Since the Heat’s first championship appearance in 2006, they’ve racked up 7 total appearances in eighteen years. The Boston Celtics’ 7th most recent appearance was twenty-two years prior, and four years before the Heat even became a franchise. Since 2006, the Cavaliers have five appearances, but no other team has six.
Since the Bulls dynasty, the Heat have been THE team of the eastern conference.

The Idea
I have an idea to help the Miami Heat win the 2023 NBA Finals. Two weeks ago, a local Denver put up this billboard trolling LeBron James: https://www.denver7.com/sports/nuggets/legends-dont-flop-denver-billboard-trolls-lebron-james-ahead-of-western-conference-finals
I have made contact with this local business and would like to pay them to put up a billboard that says something like "Jimmy Butler isn't even an all-star." I am open to suggestions on the exact design and text of the billboard, but I believe that given Jimmy's response to Grant Williams and general response to being trash talked, if he were to see such a billboard, he would decimate the Nuggets in 4 games. Unfortunately, due to the time it would take to put up such a billboard, I don't believe it would be up until a potential game 7. As you can see from the date of LeBron's tweet and the date of this article (a 2 week gap), however, I do believe it could be up by a potential game 7.
What I Need from You
If enough Heat fans agree this is a good idea, I will edit this post with a GoFundMe link where we can raise the capital to put this billboard up. Anyone with design chops (or without) can send me potential designs for the billboard and I will post a poll where we can vote on the billboard that will ultimately be put up. Then, and perhaps most crucially given that Jimmy probably does not read local Denver newspapers, before game 7 we must all spam Jimmy on twitter, Instagram, everywhere we have any chance of getting him to see this billboard.
Accountability
To ensure that I do not take your money, my current plan is to provide all the information that someone would need to doxx me to a moderator the community trusts. I plan on providing my license, my place of employment, and proof of address. I am open to ideas to ensure greater accountability.
Money will be refunded if it never changes hands, subject to GoFundMe's policies on refunds and its delay (I believe one week, but please do not take my word on that). If money does change hands, even if the billboard does not go up, (before game 7 or at all), you will only receive a refund if the business gives me the money back. I promise not to take your money; I do not make any such promise on behalf of the business I am attempting to rent this billboard from.
The Best Argument Against this Billboard
Heat in 4.

I wasn't going to write this since there are probably 25 topics about it already, but boredom got the best of me. Yes, the "Tell All" sucked. I feel like Kris may have handed out "party favors" to everyone before the show began, including Shaun and the producers, with the illogical absurdity of it all.
Not only was it the worst in terms of content, but it was also the longest and most tedious. In order to stretch this shit out, they kept bringing on random fools nobody cares about :
- Tim & Veronica as the two old guys from the Muppet Show. (Because it is, in fact, "like a kind of torture to have to watch the show". Ironically, watching them comment on the show was equally as torturous. ) These two need to sail away into the dysfunctional relationship sunset. Time for TLC retirement. They shouldn't be handing out relationship advice to anyone.
- Gabe's ridiculous-hat-wearing fake American friend in Colombia who can't speak Spanish. This guy was in one episode for like 10 minutes. Why was he back? Probably because Gabe has no actual friends to speak of (did we see a single one at the wedding?), including his sister, because his "non-confrontational", "meme sending" ass is just as annoying in real life as he was in the Tell All. All that ridiculous wedding drama with his sister sounded like a story Kris might have come up with --- miracle dresses being made without fittings, unassigned roles at the wedding, etc, etc. The only story missing was that Gabe's sister rolled over in her car on the way to the wedding and walked into the wedding on crutches right before the chandelier fell on her, crashing her into the mint-flavored cake she was allergic to.
- Kris' clueless mom. TLC paid to fly her out to NYC to talk for 5 minutes and say absolutely nothing of value? The woman is either in denial about her daughter, or Kris learned the art of lying from her mom.
- Danielle's ex and his large package. Zero reason for him to be there, except to annoy Yohan...and us.
- Jen's giant-headed interfering friend and her sidekick. As if we haven't seen enough of these two, they had to grace us with their thoughts on the other couples to drag this shit out even longer.
I'm sure there are others I'm thankfully forgetting. I'm surprised they didn't bring on Nicole's manufactured insta-friend from Egypt who yelled at Mahmoud over dinner to yell at him again. Or how about Danielle's Captain Coconut "spiritual advisor"? Where was Rishi's best friend "astrologist" who pulls random dates out of his ass, only to later admit there was no chance in hell they'd ever be married? How about Ousamma's scam-partner sister? Gabe's mom, who acted like a hired actor the entire time she was on this season, apparently was so tired of this contrived mess she didn't show up. If I had 2 kids that annoying and narcissistic, I probably wouldn't show up either. The only people who might have been of value were Jeymi's friends since she was getting attacked from all sides by the idiots on set.
Other random thoughts:
There's some debate about why Shaun is so completely inept in these things and barely there as a host. I don't think she watches these seasons at all, and probably isn't paid enough to. She gets handed cards, watches a few short clips of random scenes (probably during the actual show with her "I wanna go back now....let's take a look" repetitive clip introductions), makes her appearances every few months, and leaves. She knows and cares less about these people than we do, and it shows. If they want to "talk amongst themselves", she's fine with it as it means less work for her. She's the total and complete opposite of that woman they had interviewing the Sister Wives cast who actually knew something about what had happened in the season without needing a stack of cue cards and had logical follow-up questions to ask.
As others have mentioned, the only two people in the show who came out looking good were Jeymi and Isabel.
All the tiptoeing around Kris (whether production driven or otherwise) made absolutely no sense. What were they worried about? That she'd storm off, like countless other cast members have done over the years? Angela was the queen of volatility for several seasons, and there was no tiptoeing around her. As with everything related to Kris, there's a piece of the contrived puzzle missing here. Anyone on that set who thought Kris was telling the truth (Debbie, Tim, etc) is too stupid to be alive, never watched the season, and/or was told to do so by production.
Does Rishi's mom think Jen is old? Is Jen older than Rishi? I wish more time was spent on Jen's age, as I couldn't quite figure out if she was older or not. Riveting television at its finest.
Based on some of the ridiculous outfits we saw, I'd like TLC to do a 90 Days: Reno Brothel Edition spin-off. Kris can be the manager, Debbie can be the Head Madame, and Tim can be the pimp. (They can even bring in past cast members like Molly, who can be in charge of costumes for the ladies and bra decor on the walls, and Larissa and Darcey, who can advise the ladies on how to spend thousands to destroy their looks.) And if there's any funny business going on in any of the rooms, you better watch out or Kris will kick down the door and throw away your cell phone. At the end of the season, Kris can light the place on fire, roll over in her car 25 times while fleeing the scene, and then be struck by a police car driven by Debbie's son that didn't see her because both its headlights had simultaneously burnt out on the way there.

This post isn't meant to discredit the accomplishments of the Miami Heat, Erik Spoelstra, or any of the players (Drafted or undrafted.)
What I am trying to say is look at any of those multitude of games this season where the Boston Celtics should have won comfortably and failed to dominate and in some cases failed to win at all.
Boston was a resounding home favorite to a depleted Suns team. They were ten point home favorites and lost badly.
The Celtics were big favorites on the road against Houston and not only did they lose, but it wasnt pretty at all.
There was a game against the Jazz towards the late part of the regular season where the Jazz were scoring at will.
This wasnt a couple games. This was night in and night out that the Boston Celtics were not playing to the level that they should be.
This series highlighted that and it was evident in not one, but in two of those blowouts where Miami looked like they were the 2 seed and Boston a play-in team.
Sure, Tatum jumped up and rolled his ankle and that pretty much sealed their fate, but lets be honest...this should have never gone to a 7 game series.
Am I asking the team to go 82-0? No, but there are games this roster, with this talent, should be winning COMFORTABLY regardless of coaching and they just simply weren't.
Maybe these guys on the roster we thought were the next big thing...just aren't.

The heat looked and felt different in the playoffs.

February 13, 2023 Nuggets win by 4 in Miami.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/202302130MIA.html
Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon didn't play!! Vlatko started. Jokic shot 12-14
Miami's top minutes went to Strus, Bam, Gabe, Jimmy, Caleb with Highsmith and Bouyea both playing 27 minutes off the bench.
Kyle Lowery, Tyler Herro and Duncan Robison didn't play. I remember Jokic going off this game and getting easy shots. I remember Denver being ahead most of the game. Miami outscored Denver by 2 in the 4th, Nuggets shot 58% from the field and 39% from 3.

December 30, 2022 Nuggets win by 5 at home

https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/202212300DEN.html
Bones Hyland was with the team and was a +9 this game. Deandre Jordan got 12 minutes. Vlatko went 5 for 5. KCP went 7 for 7. Jokic had a 19-12-12 game.
Miami starters were Butler, Herro, Lowry, Bam and Highsmith. Caleb Martin didn't play. Orlando Robinson a backup 7 footer played 18 minutes and went 4 for 5. Nuggets closed the game with a 39-29 4th quarter. Nuggets shot 59% and 60% from 3.
​
Nuggets played them well, I think Miami is probably a lot better than they were then, but the Nuggets are locked in.
Highlights from Jokic going 12-14. He was feasting in the post.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03_ZHk2Zhqg

I believe the Miami Heat, have a great chance to win against the Nuggets in the finals.
Unlike the past few opponents the Nugget’s faced, Miami plays great team ball, and is a very well coached & cohesive team, that can shoot the three at a high percentage, and has a Superstar in Jimmy butler who is fantastic at getting to the rim or pulling up from midrange.
I think a lot of people are picking Denver to dominate this series, because of how well they’ve looked against badly coached teams, and lesser competition. I believe most of those people are in for a rude awakening in the next few days..

I have several bets on both teams futures. $671 to cash out everything now. $510 total of nuggets win or $1591 if they can manage to stop joker… what’s the right approach for this, just let it all ride?

With the Miami Heat going to the finals with Jimmy Butler in the lead, they have to bring up the conspiracy that MJ is Butler’s father.

Some background info: I'm in my 20s, never had a "healthy" relationship, got out of a long-term relationship about 11 months ago and started dating someone a few months ago.
I took time to explore, went on many dates, had a fling here and there but meeting this person I felt ready to stop fooling around. We decided to be "official" after about a month or so of time but exclusively saw each other before making it official.
I kinda want to do this right- but I don't know how to do that. I'm nervous of getting too in my head and I don't know what to expect from a healthy relationship or what's... "Normal".
So far there communication is amazing. They actively listen and follow through on what they say they will/adjust/understand. They make me feel beautiful with compliments and physical touch. I don't ever feel bored around them and we can exist in a space while doing our own things but enjoy each other's company. It's... Refreshing.
My biggest concern is amount of communication/hanging out. We saw each other more frequently in the first month and a half and it's kind of been lacking since... Granted there in school so busy. We now only see each other once a week. We don't communicate through text either, I'll maybe get a funny meme sprinkled here and there but that's it. I've initiated the last 3 hang outs (so initiated seeing them for the last 3 weeks). There's been no gifts, no out of town dates, there family doesn't know, no pictures together.... It just feels kinda... eh. Is this normal though? Is it too much to expect more frequent texts? Like a good morning beautiful? Or a how's your day? Stuff like that... I know texting isn't quite there thing but it's new not to text someone here and there especially only seeing them once a week.
They also leave soon to another city. I thought that based on how much they say they like me they'd maybe want to plan more time with me or show that they'll miss me too... But nothing. I just kinda feel strange or off. Maybe I'm just getting too in my head. I don't want to make something out of nothing. I know I have some mental health issues that can make it so I am irrational, ya know?
So, any advice helps. Aaahhh, sorry for the messy rant. I just need some validation/help/varying perspectives...

This season....my god. What an emotional ride. So many ups and downs and yet the Heat made it to the finals. What's even more crazy is that I was ready to quit after Game 6 (from my previous post linked on this post.)
Now, first and foremost. How are y'all feeling? Second question. What do you guys expect from both Denver and Miami and what would seem to be another dogfight.

Quite a disappointing end to what I thought was a decent season. We looked good during the regular season and generally beat teams we were supposed to beat, which is one mark of a good team. During the first two rounds of the playoffs, we didn't look amazing, but keep in mind that one of our losses to the Hawks and 2 to the 76ers came as a result of last second game winners. Not a good look for our clutch defense, but in theory those shots could've easily been missed. Overall not a bad performance until the Heat series. I think we were the second or third best team in the playoffs this year, but can be #1 when we're playing well. We have a deep, solid team, and can be great when things are clicking.
The Miami series was a bad way to end a season for any squad, not to mention one that just came off a disappointing finals loss last season (A series, I believe, we could have won). We looked horrible when we went down 3-0, looked championship-level in games 4 and 5, barely survived in 6 after a ten-point collapse late in the fourth, and got blown out in game 7 at home. I think Tatum showed why he's an MVP candidate this season. When he got injured, our offense ground to a halt. You need a guy who can consistently get buckets on your team, and Tatum showed this series that he indeed is that guy. I'll put him up there with KD, Luka, Steph, LeBron, Jokic, and other top level guys. When he's got the hot hand, other players on our team are able to score extremely well too. Brown, Smart, and Al are the guys who benefit the most from this, and elevate their level of play when Tatum is scoring well. Rob and White are guys who can eat at anytime, and can always be relied on offensively and defensively. Brogdon, Grant, and next season Galinari, are all solid role players. Our defense is good, but we need a tall big who we can throw at opposing centers so our Big guys can play PF and help on defense, rather than being forced to play center as well. Kind of like what the Lakers did with Dwight Howard in 2020 so AD could play the role he prefers. I recommend Demarcus Cousins on a cheap veteran deal.
I think going into next season the only thing we have to improve is our tendency to fall apart and fuck things up at the end of close games. We need to develop better clutch defense and beat teams soundly instead of letting them come back. I honestly doubt we would have beaten The Nuggets in the finals this year anyway, and this disappointing loss is still better than another shitty finals. We have playoff and finals experience, and our guys are still young, but are legitimate stars now and can't make any more excuses. I fully believe that if we play smarter, we will contend for a championship.
Congrats to our rivals the Heat, hope you get your asses kicked by Denver, and if we see you next year, fuck you we're taking the East back.

The Florida Panthers (2nd app./0 cups) will face the Vegas Golden Knights (2nd app./0 cups).
The Miami Heat (7th app./3 titles) will face the Denver Nuggets (1st app./0 titles).

There have been several instances of both the NBA and NHL teams of a metropolitan city advancing to their league’s title series in the same year, the last being New Jersey teams in 2003 (Nets and Devils). NEVER has both corresponding teams won both titles; the Panthers and Heat will attempt to make ultimate history for their city.

Link: https://twitter.com/EmmanuelAcho/status/1663392196119375872
Interesting to see how Jimmy sees his teammates as and why people and his teammates say he's such an unselfish superstar.

/LonghornNation Daily Off Topic Free Talk Thread

Today: 5/30/2023

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Your go-to place to talk about whatever you want. From the dumb shit aggies do on a near daily basis, to the latest whatever happening wherever. What ya got?

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Trending on Reddit

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1. [Post Game Thread] The Miami Heat (4-3) stave off infamy and continue their cinderella run, defeating the Boston Celtics (3-4) at the Garden by 103 - 84 thanks to Caleb Martin's 26pts & 9rebs and advance to face the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals
2. These trucks have the same bed length
3. Not been able to wear shades for 3 years since losing my nose. Reconstructions almost done so I celebrated with a new pair. Shoutout all you bald kings and queens
4. [POST GAME THREAD] THE HEAT DEFEAT THE CELTICS IN 7 AND SAVE THE SUBREDDIT
5. Forget A Minimum Wage Or Living Wage. Give Us A Thriving Wage!

/CFB

1. If SEC doesn't go to 9-game schedule, criticism is justified
2. [Mandel] Note that ESPN is balking at paying the SEC any more than they do now [for a 9 game SEC Conf. Schedule]. That’s why I don’t assume these conferences will just keep adding more and more schools. The networks have a breaking point.
3. Whats some of the biggest what ifs in CFB history?
4. Source: Discussions re new tiebreaker in a 16-team single standing SEC has centered around 1) head to head (obvs); 2) common opponents; 3) metric developed by partner Sports Source Analytics.
5. What are your favorite college fight songs? (Include as many as you want)

/LonghornNation

1. [5/29/2023] Monday's Sports Talk Thread
2. [5/29/2023] Monday's Off Topic Free Talk Thread
3. Texas Baseball will be playing in the Coral Gables Regional.
4. Best Bars for Longhorn Football Games?
5. Texas Football has hired Paul Chryst as an Offensive Analyst, and Joe DeCamillis + Payam Saadat as Special Assistants to the Head Coach.
6. Can anybody help me identify this vintage longhorns football jersey?
7. Sarkisian lands longtime NFL special teams coach Joe DeCamillis as special assistant to head coach

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I am grateful to have a support system. Role models who have been present in my life. Perhaps just a bit or monumentally absent emotionally.
Of course, me, just questioning everything. Despite what seems to be missing or why I keep chasing or accepting unavailable infatuations stems from something much deeper I’ve been trying to ignore. It was neglect or the lack of exposure of healthy models, I’d say. Some behaviours and mindsets which speaks of the misogynistic type or objectification of the woman are some I simply sincerely do not agree with and do not wish to I integrate in my life, ever. Sure, I’d love to debate and put my own view on this, but at the end of the day I am no one to fight for someone who doesn’t wish to change their core values and tinted glasses.
I’m mature and autonomous enough to demand who comes into my life and receives even the slightest bit of my energy/aura. I cannot intoxicate my thoughts with the impossibility of me attaining my highest good and most righteous. I seek justice in everything I do. Now. Once, it wasn’t the case because I knew no better. I want to heal and I can’t put myself in a place where I’m bought back to my roots.
Were you just someone unattainable and unavailable just like what I was used to? Is this a test from God where I must learn my lesson?
Fairly, I don’t feel obsessed and delusional. I feel sad because you feel so far away from me. I’m trying to better myself to be able to meet you where I think you deserve. I want to give you my best self, hence why I turn the energy back to my self and dedicate my energy into thinking for me… but when night comes and I feel like it’s been so long since I’ve seen you I can’t help but to feel like a piece of my day feels more… ordinary.
That’s the word, I guess. You make my days go by faster, I want to latch onto every stupid joke you make and every glance I get to catch, well as expected it is for you to be at a decent position at that time and place… I just want to feel like I’m capable to read in between the lines and there is more to it.
I want you to make me feel safe. I want the romance, the slow music and the slow motion time stopping all kinds of feelings… it’s so funny now that I say this because I literally thought I only wanted one thing. I settled for that thought because I didn’t know you enough (still don’t; but gathered enough data…) to be sure you could be the one to protect my heart and not use it for your own material gain… but you’re careful. And the words you use are too. You wait and think before you speak, because when you do reveal info, they mean everything they mean. And this is why I want to believe in between the lines and not just the surface facade ‘we’ put on for the world and the system. Tell me I’m reading too much into this, I don’t care, it’s my subjective opinion.. I feel like I could trust you. Although sometimes we do get heated moments where we both trigger or offend the other, but there had never been malicious intent, only few reality checks. Heck, you’re my biggest motivation. When you trigger me, I just want to prove you wrong hence I do ten times better and harder so I can aim at what I wish to achieve. And I love it when you praise me. (Again, might this just be a childhood core of mine which needs healing?) whatever psychological effect you have on me, I want to assure you it’s not… obsessive.
It’s calm and quiet and I love to walk around you, feeling grounded and confident. Sometimes I turn the other eye because I wish to be more modest and regard you in the position you are in, by all respect… but sometimes I want you to know you’re all I think of and want to run safely to you with open arms. It would be silly to say that I won’t let go but it’s evident, I even got used to your touch, as sensory stimulating it can awkwardly & intensely get. I’m glad I secretly flatter you quite much and not too overwhelming to the point where you’d have to push my away because you’re uncomfortable… I’d always want to make you feel safe opening up to me.
I come in with heavy baggage. I have so many, scars. And I’m so happy I was able to handle my emotions well enough to not force you in with me, without consensual confirmation. More over, I mostly had to held myself back from over spilling and info dumping you. Of telling you how much I can relate to you and how that was also my favourite color… I sensed it in you too, before you would agree how certain things I shared was what you aligned with too… it’s pretty satisfying in my brain. It just seem to puzzle up well together, bits of mine and yours… as simple and genuine as it went…
Now I miss you and I’m not jealous. Are you jealous you’re not with me? I feel impatient. I want to see you but I can’t. I must wait. And be patient and trust when we will align. By then, I want to be my best self for you, and for me. All the hard work and healing I’ve done prior meeting you all paid off.
Might this be the reason why this has been such a sweet & soft relationship? ~ Yes, I was initially cold. But see, was I worth getting warmth to? Was I worth discovering without the fast tales of inconveniences? I enjoyed every bit of figuring you out and piecing you all together like a block of lego.
I think of you when I don’t physically feel safe. I know I am safe when I am with you. And you won’t ever be a creep. You have integrity, discipline and respect.
I love seeing what I look for in someone appear and present itself. It feels like all the time I was praying for, was not for nothing.
One day, there won’t be any more of this endless cycle… I won’t need to put up with certain toxicity and the like… I will be surrounded by strong moral individuals who are able to communicate and discern their needs rather than to choose a temporary fix and pure personal gain. I can go on forever about individualistic & collective culture but to say that selfishness has no room for humanity unless you’re being selfish for the benefit of adding more value to humankind with your actions.
I pick you. You’re the one whom I cherish most. It saddens me a lot that you’re away, I’m away, but it’s okay right? Because sooner than I’ll know, you’ll be right beside me and I’ll get to hear your voice that you don’t normally use with others. Just me. And for that, I somewhat feel special. Maybe it means something for you. Maybe because I have the right to hear that side of you, even if I’m not allowed to by conventions, but having feelings is pretty valid. Let me honour my feelings, alright? I love you, indirectly. You may never know… but I do somewhat. Somehow, I feel safe to express it to you, nonverbally. You probably, definitely got the memo. Yeah, you may suck at remembering topics, or can’t pick up on emotions so well, but I made sure you would understand my language… it was beautifully crafted just for you. After all, that’s what masking is for. I’ve gotten used to it now, adjusting to new people and not knowing and knowing when it is ok to be myself.