Reggie Miller


Reggie Miller saying, "I thought we were a better team" reminded me of when Chauncy Billups said the same thing after LeBron torched them for 28 straight points to knock the Pistons out of the playoffs. Here's a hint, guys. Unless you're the Lakers with Shaq and Kobe; or The Warriors with Durant and Curry; and you don't have MJ or LeBron on your roster; you're not the better team.

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Unless a catastrophic injury occurs, the better team ALWAYS wins in a seven game series....

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Always? Not sure about that. But my point was this: if you think your team is better than a team with Michael Jordan or; to a lesser extent, LeBron James on it; you're probably mistaken.

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Always...

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You're absolutely wrong. There's no shortage of examples, but here are two undeniable ones: 2002 Kings, 2016 Warriors. Both times, the league made SURE of the outcome. Both times, the better team lost.

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Greetings, nice to meet you....

“Always” may be too absolute; “most of the time” may be more appropriate.

You point out some legitimate examples, but I respectfully disagree.

I can think of three, maybe four teams, that lost a series as the better team; the two you mentioned and the 2011 Heat...also, that 86 Lakers team that lost to Houston in the conference finals (though it would be a tough argument as the rockets won that series in 5)


Going into the 2003 playoffs, I also thought the Kings finally got over the hump, progressively getting better for 3 seasons and replacing Jason Williams with a more steady Mike Bibby. Plus, they played the Lakers tough. Admittedly, game 6 was not without its controversies, but the kings still had game 7 at home to take care of business. That overtime was absolutely disgusting, Webber was embarrassingly M.I.A., Christie was clanking bricks and the kings choked. No problem: they’re good, they’ll be back, they’ll contend in the future...nope. Next three years, all playoff years but can’t even get back to the conference finals.

If I were kings fan, I imagine game six still hurts. I have my suspicions also, but I have no proof of any league “interference” in that series, so I choose not to go there. (I don’t care what a disreputable tim donaghy says)

2016 finals; yes, Draymond Green is out for game 5, but the warriors had three shots to win one game— two of which were at home. And in hindsight, I’m not sure that 73 win team was so much better then that cavs team, and it seems to me, Bob Myers was unsure also, because GS went and grabbed Durant, a HUGE upgrade over the talented yet unreliable Harrison Barnes. And remember, the Warriors beat a hobbled cavs team the year before.

Cheers man, and enjoy the playoffs.....

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"“Always” may be too absolute; “most of the time” may be more appropriate."
That's really all I'm saying.

But since we're all here. . . 😎

"If I were kings fan, I imagine game six still hurts. I have my suspicions also, but I have no proof of any league “interference” in that series, so I choose not to go there. (I don’t care what a disreputable tim donaghy says)"
One of the worst-kept secrets is how the NBA protects not only star players, but star teams. And this series is the single most bright and shining example of that. You can handwave away Donaghy's confession, but ask yourself why on earth he would lie about games in general, and that series in particular, being fixed. Then consider that he's Not the only one saying it.
That series was Fixed.

The Warriors-Cavs series is equally as glaringly obvious to me. No way to prove it to you, but AS SOON AS they tech'd Draymond out, I looked over at my friend and said: "Guess what's about to happen. The NBA is gonna make SURE the Cavs win this year, then these two teams are gonna meet again in the finals next year, and the ratings are gonna Break Records."

Guess what happened?

It's not hard to see. The NBA is in the business of entertainment. . .NOT sports.

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Unless you're the Lakers with Shaq and Kobe; or The Warriors with Durant and Curry; and you don't have MJ or LeBron on your roster; you're not the better team.


The '04 Pistons beg to differ.
As well as the '11 Mavericks, '19 Raptors, and '14 Spurs.

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flukes

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☑️ Sandman....though that ‘19 Toronto team did benefit from an catastrophic injury...

For a moment, I may think that 06-07 Detroit team was more complete than a rag-tag Cleveland bunch led by James....but that was the end of that four-year run by the Pistons and Rasheed Wallace wasn’t the same anymore...a 64-win team lost to Miami in the ECF the previous season....they were done, despite going up 2-0 vs CLE....and, yes, Lebron, great player, but somebody needed to knock him on his ass in game 5, 28 straight, come on....don’t have to play dirty, but come on!

For a moment, I think back to a 60+ win 85-86 Laker team losing to Houston in the WCF....but then I remember, series went just 5 games....so I say, handle your business, if you’re better, it’s simple: win....only need to win 4 out 7, a team can actually lose 3 games!

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Couple more:

'07 Spurs swept LeBron
'08 Celtics beat Kobe and Gasol.

That's a lot of flukes in a 16 year span. Almost half in fact. Looks like your theory doesn't hold water.

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My point was this: a player who speaks out and says "we were the better team" after losing to Michael Jordan (or Lebron James) doesn't really have good perspective. If his team was better, they would have won.

I'll make one exception here. Charles Barkley did say he thought the Suns were a better team before they played the Bulls. Then later admitted Jordan was better than he was.

However, after rewatching some of that series, it looks to me as though the refs were favoring Chicago.

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Reggie Miller was one of the better personalities, completely honest and forthright. All you could ever hope for......hell, he was even funny.

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At least he wasn't bitter about he loss...

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Not true. The Pacers were a better team. But the Bulls had the best player. Sometimes that's how championships are won. In 84, the Lakers were the best team. The Celtics had the best player, though. And that proved to be just enough for them to win.

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But they didn't win the Championship for having the best players, they had it for having the best team. I can kinda see your point if you look at it in reverse. The Heat had the best players, but lost to the Mavericks. The Lakers had the best players, but lost to the Pistons.

However, Chicago had the best player of all time in most people's opinion, along with one of the best all around players of all time, along with one of the best rebounders of all time, along with the best European player at the time. And they were coached by the man who won the most championships of all time. Indiana had nothing near that. Therefore, I would submit, they weren't the better team.

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Yes and the better team was the Pacers. Smits, Mullin, Jackson, Davis, Davis, Rose, McKey and Miller. But the Bulls had the best player and he was the difference. And that Bulls team is not one of the all time greats, not to me, and their coach has to be the most overrated coach in history. I would make a case the 95-96 Bulls were at least a top ten all time team, by virtue of their record. Probably the best Jordan team, though I think Jordan was at his best in the early years of the 90s.

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So, the Pacers were better than one of the top ten teams of all time in your estimation? Well, why didn't they win any championships?

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But my point was this: if you think your team is better than a team with Michael Jordan or; to a lesser extent, LeBron James on it; you're probably mistaken.

My point was this: a player who speaks out and says "we were the better team" after losing to Michael Jordan (or Lebron James) doesn't really have good perspective. If his team was better, they would have won.

I'll make one exception here. Charles Barkley did say he thought the Suns were a better team before they played the Bulls. Then later admitted Jordan was better than he was.

But they didn't win the Championship for having the best players, they had it for having the best team.


I think even you're confused as to what you're trying to say.

If you disagree with Reggie Miller, and do not believe that the '98 Pacers were better than the '98 Bulls, fine then just say that. If you disagree with every losing team that says after a series that they were the better team and should have won, that's fine too. But lets not get into a "If you have Jordan/LeBron/Kobe/Shaq on your team then you are always the better team" debate, because that has been proven untrue time and time again.

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Well, I did say "probably" mistaken. And this was only meant for players who SAID their team was better after losing to Jordan or LeBron.

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