1996 NBA Finals

[Shaquille O'Neal]

Someone posted the entire game 5 on Youtube. Chicago @ Seattle.
I haven't watched it since live in June of '96. I forgot how good that 64-18 Sonics team was. Detlef, Kemp was a beast, Payton DPOY, Nate McMillian, Hershey. Very solid team the Sonics had.
Harper was hurt, Pippen was trash shooting % wise most games.

Go watch that game if you get time - Seattle wins - never seen that many travel offenses called in a NBA Finals game.

[red1]

its game 6 actually: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_aZQRvUNOw




NBA in general, they need to post more hardwood classics games on youtube



we dont care about their tv revenue. its 2020 chop chop lets go :oldlol:

[Manny98]

Imagine shooting 5/19 in a finals closeout game :roll:

#notmygoat

[red1]

Imagine shooting 5/19 in a finals closeout game :roll:

#notmygoat

imagine putting up 8 points in a finals game where your team could use a few points :roll:


literally choked a finals MVP away for my boy dwade

#notmygoat

[SouBeachTalents]

imagine putting up 8 points in a finals game where your team could use a few points :roll:


literally choked a finals MVP away for my boy dwade

#notmygoat
That's still inconceivable when you really think about it. Dude went out, in the absolute prime of his career, played 45 minutes, and didn't even crack double digits in a game that was decided by 3 points. A decade later, and I'm still not entirely sure what happened to him in that series. Once his career is over, he needs to open up about wtf was going on with him during those Finals.

And considering what we've seen from him since then, shit makes even less sense :lol

[Shaquille O'Neal]

No it's game 5 I'm talking about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1wVs4cgAdY&t=6739s

I was 22 when this was live - remember watching the entire series. Shame that Seattle team didn't accomplish more. 64-18 is pretty amazing, and man Kemp was fun to watch.

[Shaquille O'Neal]

If you guys watch the game, it's weird to not see any painted restricted circle near the hoop.

[red1]

That's still inconceivable when you really think about it. Dude went out, in the absolute prime of his career, played 45 minutes, and didn't even crack double digits in a game that was decided by 3 points. A decade later, and I'm still not entirely sure what happened to him in that series. Once his career is over, he needs to open up about wtf was going on with him during those Finals.

And considering what we've seen from him since then, shit makes even less sense :lol

he was passive. played like a complete bitch. poor coaching from the heat as well - they expected the players to just figure it out. it was just dwade and lebron going ISO bailing them out every time.

they did figure it out though. the only way they could win is if lebron was the first option and played aggressive at all times. hence the two rings and all-time performances like game 6 celtics 2012 game 7 spurs 2013.


by 2014 wade just ran out of gas. he was already starting to struggle by 2012 and 2013. those knees caught up to him.


thats why mj > lebron. even if lebron is a better talent mj was more of an aggressive sociopathic competitor.

[LostCause]

Yeah that Sonics team had depth. I guess if you don't recognize the players it may not seem that way but they were a very good team

Kemp and Payton go without saying. People downplay Kemp these days but at the time he was a stud
Detlef was a 3x all-star, 2x 6MOTY and All-NBA player. Not like this all occurred years before he joined that Sonics team either. He made All-NBA in 95 and All-Star games sandwiched 96

McMillan was a really good player especially defensively. Made 2 all defensive teams. He's 2nd all time in DBPM. A lot of folks argue he was actually the best defender on those Sonics team over Payton, who gambled more.

Hawkins was about a really good scoring guard. Very efficient even in comparison to forwards in this era (Career 58 TS%, was at about 61% in the 4-years from 95-98). Really good 3-pt shooter and decent defensively. Had a few seasons close to 50/40/90 (48/44/87 in 95 on 14ppg)

They also had Sam Perkins who was old at that point but was a pretty good 3pt shooting big by that point

[SouBeachTalents]

he was passive. played like a complete bitch. poor coaching from the heat as well - they expected the players to just figure it out. it was just dwade and lebron going ISO bailing them out every time.

they did figure it out though. the only way they could win is if lebron was the first option and played aggressive at all times. hence the two rings and all-time performances game 6 celtics 2012 game 7 spurs 2013.


thats why mj > lebron
But that honestly hadn't even been an issue for them prior to the Finals. They were primarily still doing the ISO your turn my turn offense against the Celtics & Bulls and took them out in 5 games each. In fact, LeBron just stopped demanding the ball in the Finals, and seemed content to play decoy, standing out at the 3 point line while being totally uninvolved in the offense.

I know Cuban said it was the zone defense they were throwing at LeBron, which may have played a factor sure, but I don't buy that entirely. No team has ever managed to make LeBron that uninvolved in the offense, to the point he wasn't even averaging 20 ppg. Something happened to him during that series, maybe after a year of intense scrutiny and hate he finally cracked

[red1]

But that honestly hadn't even been an issue for them prior to the Finals. They were primarily still doing the ISO your turn my turn offense against the Celtics & Bulls and took them out in 5 games each. In fact, LeBron just stopped demanding the ball in the Finals, and seemed content to play decoy, standing out at the 3 point line while being totally uninvolved in the offense.

I know Cuban said it was the zone defense they were throwing at LeBron, which may have played a factor sure, but I don't buy that entirely. No team has ever managed to make LeBron that uninvolved in the offense, to the point he wasn't even averaging 20 ppg. Something happened to him during that series, maybe after a year of intense scrutiny and hate he finally cracked

it was inexperience and delusion to an extent. he thought he could win without attacking and putting pressure on the other team, which is delusional. its why wade bitched at him to wake up.


thats why he always talked about "leaving it all on the floor" every series the rest of his career. he knows he didnt put pressure and attack the defense the way that he could've, zone or no zone.


2012-2018 he was the best player in the playoffs and the finals every year during this 7 year stretch for that reason, playing aggressive basketball aka playoff lebron.

[RRR3]

it was inexperience and delusion to an extent. he thought he could win without attacking and putting pressure on the other team, which is delusional. its why wade bitched at him to wake up.


thats why he always talked about "leaving it all on the floor" every series the rest of his career. he knows he didnt put pressure and attack the defense the way that he could've, zone or no zone.


2012-2018 he was the best player in the playoffs and the finals every year during this 7 year stretch for that reason, playing aggressive basketball aka playoff lebron.
Playoff Bron :applause: The man who makes 3ball, coach and tpols poop their pajamas

[red1]

Playoff Bron :applause: The man who makes 3ball, coach and tpols poop their pajamas

2012-2018 lebron, 3x champion lebron, elimination game james is better than any of their of favorite players

https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Is-LeBron-James_-45-point-Game-6-vs.-the-Celtics-in-2012-his-greatest-playoff-performance-ever.jpg

[Shaquille O'Neal]

it was inexperience and delusion to an extent. he thought he could win without attacking and putting pressure on the other team, which is delusional. its why wade bitched at him to wake up.


thats why he always talked about "leaving it all on the floor" every series the rest of his career. he knows he didnt put pressure and attack the defense the way that he could've, zone or no zone.


2012-2018 he was the best player in the playoffs and the finals every year during this 7 year stretch for that reason, playing aggressive basketball aka playoff lebron.

Well probably not 2014 Lebron. Record finals loss; beat by air conditioner game 1. Watched that series again last week - Mark Jackson and Jeff VanGundy comment often how Lebron wasn't playing very aggressive. Spurs got such big leads at both halftimes for games 3-4 in Miami it's almost like the entire Heat sort of gave up.

[red1]

Well probably not 2014 Lebron. Record finals loss; beat by air conditioner game 1. Watched that series again last week - Mark Jackson and Jeff VanGundy comment often how Lebron wasn't playing very aggressive. Spurs got such big leads at both halftimes for games 3-4 in Miami it's almost like the entire Heat sort of gave up.

my takeaway from that series was always the poor heat defense. they were visibly tired and looked old which is ironic because we accuse the spurs of being old.

[Shaquille O'Neal]

my takeaway from that series was always the poor heat defense. they were visibly tired and looked old which is ironic because we accuse the spurs of being old.
There's no accusing - Tim Duncan was 38 and playing great defense and rebounding. Manu turned 37 in July of '14, and Tony Parker didn't hit the broad side of a barn until the 4th quarter in game 5. I remember watching that thinking the Spurs passing / team style of play was just too dominant. That '14 Spurs team doesn't get any respect in the pantheon of all-time great teams, but it should.

[red1]

There's no accusing - Tim Duncan was 38 and playing great defense and rebounding. Manu turned 37 in July of '14, and Tony Parker didn't hit the broad side of a barn until the 4th quarter in game 5. I remember watching that thinking the Spurs passing / team style of play was just too dominant. That '14 Spurs team doesn't get any respect in the pantheon of all-time great teams, but it should.

agree 100%

[Roundball_Rock]

Imagine shooting 5/19 in a finals closeout game :roll:

#notmygoat

Jordan got shut down by Gary Payton in the final games. If they put Payton on MJ earlier maybe the Sonics win since Pippen was hurt and struggling.

The Seattle team is intriguing but they were better on paper than on the court. They caught fire in 96' but they either lost in the first round or second round in the years immediately before and after--despite always posting big win totals.

(They did make the WCF in 93' but Payton wasn't Payton back then and Ricky Pierce was their leading scorer and they didn't have Schrempf and Hawkins back then, so a different team in many ways.)

[Axe]

Imagine shooting 5/19 in a finals closeout game :roll:

#notmygoat
iMaGiNe ShOoTiNg 5/19 In A fInALs ClOsEoUt GaMe :roll:

#NoTmYgOaT

[Axe]

Imagine shooting 5/19 in a finals closeout game :roll:

#notmygoat
Btw, stop crying over spilled milk, you buffoon. Nobody asked you if he's your goat anyway.

#retard

[Nowoco]

Imagine shooting 5/19 in a finals closeout game :roll:

#notmygoat

https://i.ibb.co/6NBtxfL/Untitled.jpg

https://chicago.cbslocal.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/15116062/2012/02/71969874_81.jpg?w=594

[TheCorporation]

Imagine shooting 5/19 in a finals closeout game :roll:

#notmygoat

3ball melting

[DoctorP]

iMaGiNe ShOoTiNg 5/19 In A fInALs ClOsEoUt GaMe :roll:

#NoTmYgOaT

imagine losing 6 finals

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ExemplaryCheapCapybara-max-1mb.gif
https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ExemplaryCheapCapybara-max-1mb.gif
https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ExemplaryCheapCapybara-max-1mb.gif
https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ExemplaryCheapCapybara-max-1mb.gif

[TheCorporation]

Imagine having 6x C+ rings with weak opponents for each

[DoctorP]

Imagine having 6x C+ rings with weak opponents for each


imagine losing 6 finals

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ExemplaryCheapCapybara-max-1mb.gif
https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ExemplaryCheapCapybara-max-1mb.gif
https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ExemplaryCheapCapybara-max-1mb.gif
https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ExemplaryCheapCapybara-max-1mb.gif
LOL

[Axe]

Imagine having 6x C+ rings with weak opponents for each
Exhibit A 💩

[TheCorporation]

Exhibit A ��

What was his best ring?

[Axe]

What was his best ring?
Mars