Bigger Failure? '04 Lakers or '11 Heat?

[Fran Vasquez]

heat, 2 of the top 3 players currently in the league, one of the top 10, no drama, had their lunch money stolen by dirk and jason terry
epic fail, im surprised its not on liveleak or something

[LLcoleJ]

'04 Lakers - the Pistons were 3rd seed in the East with 54-28 record and barely made it past the Nets in the 2nd round. The next season Miami with Shaq almost beat the Pistons if not for an injured Wade. The '04 Lakers team were much better compared to Miami yet due to certain player playing selfish basketball they weren't even able to put up a better fight then Miami the following season.

While I don't have much of a care for this discussion. I find your logic a little strange. As if a 54-28 record is a bad thing. As if almost not getting passed the Nets that year ( finals teams) is some sign of weakness. Then you jump to the next season -- whereas the Pistons team had what? 4 All-stars? Then you completely ignore that the Lakers don't even make the finals if it's not for .4.

I will say this again, I believe the Lakers was a bigger failure, but your logical intent is pretty obvious.

Curious.. where would you rank your Suns on the biggest failures of the past decade? Just wondering where your head is at.

[Uncle Mxy]

04 Lakers. They had legends on their last legs and ran into **** drama that would later blow up the Shaq dynasty. Spurs would beat the Pistons convincingly in the next year as well.

Convincingly? That seems like a mischaracterization.
It went to Game 7, tied at the end of the 3rd quarter.
The Pistons actually outscored the Spurs overall in the series.
"Narrowly" is the word I'd use.

[schematics]

First, I want to thank the 04 lakers for choking and the Pistons for winning because it allowed Shaq to come to Miami and help us win our championship.


Second.. I find it comical that people are talking about the Heat in the same breath as the 04 lakers. The lakers combo of Shaq/Kobe with PHIL JACKSON already just 3-peated and had an "off" year. They were both in their prime...had played together for 8 years. This current Heat team were thrown together with two number 1 options, and basically filled out with minimum wage old vets. Throw in the  fact our "glue" guy haslem and mike miller were hurt 80% of the season.. Hardly any of you expected Miami to win it all in year won. I would say most "experts" picked Boston and Chicago to beat Miami.. And I'm sure most of you did as well. Most "experts" said all year if there was a season to get them.. It was THIS one. Come on! Don't let the fact of their "celebration" and Lebron saying "1..2..3..4 etc" cloud your thoughts of the realistic expectations were.

I'm dissapointed as anything but when think back.. There were times in the season I was HOPE TO JUST GET PAST BOSTON AND INTO THE ECFs! When we beat the bulls.. I was like, damn.. Ok we MAY be able to do this year one?!? 9-8 stars, missing haslem and miller all season, no pg or center.. WOW.

Those were my thoughts. The 04 lakers... Were a bigger let down especially when you consider Miami as 5-6 years with this core of Lebron 26, wade 29, and bosh 27.

With that said *in the bolded* can we lay this to rest now? It's obvious it's the 04 lakers n other folks just like to argue for the sake of arguing

[LLcoleJ]

With that said *in the bolded* can we lay this to rest now? It's obvious it's the 04 lakers n other folks just like to argue for the sake of arguing

Well this is a discussion forum. So.. yeah.

I think something is really a miss here. The Lakers in 04 were the bigger failure, but that in no way shape or form makes MIA's loss better.

Lakers failed, because they were champions and failed to continue with their championship ways. Regardless of their on/off court issues.

The Heat failed to be even called champions, regardless of their on/off court issues.

So pin this one squarely on the Lakers for the sake of this thread. I don't know about you, but I would happily choose to be a champion and fail when you get to the dance for the 4th time in 5 years as opposed to just fail getting to the dance.

[Mamba Venom]

'11 Lakers

FTW

My tears make me stronger.

[hourockman]

07 Mavs

[dm17415]

'04 Lakers - the Pistons were 3rd seed in the East with 54-28 record and barely made it past the Nets in the 2nd round. The next season Miami with Shaq almost beat the Pistons if not for an injured Wade. The '04 Lakers team were much better compared to Miami yet due to certain player playing selfish basketball they weren't even able to put up a better fight then Miami the following season.

While I don't have much of a care for this discussion. I find your logic a little strange. As if a 54-28 record is a bad thing. As if almost not getting passed the Nets that year ( finals teams) is some sign of weakness. Then you jump to the next season -- whereas the Pistons team had what? 4 All-stars? Then you completely ignore that the Lakers don't even make the finals if it's not for .4.

I will say this again, I believe the Lakers was a bigger failure, but your logical intent is pretty obvious.

Curious.. where would you rank your Suns on the biggest failures of the past decade? Just wondering where your head is at.

The Nets team made the finals when there was no competition in the East and this was proven in the finals as they were swept by the Lakers and beaten in 6 games by the Spurs. Pistons record was respectable but it is one of the worst regular season record for an NBA champion. Pistons actually had 4 all stars two years after their championship not the following season. Also all Lakers fans are bringing up .4 against the Spurs, they won that series in 6 with the game 7 in LA, no reason why they won't have won with home court advantage.

As for the Suns no one ever predicted them to be the champions, Spurs were always expected to come out of the West.

[tihsad]

04 Lakers. They had legends on their last legs and ran into **** drama that would later blow up the Shaq dynasty. Spurs would beat the Pistons convincingly in the next year as well.

As Uncle Mxy mentioned, Dr. Pepper, what would qualify as an unconvincing win? Being down at the start of the fourth quarter in game 7 of the finals? Oh that's right, that's what happened in 05.

Start actually watching games - and switch to RC.

[Motivated-Baron]

We're talking about right now, right? Because people seem to be talking about the next decade.

Miami.

Why?
Exhibit A - Game 2

Exhibit B - 3 Superstars who are butt-buddies. 2 of which are Top 3 players in the league, the other a top power foward. Malone was injured. Payton was well past his prime. Kobe and Shaq's relationship was knowingly entering its boiling point as LeWade (as mentioned before) are boyfriends. Kobe raped a white woman and got dropped from all of his deals (if this happened to LeBron he'd enter fetal position once catching the ball in the 4th quarter).

Exhibit C - The Decision + The Celebration + the way they lost (Game 2 meltdown, being eliminated at home while scared to shoot the rock). Sure you guys can always use the fact that theyre gonna continue being a contender. But we're talking about NOW. These guys had a Backstreet Boys concert celebrating championships that they haven't even won yet --- then they CHOKE? Choke. They did. Those guys in the concert. Not some guys in the future that they haven't signed/traded for yet. Nah, wait, it's ok cuz they're gonna add role players who weren't apart of the celebration to take the load off their shoulders of not giving up leads, playing defense and shooting the f*cking ball! It's okay!

Sums up my feelings