Congratulations again...
Apr 4, 2016 0:54:08 GMT -5
Tampa Bay Bull Sharks and Kots (Colorado GM) like this
Post by Miege22 on Apr 4, 2016 0:54:08 GMT -5
To the 2015-2016 NBA Champions... the Tampa Bay Bull Sharks!
As the defending NBA champions, the Tampa Bay Bull Sharks entered this season as the definitive favorite to win the title. They entered the season with one of the deepest rosters in the league, and only added to it when they signed Gary Harris, Marvin Williams and CJ Miles. Despite the depth, the Bull Sharks were hampered with injuries and lost their first two games of the season. But they got everyone healthy, and once they did, they didn't look back. The Bull Sharks reeled off fourteen straight wins to finish 14-2. Along they way, they crushed fellow playoff participants Toronto, Brooklyn, Portland and Atlanta. They began the playoffs as the top overall seed, the first time in franchise history. To get back to the finals for the third time, they'd have to go through two familiar rivals.
In 2015, the Bull Sharks defeated the Hawks in the final game of the regular season. The win clinched the division for the Bulls Sharks, knocked Atlanta out of the playoff hunt, and ultimately spring boarded Tampa Bay to their second NBA title. This season, the Bull Sharks defeated Atlanta in the final game of the season to run their streak to fourteen. The Hawks managed to squeak into the playoffs thanks to several tiebreakers, and as fate would have it, they would face off against the Bull Sharks for the second week in a row. After some tense early moments, and despite being at a games played disadvantage, the Bull Sharks were able to put the Hawks away late in the series. The win set up, for the second year in a row, and Eastern Conference Finals match-up against their arch-rival: the Brooklyn Nets.
The Nets were not the same team they had been during their back-to-back championship seasons. Despite having Kevin Durant back, the Nets struggled to find their footing all season. They had injuries and a number of roster changes, but they still came into the ECF with a ton of momentum. They won their final 8 games of the regular season and dominated a very good Toronto team in the semi-finals. None of that mattered to the Bull Sharks. Tampa Bay came out and punched Brooklyn in the mouth. The series was, essentially, over after just three days.
Even though Tampa Bay dominated the Nets to reach their third finals in franchise history, they limped into the series suffering from numerous injuries. Fortunately, none of the injuries turned out to be serious while their finals opponent had far bigger issues. The Houston Rockets looked like the team to beat as the finals started. Led by Steph Curry and Kawhi Leonard, they were loaded, they were deep, and they were, or at least appeared to be, healthy. Shortly before the finals, they learned Ryan Anderson would be out with a groin injury. They would lose Jrue Holiday midway through the series. Kawhi Leonard would miss three key games at the end of the first week/beginning of the second week. Steph Curry did all he could to keep the Rockets in it, including hitting 41 threes (the rest of the team hit 32 total), but the Bull Sharks slowly wore down Houston. The Rockets made one last push with four days to go in the series, but Tampa Bay built their lead back up over the next three days, allowing themselves the ability to coast on the final day. At approximately 7:24 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, April 4th, Alex Len turned the ball over, clinching the title for Tampa Bay.
As the buzzer sounded, it became official. Seventeen wins in a row. Back to back titles. Three championships in five years. The first team in league history to win three championships. There is no longer any doubt. The Tampa Bay Bull Sharks are THE standard of excellence in this league. They are the model franchise. They are who every franchise strives to be and strives to beat. With many of their players returning for next season, the Bull Sharks will, once again, enter the season as the favorite to win the title. Will they be able to run it back one more time, and do what no other team has ever done (again)? We're about to find out...
As the defending NBA champions, the Tampa Bay Bull Sharks entered this season as the definitive favorite to win the title. They entered the season with one of the deepest rosters in the league, and only added to it when they signed Gary Harris, Marvin Williams and CJ Miles. Despite the depth, the Bull Sharks were hampered with injuries and lost their first two games of the season. But they got everyone healthy, and once they did, they didn't look back. The Bull Sharks reeled off fourteen straight wins to finish 14-2. Along they way, they crushed fellow playoff participants Toronto, Brooklyn, Portland and Atlanta. They began the playoffs as the top overall seed, the first time in franchise history. To get back to the finals for the third time, they'd have to go through two familiar rivals.
In 2015, the Bull Sharks defeated the Hawks in the final game of the regular season. The win clinched the division for the Bulls Sharks, knocked Atlanta out of the playoff hunt, and ultimately spring boarded Tampa Bay to their second NBA title. This season, the Bull Sharks defeated Atlanta in the final game of the season to run their streak to fourteen. The Hawks managed to squeak into the playoffs thanks to several tiebreakers, and as fate would have it, they would face off against the Bull Sharks for the second week in a row. After some tense early moments, and despite being at a games played disadvantage, the Bull Sharks were able to put the Hawks away late in the series. The win set up, for the second year in a row, and Eastern Conference Finals match-up against their arch-rival: the Brooklyn Nets.
The Nets were not the same team they had been during their back-to-back championship seasons. Despite having Kevin Durant back, the Nets struggled to find their footing all season. They had injuries and a number of roster changes, but they still came into the ECF with a ton of momentum. They won their final 8 games of the regular season and dominated a very good Toronto team in the semi-finals. None of that mattered to the Bull Sharks. Tampa Bay came out and punched Brooklyn in the mouth. The series was, essentially, over after just three days.
Even though Tampa Bay dominated the Nets to reach their third finals in franchise history, they limped into the series suffering from numerous injuries. Fortunately, none of the injuries turned out to be serious while their finals opponent had far bigger issues. The Houston Rockets looked like the team to beat as the finals started. Led by Steph Curry and Kawhi Leonard, they were loaded, they were deep, and they were, or at least appeared to be, healthy. Shortly before the finals, they learned Ryan Anderson would be out with a groin injury. They would lose Jrue Holiday midway through the series. Kawhi Leonard would miss three key games at the end of the first week/beginning of the second week. Steph Curry did all he could to keep the Rockets in it, including hitting 41 threes (the rest of the team hit 32 total), but the Bull Sharks slowly wore down Houston. The Rockets made one last push with four days to go in the series, but Tampa Bay built their lead back up over the next three days, allowing themselves the ability to coast on the final day. At approximately 7:24 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, April 4th, Alex Len turned the ball over, clinching the title for Tampa Bay.
As the buzzer sounded, it became official. Seventeen wins in a row. Back to back titles. Three championships in five years. The first team in league history to win three championships. There is no longer any doubt. The Tampa Bay Bull Sharks are THE standard of excellence in this league. They are the model franchise. They are who every franchise strives to be and strives to beat. With many of their players returning for next season, the Bull Sharks will, once again, enter the season as the favorite to win the title. Will they be able to run it back one more time, and do what no other team has ever done (again)? We're about to find out...