2006 NBA Finals

[scarletngrey11]

what a wild finish...

11, if the refs were biased, then why are they calling traveling to give Dallas a chance? Or the double dribble call on Posey a few plays earlier?

If you honestly think the officiating was fair both ways then I feel bad for you...

 

[nicknc33]

Wade gets every call and I don't think anyone can convince me otherwise. He controls the game.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Ok first off I want to say that the style of play in the NBA is going down the tubes. It isnt a wonder why the league has went downhill the past couple years. I love to watch the NBA, I think the level of basketball is incredible, but at times I think the need to call it the national pussy league. There are so many fake flops, screams, and pussy shit that it makes me sick.

Now onto the game. I will admit that even though there was a free throw descripency tonite alot of them were legit, but there were at least 3 or 4 times when Wade was fouled that were almost pathetic.

Also once again I will say that the refs need to keep the damn whistle in their pocket down the stretch.

There was the call against Dirk, when Wade clearly came charging at him and used his off arm to push Dirk back, if Dirk falls he gets the call, but he doesnt fall like a little chump and Wade acts like he is getting molested and there gets the call.

Then there was the weak foul call against Wade when he was boxing out Howard, that was another weak call IMO where they were trying to make the game come down to the last second.

I also would not of called that traveling when the two heat guys grabbed that rebound, as it was for a split second and then they left go. That call is rarely called, but it was like the refs had to make it suspensful.

And last but not least I have a question for all of those saying that was a good call in game 5 when Wade was barely touched, well you can see Terry having his whole jersey tugged b4 he gets the game tying bucket off, but no call. Just curious if you will back that up and say that it should of been called. IMO it was a good no call, but they never should of called the foul against Dirk.

And as for Jordan/Wade comparisons let him do something without one of the top 10 players of all time on his team.

 

[jwinslow]

If you honestly think the officiating was fair both ways then I feel bad for you...

I didn't say the officiating was good, but you didn't answer my question. If the NBA is out to protect the heat, why would they jeopardize the outcome with such trivial calls that no one would care about if they were overlooked.

 

[scarletngrey11]

I didn't say the officiating was good, but you didn't answer my question. If the NBA is out to protect the heat, why would they jeopardize the outcome with such trivial calls that no one would care about if they were overlooked.

Like CBF40, to keep some suspense going.

<!--EZCODE IMAGE END-->

That picture is all anyone needs to know about this series.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

I can't even get myself to call consider this championship legit.

I know Dallas had a ton of chances and IMO they had a horrible gameplanning, but the way the refs affect the game down the stretch, just makes me believe that shit was fixed, and someone won a bunch of money.

 

[averagehomeboy]

Im glad that Gary Payton and Alonzo Mouring got a ring, as Ive been a fan of both for years.

Now with Shaq getting ring #4, where should we place him on the all-time list? There is no doubt he is the greatest center of all time (with Russel a close 2nd)

 

[OH10]

The whining on this board is amazing. I didn't want to see Wade win a championship before Lebron, but that's what happened and they earned it.

Don't bitch for Dallas. The officials gave them a chance a couple times in the last minute. Dirk turned it over and Terry missed the shot. They have about as much right to bitch as the Seahawks in my opinion.

Anyone want to challenge whether Dwyane Wade was the best player in this series? In these playoffs? That he outplayed Dirk in this series? By a lot?

There was the call against Dirk, when Wade clearly came charging at him and used his off arm to push Dirk back, if Dirk falls he gets the call, but he doesnt fall like a little chump and Wade acts like he is getting molested and there gets the call.

Agreed. Poor call. But for the reasons stated above, Dallas can't bitch because they had their chances.

And last but not least I have a question for all of those saying that was a good call in game 5 when Wade was barely touched, well you can see Terry having his whole jersey tugged b4 he gets the game tying bucket off, but no call. Just curious if you will back that up and say that it should of been called. IMO it was a good no call, but they never should of called the foul against Dirk.

And as for Jordan/Wade comparisons let him do something without one of the top 10 players of all time on his team.

The foul on Terry probably should have been called, but only if the official is certain. Because that's a call you can't miss. The bottom line is that if you take it strong to the basket, you're more likely to get a foul call than if you shoot an off-balance jumper like Terry did. Regardless of player or team, that's a fact. And it played out that way. The foul call was correct, and doesn't make any substantive difference whether it was called on Dirk or Devin Harris. If Dirk had fouled out, maybe it would have mattered.

Again CB40, should Terry Porter have kept his flag in his pocket too? You sound like your giving credence to the bitching of Cryami fans.

And as for Jordan/Wade comparisons let him do something without one of the top 10 players of all time on his team.

If you call this Shaquille O'Neal one of the top 10 players of all time, then you're showing your bias. Was Wizards' Jordan one of the top 10 players of all time?

People can talk about the officiating all they want, but you must be suffering from amnesia if you don't remember all the bullshit calls Jordan got over the course of his career. It's like his legend has built up so much over the years that people forget that.

It's funny that so many players have been labeled the "next Jordan" and failed that everyone is afraid to acknowledge when the "next Jordan" is here.

Harold Minor? Grant Hill? Penny Hardaway? Vince Carter? Zero championships.

Kobe Bryant? He actually did play with one of the top 5 players of all time. His game 7 performance against the Suns finally exposed him as a fraud.

Dwyane Wade? First backcourt player since Jordan to "lead" his team to a championship. And there's no question at all that he was the leader, bread and butter, by far best player of this Miami Heat team. The comparisons are entirely valid.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Im glad that Gary Payton and Alonzo Mouring got a ring, as Ive been a fan of both for years.

Now with Shaq getting ring #4, where should we place him on the all-time list? There is no doubt he is the greatest center of all time (with Russel a close 2nd)

I think Shaq is easily top 10.

Not sure I would put him ahead of Russel.

Jordan is the clear #1 and then there are about 5 or 6 guys that could all compete for the next spots.

Guys like Russel, Kareem, Wilt, Bird, Magic, Shaq. I know I am missing guys, but this is a short list.

 

[averagehomeboy]

I was watching a NBA finals game on ESPN Classic the other day with Boston and L.A., and I just cant believe what a different game it is today.

As a fan, Im really disappointed to where the NBA is at, and where it is headed.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

I was watching a NBA finals game on ESPN Classic the other day with Boston and L.A., and I just cant believe what a different game it is today.

As a fan, Im really disappointed to where the NBA is at, and where it is headed.

Amen to this. This is why the USA got spanked in the olympics. They don't know how to play bball anymore.

On a sidenote there was something, that I found comical, in the tmobile commercial with Big Ben, where he is sitting in the lockeroom on the cell phone and forgets to out to the game and they are announcing his name. The crowd is chanting we want Ben, we want Ben. The funny thing about the commercial is that in the commercial it is in the Miami arena and they are chanting we want Ben.

 

[OH10]

Amen to this. This is why the USA got spanked in the olympics. They don't know how to play bball anymore.

What? If this were true, Manu Ginobli wouldn't be the only player from that Argentina team to make any sort of impact in the NBA.

The fact is that the NBA is a different style of basketball than any other you will find in the world. The European style of basketball is a lot like American college basketball, but as you can see, even American college basketball players struggle in the NBA.

The size and speed of the players has outgrown the size of the court, the size of the hoop, and ability of the officials. I can understand if people are turned off by that. But they know how to play basketball, and they've adjusted to the physical changes that have been presented since the 80s.

For example, Magic Johnson started an NBA Finals game as a rookie at center. He was 6'9". He scored 42 points and had 15 boards. At that height, you can't do that in this NBA from the center position.

 

[averagehomeboy]

On a sidenote there was something, that I found comical, in the tmobile commercial with Big Ben, where he is sitting in the lockeroom on the cell phone and forgets to out to the game and they are announcing his name. The crowd is chanting we want Ben, we want Ben. The funny thing about the commercial is that in the commercial it is in the Miami arena and they are chanting we want Ben.

I noticed that as well...I wonder how such a thing could have gone unnoticed while making the commercial

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

6/21/06

Wade leads way to Heat’s first title

His 36-point effort caps Miami’s rally from 2-0 deficit

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Greg Beacham
ASSOCIATED PRESS

<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>

</IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>PAUL MOSELEY FORT WORTH STAR - TELEGRAM </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>Miami’s Shaquille O’Neal, driving on DeSagana Diop of Dallas, won his fourth NBA ring. </TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>

</IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>Playoff MVP Dwyane Wade is fired up after scoring two of his game-high 36 points in the third quarter. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


DALLAS — Pat Riley first promised it 11 years ago: a Miami Heat victory parade down Biscayne Boulevard. Shaquille O’Neal guaranteed it two summers ago, vowing to add a fourth ring to his big hand in his new city.
And with one tenacious game after another in these NBA Finals, Dwyane Wade delivered both.
The Miami Heat is the NBA champion for the first time, thanks to two basketball greats who made good on their promises — and the next great one, whose promise seems unlimited.
The man they call "Flash" had 36 points and 10 rebounds in the teeth of a hostile Dallas crowd last night, capping his magnificent playoffs and the Heat’s sizzling four-game comeback by leading Miami past the Mavericks 95-92.
"It’s one of the best feelings, next to my wife and my son, that I’ve ever had in my life," Wade said. "I’m going to live it up! "
The Heat roared back from a twogame deficit to win the NBA Finals in six games — the Boston Celtics in 1969 and the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977 are the only other teams to achieve such a comeback.
Wade, the obvious Finals MVP, cemented his superstardom with a dominant four-game performance capped by four pressure-packed free throws in the final minute.
He even missed a pair in the waning seconds, giving Dallas a final shot to tie. But Jason Terry missed an open three-pointer, Wade grabbed the rebound and joyously flung the ball into the stands as time expired.
Where there’s a Wade, there’s a will. His grace added a fifth ring to Riley’s finger — third-most among NBA coaches — and the first jewelry in Shaq’s collection with no connection to Kobe Bryant.
"The great Pat Riley told me we were going to win today," said O’Neal, who had nine points and 12 rebounds. "I didn’t have the best game. But DWade’s been doing it all year. He’s the best player ever."
Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points and 15 rebounds for the Mavs, but Dallas couldn’t manage the last basket it needed to topple Wade’s determination. With their crowd booing every call and seething with every missed opportunity, the Mavs missed their own chance for their first title.
The Heat finished the franchise’s 18 th season with one of the league’s greatest rallies in a Finals, and the last quarter of Game 6 was appropriately gritty.
Miami nursed a narrow lead, taking an 89-85 advantage with 2:36 left on two jumpers by James Posey. Jerry Stackhouse cut it to a point with a three-pointer, but after Udonis Haslem and Josh Howard traded jumpers, Wade hit two free throws with 26 seconds left.
Erick Dampier then fumbled a pass on Dallas’ next possession, and Wade fought to get the loose ball. He hit two more free throws with 17.7 seconds to play, but after Howard hit a pair, Wade missed two with 10.3 seconds left.
Terry then missed the open trey. It was the last of 11 straight misses, and the final disappointment in the Mavs’ otherwise remarkable season.
"We made a lot of progress this year," said Avery Johnson of Dallas, the NBA coach of the year. "We aimed high this year, and I told them that a lot of teams have to go through this. This will really hurt this summer. I hope they work out hard, make me a better coach. I’m ready to try it again."
Miami, which hadn’t won in Dallas since 2002, hung onto the clincher in front of more than 20,000 fans still furious at every NBA official and commissioner David Stern for the Mavs’ three losses in Miami last week. Owner Mark Cuban stoked the furor with his antics after Game 5, which resulted in a $250,000 fine yesterday.
But while the Mavs worried about every perceived slight, the Heat focused on fulfilling the promises of Riley and O’Neal.
"I came to Miami because of this young fella right here," O’Neal said, indicating Wade. "I knew I wanted to make him better."
Wade ascended to the most elite tier of NBA stars. He scored 121 points in three victories in Miami before capping it with one more tenacious win.
Riley wiped away tears while hugging his players, and Miami crowded onto the hastily assembled podium with the excitement of a highschool graduation.
Riley, who won his first ring since 1988, claimed he never considered the possibility Miami wouldn’t finish with four straight wins.
"I packed one suit, one shirt and one tie," he said before the game. "That’s it." Riley tied John Kundla with his fifth title as a coach. Only Phil Jackson and Red Auerbach have more, with nine apiece.

 

[NFBuck]

I cared so much about this that I didn't even watch the game. I agree with everyone here that says the NBA has become a joke. Just let them go out and play the game and maybe I'll regain interest.