Ray Allen is an assassin

[Gurleyman]

The Spurs had them beat last year and will run a clinic on Miami this year, no more than 5. I could care less about Ray, good job against Miss St in 1995. Go watch his 4th Q in game 7 of 2010 finals against Lakers. Where was he then, he was awful and cost Celts the championship.

He kept us in it for awhile against Mississippi State, but they could gear their whole defense towards him with nobody else stepping up. He also kept us in it for the whole game against UCLA the year before.

Ray obviously didn't shoot well in Game 7 (most of his misses were before the fourth quarter, by the way, when he shot 2-5), but he was also guarding Kobe the whole night (6-24) while Kobe got to save his energy on D playing 10 feet off Rondo. Meanwhile, Pierce was outplayed by Metta Artest and Garnett shrunk down to nothing without Perkins and gave Boston 3 rebounds while Gasol ate him alive down the stretch. None of the Big Three played well. It was a team loss.

 

[dogfan96]

Obviously husky91 just doesn't like LeBron. You do know that Scottie Pippen was a Top 5 pick and younger than MJ? You do know that Pippen was routinely given the job of guarding the other team's best perimeter player, including Magic Johnson in the Finals?
And Kobe only played with the most dominant player probably since Wilt Chamberlain and then he got to play with Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, both in their prime, along with an Andrew Bynum who still cared a little bit.
LeBron has never played with nearly that much talent... not even close. Wade and Bosh alternate showing up on any given night (and sometimes neither does)... meanwhile you can pretty much put LeBron down for 27/7/7 every night. You don't have to like him but if you don't enjoy watching him play than there's something wrong with you. He's everything you want in a basketball player.. plays hard, plays both ends, will guard anyone on the opposing team, including centers...plays for the team and not for individual numbers. Oh yeah, and if you think anybody is beating Miami 4 times in 5 games, you're gonna be sorely disappointed.

 

[Strummer]

[LeBron] has one of the best shooting guards in NBA history, the best shooter in NBA history and a 9x all-star at power forward.....saying Lebron is pretty much winning on his own is unbelievably stupid.

Wow. You must really hate LeBron. I mean, you must jut really hate him.

Lebron does more for this Heat team than any guy I have ever seen play did for his team. Without Jordan, Pippen won 55 games the following year.

Without Lebron, the Heat probably don't win 20 games this year.

Your anger/hate has totally blinded you.

 

[UCHuskies08]

Who does Lebron have? He has one of the best shooting guards in NBA history, the best shooter in NBA history and a 9x all-star at power forward.....saying Lebron is pretty much winning on his own is unbelievably stupid.

All of them right in their prime too!

Oh wait...

 

[auror]

Somehow, both sides of this argument are wrong.

 

[UConn3432]

There should be a lifetime ban for anybody who dares bash Ray. I can't believe I'm actually reading this garbage.

 

[intlzncster]

Wow. You must really hate LeBron. I mean, you must jut really hate him.

Lebron does more for this Heat team than any guy I have ever seen play did for his team. Without Jordan, Pippen won 55 games the following year.

Without Lebron, the Heat probably don't win 20 games this year.

Your anger/hate has totally blinded you.

I'd have to go with AI. Without him, that Philly team that made the Finals might not have won 10.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I'd have to go with AI. Without him, that Philly team that made the Finals might not have won 10.

Unlikely. Iverson's shot selection was so poor that he definitely hurt his team a lot. In the conference finals that year, he shot horribly.

 

[mauconnfan]

LeBron is great and whether you like him or not he's one of the top impact guys ever never mind just player. With the Cav's who didn't win it all and with the Heat also……….

No one had more impact than Michael though…….it is laughable to make that argument. Scottie was very good and ended top a HOFer but you can make the argument that Michael made that possible for him to be that good.

 

[Strummer]

but you can make the argument that Michael made that possible for him to be that good.

No doubt. But it goes both ways. Jordan won zero titles w/o Pippen. Pippen won zero w/o Jordan. Clearly Jordan was the better player, but it's an impossibility to know how they would have done if paired up with another great player.

Anyway - many hours left in the day of James, and we'll have more data to use to assess his relative station in bball lore before the sun sets. I'm looking forward to it. I always disliked James. Thought he was too pompous - too caught up in his own hype. The last 3 years have changed my opinion of him. He improved his game and he let drop much of the folderol that sullied my opinion of him. Now I just like to watch him play, and make history.

 

[mauconnfan]

No doubt. But it goes both ways. Jordan won zero titles w/o Pippen. Pippen won zero w/o Jordan. Clearly Jordan was the better player, but it's an impossibility to know how they would have done if paired up with another great player.

Anyway - many hours left in the day of James, and we'll have more data to use to assess his relative station in bball lore before the sun sets. I'm looking forward to it. I always disliked James. Thought he was too pompous - too caught up in his own hype. The last 3 years have changed my opinion of him. He improved his game and he let drop much of the folderol that sullied my opinion of him. Now I just like to watch him play, and make history.

That's funny you say that I, for whatever reason, think the opposite. Thought as a young man he handled himself very well despite the obvious pressure from the NBA to be THE MAN and the premature crowning………and now as he gets older he whines about calls, feels like he deserves even more than he gets which is ridiculous in itself. But you probably watch more NBA than I so you have a better handle so I could be way out in left field with my thoughts (imagine that? No way…..lol)……….

 

[intlzncster]

Unlikely. Iverson's shot selection was so poor that he definitely hurt his team a lot. In the conference finals that year, he shot horribly.

Aaron McKie was the number two guy on that team (while a solid player, he should have been 3rd or fourth option guy). Wade, Ray, or Bosh (as they are right now) might have been the 2nd best player on that team. And Iverson might be the best pound for pound player in history.

 

[intlzncster]

No doubt. But it goes both ways. Jordan won zero titles w/o Pippen. Pippen won zero w/o Jordan. Clearly Jordan was the better player, but it's an impossibility to know how they would have done if paired up with another great player.

Anyway - many hours left in the day of James, and we'll have more data to use to assess his relative station in bball lore before the sun sets. I'm looking forward to it. I always disliked James. Thought he was too pompous - too caught up in his own hype. The last 3 years have changed my opinion of him. He improved his game and he let drop much of the folderol that sullied my opinion of him. Now I just like to watch him play, and make history.

He just got better, that's all. Have to give him credit for improving.

Off the court, he's a d0uche. That's why I don't like him. Not a bad guy at all, just a d0uche. Love watching him on the court though.

 

[traitor71]

That's funny you say that I, for whatever reason, think the opposite. Thought as a young man he handled himself very well despite the obvious pressure from the NBA to be THE MAN and the premature crowning………and now as he gets older he whines about calls, feels like he deserves even more than he gets which is ridiculous in itself. But you probably watch more NBA than I so you have a better handle so I could be way out in left field with my thoughts (imagine that? No way…..lol)……….

I hate when people go to the "he whines about calls" stuff. They said it about Shaq as well, and for the same reason. The guy simply gets pounded on like no one else in the league. In a way I think it's because he is so strong that he can get smacked and still finish the play, but good lord, if you watch him for an entire season you can see how ridiculous it is at times.

 

[traitor71]

He just got better, that's all. Have to give him credit for improving.

Off the court, he's a d0uche. That's why I don't like him. Not a bad guy at all, just a d0uche. Love watching him on the court though.

Personal experience? I ask that because down here he leads the way on a team of guys that are really good off the court.

 

[intlzncster]

Personal experience? I ask that because down here he leads the way on a team of guys that are really good off the court.

Obviously no direct personal experience; I haven't met a single NBA player in my life. It's only what he puts out in the media on the likes of twitter and ESPN. As I said, he's not a bad guy in the least. It's that he doesn't come off as genuine at all to me. Much of the 'great guy' act comes off as studied and forced imo. Maybe this comes from growing up as 'The King' and never having another frame of reference. The only guy who pimps himself and his lifestyle harder is Swaggy P. Frankly, he's a perfect fit for the Miami scene.

I contrast him to the other great player of the day, Kevin Durant. KD comes off as very humble, grateful and all around genuine dude. His MVP speech was testament to that. And I'm not talking basketball humble, because I like guys with a bit of attitude on the court.

 

[intlzncster]

I hate when people go to the "he whines about calls" stuff. They said it about Shaq as well, and for the same reason. The guy simply gets pounded on like no one else in the league. In a way I think it's because he is so strong that he can get smacked and still finish the play, but good lord, if you watch him for an entire season you can see how ridiculous it is at times.

And yet, as has been shown on video, he is also one of the worst overly dramatic floppers in the league. I can't hate on dook for that (and I do) and give Lebron a pass there.

 

[mauconnfan]

I hate when people go to the "he whines about calls" stuff. They said it about Shaq as well, and for the same reason. The guy simply gets pounded on like no one else in the league. In a way I think it's because he is so strong that he can get smacked and still finish the play, but good lord, if you watch him for an entire season you can see how ridiculous it is at times.

Oh but it's okay that at 350 lbs he was able to back a defender on or knock shall I say, who was holding on for dear freaking life trying to stand ground at 255 lbs, 15 feet backwards while pounding against him feverishly? Please……..it's a joke what Shaq was able to do during his playing days and MJ was the same quite often and the torch gets handed to people the NBA wants to make money off of……..now it's LeBron. If you elect to ignore it that's your perrogative but it's obvious as hell. It's what the NBA wants and they get what they want……...

 

[intlzncster]

Oh but it's okay that at 350 lbs he was able to back a defender on or knock shall I say, who was holding on for dear freaking life trying to stand ground at 255 lbs, 15 feet backwards while pounding against him feverishly? Please……..it's a joke what Shaq was able to do during his playing days and MJ was the same quite often and the torch gets handed to people the NBA wants to make money off of……..now it's LeBron. If you elect to ignore it that's your perrogative but it's obvious as hell. It's what the NBA wants and they get what they want……...

I personally liked the 80s model of the NBA better than today's model. I loved all the physicality. It was a tough, tough league.

 

[mauconnfan]

I personally liked the 80s model of the NBA better than today's model. I loved all the physicality. It was a tough, tough league.

70's-80's I agree……..they are ultra athletic now no doubt but that doesn't equate to "beautiful basketball" to everyone……...

 

[superjohn]

Wow. You must really hate LeBron. I mean, you must jut really hate him.

Lebron does more for this Heat team than any guy I have ever seen play did for his team. Without Jordan, Pippen won 55 games the following year.

Without Lebron, the Heat probably don't win 20 games this year.

Your anger/hate has totally blinded you.

I dislike Lebron but I know he's by far the best player on the planet. Again, I don't know how any of what I said is inaccurate. The other big three on the team might not be in their primes but they are still pretty damn good and know how to win. Saying this Heat team doesn't have talent is just silly. If you want to see teams that made the finals with very little talent look towards the Sixers with Iverson, the Nets teams with Kidd, the Magic with Howard and the Lebron teams with Cleveland.

 

[RichZ]

It just occurred to me. Ray needs 27 threes to hit 3000.
If his season goes the maximm distance -- 11 games, at the pace he's shooting them in the playoffs (just over 1.5 per game) he would end up with 2990 this year.
An extra 3 point make per game, and...
Not likely, only marginally feasible, but still possible.

And one month from today will be the 20th anniversary of Ray getting drafted. He still looks in better shape than some of the guys who will be drafted this year.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Oh but it's okay that at 350 lbs he was able to back a defender on or knock shall I say, who was holding on for dear freaking life trying to stand ground at 255 lbs, 15 feet backwards while pounding against him feverishly? Please……..it's a joke what Shaq was able to do during his playing days and MJ was the same quite often and the torch gets handed to people the NBA wants to make money off of……..now it's LeBron. If you elect to ignore it that's your perrogative but it's obvious as hell. It's what the NBA wants and they get what they want……...

One of the advantages of being 7+ feet tall and 300+ pounds is that you can back down guys who aren't as strong as you are. If the officials blew the whistle every time Shaq was fouled every one of his games would have lasted a week.

The LeBron argument is just ridiculous. The NBA "gets what it wants" and they've decided that LeBron is their moneymaker so they're going to call the game differently for him? That's absurd. The kid is just a superhuman athlete. You should read "Prototype: The Anatomy of LeBron James" from The Art of a Beautiful Game. The kid plays like a guard and weighs more than Karl Malone did in his prime.

 

[jleves]

It just occurred to me. Ray needs 27 threes to hit 3000.
If his season goes the maximm distance -- 11 games, at the pace he's shooting them in the playoffs (just over 1.5 per game) he would end up with 2990 this year.
An extra 3 point make per game, and...
Not likely, only marginally feasible, but still possible.

And one month from today will be the 20th anniversary of Ray getting drafted. He still looks in better shape than some of the guys who will be drafted this year.

I'm not a big NBA guy so someone may have to add more information, but I believe that NBA stats are separated between regular season and post season. I only know that because I checked his total at the end of the season and then had 27 to go. I don't believe the post season stats are added to that. Kind of strange to do it that way, but that's what it appears to me. It's one of the reasons I think he plays one more year and probably gets another 3M from Miami for one more year of service and partially as a reward for saving last year.

 

[mauconnfan]

One of the advantages of being 7+ feet tall and 300+ pounds is that you can back down guys who aren't as strong as you are. If the officials blew the whistle every time Shaq was fouled every one of his games would have lasted a week.

The LeBron argument is just ridiculous. The NBA "gets what it wants" and they've decided that LeBron is their moneymaker so they're going to call the game differently for him? That's absurd. The kid is just a superhuman athlete. You should read "Prototype: The Anatomy of LeBron James" from The Art of a Beautiful Game. The kid plays like a guard and weighs more than Karl Malone did in his prime.

Yeah because it's okay to go from point A to point B when it runs right through a guy standing there right? Please Crack that is ridiculous, doesn't matter how much you weigh if the defender is standing there and you're moving him it's a charge….but it was not when Shaq did and actually it still isn't as I saw Howard do it a few times in the playoffs…..that being allowed is a joke!

And to not acknowledge the NBA takes care of it's own is yet another ignorant reply…..they have poster boys and to think they don't, well I have no idea what you're thinking. It's okay to love the NBA game as you do but don't pretend some things are different because you want them to be. Next you'll tell me baseball has that steroid thing down pat now?

 

[intlzncster]

One of the advantages of being 7+ feet tall and 300+ pounds is that you can back down guys who aren't as strong as you are. If the officials blew the whistle every time Shaq was fouled every one of his games would have lasted a week.

The LeBron argument is just ridiculous. The NBA "gets what it wants" and they've decided that LeBron is their moneymaker so they're going to call the game differently for him? That's absurd. The kid is just a superhuman athlete. You should read "Prototype: The Anatomy of LeBron James" from The Art of a Beautiful Game. The kid plays like a guard and weighs more than Karl Malone did in his prime.

Although not the same type of player, he's kind of like a modern day version of Magic Johnson in the way he breaks the mold. Thinking about size vs skill-makeup.

 

[intlzncster]

Yeah because it's okay to go from point A to point B when it runs right through a guy standing there right? Please Crack that is ridiculous, doesn't matter how much you weigh if the defender is standing there and you're moving him it's a charge….but it was not when Shaq did and actually it still isn't as I saw Howard do it a few times in the playoffs…..that being allowed is a joke!

Guys backing each other down in the post is a common occurrence in all levels of basketball. Shaq was just bigger/stronger, so he was better at it.

 

[mauconnfan]

Guys backing each other down in the post is a common occurrence in all levels of basketball. Shaq was just bigger/stronger, so he was better at it.

But people tried falling on the big surge into the defender and it wasn't called so they stopped……it's a charge every which way but in the NBA it's not. So instead people try to hold their ground while being driven back and back just hoping to make a play defensively instead of being able to take the charge that it is! I'm not talking about "backing down" here intlz, I'm talking hammering backwards with brute force. Whether it's Baby Davis guarding him or me, if I fall on one of his thrusts back it;s a charge - not in the NBA. Shaq lived off of that. Don't get me wrong I like Shaq, good guy and improved player throughout his career, but he got away with murder in that regard. Would love to have seen him against the great C's of the past - Wilt, Russ etc etc and the rules as they should be.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Aaron McKie was the number two guy on that team (while a solid player, he should have been 3rd or fourth option guy). Wade, Ray, or Bosh (as they are right now) might have been the 2nd best player on that team. And Iverson might be the best pound for pound player in history.

Dikembe was the #2 player on that team, especially by the playoffs, and his dominance over the Bucks' awful big men is the primary reason (along with the worst playoff officiating this side of Lakers/Kings) that Philly beat Milwaukee that year. McKie wasn't a star, but he was a much bigger reason for that team advancing than Iverson, who shot under 35% for the series. Ray was, by far, the best player in that series. The stats, if you're interested: http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2001_ECF.html

 

[intlzncster]

Dikembe was the #2 player on that team, especially by the playoffs, and his dominance over the Bucks' awful big men is the primary reason (along with the worst playoff officiating this side of Lakers/Kings) that Philly beat Milwaukee that year. McKie wasn't a star, but he was a much bigger reason for that team advancing than Iverson, who shot under 35% for the series. Ray was, by far, the best player in that series. The stats, if you're interested: http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2001_ECF.html

I would counter with that, though, that Iverson likely drew 70% (obv made up stat) of the defensive attention opposing team, allowing the other guys to do what they did.