Ladies and Gents your 2013 NBA Champs...

[quick release]

...the Miami Heat.

Russell Westbrook out indefinitely with a meniscus surgery.

 

[ouleaf]

I think that still would have been the case whether or not Westbrook was healthy

 

[bocabull]

That's a shame for Russ. That injury is usually only a couple weeks right? He could still make it back for the conference finals if they can make it there.

 

[MsProudSooner]

Isn't that similar to Blake's injury his sophomore year?

 

[playmakr]

Isn't that similar to Blake's injury his sophomore year?

Blake's didn't require full repair at OU, much different recovery. It's more like when Blake had to have surgery before the Olympics last year and they told him 6 to 8 weeks.

Now Russ is probably the toughest SOB (along with Kobe) in the league so I don't count him out, but it may be awhile, if at all, before he gets medically cleared. Besides, they might be eliminated in a couple weeks now.

Edit: they are SAYING RW will need full repair, but I've heard of instances when they get in there that's not the case, but the MRI is usually pretty conclusive

 

[MsProudSooner]

Blake's didn't require full repair at OU, much different recovery. It's more like when Blake had to have surgery before the Olympics last year and they told him 6 to 8 weeks.

Now Russ is probably the toughest SOB (along with Kobe) in the league so I don't count him out, but it may be awhile, if at all, before he gets medically cleared. Besides, they might be eliminated in a couple weeks now.

Edit: they are SAYING RW will need full repair, but I've heard of instances when they get in there that's not the case, but the MRI is usually pretty conclusive

The only thing I had read earlier today said they didn't know how extensive it was. Too bad.

 

[playmakr]

The only thing I had read earlier today said they didn't know how extensive it was. Too bad.

Now I am hearing the damage might not need a full repair and the surgeon may just have to clean it up. That would put his timetable at a couple weeks in an ideal scenario. It will come down to what the surgeon feels is necessary once in there, a clean up or a full repair.

 

[bocabull]

Must have been a lot worse than expected. Out for the entire playoffs with no timetable to return until the offseason.

Too bad but the Thunder had completely avoided the injury bug previously. Law of averages always catches up.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

As bad as it sounds, I almost view it as a positive long term. KD will be dropping 50-60 before the run is done, Heat would have beaten OKC anyway. Westbrook is a big loss, but I think KD needed a chance to do some of that Jordan stuff. FWIW, Westbrook > Pippen.

 

[jmizzy4ou]

As bad as it sounds, I almost view it as a positive long term. KD will be dropping 50-60 before the run is done, Heat would have beaten OKC anyway. Westbrook is a big loss, but I think KD needed a chance to do some of that Jordan stuff. FWIW, Westbrook > Pippen.

Debatable. RW has never consistently impacted games on the defensive end like SP did. MJ was such a great defender because Pip guarded the best scorer on the other team, allowing MJ to gamble and play the passing lanes while guarding Craig Ehlo and Hersey Hawkins types......

 

[Smash Williams]

As bad as it sounds, I almost view it as a positive long term. KD will be dropping 50-60 before the run is done, Heat would have beaten OKC anyway. Westbrook is a big loss, but I think KD needed a chance to do some of that Jordan stuff. FWIW, Westbrook > Pippen.

How is that a positive long-term? I would rather have my young core go through as many playoff battles together as possible, maybe even get a chance to try new things against Miami, instead of just having Kevin Durant show how many points he can score with an undermanned squad.

As for Westbrook > Pippen, I agree with mizzy. That's highly debatable. As great of an offensive talent as Westbrook is, his undisciplined, shaky defense isn't anywhere comparable to what Pippen did on that end.

Example: http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199806070CHI.html

Pippen had 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists but dominated that game defensively, specifically with his traps on Stockton, who played the worst game of his career. Pippen completely short-circuited Utah's offense. The other day Bill Simmons was talking about Jordan's Game 6 in that series being one of the all-time great performances due to the circumstances, one of which was playing with a badly hobbled Pippen. What he didn't mention was the main reason Pippen's back was so messed up: he took five charges in that Game 3.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

I'll give it a few years on who is better, but so far RW is ahead at same/similar points in their careers. As I said before, not sure Thunder were going to beat the Heat anyway, KD will have to carry the team, part of his personal evolution. I probably "misspoke" on the earlier post becuase I was still under the impression that RW could make it back if the Thunder went on a run, so my bad on that.