Can LeBron James and the Cavs Get it Right in Time for the NBA Finals?

At 3-3, the newly superstar-clad Cleveland Cavaliers have hardly been the inspiring force that fans expected upon LeBron James’ arrival.  Not entirely surprising, the trio of James, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving haven’t quite clicked so far this season; something quite common for a team just getting used to playing with one another.  With a record at .500, they’ve been considerably average.  While there is certainly a great deal of time to go before the NBA Playoffs for them to get this right, if the team continues to struggle they may miss out on the postseason entirely, let alone contend for the NBA title.

Further adding to the problems have been the rumblings bubbling under the surface.  Rumor has it that Love may opt out of his contract at the end of the season and push a move to the Los Angeles Lakers.  While it seems strange that he would want to leave so soon, based on the lackluster start to the season there certainly could be a disharmony amongst the key new arrivals.  Especially given his former star status with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he may struggle in the shadows of the team’s favored child, LeBron.

Meanwhile, an apparent heated chat between James and Irving could have led to a further trouble within the locker room.  Following a loss in which Irving failed to notch a single assist, the episode raised skepticism about whether the team will ever truly click like the championship-winning Miami Heat did for James.

As far as I can tell, this is far too early to tell if the Cavs will be contending for the title.  Possibly more than any other sport, basketball players must truly play with one another for an extended period of time before they reach their full potential as a team.  Given the talent alone of these three star players, a failure to start winning games with consistency would be a complete failure.  Also, one must understand that these guys are professionals.  They’ve played basketball for their whole lives and certainly know how to work well with others.  Constructing a championship caliber team simply takes time.

But what about the Cavs’ title hopes this season?  LeBron James certainly is capable of taking any team far, but a complete team cohesiveness is needed to win titles.  Evidence of the fact can be shown in the Heat’s Finals loss in James’ first season in Miami, as well as the San Antonio Spurs’ team effort to win the championship this past season.

The big question will be as to whether the stars of the Cavaliers can grow together in this year and compete for the title.  Fortunately, the generally weakened Eastern Conference should provide an easy route to the NBA Finals for them, but the Western Conference champion will likely prove to be very competitive amongst the likes of the Spurs, Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets.  It’s never easy to win in the NBA, even with LeBron James, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving!  Chances are that the early struggles will continue for the better part of the season and that the Cavs will probably not win a title this year.  However, as the players grow (considering Irving and Love stick around!), Cleveland should expect to earn an NBA title in the coming years ahead!

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NBA Season Preview: It’s All About LeBron James

 As the NBA returns to competitive action, fans will be thrilled to see their basketball heroes return to the court and compete for the brilliance that only an NBA Championship can bring.  Although LeBron James and the Miami Heat are the undisputed kings of basketball after consecutive NBA titles, a series of returning stars should make the three-peat a very difficult proposition.  Here are the 5 NBA teams worth watching in the upcoming season:

1.  Chicago Bulls – Fans have been eagerly anticipating the return of Derrick Rose for months.  Just as he was reaching his peak abilities in 2012, Rose tore his ACL and has been out of action ever since.   Nevertheless, the Rose-less Bulls managed to make the NBA playoffs last season and won a series before being eliminated by the eventual champions Heat.  All eyes will be on Rose as he returns.  His play is simply incredible and he can take over games.  With a team that has proven itself in his absence, the Bulls can take on anyone, including LeBron James.

2.  Oklahoma City Thunder – After winning the Western Conference top seed last season, the Thunder’s hopes were derailed when Russell Westbrook was injured in the playoffs.  Superstar Kevin Durant wasn’t able to do it all on his lonesome, and it was really a shame.  With Westbrook back in the fold, this team should once again be contenders.  They should win a lot of games and hopefully make a serious run at the title.  Remember, Westbrook and Durant are still just 24 and 25 respectively.  They can get even better!

3.  Houston Rockets – With Dwight Howard in the mix, this team can be a dynamic force in the NBA.  Teaming up with James Harden and Jeremy Lin, the Rockets may be the surprise team in the league.  They have had excellent 3-point shooting, but now with a serious force in the middle, their offence will be dominant!  Howard will have learned some humility over his Los Angeles Lakers fiasco last season, and he should come in with a chip on his shoulder and a more hardworking team-oriented effort.  I foresee this as a great opportunity for Houston, and if they face the Lakers in the playoffs, we could be in for one enormous treat!

4.  Los Angeles Lakers – The hopes of this team fall squarely on Kobe Bryant’s ability to rebound from his injury.  With veteran players Steve Nash and Pau Gasol in support, the Lakers can beat anyone, as long as Kobe is healthy and producing.  This team could struggle early as he tries to regain his groove, but I think things will pick up later in the season.  Last season was built on title hopes but ended in disaster.  I think that experience will bring the team together and lead to greatness.  Is a title in their future, I still doubt it.

5.  Miami Heat – The reigning kings of the NBA have every reason to believe they’ll win it all again.  We all know about LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade, and about how great they are, and about how much they love each other, and frankly, it’s getting old.  But such is the way of competitive sports.  Until someone beats this team, they’ll be all smiles and fun up all the way to another championship.  But if there’s one reason for hope it’s this:  every major contender last season took on a terrible injury that ruined their season; Kobe in Los Angeles, Westbrook for the Thunder, and Rose’s absence all season for the Bulls.  The Heat had it easy last year and may grow complacent from their simple march to the title.  If another great team can avoid injury in next year’s playoffs the Heat just might be truly challenged for the NBA title.  Until then, be sure to watch the Heat this year because it will surely be professional basketball at its absolute finest!

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The 5 Top Contenders for the 2014 NBA Title

Yes, this is an extremely premature prediction regarding the potential title contenders for next year’s NBA title, but with the 2013 NBA Finals having just wrapped up and with the NBA Free Agency Period having just begun this month, why not speculate ahead as to which teams will be competing for the ultimate prize in basketball? Here are 5 teams I expect to be right in the thick of the action 10 months from now:

5. Houston Rockets – By accumulating superstar center Dwight Howard from the Los Angeles Lakers last week and by bringing in shooting guard James Harden last season, the Rockets have two star players, which is often what it takes to gain an NBA Championship. Harden is still just 23, but had his best season last year, averaging over 25 points per game. Another factor in the Rockets’ favor is their point-guard Jeremy Lin. Although he has yet to match the kind of play that brought about “Linsanity” in New York, Lin has shown moment of brilliant play and is also still developing at age 24. Although they may be too young to claim an NBA title next season, if this team develops well together, the sky is the limit down the road with a center like Howard!

 

4. Los Angeles Lakers – The team is currently in shambles having lost their prized free agent, Dwight Howard, who deserted the team after a disastrous first season. Injuries derailed the Lakers’ title hopes last year as Steve Nash missed time and Kobe Bryant was injured before the NBA Playoffs. Now in the dumps, there are two paths that the Lakers can take. They can collapse and come out terribly next year. Or, they can come out firing and re-conquer the Western Conference. I suspect the latter, considering the team still has Bryant and Nash. Although they are aging, I think the entire focus around Howard hampered the cohesiveness of this team last year, and I think that without that distraction, the Lakers will have a chance to contend with veteran maturity.

 

3. Los Angeles Clippers – With Blake Griffin and Chris Paul last season, the Clippers were one of the strongest teams in the NBA. Both players are young and extremely talented, bringing hope to the “other” team in LA. Now they have Doc Rivers as manager, and that makes the Clippers contenders for the 2014 NBA Championship. Rivers worked magic with the Boston Celtics and helped the team come together to win the 2008 NBA Championship. I expect him to get the best out of this team and help them contend for a title.

 

2. Oklahoma City Thunder – Kevin Durant’s hopes of avenging the 2012 NBA Finals loss were dashed in the NBA Playoffs when star teammate Russell Westbrook went down with an injury. Proving that no single NBA player can do it on his own, Durant wasn’t able to lead his team past the second round of the playoffs. However, with both players in the lineup, the Thunder was the strongest team in the Western Conference. With both players healthy and maturing well, this team should be in contention for the 2014 NBA Championship.

 

1. Miami Heat – Unfortunately for the teams listed above, the 2-time reigning NBA Champions are simply too strong for anyone other than the Heat to really challenge for an NBA Championship. LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh make up by far the NBA’s strongest team, and all three players are well within their prime years. Additionally, all the fun has inspired other talented players like Ray Allen and Chris Andersen to come to South Beach and join the party. It makes for the deepest team in the league, and although once contracts expire in 2015, the future of the Heat’s “Big Three” will be in question, for the short term there is really only one team that anyone should expect to win the 2014 NBA Championship: The Miami Heat.

 

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San Antonio Spurs Sweep their Way to the NBA Finals

San Antonio Spurs Signature Court

The San Antonio Spurs have a perfect record in the NBA Finals, winning all 4 of the championships they have reached. Since 1999, the Spurs have been a true force in the NBA, and currently have a roster built around proven success. Having just swept the Memphis Grizzlies to earn a spot in this year’s NBA Finals, will the Spurs continue this impressive run, or will LeBron James and the Miami Heat prove too strong an opponent in the NBA Finals?

 

The majority of NBA fans will surely support the Spurs, and will wish to see King James dethroned. The Heat has built seemingly too strong a team around James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. Their team would enter dynasty phase of they can win their second consecutive NBA title. The rest of the league has struggled to assemble a worthy competitor. The Los Angeles Lakers attempted the feat by joining together Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, and Steve Nash but they never managed to live up to the hype as a worthy challenger to the Heat.

 

The Spurs on the other hand have already been assembled for a decade and are a finely tuned team that has proved to be capable of winning NBA titles with great success. Center Tim Duncan is an absolute force and has done it all. Point Guard Tony Parker showed in the Western Conference Finals that he can still take over a game, while shooting guard Manu Ginobili makes the big plays when the team needs him. This combination is deadly and has won multiple championships, becoming an NBA dynasty themselves in the mid 2000’s.

 

The one thing that makes this an intriguing matchup is the Spurs’ ages. Duncan is 37, Ginobili is 35, and Tony Parker isn’t exactly a spring chicken at 31. This could be the group’s last legitimate shot at a final NBA championship and they seem determined to earn it this year. Regardless of whether they complete the job, they will certainly be worthy competitors against the Heat.

 

Going in their favor is the fact that by sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies, the Spurs will have over a full week to rest and prepare for the NBA Finals. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat has already given a game to the Indiana Pacers. Although likely to win the series, the Heat could be exhausted if the Pacers can win another game or two in the Easter Conference Finals.

 

Although the Heat’s stars are much younger than the Spurs’, the Spurs will have the edge in rest and veteran maturity. Although the recent Heat success has seen them evolve into championship caliber leaders as well, the Spurs will have the extra edge in the fact that this could be their last real shot at a final championship.

 

It all sets up for a fantastic NBA Finals that will begin in just over a week. Perhaps there could be a Pacers assault that would stun the basketball world, but my hunch is that the Miami Heat will be in the NBA Finals and ready to win. However, this Spurs team has proven time and time again that they are title winners, and I suspect that they could push the Heat to 7 games, and perhaps even snatch the NBA Finals title one last time!

 

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Will the NBA Playoffs See Anyone Challenge Miami Heat?

With the NBA pundits crying foul over the fact that LeBron James wasn’t unanimously declared the league’s MVP (he missed out on just a single vote), and with the Miami Heat holding the NBA’s best record by a wide margin, is there any hope at all for the teams that wish to make a legitimate challenge on the superstar basketball team from Miami?

 

Based on recent events though, it seems the Chicago Bulls may just be the team to give the Heat a real fight. Having pulled off a dramatic game 1 victory, the Bulls have shown themselves to be capable without having their impressive star Derrick Rose in the lineup. Nate Robinson drained 27 points, scored several important 3-point shots, and basically dominated the game in the last 2 minutes. However, the NBA playoffs engage in 7 game series to ensure that the best team wins, and barring a miraculous run by the Bulls, I would still put my money on the Heat romping back to the Eastern Conference Finals and beyond.

 

One of the things that has made the path for the Heat so encouraging is the fact that so many key players on major teams have been injured. We already saw the demise of the Los Angeles Lakers when Kobe Bryant had to sit out the end of the year. Additionally, the Los Angeles Clippers suffered an injury to Blake Griffin that saw their impressive Pacific Division victory result in the team crashing out in round 1 of the NBA Playoffs.

 

Further injuries have hampered the teams still in the chase. The Oklahoma City Thunder had already absorbed the loss of James Harden this offseason, but recently saw Russell Westbrook go down with a knee injury. The point guard has been instrumental to the Thunder’s success, and now the team’s hopes lie solely on the play of Kevin Durant. Durant is a true star player, but as everyone knows in the NBA, even Michael Jordan needed Scottie Pippen to reach his full potential. Though, if Durant could propel the Thunder to a NBA Championship, the feat could be the mark of a true legend. There is a long way to go, and a potential NBA Finals rematch with the Heat would be extremely tough now without 2 of the 3 crucial players in last year’s Thunder run.

 

Perhaps the team that people should predict in the NBA Finals as a challenger to the Heat is the San Antonio Spurs. Having won several championships in the mid 2000’s, the team still has most of those stars in the lineup and have won their division for 3 straight years. Although their playoff play hasn’t been as great recently, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginobili could use their experience to present a serious challenge to the Heat.

 

Regardless of their opening round loss to the Bulls, I do feel that this year will be another victorious march for LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and co. The Heat is by far the most talented team in the league, and they are playing with real pride and passion. Although sports fans do love an exciting upset story, I find it real hard to visualize any team pushing the Heat to the brink this year.

 

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Five Reasons Kobe Bryant Is Better Than Lebron James

First and foremost, Kobe Bryant has a much more polished and refined game. He can score on you offensively innearly every way possible and do it consistently. This is something Lebron James has yet to show, especially from the outside. James has the ability to bully his way to the rimand that's what makes him most difficult to defend. Kobe Bryant can beat you off the dribble, shoot from anywhere onthe floor. He can take his defender in the post. Kobe Bryant simply has one of the greatest offensive games ever.

Secondly, Kobe Bryant is by far the more clutch player.When the game is on the line there is no other player inthe league I'd want taking that last shot for my team towin or tie the game. Bryant already this season has 5 game winning shots. He has ice water in his veins andabsolutely lives for those sorts of moments. While Lebron has made some game winners of his own over the course of his career, Kobe Bryant has done it with far more regularity.
 

Third, Kobe Bryant is the better defender. He is one ofthe top perimeter defenders in the league and is willing to take on the opposing teams best perimeter player. Kobe Bryant over the course of his career has shut down some ofthe best perimeter scorers while torching them on the otherend. While Lebron has made a name for himself with hischase down blocks, his man defense is still very shaky.

The fourth reason Kobe Bryant is a better player than Lebron James is Kobe's Bryant killer instinct. There hasbeen no player in the game since Michael Jordan who has the killer instinct that Kobe Bryant has. Kobe's will and desire towin and to be the best player ever is second to none.Lebron James has yet to display a killer instinct on thelevel of Kobe Bryant's.

The fifth and final reason Kobe is better than Lebron is his 4 to 0 advantage in championships. Along with the numerous record setting performances Kobe has had over thecourse of his career. The 81 point game and the game wherehe outscored the Mavs 62-61 through three quarters. Also when he hit 12 three pointers in one game. Scoring 55 points in one half. Kobe's one hundred, 40 point games. His record of scoring 50 points in four straight games. The list goes on and on and on. While Lebron is indeed a special talent, Kobe Bryant is still the better player.

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