Pat Riley: Lakers beat the Heat “Fair and Squarely” but the title will have a asterisk because of injuries

[japanesebeef1]

[Jesusdelonla]

Pat not happy LeBron left Miami

[Staccatos]

[Nobody]

Dragic is a good player, but ultimately he wouldn't have mattered that much. So he could've just stopped before the "but". And not come off as a bitter butt.

[DrDent]

No one will remember the "asterisk" talk for any length of time. In the end, the Lakers won it, and it counts as a title. But let's get one thing clear - suggesting the road was easier for this team and it should somehow take off the glean of their championship is just ignorant in my view. Why?

In no particular order:
1. Lakers were playing this year with a heavy heart with the loss of Kobe;
2. They lost homecourt advantage because of the bubble and had to play on a neutral court throughout the playoffs, essentially making their best record almost meaningless (outside of which team they played). Having crowds makes a difference.
3. They had to play in a FREAKING bubble with other teams for months during a pandemic. If anything, this was a harder environment than any team has had to go through.
4. They did not have avery bradley - for some reason just because he was not "injured" and instead chose to avoid potential COVID exposure is not counted. Look, before COVID hit AB had become one of their key roleplayer guys, showing terrific D and solid offense. To suggest he would not have helped in their series (or shouldnt count) is disingenous. The fact he was not part of the team due to a pandemic is equivalent to an unavailable injured player.
5. The Heat had a healthy team for about half of game 1 - they tried to play physical with the Lakers and got hurt. They were also down by what, 20-30 points at the point when their first guy went down?
6. If we are going to start this stupidity let's do this then, just off the top of my head:

-Last year's Raptors. Asterisk. KD played for like 1 quarter, and
then Klay went down.

-The beloved dubs. TWO asterisks. First one, when they beat the
Cavs who had Kyrie and Love injured. Second one when they were
down 3-2 to the Rockets who lost CP3. Big Break for the "best team
in history" (to some) there. [yes they beat the Cavs with relative
ease that year but they arguably should not have even been in the
Finals if CP3 played the entire WCF]

-Pistons beating Lakers in finals when Byron and Magic went down.
Yep. DEFINITE asterisk there then.

I'm sure we could add to that list, but why? It's silly. Bottomline is Lakers throttle the Heat in games 1 and 6, and had good competition in games 2-5. Frankly, I felt Bam hurt the Heat in some ways, that Olynyk stretching the floor vs the Lakers was better. But whatever. Haters will hate.

[drae]

It is a secret motivation that LeBron James said he has carried since his departure from the Miami Heat in the 2014 offseason as a free agent. And while he did not directly reveal it following Sunday's title-clinching victory by his Cleveland Cavaliers over the Golden State Warriors, it sure sounds like Pat Riley finds himself involved in another championship moment.

In a behind-the-scenes story in the wake of Sunday's victory, ESPN.com quoted James in regard to his departure from Miami, in less-than-flattering terms in regard to the Heat, his comments indicating antipathy toward more than one party.

"When I decided to leave Miami," James said of his departure after winning 2012 and '13 championships with the Heat, "I'm not going to name any names, I can't do that. But there were some people that I trusted and built relationships with in those four years [who] told me I was making the biggest mistake of my career.

Previously, ESPN's Dave McMenamin (which also might finally douse the notion of a report from one of his fellow ESPN employees of a potential James return to the Heat) indicated that Riley was the source of his anger upon his departure.

"It turns out he told me that actually when he left Miami, that people who he thought he had strong, trusting relationships with, and he said he's not going to name names, but 'Someone told me that, 'You're making the biggest mistake of your career,' " McMenamin said.

"And he said it really hurt him. Basically, he felt taken for granted, like, 'Look, I just gave you four years of my prime and you're not going to be comfortable with my decision and root me on? You're going to try to make me feel bad going out the door?' "

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-heat/heat-blog/sfl-miami-heat-lebron-james-s062016-htmlstory.html

I'm sure they really, REALLY wanted to beat one another this Finals series.

[DrDent]

[wolfpaclaker]

With Wade's decline, Bosh's health issues,, Riley was wrong. Lebron would be sill stuck at 2, likely. The Cavs had draft assets to trade, and a young all star in Kyrie. They within a few weeks of getting Bron, put together a more talented team than Miami, Miami had just lost to a pretty old Spurs team.

With the emergence of the Warriors then, I mean come on. No way, Riles. Wade as good as he was, with Bosh's health issues, that team never gets a W on the Warriors and may not have come out of the East.

Not only did Lebron make good decisions, the interesting thing about Bron is almost as if he studies the roster and understands through the FO that moves would be made to get him in prime star talent. When he came to LA some said he came to retire and not win, but he had already had that discussion I am sure with the FO. Capspace, draft assets to trade for an in prime superstar.

[LandsbergerRules]

[waterman40]

Hate may be a great motivator, but all it ends in is bitterness.

The only asterisk I ever felt was the Spurs shortened season, but in the end, they still won their last series, and will always be champions. The Lakers went into a couple of championships and lost a couple of starters to injury, then got blown out by the Pistons. Does not matter, we lost, the Pistons won.

I thought the Heat's first championship was somewhat tarnished by the way the Refs called the series "D-whistle" for a year or two D-wade got a foul call every time he drove to the basket.

If anything, our championship means more somehow. We won with a new coach, who was not our first choice. We won with several young players traded for an unproved superstar. We won despite Kobe's death. We won despite the Covid virus, cities burning and racial upheaval in our society. We won sith Bradley our starting PG opting out of the Bubble. We won despite no homecourt advantage, a very tough playoffs with a great #8 seed in Portland, second round against Harden-whistle, the upstart Nuggets, and finally out-gutting the Heat.
_________________
LAKERS 2019-2020: NBA World Champions!

[scout_0]

Not our fault their team is not deep enough!


We were missing our starting PG for the whole playoffs. Rondo was out with a hand injury....We are the real #CULTURE. Lebron and Davis played through pain all season long. You could tell Davis was on some crazy drugs during the finals to play through pain. Look at his eyes and not he was not high from weed.

what a hater

[LakerDYnasty72]

[Annihilator]

[Inspector Gadget]

Enjoying reading you guys blast Riley for his idiotic comment, you guys are awesome

[venturalakersfan]

No *, a clear Invitational title.
_________________
RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023.

[miggz23]

Train is never late... Here comes all the asterisk talk were all expecting. Always arrive on time when NBA is on a stand still and there’s nothing to talk about. I mean it happens every year.

[Annihilator]

[lar9149]

Riley said “in his mind it’s an asterisk.”

I guess that’s fine he is allowed to think whatever he wants and people don’t have to agree with him.

Fun facts. The lead at the half of game 6 Was the second most in nba history. And it was defensive masterpiece.

Given that with a 100 percent dragic and adebayo do we really think it would have lead to a heat victory?

This is different from the raptors warriors finals that was missing Thompson and Durant.

We are taking about dragic and adebayo here. Come on Riley. Stop that!

[LakerDYnasty72]

[Aeneas Hunter]

[akgolf]

Glad there’s no asterisk for the Heat getting to the finals, since they obviously played against teams that were all at full strength!

[Aeneas Hunter]

[LastStand 2.0]

Interesting, no asterisk on kawhis title last year against a decimated warriors team?

Interesting

[Inspector Gadget]

[saetarubia]

Then all chips have an asterisk
2019: KD and klay out
2018: CP3 injury
2017: Kawhi injury
2016: Draymond suspension
2015:Kyrie and Love injures

https://mobile.twitter.com/SLAMnewswire/status/1320125315566489605
_________________
Showtime 2.0