Playoffs thread

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Bloop, While I generally fall into your camp as it relates to Durant and Golden State, let me clear up one of your prior statements. Jordan and Stern did not save the NBA. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird did, with an assist from Julius Erving. Jordan then took the torch from those guys.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Bloop, While I generally fall into your camp as it relates to Durant and Golden State, let me clear up one of your prior statements. Jordan and Stern did not save the NBA. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird did, with an assist from Julius Erving. Jordan then took the torch from those guys.

I missed that.

The NBA Finals were on tape delay prior to the Magic vs. Bird rivalry.

[thedoper]

Bloop, While I generally fall into your camp as it relates to Durant and Golden State, let me clear up one of your prior statements. Jordan and Stern did not save the NBA. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird did, with an assist from Julius Erving. Jordan then took the torch from those guys.

Even though the examples aren't the same. GS is bringing up feelings I had in the 90s finals. I remember asking myself I was even watching when it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Bulls were going to win. That feeling is coming back, I just wish I saw a little more heart from Cleveland in this final. Abe is right that we shouldn't be lamenting yet, but it does similar similar to the 90s,

[BloopOracle]

Bloop, While I generally fall into your camp as it relates to Durant and Golden State, let me clear up one of your prior statements. Jordan and Stern did not save the NBA. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird did, with an assist from Julius Erving. Jordan then took the torch from those guys.

yep may bad, I saw the tape delayed finals in 1982 end and mistakenly thought Stern was Commish in 1980, but he was just the Vice. Who gets credit for shooing away the cocaine craze though?



Only Chris Paul can save us now

[thedoper]

Bloop, While I generally fall into your camp as it relates to Durant and Golden State, let me clear up one of your prior statements. Jordan and Stern did not save the NBA. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird did, with an assist from Julius Erving. Jordan then took the torch from those guys.

yep may bad, I saw the tape delayed finals in 1982 end and mistakenly thought Stern was Commish in 1980, but he was just the Vice. Who gets credit for shooing away the cocaine craze though?



Only Chris Paul can save us now

The cocaine craze is gone? I must have missed that. I slept in too late because I was out partying last night.

[kekgeek]

Ok I think the Warriors are going to sweep or win in 5 but last year the Warriors blew out the cavs in the first 2 games.

And won the series

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Bloop, While I generally fall into your camp as it relates to Durant and Golden State, let me clear up one of your prior statements. Jordan and Stern did not save the NBA. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird did, with an assist from Julius Erving. Jordan then took the torch from those guys.

yep may bad, I saw the tape delayed finals in 1982 end and mistakenly thought Stern was Commish in 1980, but he was just the Vice. Who gets credit for shooing away the cocaine craze though?



Only Chris Paul can save us now

Bloop, The cocaine craze diminished as Stern introduced drug testing and guys started dying (e.g. Len Bias).

But Bird and Magic took over a league that was largely seen as somewhat selfish and "me-first" oriented and turned it back into more of a team-oriented sport. Obviously the prominence of their NCAA Finals matchup spilled over to the NBA as well.

[Coolbreeze44]

Bloop, While I generally fall into your camp as it relates to Durant and Golden State, let me clear up one of your prior statements. Jordan and Stern did not save the NBA. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird did, with an assist from Julius Erving. Jordan then took the torch from those guys.

yep may bad, I saw the tape delayed finals in 1982 end and mistakenly thought Stern was Commish in 1980, but he was just the Vice. Who gets credit for shooing away the cocaine craze though?



Only Chris Paul can save us now

Bloop, The cocaine craze diminished as Stern introduced drug testing and guys started dying (e.g. Len Bias).

But Bird and Magic took over a league that was largely seen as somewhat selfish and "me-first" oriented and turned it back into more of a team-oriented sport. Obviously the prominence of their NCAA Finals matchup spilled over to the NBA as well.

You mean "me first" like when Magic got his head coach (Paul Westhead) fired? If you ask me Magic and Bird were just the beginning of the me-first athletes. Magic never committed a foul, and ALWAYS got fouled (according to him). The big market teams dominated because the league wanted them to. It brought in the casual fan and allowed the league to grow exponentially. But in my opinion the Magic / Bird era wasn't all good. If I was a Laker, Celtic, or 6ers fan I would have liked it. But I wasn't. I was a diehard fan of a small market franchise (Milwaukee), and looking back I realize it was just a waste of time and money. The league was more show than competition. I'll never deny the 80's built the league into what it is today in terms of popularity. But in my opinion that came at a huge price. In the past 37 years here are the teams who have won an NBA championship:

1) Lakers
2) Celtics
3) 76ers
4) Bulls
5) Pistons
6) Rockets
7) Spurs
8) Heat
9) Mavericks
10) Warriors
11) Cavaliers

Only 11 franchises in 37 years. And let's be honest, only San Antonio and Cleveland would be considered smaller market teams. And 4 of those teams have won in the last 10 years in an era where the league can make money no matter who wins. Competitive imbalance is nothing new for the NBA. I've learned to accept it.

[Coolbreeze44]

During that same time frame 16 NHL franchises, 16 NFL franchises, and 21 MLB franchises have won titles. But then again, I understand why the WWE is more popular than pro boxing too.

[Lipoli390]

Bloop, While I generally fall into your camp as it relates to Durant and Golden State, let me clear up one of your prior statements. Jordan and Stern did not save the NBA. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird did, with an assist from Julius Erving. Jordan then took the torch from those guys.

Even though the examples aren't the same. GS is bringing up feelings I had in the 90s finals. I remember asking myself I was even watching when it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Bulls were going to win. That feeling is coming back, I just wish I saw a little more heart from Cleveland in this final. Abe is right that we shouldn't be lamenting yet, but it does similar similar to the 90s,

Doper -- I grew up in Chicago and was a Bulls fan. I never thought the Bulls were sure-fire champion in any of the Jordan years. The Bulls always had tough challengers, including initially the Pistons with I. Thomas, Lambeer, Dumars, etc. After that it was Jazz with Stockton and Malone, the Suns with Barkley, Marley and KJ, the Rockets with Hakeem and Drexler, and the Knicks with Ewing, Starks, etc. The Cavs and Hawks were also very good teams eight elite players. Yes, the Bulls were the team to beat those years after knocking off the Pistons on route to their first championship, but it was nothing like the current Warriors with Durant who have no viable challengers who could realistically stop them from winning a championship.