Ray Allen Retires

[celticsclay]

Only thing I'd like to post in here is the following: If KD is a villain to you for going to GSW, you better not idolize Ray Allen, or vica versa. I personally have 0 issue with Ray leaving or KD going to Golden State.

Totally disagree.  Durant is probably the 2nd best player in the world and he joined a 73 win team.

Ray Allen was a veteran role player who had been shopped for 3 years straight.. in-fact, he was traded at least once and the deal fell apart.  He had been relegated to backing up a 20 year old.  The team was no longer a contender. The team was a year away from blowing it up, trading their other two cornerstones, trading their coach and tanking.   The Celtics were done.   Miami was a team that needed some shooting off the bench.   I fully supported Ray's decision to join them.   I never saw them as our rivals anyways.

The team that was tied going into the 4th quarter of game 7 of the ECF was not a contender? 

[LarBrd33]

Only thing I'd like to post in here is the following: If KD is a villain to you for going to GSW, you better not idolize Ray Allen, or vica versa. I personally have 0 issue with Ray leaving or KD going to Golden State.

Totally disagree.  Durant is probably the 2nd best player in the world and he joined a 73 win team.

Ray Allen was a veteran role player who had been shopped for 3 years straight.. in-fact, he was traded at least once and the deal fell apart.  He had been relegated to backing up a 20 year old.  The team was no longer a contender. The team was a year away from blowing it up, trading their other two cornerstones, trading their coach and tanking.   The Celtics were done.   Miami was a team that needed some shooting off the bench.   I fully supported Ray's decision to join them.   I never saw them as our rivals anyways.

The team that was tied going into the 4th quarter of game 7 of the ECF was not a contender? 

Nope.  They weren't. 

[celticsclay]

He is a great player, but do think it is a shame for him that he isn't really identified in any one way with one franchise. Ultimately in his decision to go to Miami I don't think he is looked on any higher than Pierce or Garnett were despite the 2nd ring. Pierce will always be a Celtic. Garnett will actually be remember as a Wolves player and the Celtics players. Kobe will always be a Laker. Wade will always be Heat. Heck, when all is said and done even Lebron will always be Cleveland.

[celticsclay]

Only thing I'd like to post in here is the following: If KD is a villain to you for going to GSW, you better not idolize Ray Allen, or vica versa. I personally have 0 issue with Ray leaving or KD going to Golden State.

Totally disagree.  Durant is probably the 2nd best player in the world and he joined a 73 win team.

Ray Allen was a veteran role player who had been shopped for 3 years straight.. in-fact, he was traded at least once and the deal fell apart.  He had been relegated to backing up a 20 year old.  The team was no longer a contender. The team was a year away from blowing it up, trading their other two cornerstones, trading their coach and tanking.   The Celtics were done.   Miami was a team that needed some shooting off the bench.   I fully supported Ray's decision to join them.   I never saw them as our rivals anyways.

The team that was tied going into the 4th quarter of game 7 of the ECF was not a contender? 

Nope.  They weren't.

Are you saying they were not tied? It was 73-73. We actually had the ball up 1 with 8 minutes left. Then Judas missed a 3. The team then went ice cold and only scored 7 points the rest of the game. The heat then easily won the championship in 5 games. Pretty insane to suggest that team not only didn't have a chance at the championship, but wasn't even a contender...

[LarBrd33]

Only thing I'd like to post in here is the following: If KD is a villain to you for going to GSW, you better not idolize Ray Allen, or vica versa. I personally have 0 issue with Ray leaving or KD going to Golden State.

Totally disagree.  Durant is probably the 2nd best player in the world and he joined a 73 win team.

Ray Allen was a veteran role player who had been shopped for 3 years straight.. in-fact, he was traded at least once and the deal fell apart.  He had been relegated to backing up a 20 year old.  The team was no longer a contender. The team was a year away from blowing it up, trading their other two cornerstones, trading their coach and tanking.   The Celtics were done.   Miami was a team that needed some shooting off the bench.   I fully supported Ray's decision to join them.   I never saw them as our rivals anyways.

The team that was tied going into the 4th quarter of game 7 of the ECF was not a contender? 

Nope.  They weren't.

Are you saying they were tied?

I'm saying it was a lockout shortened season where a savvy veteran Boston team overachieved to 39 wins.   The frontrunner in the East, Chicago, puttered out in the first round to a #8 seed, because their star player got injured.  A 35 win Philly team took us to 7 games before that Miami series... so if Boston was a "contender" so was Philly.   Miami was never losing that series to us.  That series followed the same trajectory as most of their games that year... Miami would go down early and storm back to dominate people in the end. 

The writing was on the wall... Boston's time was done.   They didn't want Ray anymore so he left.  Not only had he lost his starting role, been in trade discussions for years, was literally traded by Ainge at one point, but the team had already signed Courtney Lee - further adding confusion on what Ray's role would have been with our little also-ran Knicks-fodder of a basketball team.   He was right to leave.  Just like KG and Pierce were right to waive their no-trade clauses to go to Brooklyn.  Just like Doc Rivers was right to get the heck out of dodge and join the Clippers.   Boston was inches away from tanking by the time Ray offered his services to a contender that wanted him.

[wayupnorth]

Only thing I'd like to post in here is the following: If KD is a villain to you for going to GSW, you better not idolize Ray Allen, or vica versa. I personally have 0 issue with Ray leaving or KD going to Golden State.

Totally disagree.  Durant is probably the 2nd best player in the world and he joined a 73 win team.

Ray Allen was a veteran role player who had been shopped for 3 years straight.. in-fact, he was traded at least once and the deal fell apart.  He had been relegated to backing up a 20 year old.  The team was no longer a contender. The team was a year away from blowing it up, trading their other two cornerstones, trading their coach and tanking.   The Celtics were done.   Miami was a team that needed some shooting off the bench.   I fully supported Ray's decision to join them.   I never saw them as our rivals anyways.

The team that was tied going into the 4th quarter of game 7 of the ECF was not a contender? 

Nope.  They weren't.

Only on your mind were they not.

[wayupnorth]

Only thing I'd like to post in here is the following: If KD is a villain to you for going to GSW, you better not idolize Ray Allen, or vica versa. I personally have 0 issue with Ray leaving or KD going to Golden State.

Totally disagree.  Durant is probably the 2nd best player in the world and he joined a 73 win team.

Ray Allen was a veteran role player who had been shopped for 3 years straight.. in-fact, he was traded at least once and the deal fell apart.  He had been relegated to backing up a 20 year old.  The team was no longer a contender. The team was a year away from blowing it up, trading their other two cornerstones, trading their coach and tanking.   The Celtics were done.   Miami was a team that needed some shooting off the bench.   I fully supported Ray's decision to join them.   I never saw them as our rivals anyways.

The team that was tied going into the 4th quarter of game 7 of the ECF was not a contender? 

Nope.  They weren't.

Are you saying they were tied?

I'm saying it was a lockout shortened season where a savvy veteran Boston team overachieved to 39 wins.   The frontrunner in the East, Chicago, puttered out in the first round to a #8 seed, because their star player got injured.  A 35 win Philly team took us to 7 games before that Miami series... so if Boston was a "contender" so was Philly.   Miami was never losing that series to us.  That series followed the same trajectory as most of their games that year... Miami would go down early and storm back to dominate people in the end. 

The writing was on the wall... Boston's time was done.   They didn't want Ray anymore so he left.  Not only had he lost his starting role, been in trade discussions for years, was literally traded by Ainge at one point, but the team had already signed Courtney Lee - further adding confusion on what Ray's role would have been with our little also-ran Knicks-fodder of a basketball team.   He was right to leave.  Just like KG and Pierce were right to waive their no-trade clauses to go to Brooklyn.  Just like Doc Rivers was right to get the heck out of dodge and join the Clippers.   Boston was inches away from tanking by the time Ray offered his services to a contender that wanted him.

What a complete and utter joke of a post.

"Miami was never losing that series to us"

 

Garbage-tier post

[LarBrd33]

Only thing I'd like to post in here is the following: If KD is a villain to you for going to GSW, you better not idolize Ray Allen, or vica versa. I personally have 0 issue with Ray leaving or KD going to Golden State.

Totally disagree.  Durant is probably the 2nd best player in the world and he joined a 73 win team.

Ray Allen was a veteran role player who had been shopped for 3 years straight.. in-fact, he was traded at least once and the deal fell apart.  He had been relegated to backing up a 20 year old.  The team was no longer a contender. The team was a year away from blowing it up, trading their other two cornerstones, trading their coach and tanking.   The Celtics were done.   Miami was a team that needed some shooting off the bench.   I fully supported Ray's decision to join them.   I never saw them as our rivals anyways.

The team that was tied going into the 4th quarter of game 7 of the ECF was not a contender? 

Nope.  They weren't.

Only on your mind were they not.

They were not a contender.  Bottom line.  End of story.   They won 39 games in a lock-out shortened season.  That's a 48 win pace.   They had the 10th best record in the league.   They lucked into playing a Horfordless Hawks team in Round 1.   The 8th seed 76ers took them to 7 games in Round 2.   They played the majority of the Heat series without Chris Bosh playing, undeniably gave them a nice fight, and ultimately lost as expected.  In-fact, once a rusty Bosh returned to play 25+ minutes, Miami ripped us a new butthole by beating us by 19 points in Game 6 and 13 points in Game 7.    Only a homer thought that team was a real contender.  I imagine you also think the Walker/Pierce ECF team was a contender too, right?  You're wrong there also.   A team making the ECF does not automatically earn them a "contender" label.  Context matters..

They replaced Ray with Courtney Lee (who was arguably better than Ray at that point) and opened the next season by going 20-23 until Rondo got injured and the team went on a mini run without him - getting dominated by the Knicks in the first round.

Ray was fully in the right to bail on that situation.  That little flukey ECF appearance was a nice victory lap for the 2008 team.  They had a cake walk in the first two rounds and overachieved in a big way for part of the ECF... but that team wasn't a contender.  Ray knew it, I knew it, and a year later the rest of the team and fans like yourself finally knew it.  Meanwhile, Ray was hitting the greatest 3-pointer in NBA Finals history on his way to his second well-deserved championship. 

NBA Legend.   Ray was a basketball god.   Learn some basketball history and show some respect for a man we wouldn't have won the 2008 title without.

[wayupnorth]

Only thing I'd like to post in here is the following: If KD is a villain to you for going to GSW, you better not idolize Ray Allen, or vica versa. I personally have 0 issue with Ray leaving or KD going to Golden State.

Totally disagree.  Durant is probably the 2nd best player in the world and he joined a 73 win team.

Ray Allen was a veteran role player who had been shopped for 3 years straight.. in-fact, he was traded at least once and the deal fell apart.  He had been relegated to backing up a 20 year old.  The team was no longer a contender. The team was a year away from blowing it up, trading their other two cornerstones, trading their coach and tanking.   The Celtics were done.   Miami was a team that needed some shooting off the bench.   I fully supported Ray's decision to join them.   I never saw them as our rivals anyways.

The team that was tied going into the 4th quarter of game 7 of the ECF was not a contender? 

Nope.  They weren't.

Only on your mind were they not.

They were not a contender.  Bottom line.  End of story.   They won 39 games in a lock-out shortened season.  That's a 48 win pace.   They had the 10th best record in the league.   They lucked into playing a Horfordless Hawks team in Round 1.   The 8th seed 76ers took them to 7 games in Round 2.   They played the majority of the Heat series without Chris Bosh playing, undeniably gave them a nice fight, and ultimately lost as expected.  In-fact, once a rusty Bosh returned to play 25+ minutes, Miami ripped us a new butthole by beating us by 19 points in Game 6 and 13 points in Game 7.    Only a homer thought that team was a real contender.  I imagine you also think the Walker/Pierce ECF team was a contender too, right?  You're wrong there also.   A team making the ECF does not automatically earn them a "contender" label.  Context matters..

They replaced Ray with Courtney Lee (who was arguably better than Ray at that point) and opened the next season by going 20-23 until Rondo got injured and the team went on a mini run without him - getting dominated by the Knicks in the first round.

Ray was fully in the right to bail on that situation.  That little flukey ECF appearance was a nice victory lap for the 2008 team.  They had a cake walk in the first two rounds and overachieved in a big way for part of the ECF... but that team wasn't a contender.  Ray knew it, I knew it, and a year later the rest of the team and fans like yourself finally knew it.  Meanwhile, Ray was hitting the greatest 3-pointer in NBA Finals history on his way to his second well-deserved championship. 

NBA Legend.   Ray was a basketball god.   Learn some basketball history and show some respect for a man we wouldn't have won the 2008 title without.

Rofl

[celticsclay]

Only thing I'd like to post in here is the following: If KD is a villain to you for going to GSW, you better not idolize Ray Allen, or vica versa. I personally have 0 issue with Ray leaving or KD going to Golden State.

Totally disagree.  Durant is probably the 2nd best player in the world and he joined a 73 win team.

Ray Allen was a veteran role player who had been shopped for 3 years straight.. in-fact, he was traded at least once and the deal fell apart.  He had been relegated to backing up a 20 year old.  The team was no longer a contender. The team was a year away from blowing it up, trading their other two cornerstones, trading their coach and tanking.   The Celtics were done.   Miami was a team that needed some shooting off the bench.   I fully supported Ray's decision to join them.   I never saw them as our rivals anyways.

The team that was tied going into the 4th quarter of game 7 of the ECF was not a contender? 

Nope.  They weren't.

Only on your mind were they not.

They were not a contender.  Bottom line.  End of story.   They won 39 games in a lock-out shortened season.  That's a 48 win pace.   They had the 10th best record in the league.   They lucked into playing a Horfordless Hawks team in Round 1.   The 8th seed 76ers took them to 7 games in Round 2.   They played the majority of the Heat series without Chris Bosh playing, undeniably gave them a nice fight, and ultimately lost as expected.  In-fact, once a rusty Bosh returned to play 25+ minutes, Miami ripped us a new butthole by beating us by 19 points in Game 6 and 13 points in Game 7.    Only a homer thought that team was a real contender.  I imagine you also think the Walker/Pierce ECF team was a contender too, right?  You're wrong there also.   A team making the ECF does not automatically earn them a "contender" label.  Context matters..

They replaced Ray with Courtney Lee (who was arguably better than Ray at that point) and opened the next season by going 20-23 until Rondo got injured and the team went on a mini run without him - getting dominated by the Knicks in the first round.

Ray was fully in the right to bail on that situation.  That little flukey ECF appearance was a nice victory lap for the 2008 team.  They had a cake walk in the first two rounds and overachieved in a big way for part of the ECF... but that team wasn't a contender.  Ray knew it, I knew it, and a year later the rest of the team and fans like yourself finally knew it.  Meanwhile, Ray was hitting the greatest 3-pointer in NBA Finals history on his way to his second well-deserved championship. 

NBA Legend.   Ray was a basketball god.   Learn some basketball history and show some respect for a man we wouldn't have won the 2008 title without.

These two points are kind of funny here together because you are acting like only the context that supports your theme matters.

Against a team you said the Celtics had no chance beating the Celtics were up 4 points after the 1st quarter and 7 at the half. The heat charged back to take a small lead and then Celtics came back and traded baskets with them for 12 minutes. The Celtics then went cold and the Heat got hot. Allen went cold from 3 missing 2 very makeable shots. Bosh actually hit 3 along with a 31 foot 3 pointer from James to really change the tide. Rondo mixed in a few unfortunate turnovers and the Heat finally wrestled control away in the final 4 minutes. Nobody that was being serious and objective would say it wasn't a close game that had its result in doubt for over 3.5 quarters.



That was clearly a highly competitive game and a game of inches. If anyone needs to show some respect it is you to that game and how very close they were to beating Miami and going on to play an OKC team that Miami crushed.

[celticsclay]

Also funny thing about them numbers. The Celtics started that season 17-17 cause, not shockingly, it took their older players longer to get going after a lockout. After that they actually went 22-10 the second half of the season, or a 56 win pace. So we are discounting the fact that they had one of the best records in the league the entire second half, went to the ECF, and forced a game 7 that they were leading with 8 minutes left on the road? Just curious how crazy we want to get with this.

[LarBrd33]

Only thing I'd like to post in here is the following: If KD is a villain to you for going to GSW, you better not idolize Ray Allen, or vica versa. I personally have 0 issue with Ray leaving or KD going to Golden State.

Totally disagree.  Durant is probably the 2nd best player in the world and he joined a 73 win team.

Ray Allen was a veteran role player who had been shopped for 3 years straight.. in-fact, he was traded at least once and the deal fell apart.  He had been relegated to backing up a 20 year old.  The team was no longer a contender. The team was a year away from blowing it up, trading their other two cornerstones, trading their coach and tanking.   The Celtics were done.   Miami was a team that needed some shooting off the bench.   I fully supported Ray's decision to join them.   I never saw them as our rivals anyways.

The team that was tied going into the 4th quarter of game 7 of the ECF was not a contender? 

Nope.  They weren't.

Only on your mind were they not.

They were not a contender.  Bottom line.  End of story.   They won 39 games in a lock-out shortened season.  That's a 48 win pace.   They had the 10th best record in the league.   They lucked into playing a Horfordless Hawks team in Round 1.   The 8th seed 76ers took them to 7 games in Round 2.   They played the majority of the Heat series without Chris Bosh playing, undeniably gave them a nice fight, and ultimately lost as expected.  In-fact, once a rusty Bosh returned to play 25+ minutes, Miami ripped us a new butthole by beating us by 19 points in Game 6 and 13 points in Game 7.    Only a homer thought that team was a real contender.  I imagine you also think the Walker/Pierce ECF team was a contender too, right?  You're wrong there also.   A team making the ECF does not automatically earn them a "contender" label.  Context matters..

They replaced Ray with Courtney Lee (who was arguably better than Ray at that point) and opened the next season by going 20-23 until Rondo got injured and the team went on a mini run without him - getting dominated by the Knicks in the first round.

Ray was fully in the right to bail on that situation.  That little flukey ECF appearance was a nice victory lap for the 2008 team.  They had a cake walk in the first two rounds and overachieved in a big way for part of the ECF... but that team wasn't a contender.  Ray knew it, I knew it, and a year later the rest of the team and fans like yourself finally knew it.  Meanwhile, Ray was hitting the greatest 3-pointer in NBA Finals history on his way to his second well-deserved championship. 

NBA Legend.   Ray was a basketball god.   Learn some basketball history and show some respect for a man we wouldn't have won the 2008 title without.

These two points are kind of funny here together because you are acting like only the context that supports your theme matters.

Against a team you said the Celtics had no chance beating the Celtics were up 4 points after the 1st quarter and 7 at the half. The heat charged back to take a small lead and then Celtics came back and traded baskets with them for 12 minutes. The Celtics then went cold and the Heat got hot. Allen went cold from 3 missing 2 very makeable shots. Bosh actually hit 3 along with a 31 foot 3 pointer from James to really change the tide. Rondo mixed in a few unfortunate turnovers and the Heat finally wrestled control away in the final 4 minutes. Nobody that was being serious and objective would say it wasn't a close game that had its result in doubt for over 3.5 quarters.



That was clearly a highly competitive game and a game of inches. If anyone needs to show some respect it is you to that game and how very close they were to beating Miami and going on to play an OKC team that Miami crushed.

Ray and the boys gave them all they had.  It wasn't the first time the Celtics had overachieved.  In 2009 when KG went out, they overachieved too.  In-fact, Ray's performance against Chicago that year was transcendent.  But 2009 Celtics san KG and the 2012 Celts that made it to the ECF were not true contenders.   Ray looked at where that team was going (in the dumps), looked at how they had treated him (trade bait), realized there was no future in Boston the next year (they won 41 games and got beat in the 1st round), and found a contender to play for.  I had no problem with it.  He made the right decision.  There was no point in him re-signing to be the 3rd string SG on a borderline .500 also-ran.  The proof is right there in front of you... the team was irrelevant the next year.  They would have been irrelevant had they signed Ray instead of Courtney Lee.  Within a year, the rest of the big 3 and the coach had all bailed on that team as well.  Boston was in full-blown tank mode.  Ray was completely vindicated.   Give him the respect and appreciation he deserves.  The fans were wrong to turn on him. 

This is what vindication looks like:



Basketball Legend.

Better to hit the greatest 3-pointer in Finals history than to be sitting on some .500 also-ran that gets punked in the first round by the Knicks.



Ray was fully 100% in the right to bail when he did.

[LarBrd33]

Ray's series against the Bulls in 2009 was incredible.  KG was out, the team was clearly not winning a title without him, and Ray was unbelievable in 7 overtimes against Chicago.  One of the best playoff series I've ever watched from two teams that weren't going to win a championship.   CSN Chicago wrote a nice piece on it:  http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-bulls/remembering-ray-allens-2009-playoff-series-against-bulls

[wayupnorth]

Only thing I'd like to post in here is the following: If KD is a villain to you for going to GSW, you better not idolize Ray Allen, or vica versa. I personally have 0 issue with Ray leaving or KD going to Golden State.

Totally disagree.  Durant is probably the 2nd best player in the world and he joined a 73 win team.

Ray Allen was a veteran role player who had been shopped for 3 years straight.. in-fact, he was traded at least once and the deal fell apart.  He had been relegated to backing up a 20 year old.  The team was no longer a contender. The team was a year away from blowing it up, trading their other two cornerstones, trading their coach and tanking.   The Celtics were done.   Miami was a team that needed some shooting off the bench.   I fully supported Ray's decision to join them.   I never saw them as our rivals anyways.

The team that was tied going into the 4th quarter of game 7 of the ECF was not a contender? 

Nope.  They weren't.

Only on your mind were they not.

They were not a contender.  Bottom line.  End of story.   They won 39 games in a lock-out shortened season.  That's a 48 win pace.   They had the 10th best record in the league.   They lucked into playing a Horfordless Hawks team in Round 1.   The 8th seed 76ers took them to 7 games in Round 2.   They played the majority of the Heat series without Chris Bosh playing, undeniably gave them a nice fight, and ultimately lost as expected.  In-fact, once a rusty Bosh returned to play 25+ minutes, Miami ripped us a new butthole by beating us by 19 points in Game 6 and 13 points in Game 7.    Only a homer thought that team was a real contender.  I imagine you also think the Walker/Pierce ECF team was a contender too, right?  You're wrong there also.   A team making the ECF does not automatically earn them a "contender" label.  Context matters..

They replaced Ray with Courtney Lee (who was arguably better than Ray at that point) and opened the next season by going 20-23 until Rondo got injured and the team went on a mini run without him - getting dominated by the Knicks in the first round.

Ray was fully in the right to bail on that situation.  That little flukey ECF appearance was a nice victory lap for the 2008 team.  They had a cake walk in the first two rounds and overachieved in a big way for part of the ECF... but that team wasn't a contender.  Ray knew it, I knew it, and a year later the rest of the team and fans like yourself finally knew it.  Meanwhile, Ray was hitting the greatest 3-pointer in NBA Finals history on his way to his second well-deserved championship. 

NBA Legend.   Ray was a basketball god.   Learn some basketball history and show some respect for a man we wouldn't have won the 2008 title without.

These two points are kind of funny here together because you are acting like only the context that supports your theme matters.

Against a team you said the Celtics had no chance beating the Celtics were up 4 points after the 1st quarter and 7 at the half. The heat charged back to take a small lead and then Celtics came back and traded baskets with them for 12 minutes. The Celtics then went cold and the Heat got hot. Allen went cold from 3 missing 2 very makeable shots. Bosh actually hit 3 along with a 31 foot 3 pointer from James to really change the tide. Rondo mixed in a few unfortunate turnovers and the Heat finally wrestled control away in the final 4 minutes. Nobody that was being serious and objective would say it wasn't a close game that had its result in doubt for over 3.5 quarters.



That was clearly a highly competitive game and a game of inches. If anyone needs to show some respect it is you to that game and how very close they were to beating Miami and going on to play an OKC team that Miami crushed.

Ray and the boys gave them all they had.  It wasn't the first time the Celtics had overachieved.  In 2009 when KG went out, they overachieved too.  In-fact, Ray's performance against Chicago that year was transcendent.  But 2009 Celtics san KG and the 2012 Celts that made it to the ECF were not true contenders.   Ray looked at where that team was going (in the dumps), looked at how they had treated him (trade bait), realized there was no future in Boston the next year (they won 41 games and got beat in the 1st round), and found a contender to play for.  I had no problem with it.  He made the right decision.  There was no point in him re-signing to be the 3rd string SG on a borderline .500 also-ran.  The proof is right there in front of you... the team was irrelevant the next year.  They would have been irrelevant had they signed Ray instead of Courtney Lee.  Within a year, the rest of the big 3 and the coach had all bailed on that team as well.  Boston was in full-blown tank mode.  Ray was completely vindicated.   Give him the respect and appreciation he deserves.  The fans were wrong to turn on him. 

This is what vindication looks like:



Basketball Legend.

Better to hit the greatest 3-pointer in Finals history than to be sitting on some .500 also-ran that gets punked in the first round by the Knicks.



Ray was fully 100% in the right to bail when he did.

LOL "true contenders".

Do you hear that? The almighty LarBrd has declared himself he who determines whether or not a team is a "true contender" or a fake contender, and apparently taking a team to the 4th quarter in a close game seven was just Miami having fun with us.

Glad my eyes were finally opened on what you do around here.

[Donoghus]

If you take the eventual NBA champion to 7 games in the Eastern Conference Finals (Did Miami just spot BOS a 3-2 series lead for the heck of it?) which included both a series lead, a chance to close out the series at home, and a 2nd half lead in the decisive game 7, I'd say you were a contender. 

What you do the season before or season after is really irrelevant.   The fact of the factor was that you were one of the final four teams left in the playoffs and had a legitimate chance to go to the NBA Finals and win the title.  You were most certainly a title contender that season.

All the other stuff is just superfluous nonsense if you ask me.