Hopefully Paul Allen Will Learn Something from Mark Cuban

[Minstrel]

I completely disagree, as evidenced by the fact that it wasn't Mario Chalmers or Udonis Haslem that played poorly and cost their team the series, but the "Most Talented Player in the Game" (TM).

I think you're trying to read my statement far too finely, that "talent beat pace in the Finals," which wasn't my intention at all. Both the Heat and Mavericks are extremely talented, so no matter which team won, "talent" was the reason they were in position to win a title and, ultimately, did so.

Unless you want to say that JJ Barea and Jason Terry are more talented than Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade?

I wouldn't want to say that. However, if the Finals had been three-on-three, I think the Heat would have won. Which team was more talented overall is a bit harder to say. The Heat unquestionably had the best three players, but whether they had the best seven or eight is quite a bit closer.

Not that it's relevant, given what I said above (that being, I wasn't arguing that talent was the difference between who won and lost the Finals series).

I do think coaching matters, largely in figuring out how to optimally leverage the talent of the players you have. I don't think the pace the team plays at matters (insofar as it doesn't undermine "leveraging the talents of your players").

 

[jlprk]

Dallas just kept improving over the years and the Blazers didn't. Dallas

1) changed coaches frequently, as you're supposed to do in the NBA until you get a good one. Portland fans don't like that. They want the stability of mediocrity.

2) changed players frequently, as you're supposed to do in the NBA until you win it all. Dallas fans have no moralistic agenda like Portland fans and the stupid 25-point pledge. For example, for several years Blazer fans have disliked Chandler because he got mad during a couple of Blazer games, so Dallas picked him up and he starred for them. Fans here want unemotional nonghetto choirboys. That's why we can't get anywhere.

 

[Minstrel]

For example, for several years Blazer fans have disliked Chandler because he got mad during a couple of Blazer games, so Dallas picked him up and he starred for them.

Portland should never have cut Chandler, allowing Dallas to acquire him.

 

[jlprk]

Przybilla was good at getting Tyson Chandler out the game on technicals when we played against New Orleans. Chandler was never a Blazer.

My overall point in this thread is that PapaG is wrong when he says that Allen should imitate Cuban's stability. The facts are the opposite. 1) We need faster changes, not fewer, and less worship of stability and fear of change. 2) Cuban won because he made those constant changes, while Allen preserved too much stability, not too little.

 

[maxiep]

Who paid for the playoff rally and Oden draft rally few years back?

Blue Cross/Blue Shield?

 

[Mote]

Blue Cross/Blue Shield?

Now that's funny... I don't care who ya are!

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

Many fans and national media people criticized Cuban for building a good regular season team but not a good playoff team.

I guess the lesson should be to not panic after a couple of first round losses. I'm sure if fans had their way, Dallas would have had a new coach and probably traded some core players after last year's playoff.

I just hope we do not get the "Super Bowl" syndrome. Seems like every team in the NFL tries to copy the last team to win a championship.

To respond to your quote, everyone would probably still be saying the same things if Boston had not traded Perkins, the Lakers had not had an off year, or the Spurs had their run late in the year instead of early. I would say the lesson is that there is no fool proof way of winning a championship, but having a horse in the race is the first requirement.