the refs are being influenced...

and does that mean ur saying stern wants the spurs to win? i want to know why that is to...does he root for them or are u saying its better for business...?? coz the nba is a large enough business as it is...the spurs winning isnt going improve it..i think a new team with the face of the nba would be more of an attraction ...one city wants cleveland to win, one city wnats san antonio to win...the rest are all split down the middle...thats all there is to that...

ur conspiracy theories..and conspiracy theories in general are all ridiculous...till u give me some actual proof im going to continue thinking that

is that you howard?

haha got my sterns mixed up

Four players in 27 years.... I find it interesting.

Bench clearing rule wasn't around in 1997.

When you get off Sterns lap actually watch Game 6 of the 2002 Lakers V Kings. Watch the last quarter. Kobe pops Bibby in the head with his elbow, draws blood from Bibby and Bibby is slugged with the foul... Webber, hell, just watch the tape. Even the commentators state that something isn't right.

Can you explain why Bowen hasn't been suspended for his shoddy dealings over the years??? Hell, look at the bullshit he pulled during the Suns series.

Watch last years Finals, especially that time-out call involving Howard. Watch the bogus calls that go in Wade's favour.

Are you calling Jeff Van Gundy a liar????? He said a source inside the League Office told him something. He ain't going to lie. Why would the league fine him $100,000????

27 free throws in 12 minutes.... watch the tape.... teams average around 27 free throws the whole game, not in 1 quarter.

It simple things, star players get star calls, rookie players get rookie calls. Everyone admits it.

Keep living with your perfect NBA.... I'm more of a NBA fan than a NBL fan, but as I said, sometimes things just don't add up.

yeah...i will keep living with my nba because thats the way i enjoy it as a fan...i could care less what u say about it and its "theories" and "corruption"

How bout this one :

Paul Allen and his Trailblazers land the no 1 pick and Greg Oden and gain control of the North West with .....

Seattle / NOW Oklahoma City somehow getting the no 2 pick in Durant as a marquee player to build hype around in their new venture .

WIN , WIN , WIN for all

The odds were 0.000682280 occurring that Portland (1), Seattle (2) and Atlanta (3) end up with the pick they got.

Interesting the days before the draft Stern talking about his displeasure of teams tanking. Surprisingly the biggest tankers towards the end (Bucks, Boston and Memphis) all came away with the worst possible result but had the best possible chances.

TR - some things are just coincidence. stop being so negative and sceptical..your comments just exemplify someone with too much time on their hands and wanting to find something wrong with anything

I don't see how any of this is negative. It's my simple opinion, don't like it, don't read it. I get paid to ask questions, it's my right ask questions. If I don't question events, people etc etc then I'm not doing my job properly and living with my head in the sand.

All these events took place, and better people than I have asked the same questions I'm referring to above.

If you have answers for the above questions please feel free to answer them as I'd like to hear them.

TR is the answer Tonga?

Tonga..... WTF.......

Too quick for me Kent, must be those sharp journalism skills.