Celtics put Cavs in place, LeBron’s ankle not too bad
Posted February 27th, 2008 by Brian Windhorst
Celtics 92, Cavs 87
–LeBron James said after the game that he was able to catch himself a little when he felt himself landing on Paul Pierce’s foot in the second quarter. He thinks it saved him for a worse injury. It is his right ankle, the same one he hurt last month in Portland. But he didn’t think it was as bad, though he wanted to see how he felt tomorrow.
–LeBron got his 10,000th point, the youngest to do so. He took it in stride, but he really does care about stats and I think he appreciated the accomplishment. Afterward he thanked his teammates and his family but he wasn’t afraid to admit he was proud of himself, too.
–Mike Brown getting ejected wasn’t about the foul call on LeBron or the non-foul, he thought, on Anderson Varejao. I think Mike wished he had protested a little more last night in Milwaukee. He was looking to fire up his team and he wanted to make sure he got his message across, which he never did last night. I think at that moment he wanted to get tossed. So mission accomplished.
–This game was not as close as the score indicated. On one hand, the Cavs are too fragile to play the Celtics right now. They only have a couple of plays in the offense and the Celtics put way too much pressure on for that to do. But also the Celtics are a quality team that knows what they are doing on defense and they sent a little message tonight with how rough they plan on playing if they see the Cavs in the playoffs.
–I was watching Ben Wallace very closely tonight on Kevin Garnett. I didn’t think he had a very good game, he was not good at all in the pick-and-rolls and Garnett beat him to rebounds and got free for open jumpers. But afterward some people told me they were impressed with how Wallace kept Garnett out of the post and Doc Rivers said he thought Garnett didn’t move very well.
–Remember when the Cavs got LeBron and Anderson Varejao back on the same night and Larry Hughes was in his second game back? They decked the Indiana Pacers on emotion and then lost four of six games, mostly to bad teams. It was an adjustment period and that is what the Cavs are in now. They are really scrambling at times, especially when the game is moving fast. You can already see Wally Szczerbiak pressing a little. Delonte West told me he has to think to much on the plays when they should be second nature. Also, Andy and Zydrunas Ilguaskas weren’t 100 percent. What I am saying is tonight should be a learning experience, but don’t put too much stock into it.
Recap:
Pregame
Starting lineup
Cavs: Delonte West, Devin Brown, LeBron James, Ben Wallace, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Celtics: Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Kendrick Perkins
–Ilgauskas said he’s lost eight pounds in the last two days with his chest cold, but he’s going to give it a go tonight. He said he may have trouble breathing, so instead of playing him in 6-8 minute bursts as Mike Brown likes, they may restrict that a little.
–The Cavs feel like they lost last night’s game due to transition defense, not matchups or anything really at the offensive end. They did film review today and tried to help the new guys go over responsibilities. We’ll see if there is a difference.
–LeBron needs 19 points to become the fastest-ever player to 10,000 points. He has 34 straight games of 20 points or more, 15 straight of 25 or more and nine straight of 30 or more against the Celtics.
–Boston is just back from a West Coast trip and this is there first game at home in more than two weeks. Usually teams struggle a little in those situations. But the Celtics have lost twice to the Cavs and they are a potential playoff opponent so I expect them to be jacked up. Especially after the lost three of five games out West.
–This is Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West’s first game in Boston since they were traded away last summer. Neither hold a grudge really, but my guess is this game has extra meaning. Especially for Wally after he went 5-of-18 from the floor last night. He called it the worst shooting game of the season. I looked it up, he was right, it was his worst of the season. At least by number of misses, he had an 0-of-9 game at one point.
–Two things to really watch here: 1. How does Ben Wallace handle guarding Kevin Garnett, especially from the post where KG has a size advantage. 2. Does Anderson Varejao keep Glen “Big Baby” Davis from being an energy factor.
Halftime — Celtics 47, Cavs 40
–LeBron suffered a right ankle sprain with about 4:30 left in the second quarter. I believe he landed on Paul Pierce’s leg or foot after making a layup. They took X-rays and it showed no break, but of course with a sprain X-rays don’t really say anything. The Cavs called his return questionable, which I think means they don’t think it is very, very bad. But we’ll see. I never saw a good replay of the injury to I don’t exactly know what happened.
–Before that, the Celtics were really hammering the Cavs at both ends. They have targeted whomever the Cavs put on Ray Allen and running him through screens and forcing mismatches. Also, Ben Wallace struggled guarding Kevin Garnett on the outside. Anderson Varejao has struggled to keep up with Glen Davis. And they are again allowing the Celtics to get quick and easy points off turnovers.
–On offense, the Celtics are really shutting them down by staying attached to the shooters and being very aggressive on the inside. The Cavs are having lots of trouble getting their offense set up because the Celtics are disrupting them. Zydrunas Ilgauskas hasn’t been able to help either.
Postgame
Stars
Allen, 22 points
Garnett, 18 points, 11 rebounds
LeBron, 26 points
West, 20 points, five rebounds
Quotes:
LeBron: “First thing I thought was not again, I didn’t want to go down. I know my ankles and I know tomorrow is going to be a lot worse. I’ll get some treatment and be ready for Friday.”
KG: “The trade was valuable to them, it made them tougher. This is a team to be reckoned with. They are deep and now they are experienced and it makes the East a little more exciting.”
February 27th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
The Celtics game plan is to just beat us down the floor. I hope our poor transition defense is just a temporary thing. Those fast outlets kill me.
February 27th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
I think Z looked our 3rd quarter swoon in the eye and decided he was going to get every rebound and score every basket.
Jeez, Lebron is even missing layups.
February 27th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
like i said previously , i don’t think this trade the cavs made addressed their need for another scorer who can get his own shot as well as create for others (i do like joe smith in the trade) .
February 27th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Ben Wallace just kills the Cavaliers. Nobody guards him, which makes hedging LeBron at the top of the key so much easier. LeBron held the ball way too much tonight and took terrible shots. Oh and..no MVP. He’ll get his, just not this year…(they have to go 18-6 to win 50 at this point…and that just aint happening).
February 27th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
I agree, I think Ben Wallace is going to be a bust. Classic case of a guy getting overpaid on the downside of his career. He is definitely not the Ben Wallace we saw in Detroit. He just seems out of sync out there and he’s not even really rebounding or playing D that great.
And Wallace is our highest paid player!!!
http://hoopshype.com/salaries/cleveland.htm
February 27th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
6pts 6rebounds, $15million/year, nice game, Ben Wallets.
February 27th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Larry Hughes had 29 tonight, Wally not so many…
February 27th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Ben is concerning, thus far. Seems to be lost around the boards, unsure with his hands, and out of place setting picks beyond where the college arc would be.
Hughes’ game tonight sort of stings momentarily. We all know that all roads lead to 40%, but…
February 27th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
This is going to take patience. The group that took the floor before the trade deadline had been playing together for 2 1/2 years. Other than Lebron, they didn’t have much talent but they made up for it in cohesiveness. Everyone knew their role. This group has been together for 3 games. It’s going to take time and there will be growing pains but I will say it again: this group has a lot higher ceiling than the previous one.
Patience…
February 27th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Let’s not express knee-jerk negativity because we got hosed by the refs yet lost by one basket in one game and then got beat by the best team in basketball on their court and lost by 5. Why not give the team a couple weeks before any analysis?
February 27th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
I’d say give them a couple months. This roster has a way higher ceiling than what we had. At the time of the trade and now still, I never think this is the year. This trade puts a foundation in place, they will come around and started to play a whole lot better, but still not championship caliber this season.
The best part of this trade is that it maintains the financial flexibility which would allow the cavs to trade of a major star next season. We got all the role players now, right good fitting role players. Let them play together for sometime and become the solid platform to land a 2nd star, then the Cavs is good to go.
This season is never meant to be the year. With all these holdouts, injuries, etc, it just never feels like it. But at least the trade sets up for possible success for next season. We are kind of in the phase of the Warriors after last season’s deadline. Only difference is, we can still improve upon this this offseason or before next deadline with our expirings.
February 27th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
“The Cavs feel like they lost last night’s game due to transition defense, not matchups or anything really at the offensive end.”
How in the hell do you let them get away with this crap Brian?!?! Jesus Christ
So the 4th quarter minutes where Milwaukee was throwing 2 guys at James and they could barely get a decent shot because the lane was clogged meant nothing as they gave up the lead?
February 28th, 2008 at 12:37 am
Also, isn’t it OBVIOUS enough to Dan Gilbert by now that naming their new practice facility CLEVELAND CLINIC COURTS is the biggest jinx ever. Seriously, everytime this team goes back to practise at home, they bring a few more injuries back to the infirmary…
February 28th, 2008 at 12:46 am
I agree. Patience. Last night, we barely lost to a red hot team, albeit a struggling one, that has been hot (beat Detroit and Denver in the last few games). And the Bucks had to play PERFECT ball and get help from the sorry refs to beat us.
Tonight, granted, we looked lost on D, but it WAS Boston at home. We’re much better than what we gave up. Wally can shoot. Joe is a very good defender, and a big who has a reliable shot, too (and both knock down their FTs). West is a solid PG. His shot is somewhat shake (though had 20 tonight) but he can penetrate and pass well; he’s got balls too and — that 1 behind-the-back lay-in, alone, should be enough to show: this kid (and I stress KID) has skills. You know Larry would have been fumbling the ball around and turning it over. (Yeah, Larry had 29, but against sorry Indy and playing on a sinking team w/ much fewer scoring options than the Cavs — where Larry is forced to be something of THE MAN).
And cut Ben a little slack. Yeah, he struggled against KG, but who doesn’t? Both Ben and Joe were better than Andy and Z is still sick. And this is ONLY the 3rd game w/ a totally new team… Come playoff time, you guys will appreciate this unit a lot more, esp when Boobie and Sasha come back (look how deep that team will be). We’ll lock down the #4 slot with a shot to overtake Orlando for the #3.
JUST RELAX.
February 28th, 2008 at 1:30 am
i’m sorry, but how is it’s wallace’s fault that a seven-footer takes 18 and 20-foot JUMPSHOTS and makes a lot of ‘em? KG did NOTHING down low offensively so to see windy and others criticize ben for his defense on KG is asinine, IMO. as a big you’re taught to give those shots to 7-footer. what is he supposed to do, rush out at him and then let KG drive to the hoop for a dunk? far better to lay off and let him shoot long jumpers…
the celtics made some shots, and LBJ had a horrible shooting night. wally had two shots *literally* go down and spin back out and Djones didn’t hit anything until the end. i don’t see this team shooting 38% again soon.
our defense is still a concern but if brown could get that last group we had to play better D, than i have NO concerns that this new group won’t be better as well.
btw, brown finally did what a lot of you had been advocating tonight and finally got so ticked off at the typically bad officiating he got tossed. good for him…
February 28th, 2008 at 1:32 am
btw, here’s hoping west drives a lot more. he’s a FAR superior driver to the supposed-to-be-slasher, hughes. he finishes too, unlike hughes. plus, he can dish for an easy dunk when down amongst the trees as well. like this kid a lot…
February 28th, 2008 at 6:30 am
Why is it that every time the Cavs bring in a “shooter” who will benefit from LeBron and be open all the time and drain jumpers, they put up the worst shooting stats of their careers? Wally is just the latest in a long line of new-found bricklayers. And the only guy that could make a shot (Kapono) was never given a chance here. And I know this is a game too late, but wouldn’t Mo Williams look good in a Cavalier uniform?
February 28th, 2008 at 7:22 am
Maybe kj’s right. If Wallace can keep Garnett shooting 20 footers in the playoffs, I’d like the Cavs chances in a long series.
February 28th, 2008 at 9:30 am
I know we need to let this team gel to see what happens, but I’m just not sure why all these analysts on FSN and ESPN think that because we got a couple guys like West, Wally, and Wallace…who were really not that great on the teams they came from…would all of a sudden become really good players for the Cavs? Sure, Lebron makes some of these guys seem better than they are, but all of these guys came from TERRIBLE teams and they were not that good when they were there!!
Lets hope things come together, but I am not holding my breath. The Pistons and Celtics are just too tough.
February 28th, 2008 at 9:35 am
maybe it’s me, but the new and improved cavs still look mentally soft.
the loss to the bucks was worse than this one. still, we just have to hope that as we take our lumps as part of the gelling process, we don’t slip down to the 7 or 8 seed.
February 28th, 2008 at 10:08 am
The name Cleveland Clinic Courts is a lot more public-friendly than I Ripped Off the Taxpayers Like the Flim-Flam Man I Am and Got Away With It Courts.
By the way, what’s the deal with Gilbert’s front hair transplants he got a few years ago? As time goes on they’re becoming more and more and more obvious. He’s beginning to get a Shannon Brown kind of cornrow thing going on up there.
And please, let’s not blame injuries for anything. It’s as bad as blaming the refs. Unless James blows out an ACL, it’s nonsense. If you supposedly have a “deep” roster, and Ferry indeed asserts he’s slapped a very deep roster together, then why should anybody care? A totally one-dimensional guy like Gibson is out, so that’s why you have the grossly overpaid pretty boy white guy out there doing his best Hughes impression. Ilguaskas had the sniffles and was snuggled with a team trainer in a Sheraton king-sized bed applying each other with Vicks VapoRub, so that’s why Varejao was out there. But somehow Kobe Bryant will be playing three to four months with his finger attached to his hand with Silly String and industrial-strength Silly Putty.
Anyway, nothing means anything until the playoffs in that joke of a conference, it’s like an 82-game scrimmage. If I’m not mistaken, a team like Phoenix is 20 games over .500, and they’re fifth seed!
I’m more concerned with next season … unless Roger Clemens starts injecting folks with his magical anti-aging B-12 and cortisone shots, it appears like it may be a team filled with zombies and cadavers. I might even start start to miss Donyell Marshall’s blinking corpse. At least his feminine features and absolutely adorable protruding belly were funny to look at.
February 28th, 2008 at 10:40 am
Hey Alan t:
Remember when Kobe quit on his team in game 7 of a playoff series? Remember that?…how he pouted like a petulant child?
Remember when Kobe narced on Shaq and exposed his personal life to the media breaking every unwritten rule of human decency?
Remember when Kobe way flying back and forth between his rape trial and Laker games?
Remember when Phil Jackson, the ultimate players’ coach, went on an anti-Kobe tirade in his book?
Remember when Kobe demanded a trade because he was too soft to try to carry a team without another superstar?
Seriously, when people talk about Kobe in the context of Lebron or the Cavs, they deserve to be hit in the face. Kobe has nothing on Lebron…as a person AND as a basketball player.
February 28th, 2008 at 11:10 am
It is to early to assess the trade. I just hope they can develop the necessary chemistry in the next 25 games before the playoffs.
Andy’s D was awful last night, he stayed too long on the double teams and never got back to his man, he got burnt on pick n rolls all night. Only his second game back, so I’ll cut him a little slack.
Wally 12 for 41 since trade. Hughes 20-41 since trade.
Wally better start hitting because he can’t really defend the opponents SG.
I know there are not many Sasha supporters, but I am looking forward to his return, and of course Boobie, the only guy who can make an outside shot on a consistent basis (well maybe Damon qualifies too). I just hope they have enough time to play together when they finally get to full strength.
The offense if just too dependent on Lebron. I don’t think Lebron needs to touch the ball every single possession or initiate the offense everytime.
February 28th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Thoughts on the Cavs’ loss to the Celtics in Boston:
- Two losses in two nights sucks. At least there’s another game tomorrow against a terrible team.
- Ray Allen was 7-10 for 22 points. Defending shooting guards is going to be a real problem with this team. Right now the only hope is that Pavlovic comes back and can help them on that end. Which is a pretty damn slim hope.
- I don’t worry when LeBron has a rough shooting night like this, as long as he’s getting to the line. If he was Dwyane Wade, he would have taken 30 free throws last night. And I’m sure tweaking the ankle didn’t help his elevation in the second half.
- There are a lot of reasons why “shooters” who come to the Cavaliers see their numbers take a dip. LeBron likes hoarding assists, which means that he’s always looking to make the pass that leads to the shot. So he throws cross-court passes and things like that, which lead to good-not-great looks for the shooters. One of the reasons that Daniel Gibson has had so much success with LeBron is because he has a quick release and he isn’t terribly bothered by defenders coming at him.
Most shooters, however, like a little more space to shoot. This is the whole point of the “hockey assist” that Coach Brown was talking about in the preseason, because more passes get the defense out of position, which means the shooter gets a better look. But LeBron is worried about keeping his assist numbers up, so he holds the ball rather than starting passing sequences that lead to good ball movement and open looks. It’s been a problem his entire career, and probably always will be.
- That doesn’t meant that the shooters don’t bear some of the responsibility. They are supposed to professionals, and that means hitting shots. It’s one thing to take a little dip, but Szczerbiak is 12-41 in his three games as a Cavalier. If you’re shooting less than 30%, it’s probably time to change what you’re doing, whether that means passing more or going to the hoop. But when it’s *every* shooter, regardless of age, style or experience, there have to be other factors at play.
- I don’t have much to say about Kevin Garnett, I don’t think he’s a full speed. I’m a lot more worried that Kendrick Perkins, Glen Davis and Leon Powe went a combined 10 for 12 last night, all of their points coming in the paint. If the Celtics are getting that kind of production, they don’t need Garnett to be spectacular. All that “toughness” the Cavs were supposed to be adding in this trade certainly hasn’t shown up yet.
- I really hope that Andy is just knocking off some rust, and that he’s not still hampered by the injury. There is absolutely no reason to have him out there if he’s not 100%.
Go Cavs.
Mike C.
February 28th, 2008 at 11:33 am
Biff, what are you talking about? I’m not talking about Kobe in the context of LeBron. I’ve got no problems with James, with the exception of his silly ultra-diplomatic media nonsense. He’s a great player, obviously. But other than that, I meant that Bryant is a tough SOB even when he’s not banging broads, and he has to play every game or else the Lakers might fall out of the playoffs in a conference which is on a completely different level than the Eastern Conference. Injuries on the Cavs will be a valid excuse? Come on. Every team has boo-boos. At least Ira Newble won’t be missing any more games with his chronic infected zit.
Seriously, if this trade doesn’t work in the playoffs, then Ferry will deserve to be tossed to the curb without hesitation. These guys ain’t gonna be any cheaper, younger nor better when next season comes around, and somebody will need to be held accountable.
February 28th, 2008 at 11:41 am
Mike C:
Do you know what can create even more space than passing the ball around the ring? A skip pass, and Lebron throws them better than anyone in the league. He draws the entire defense to one side of the court and then throws screaming skip passes to the open shooters. I have a very tough time believing that Cavs shooting woes are due to Lebron “hoarding assists.” Cavs shooters are getting more open looks from Lebron skip passes than a lot of players could ever dream of. I do think some of the problem could be due to the fact that our shooters sometimes fall asleep while Lebron has the ball. They expect him to go to the hoop every time he takes a step so when the skip pass comes, they aren’t 100% ready to catch and fire. When the ball gets there, you’ve got to be ready and I think it takes our guys, especially the new ones, a split second to get their bearings when that balls comes flying over from the other side of the play.
I’m not saying that is has to be easy as a shooter playing with Lebron. But, I think the difficulty is more psychological than a result of not being able to get open looks.
February 28th, 2008 at 11:51 am
And two more thing about Kobe:
Remember when he pissed and moaned and made a “he goes or I go” demand on the Lakers forcing them to trade the franchise’s most beloved player since Magic Johnson because he couldn’t handle the fact that he wasn’t getting as much love or credit as Shaq?
Remember how the year after that outburst, the player he got traded won a title with his new team while Kobe was woefully exposed as a terrible team leader?
February 28th, 2008 at 11:56 am
Alan, you need to calm down a bit. If this trade doesn’t work then We can almost ENTIRELY retool the roster in the next 12 months. To paraphrase Jeffrey Lebowski here “Nothing is f@&*%d here man.” And as far as Kobe goes he may be physically tough, but psychologically and emotionally he is a fragile little woman. Biff is right, he QUIT in game 7 of a playoff series out of spite. So lets hold off on diefying him for a little bit. Thanks.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
i’m sorry, but wally is a career 50% shooter. i’m not gonna let 3 sub-par shooting games put me in panic mode about it. sheesh, people, a little perspective, maybe?
and i’ll tell ya what, wally played same damned good D yesterday, all rthings considered. in fact, instead of just regurgitating what i read or hear knuckleheads on espn say, i actually try and watch a guy before i form an opinion and wally seems like a much better defender than advertised. of course, as i said it’s only 3 games, so the jury’s still out…
oh, and somebody said this team looked “mentally soft.” are you freakin’ serious? we lose drew gooden AND larry hughes and get people like wallace and smith in and you think we’ve *downgraded* in the metal toughness dept.?? wow, now i’ve heard it all! cripes…
February 28th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Another scintillating performance by Jerry Maguire. Perhaps a little less less time applying mousse to his gorgeous locks prior to games and more time spent practicing putting some arc into his shot would be better for the squad.
And “hoarding assists”? That’s just hilarious. The Cavs lead the league in wide open jump shot attempts. How much more time do these guys need?
Varejao looks lost. Wallace can’t make lay ups and Z continues to clang open 18 footers. Joe Smith, hoever, is a witch with that 16 footer. Give him more court time.
February 28th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
I think it was a statement by Coach Brown to take out James, Wallace, and others with that much time left on the clock in the 4th.
The Cavs are NOT returning to the finals this yaer. Boston will simply key on James all game long.
February 28th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Brian, it’s intellectually dishonest to say LeBron doesn’t care about stats. There’s not a guy in this league who looks up at the scoreboard more than him. I’m not suggesting this is a bad thing, but as someone who covers the team on a daily basis, you either blinded by your wine and gold glasses or you’re lying.
Brian, do I need to go back and cite the games he’s stayed in just to pad the stats? Both wins and losses, he’s played far, far too long. How can you not notice this?
February 28th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Biff..it’s Kobe who publicly humiliated Bynum to the point where he actually worked on his game this off-season.
It’s Kobe who pressured to organization to make a move. Now the Lakers are the best team in the playoffs. Keep bashing Kobe, while the Lakers continue to win.
February 28th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Douglar, What does Kobe taste like? Does he whisper softly as he enters you? Does the thought of his musky man scent make you heart go pitter-patter? Most importantly, when you two are finished with your physical expression of love does he spoon you the whole night through? Just curious.
February 28th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
I agree with Alan T. on Ferry. If the Cavs flame out in the playoffs then he’s gotta go. We’ll have the expiring contracts of Wally, Damon and Snow= $25 Million off the books, plus AV’s may be off and so might West’s, depending on options.
We cannot afford to BOTCH the next big sigining/trading period and that may be as early as the off-season. The Cavs must get a bonifide all-star to play with LeBron.
February 28th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Douglar:
Glad to see you’ve been listening to the sock puppets proffer the “Kobe made Bynum better” theory. Now, for some original thought:
First of all, Bynum is an extremely talented 20 year old 7-footer playing his third NBA season. Something tells me he was going to get a lot better this year just given maturity and experince. Its hard to know if anything has really accelerated his growth or if his level of play this year is just a result of the natural development of a talented 3rd year pro.
Second, don’t you think if you were Kobe and you wanted to motivate a young player, you would go to him privately and challenge him to get better? sn’t that a better way to do it than a backhanded slimey attempt to piss and moan your way out of town? Kobe has always been a “me first” kind of teamate. Throwing guys under the bus is not something that warrants praise, even if, for the sake of your bad argument, we agree that he was doing it to make the team better.
Third, every organization (except for maybe the Clippers and Sonics) wants to get better. In the bigger markets, there is even greater pressure to improve. Mitch Kupchak didn’t need Kobe crying to the media every day to let him know that he wanted the roster upgraded. Every superstar wants their roster upgraded, Lebron included. The difference is, while Lebron might push things as far as to say that he wants to play with certain guys or that the team needs to improve, he would never make a half-hearted on again off again trade demand like Kobe did. Again, we should be praising Kobe for trying to pout his way out of LA?
Fourth, while once again, I’m glad you’ve been listening to the talking heads on ESPN, I’ll hold off judgment before I call the Lakers the “best team in the playoffs.” Last I checked, there were no trophies handed out for the best record at the end of February. This is a team built around Kobe the cancerous quitter, Pau “0-12 lifetime in playoff games” Gasol, and a banged up 20 year old. Forgive me for not getting way ahead of myself like everyone on TV and saying they are better than the 4-time champion Spurs.
Do not bring your media generated Kobe hype to this board. We root for a real superstar around here.
February 28th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
It says Lebron DOES care about stats Douglar you intellectual midget.
February 28th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
well said Biff.i’m sick of the media hyping this punk,esp. ESPN.they talk about Kobe being such a winner& making his team better.has he even gotten the lakers out of the first round without shaq?some winner.all you need to do to open your eyes about kobe is remember that game that he quit on his team.MJ& bird,magic etc..can you imagine 1 of those guys doing that?can you imagine Lebron?the answer to both ? is No!also i keep hearing how kobe deserves it for years past!thats crap!these are also the same people who say you have to win 50 to win the mvp,yet the lakers have not won 50 games in a season since kobe’s been the “man”,so then how should kobe have won it at least once the past few seasons? …they say if the cavs dont win 50,LB dont deserve it.thats dumb because then you are discounting the injury factor.you’ve gotta admit that the cavs have had the most inj/holdouts than anyone.what would there record be with just an avg. amount of injuries at this point?5 games better?10?
they would have prob. at least split the ones LB missed.just something to think about.
February 28th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
I’m glad you guys decided to use well-thought out logic-based analysis of my points rather than ad hominem attacks. If anyone has something legitimate to say, I’ll respond to that…I don’t need to resort to name-calling. Typical sign of someone who’s adept at losing arguments, or someone who learns at a 5th grade level.
February 28th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
And Brian re-edited his blog post after my comments (not a shock). It originally read “LeBron does not care about stats.”)
February 28th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Douglar:
Respond to the following interrogatories:
1. Did Kobe stop shooting in game 7 of a playoff series?
2. Did Kobe leak to the media that a teamate had committed infidelities?
3. Did Phil Jackson rip Kobe in his book?
4. At some point this year, did Kobe tell the media that he wanted to be traded?
5. Was Kobe the driving force behind Shaq being traded?
6. Has Kobe won anything without Shaq?
There you go. Those are some legit questions. I’m sure your answers will be enlightening.
February 28th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
If Lefreethrow could shoot like Kobe beef then it would
not be a question. Both suffer from over inflated hype
and massive egos. Something you don’t find with the
Spurs and the Pistons who will probably play for the NBA
championship. Reference another egomaniacs effect on
the Phoenix Suns. The only way Lebron is going to win
a championship is to step back and let the other guys
handle some of his one man superhero chores. He is still
handling the ball way too much. We need him to let the
little guys do that and for him to hit the glass with Ben.
February 28th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Right. I’m sure Windy went out of his way to edit his post just to show up some pathetic Kobe Shill. There is know way that you could have simply misread what was posted. No, your explanation makes so much more sense…
February 28th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Step off the soabox jmoe. The Pistons don’t have egos? Really? Rasheed…no ego? Give me a break. They are professional athletes. They all have egos. And correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t we beat that same Pistons team in 6 last year? Haven’t we won playoff games at the palace for the last two years?
Your other proposal makes way more sense. We need to let other people try to win games for us….like Varajao in game 3 of the Spurs series or Donyell in game 1 of the Pistons series. We should definitely just use Lebron as a rebounder. When you’re averaging 30 points and 7 1/2 assists a game and playing on the best rebounding team in the east, you should definitely just concentrate on rebounding.
Come on man…
Lebron gets the superhero duty because he’s the superhero.
February 28th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
And I don’t think Shaq’s ego is what’s hurting the Suns. He had the same ego when he was winning four championships with two different teams. I think, just maybe it has more to do with the fact that he’s now washed up.
February 28th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
The Cavs did look a little lost last night. Z did not look himself by the way he was missing jumpers and rebounds. But for only having 2 practices together, I am holding judgement until later.
One thing thought is West is looking better and better each game.
As for the comments about Ferry being shown the door if they flame out. No one thought he could trade Hughes and we all wanted him gone. IMO, he got the best he could for him and now people are whining after 3 games. We have a lot of tradeable assets coming off the books. Again, no one thought we could trade Hughes and we did so I am not about to give up on Ferry until after next season.
February 28th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Mr. Spiff I mean Biff:
Do you really think the Cavs can win a championship
with James dribbling at the top of the key between his
legs with the defense in a box and three. Did you see what
Boston did to us by shadowing him in that box and three
and then charging at our three point shooters. We must
get him away from the focal point of the defense. Delonte
looks very good so far. Let him play the point. Lebron on the
wing and post up. And this team needs to run run run.
Yes he has superhuman skills but the rest of the NBA knows
his weaknesses. They know his three point shot is weak and
they know he likes to put on a globetrotter act to lull the
defender before his incredible speed and power zoom him
right to the basket. So they put smaller guys on him at the
top of the key to apply pressure and cause turnovers. His
turnovers are up. Yeah he is your pressure guy and yeah he
should be taking the last shot but again he is not Magic
Johnson and this is not the LA Lakers.
February 28th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Maybe LeBron got into the habit of hoarding assists because three of the four players usually on the floor with him these last few years are black holes.
Hughes, Gooden and Z all hold the ball too long, making the hockey assist pretty much moot. That’s why the team looked so much better at the end of games with Damon Jones, Gibson and Varejao on the floor.
Hopefully getting rid of Hughes and Gooden will help LeBron repent of those selfish ways and he’ll stop dragging his teammates down.
February 28th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Jmoe:
That post made a lot more sense and I agree with parts of it. But, Lebron catching the ball in the post just isn’t going to happen very often. His footwork in the post has not been developed yet. There are plenty of guys that he can just overpower down there but in those situations, teams would just send the double and make him pass out. At the end of the day, you’re still in the same situation: Other guys have to knock down the open shots.
What I do agree with, however, is that Lebron often catches the ball in the wrong position. He’s either moving toward the backcourt or is just standing way beyond the arc. Good teams get the ball out of his hands immediately when he catches the ball in this position. It would be nice if the offense incorporated a few more curls or cuts to the basket to get Lebron catches in better scoring position.
As for Lebron playing the point, I don’t know man…The Cavs are a very good 4th quarter team and that’s when Lebron is usually bringing the ball up. Its the 3rd quarter where they seem to struggle more. I’m not so sure its such a bad strategy to let Lebron conserve energy until the 4th and then let him bring it up.
That being said, I do agree that they the offense doesn’t maximize Lebron’s potential…..such is life when you have a coach who only knows defense.
February 28th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
I was listening to sports talk radio today in NYC/NJ. A common theme amongst the commentators is that Lebron is eventually coming to the Knicks after they clean house or Nets when they open in Brooklyn in 2010. They talk about it like it’s a no brainer. I even heard Steven A. Smith repeating this today. I hope this isn’t’ true.
February 29th, 2008 at 5:39 am
Couldn’t agree more, Larry — especially the part about LeBron dragging down the team. How droll! Best player in the game and people still aren’t satisfied with is play. That should be the one “given” for this team.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:34 am
“But LeBron is worried about keeping his assist numbers up, so he holds the ball rather than starting passing sequences that lead to good ball movement and open looks. It’s been a problem his entire career, and probably always will be.”
LOL…BS, mike. Does anyone read your blog? Open shots have NEVER been a problem for the cavs since Lebron has been here. Never. Leave your analysis at your place as it is pretty silly at times. I love your mind reading abilities, too. Between that and your top shelf analysis, it’s a surprise you don’t get more blog hits.
/sarc
February 29th, 2008 at 8:40 am
“The only way Lebron is going to win
a championship is to step back and let the other guys
handle some of his one man superhero chores”
? jmoe, he took a moribund franchise that hasn’t ever really tasted winning and took them to the finals last year. The finals. I think he’s doing more than enough right. IF the other gusy are carrying their weight, he releases the reigns. If not, he has to be superman for this team to win.
February 29th, 2008 at 9:40 am
- Skip passes do not create better looks than swing passes. In a skip pass, the defense only has to re-position itself once. In a full rotation swing pass, the defense has to reposition itself 3 times. More passes always put the defense at a disadvantage.
- Last time I checked, nobody is perfect. Critiquing elements of LeBron’s game is just as relevant as critiquing Kobe or Wade or Phil Jackson or anyone else. Basketball is a game full of decisions, and some of those decisions are going to be wrong. And some of LeBron’s wrong decisions are going to be the result of his own ego. He’s human.
- More Big Lebowski quotes. They really tie the board together.
Mike C.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:24 am
When Lebron has the ball on the wing, at least 4 and sometimes 5 defenders are on that half of the floor. He throws that pass with such pace that the defense doesn’t have time to adjust. I think it creates better looks than if he were to throw the ball back up top first (as I don’t see the defense totally committing itself to defending whatever lethal threat is at the top of the arc). Once the ball is back up top, the weakside defender has already had a chance to recover. It would be different if the guy getting the second pass from Lebron up top commanded enough attention to free up the other wing player.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
In steps Delonte, Boobie, Damon to fire that shot from the
top. James is simply not in their league or Kobes or Magics
when it comes to the 3 ball especially under double or triple teaming. He is so quick and strong for someone 6 foot 8
why not start him closer to the basket? Make it more likely
for him to get easy baskets than having to blow by 3 people
and get hit at the rim.
February 29th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Why are we not going after Cassell, Lue and Giriceck ??
February 29th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
You know who is sitting on his hands again!
March 1st, 2008 at 1:13 pm
I’m sorry, Mike C., but that bit about LeBron hoarding assist totals is the dumbest piece of excrement I’ve ever read. You obviously forget what Cavs basketball was like before James played here. Even with occasional human error, he is the greatest to ever wear the uniform here, and could be the greatest of all time when it’s all said and done. Michael Redd had a hand in his face when he hit the game-winner. Whether they are wide-open shots….”good not great looks at the basket”….. contested shots…..a good shooter makes ‘em much more often than Wally, Donyell, Jiri, (fill-in-the-blank) makes theirs.