NBA Finals: Is it tougher to make it to the top or to stay there? |
Two years ago, Miami lost in the NBA Finals during the first year of the Big Three era. Last year, the Heat took the extra step and emerged as the league champion.
Now LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and their Heat teammates are a game away from repeating as champs -- but they're also a game away from ending the season as runners-up, as Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night will decide it all.
Writers from around Tribune Co. discuss which is harder, staying on top as defending champions or getting there in the first place? Please join the conversation with a comment of your own.
Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times
For various reasons, it’s tougher to repeat as an NBA champion than it is to win a first title. A defending champion tends to largely stay the same while others around you shake up their rosters in a bid to wipe out their weaknesses. (Unless you’re the cap-space hoarding Dallas Mavericks.) Your veteran core is one year older,...
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