Yesterday, Jeff Van Gundy was in the news for praising the Heat, a team that has never even practiced together, let alone played a game, saying they will break the Bulls single-season winning mark and that the Lakers are the only team with a remote chance at beating them. So basically, JVG predicts they’ll be as good as Yao playing on two-foot stilts. Again consider, this team has yet to play one game. These guys have never all put on the same uniform.
The Lakers should be the team to beat. Why? They won it all. Dwayne Wade knows that the road to the title goes through the Lakers. He said so this summer: “The Lakers are the champions and we know the Lakers are very good. That’s the team that everyone’s shooting for and they should be. Not the Miami Heat. The Los Angeles Lakers.”
I am not getting too worked up over Van Gundy’s inane comments, but, come on! If everything were to go perfectly for Miami this year, those records are a remote possibility, but why not wait to make a true evaluation? Chemistry could be an issue early on, not to mention this team could be too passive at times, much like an All-Star team.
Another thing about the comments JVG made, who cares if they break a record for winning in the season? I don’t understand the ordeal made about that record. Would it be great to break? For sure! But is it going to put a ring on that team’s fingers? Don’t think so.
If LeBron’s, Wade’s and Bosh’s minds are in the right place, they will know that that doesn’t matter. It’s about which team is the last one standing. Kobe knows that’s what counts. Van Gundy is a bold character and I am not surprised by what he said. But wow, were his comments out there! I know that the Lakers’ opportunity is stronger than ‘remote.’ Look at each squad. We will see who is worthy of the next ring.