Butler’s star shines brighter in Game 5
Wizards 88, Cavs 87
–Let’s get a few things out of the way off the bat. First, tremendous shot by Caron Butler and a tremendous performance. LeBron James was on him pretty good and he didn’t have a great angle, especially with Ben Wallace coming to help, and he got it in there. Although, am I crazy or did someone’s hand who hit the bottom of the the net maybe help wiggle that ball in? No matter, it went it. Second, LeBron drew contract to be sure on his last shot but it was a fair no call. Darius Songalia didn’t jump or even hit him on the upper body, he got off a fair try. Though the scene was a little wild. All the Cavs were standing on the court like they’d heard a whistle and so were some of the Wizards. Then the refs all go to the center of the floor, look at each other for a minute and then walk over to the scorer’s table. Everyone in the arena thinks they are going to review it like the Philly game but, nope, they were just asking for their jackets. It was funny sort of, the whole arena didn’t get it was over until they took the jackets.
–OK, now the Cavs may really, really look back at this one and regret it. Like, depending on how things go, maybe regret it all summer. Up by five points, at home, in a closeout game with the ball and 1:47 left. The offense totally did nothing for three straight possessions. They come out of a timeout and LeBron dribbles the ball for 20 seconds and puts up a terrible 3-pointer. Then LeBron dribbles for awhile and Daniel Gibson puts up an open 3, but not a good 3 in my opinion. And Joe Smith misses a short jumper, but he really didn’t have time because the shot clock was up because…LeBron had spent most of it dribbling. All this despite: 1. The officials were calling lots of fouls (LeBron got to the line 18 times and both teams got there a combined 27 times in the fourth quarte)r. 2. Darius Songalia was covering Zydrunas Ilgauskas with five fouls. Poor coaching and poor decision-making by LeBron. Yes, you are going to live and die with him making plays, but at this point in his career, he must know better. And Mike Brown needs to call something else after it doesn’t work twice.
–The Cavs shot 36 percent tonight and do you want to know how many layups they missed? Now think about it for a moment…form a guess in your head…it’s pretty high…I was actually a little surprised when I counted them up…ready?…how about 15. That’s right 15 missed layups. That’s shots from two feet and less according to the stats folks, which means it doesn’t even count LeBron’s last shot. And, no, I am not counting tip in misses. Some of them were heavily contested but so many weren’t (think Wally Szczerbiak) and it is just hard to overcome that in a game like this.
–Indeed, the Wizards made some shots, but I felt the Cavs played pretty good defense. In the second half, in fact, the Wizards shot just 32 percent. Oh, then again, so did the Cavs. If you hold the Wizards to 87 points, it should be a victory. The Cavs held them to 86 in both Games 1 and 2 and got wins. The Wizards only won nine games this season when they didn’t score 100 points and only three when they didn’t score 90. So while you see a one-point loss, especially when LeBron missed the last shot, it is tempting to say those are the breaks and move on. But this was a Cavs-style game and a game they should’ve won. You must assume the Wizards have another good shooting night in them and it could be Friday.
–I think based on this series it is safe to say that Washington plays better without Gilbert Arenas, at least right now. They move better on offense because he’s not dribbling so much and they are slightly better on defense. Him sitting down might actually help them out.
–So much happened after this, but you have to feel a pivotal moment in the game happened in the third quarter when the Wizards got five shots on one possession. The Cavs were on an 11-0 run at the time and up six points and who knows how big that run would’ve been had that not happened. It was a key turning point, the Wizards ended up going on a run to take the lead by the end of the quarter. By the way, Z only had one defensive rebound tonight. Some of the troubles are on him.
–Don’t think you have seen the last of the hack-a-Ben move. In general, I dislike it no matter who it is. However, in that moment it was quite smart and it forced him off the floor.
Recap:
Pregame
Starting lineups
Wizards: Antonio Daniels, DeShawn Stevenson, Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, Brendan Haywood
Cavs: Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, LeBron James, Ben Wallace, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Officials
Joe DeRosa, Mike Callahan, James Capers
–Gilbert Arenas decided, apparently on his own, that he’s not playing tonight and not playing again this season. He made the announcement to the media about 70 minutes before game time. Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said it was the first he’d heard of it. So all that can’t exactly thrill him. Apparently Gilbert took a shot before Game 4, which enabled him to go from five minutes to 32 minutes. But he was nervous about taking the shot and my guess is he didn’t feel like doing it again, especially with his free agency coming up. Still, if Jordan honestly didn’t know that had to destabilize the Wizards locker room somewhat. Meanwhile, Gilbert is bouncing around the halls here at Quicken Loans Arena acting as if everything is A-OK.
–That said, the Wizards are used to playing without him and their win in this series came in a game in which he barely played. So it’s not like he is the lifeblood of the team anymore. He hasn’t been scoring much since Game 1 and maybe hurt them on defense at times. So don’t expect Washington to just wave the white flag.
–Sasha Pavlovic will be activated for this game. He took part in practice yesterday on his recovering sprained left ankle. Mike Brown said he likely won’t play.
–The Wizards are making rebounding a big key tonight. But one of the reasons Ben Wallace is getting rebounds — and Anderson Varejao and Joe Smith — is because the Wizards are double-teaming Zydrunas Ilgauskas and LeBron James at times and it is freeing up the weakside for rebounds. That and the Cavs are one of the best rebounding teams in the league, including the best offensive rebounding team. So they’ll have to pick their poison a little on that tonight, they had done a good job of slowing down Z over the last few games.
Halftime — Wizards 45, Cavs 43
–The Cavs are fortunate to only be down two points at this juncture. Had the Wizards not committed at least five unforced turnovers the disparity would be greater. Otherwise, the Wizards have played with a higher execution level. They are more active driving and kicking the ball on offensive, which has gotten them a bunch of open shots. Stevenson has taken the most advantage.
–LeBron is not having a good offensive game, largely due to decision making. The Wizards are not doubling him as much on the outside but are doubling him on his drives and it has confused him a bit. It has kept him away from the basket and he’s mostly settled for 3-pointers, which is the weakest part of his game. The Cavs are going to have to make some adjustments and he’s going to have to find a better way to attack.
–Wally Szczerbiak was terrible in his time in the game. Caron Butler scored 11 points on him and he committed three turnovers. However, Butler is really just making jumpers. In fact, in general, the Wizards have just shot jumpers well.
–As for the latest little dustup from the first quarter, I am still not sure what happened. The Wizards said LeBron was pushing Darius Songalia, but even if he was, Songalia hit him in the head. So I am not sure why it was a technical and not another flagrant, maybe because it was after the play. Just another reason for the teams to dislike each other.
–Zydrunas Ilgauskas has saved the Cavs in the first on offense. They have not shot the ball well, except on 3-pointers but Z has victimized Brendan Haywood when playing 1-on-1 and has two putbacks. Perhaps it is something the Wizards are doing, but I don’t understand why there aren’t more pick-and-pops to get Z mid-range jumpers with LeBron over the last few games.
Postgame
Stars
Butler, 32 points, nine rebounds, five assists
Stevenson, 17 points, five rebounds
James, 34 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists
Z, 19 points, six rebounds
Quotes
Eddie Jordan: ” We got a miss for the first time since who knows when. It’s been a (Sasha) Pavlovic make, it’s a Delonte West make, it’s a Daniel Gibson make, it’s a Damon Jones make. Every game it seems like we lose. We finally get a miss.”
LeBron: “There was a lot of contact but I supposed to make that, I’ve made more difficult shots. We can’t rely on me getting a foul at the end of the game. We didn’t execute being up five and I had the ball in my hands for the most part. I’m supposed to put us in the position to do the right thing and I didn’t do that. It’s not like it’s over, we’re up 3-2. As long as I’m on the court, we have a great chance to win. Of course I am still confident.”
Butler: “We heard all the quotes of how the series was over. This team has been through a lot this season, a ton of adversity. We’ve proven all the doubters wrong and this is just another opportunity.
April 30th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
just an fyi, our fans at the q SUCK!!!
April 30th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
what a joke, lebron and the gang look like a bunch of girls! DRIVE TO THE BASKET YOU BABY!!!
April 30th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
It was a stupid backhanded slap. Either you punch a guy or just keep quiet. I think this is what happens when a team that has no idea how to be physical is instructed to go hard. Just embarrassing. This whole rivalry is so lame.
April 30th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Lebron is also showboating. That somersault was completely unnecessary.
April 30th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
April 30th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
I still don’t understand the bright yellow t-shirts.
April 30th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
awful awful officiating…. not necessarily in favor of one team or the other, but just awful and inconsistent.
April 30th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
This might be the worst loss of the LeBron era. Unbelievable. Horribly ugly game. Turnovers, missed shots, no aggressiveness until the second half. They played so poorly I couldn’t even believe it was a close game.
And then, when they had a chance to end it up 87 - 82 with just under 2:00 left, they couldn’t even get one more basket.
Absolutely unbelievable. Now, instead of having several days of extra rest for the Celtics, they’re looking at a 7-game series. (There’s no way they win Game 6.)
This team is so far away from championship-caliber it’s not even funny. Can’t even beat a bunch of thug misfits on your home floor. Absolutely embarrassing.
April 30th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Go Wiz! See you bums in the Verizon Center for Game 6.
April 30th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
That sukd. We have a 5 point lead, Lebron chucks up a brick, Wizards come down and score a couple times to take the lead, then Lebron misses a layup for the win. Not his best effort. This reminded me of the game we blew against New Jersey when we could have sent them home for the summer.
Looks like we are going 7 games, because I doubt we win in DC. So much for resting up for Boston!!!!!
April 30th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Major props to the Wizards. They came here and punked the cavs on their home floor. i didn’t get to see the game (at work), but looking at the numbers you can’t expect to win too many playoff games shooting 35%. Since all i have is the box score i can’t tell if the Cavs were just missing shots or if their offense sets were the usual diaster (my guess combination of both). Typical Mike Brown era game. At some point it doesn’t matter how great you play D, you have to put the ball in the hole.
April 30th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
The absolute WORST coached playoff basketball game that I’ve ever seen. And I’ve been following the NBA for 30 years. And it’s not even close. THE WORST COACHED PLAYOFF BASKETBALL GAME THAT I’VE EVER SEEN.
There are high school coaches who could have coached a better game. I’m completely serious.
Maybe next game, Mike Brown can pace the sidelines with his clown suit on. Just so nobody’s fooled.
The Cavs will never win a championship with this mental midget running it’s team. They deserve to lose this series.
April 30th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Biff - You have to help me wrap my brain around this one. I’m begging you - please! How could those last 90 seconds have gone down like that? Why are we condemned to walk the earth as Cavs fans with a buffoon at the helm? I am confused and frightened!
Thanks in advance,
World
April 30th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Haywood fouls out - and our next two possessions are threes. I just don’t get it. No one can box out Z, why aren’t we taking it to the hole in those situations.
Coincidentally, Joe Smith misses a 3 footer and Z misses 4 tip ins, but still, if they run similar plays like that on all 3 possessions, we don’t lose that game.
The Cavs have no consistency. I wouldn’t be surprised if they lost this series.
April 30th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Another point – I hope someone in the Cavs’ organization is man enough to pull LBJ aside and tell him that 3 he took out of the iso was a bad shot. Sometimes I get the impression that everyone from Gilbert on down is so afraid of alienating him that things that need to be said aren’t. That is just my impression. I have no idea what really goes on in the locker room. Even if Brown or someone else did do that, does LeBron have enough respect for them to listen? Look, I know that the reason why the Cavs are even relevant is the fact that he has put this team on his shoulders and carried them. I am not going to LeBron bash. But a bad decision is still a bad decision and someone who has such a high basketball IQ should not take that kind of shot.
April 30th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
absolute garbage.
lebron should donkey punch himself for that loss.
April 30th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Maybe you should tell our coach that when the other coach makes an adjustment and it’s working, you have to counter it with your own. A freakin’ blind man could see what was going on but dumb*ss Brown insists on running sets that were getting stoned all game. Not to mention that the only big they have fouled out when we were up 5. But no, forget about a post up. We have Lebron. And how about taking someone out when they’re playing poorly? That would be a novel concept.
THE WORST COACHED PLAYOFF GAME THAT I’VE EVER SEEN. It was so spectacular that I still can’t believe what I witnessed.
April 30th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
I’m going to do what I always do after a bad loss. Not read anything cavs-related, stop posting on the message board, avoid the morning paper——-forget it even happened. Life>Sports
April 30th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Honestly, I think the Cavs really gave it their all out their tonight. LeBron James played an excellent game, and Mike Brown coached the team beautifully. It just wasn’t to be tonight.
I just don’t think LeBron James is good enough to win against a team like the Wizards when they play like this.
April 30th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Agreed, LeCavalier. Still, as someone a few days warned, this became New Jersey all over again. Why does this team choose the difficult path? Why does Brown begin the LBJ iso-O with SIX MINUTES TO GO!? It’s like watching the Browns try to run the clock out against the Steelers in the third quarter… also, when did Pitino start coaching this team? The amount of threes this team jacks is borderline obscene. Hopefully Game 4 didn’t leave this team with the wrong impression–that they will hit that percentage every time out.
Hondo 17, you’re right with your comments, but I doubt anyone’s going to say that to him. What bothered me more is the thought that he took that shot under the influence of his own emotion, i.e., “I’m sticking this in DeShawn’s face once and for all.” Well, we see where that got us. Game 6.
Much like the Jersey series, I don’t doubt this team can take another from the Wizards on Friday. I’ll send the Hawks the “thank you for prolonging the inevitabe” postcard AFTER the Cavs actually get out of this round. Ridiculous.
April 30th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Biff! Help! I can’t get my brain around this one!
April 30th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
sfeadgfaewsdfsd
April 30th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Mike Brown is a great coach. As a public service to the rest of the league, they should sign him to a 7 year contract extension. And then Lebron can bolt with good reason.
April 30th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
i think lebron is sick of the wizards, and sick of the BS. songaila should have been tossed. if you hit someone you should be gone. that is the second time this series he has been punched.
i wouldn’t be taking it strong to the hoop if i was getting punched either.
that was a sickening loss.
April 30th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
How pathetic. That last two minutes is why this team will never be the NBA champ. The 3 that Lebron threw up was terrible, worst shot he has taken all year. I have a very bad feeling about how this series is going to end.
April 30th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
just got back from the game….ok terrible loss. the missed shots especially by wally were inexcusable. how many layups can one team miss? the unforced turnovers every time we seemed to be getting a run started were killer. the officiating was disgusting in general. i dont know how songalia doesnt get tossed for the slap in the face. i understand lebron got fouled on that last shot and that butler got hit a bit too, but butler got hit after his 3 step on an obvious travel. lebrons three was a terrible decision and he took blame for that in the post game interview. i cant tell you how disappointing that loss was….i hope sashas ankle is strong enough come game 7 if there is one or next series, wally is just lookin awful
April 30th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
That was a terrible game but it wasn’t quite as sickening as the game 5 loss to New Jersey last year.
That’s about the best I can say. A total mess over the last 2 minutes. I thought I was a Phoenix Suns fan while that was happening.
April 30th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
One thing this series has shown is LeBron has a little growing up to do. Think about it. His buddy Jay-Z makes a diss track about the Wizards. In Game 4 after Stevenson decked him he started jacking up 3 pointers and hitting maybe one or two. In this game they were up by 5 and again he throws up a 3 to try to stick it to Stevenson. He should drive to the hoop, that is his game. It’s about damn time someone on the team calls him out on it too. Hopefully Cavs win in 7.
April 30th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Look, this loss can be narrowed down to 2 specific items - poor coaching in the clutch and unforced turnovers.
Specifically, let’s look at the overall game - and who actually contributed something - D West, LBJ, Z. What did Wally World contribute? This stat line - 1-6 from the field, 4 TO’s, 1 steal and 2 boards in 1 and 1/2 quarters (18 minutes). We got ZERO production from our bigs outside of Z (Smith, Wallace, and Sideshow Bob combined to go 2 for 13 with a grand total of 13 boards among them ALL). That will NOT win you ball games. And even Devin Brown had a poor game in his 14 minutes going 1 for 5 with no rebounds and one PF….
Also, Mike Brown has done a good job making game-to-game adjustments but look, Professor - make an in-game change and when you see that Brendan Haywood fouls out and Jamison and Butler are both playing with 4 fouls - GO TO Z!!! Force them to double team our big guy (he did go 8 for 11 you know). Oh, and realize that Washington isn’t going to keep falling for the same left side ball swing of D West to Gibson. That only works if Gibson’s man is either inside (doubling Z or LBJ) or has moved to defend West. To compound the stupidity, trying that play on back to back possessions is a joke.
In summary though - we screwed up pretty royally (not to mention got hurt with that no-call on Songalia both with the punch and the foul on LBJ’s final drive) and still were beat only by 1. So, keep it in perspective and realize that we SHOULD come out better on Friday evening.
April 30th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
ErickRIP or whatever:
If this is the worst coached playoff game you’ve ever seen, you obviously didn’t watch the Mavs in the last couple years. And Avery Johnson was Coach of the Year!
April 30th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
I’ve seen three commentators now agree that there is no foul on the play at the end, and I just can understand it. Just because Songalia has his back turned shouldn’t matter, he’s moving and has to allow Lebron space to land after the shot. Yuck.
April 30th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Wow after midnight and still no update from BW
April 30th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
The Cavs did not deserve to win this game. We played sloppy, uninspired basketball the first three quarters and then tried to turn it on in the fourth quarter.
It’s almost like the Cavs feel too confident that they will be able to close out the series at home….they did the same thing last year against New Jersey (although they got blown out that game). Hopefully they will come out strong on Friday and pull out a win on the road….just like they did in Game 6 against New Jersey.
I really don’t know why LeBron doesn’t drive the ball the entire game. He takes way too many three pointers. But I don’t know if LeBron is too tired or if his back is in pain. LeBron needed to drive to the basket when we were up by 5 to put the dagger in the Wiz. And considering he was doing fantastic from the free throw line, he had no excuses for not going hard to the rim.
I just hope we don’t look back at this game at the end of the series and say this is the one that got away. I would hate to spend the summer thinking about this loss.
April 30th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
lebron james neds a coach who is going to make him accountable , not kiss his ass . it’s unexcuseable for lebron being a 30% 3 point shoot and taking as many 3s as he did . people can talk all day about lebron’s maturity all they want , but in 2 games his maturity has 2 be brought into question . in game 4 and 5 after recieving hard fouls , lebron pulls for a long 3 on his very next possession after the hard foul . why is a 30% 3 point shooter taking such a crazy shot ? worst of all , who’s going to tell him not to do it ? not a man who sees lebron as an equal and who constantly gushes about him knowing he owes his job ,his house , the car he drives , and the food he eats to lebron james . lebron will be truly unstoppable as a player when he is properly coach , and as long as brown is the coach , lebron will have freedom to do as he pleases .
April 30th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
Some good posts here. I liked what Common Sense Coaching said.
Even if they didn’t go inside to Z, they should have at least taken a shot near the rim so that Z would be there for a tip in.
Nick - I agree that LeBron shoots too many 3s but I’m not sure it’s a maturity thing. When LeBron gets it going from beyond the arc, the defenses have to adjust, and then he absolutely punishes teams inside.
Remember all the forays to the rim in game 5 against the Pistons? Well that only happened because he was also hitting step back 3s and deep jumpers. It’s hard to play sagging defense on the guy when he’s draining 3s.
Also, I noticed about 5 times in that game Boobie was playing on the wing and Delonte in the corner, and the ball swings were going Boobie TO Delonte, and Delonte looked scared to shoot and just kicked it back out, in effect, resetting the offense with 4 seconds left.
Boobie should be in the corner there.
You know who else should be there….
DAMON JONES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 1st, 2008 at 1:40 am
I’m sorry, but I just can’t accept a no call on the last play. Like you said, the refs were calling tons of fouls. It seemed like the Wizards got a call on every possession down the stretch until Butler hit that shot. LeBron drives to the hoop with Stevenson trying to bodycheck him the whole way, and Songaila’s shoulder meets his groin on the shot. It’s kind of ridiculous that LeBron has a reputation for getting calls. Definitely not true, especially down the stretch (remember last season against Detroit in game 2?).
That said, the possession when they were up by 5 and LeBron dribbled and took a three was just horrible. No excuse for that. The team did not rebound well tonight, which was a big help for the Wizards.
May 1st, 2008 at 4:45 am
Excruciating game to watch, agreed? Not much to add because BW nailed the main points. Poor coaching and bad decisions by Lebron at the end. Both teams were in the penalty with six minutes left. This was a tightly officiated game. Five point lead wih a minute and a half left and the plan is to dribble dribble dribble until you’re forced to jack a desperation three? With Haywood out? Brown is a clueless lackey, there’s no doubt. Can you imagine if we had an offense where Lebron caught the ball off screens and picks and cuts near the hoop? Nobody finishes better than the kid(well except for last night) and he wouldn’t have to work so damn hard to get shots. Him resetting the offense beyond the three point line all the time and having to dribble around three guys, twisting and turning through contact, is just exhausting over the course of a season. It’s like running Earl Campbell 35 times a game straight up the gut. Just a waste.
And obviously Szcerbiak didn’t have it last night. I don’t know, maybe he shouldn’t have played nearly the entire third quarter. Bricks and turnovers and getting torched by Tough Juice probably ought to get someone nailed to the bench after about three minutes.
Varejao is useless queen. It’s not possible to look less athletic than him when he puts his head down and starts to “drive” to the hoop from the foul line. Wild schoolyard shots that barely get backboard. Reggie Miller and Marv Albert laughing…..
May 1st, 2008 at 8:11 am
Thoughts on the Cavs’ Game 5 loss to the Wizards:
- As has often been the case this season when the Cavs lose a close game they should have won, the blame lies at the feet of LeBron and Mike Brown. LeBron for not making good basketball decisions, and Mike Brown for not having a way to get LeBron refocused. This was a winnable game if not for the terrible execution down the stretch.
- It’s hard to believe that LeBron has become such a fantastic player that criticism is entirely justified even after a 34-10-7 night. But the numbers don’t justify his decision-making down the stretch. And for all of his leadership talk yesterday, he played with no intensity or focus throughout the night, and his team followed suit. It’s like he couldn’t be bothered with the first round of the playoffs anymore.
- No high screen-roll. No LeBron coming off screens into the lane, a play that has killed the Wizards all series. Just LeBron dribbling a hole into the floor. It’s like they didn’t want to show off their good plays, because then the rest of the league might catch on.
- You can talk about Delonte West’s 12-8-5 if you want, but what I saw was a guy who couldn’t keep anyone out of the lane last night. His worst defensive performance in a long time.
- New Cavs = 6-24 from the field. Then again, the “old” Cavs only shot 41%, so it’s not like anyone was very good last night.
- Except Z. Someone explain to me how the Cavs failed to notice that Z was in the zone offensively last night? Only 11 shots, when he was guarded by Songaila down the stretch?
- I’m not sure what is going to happen on Friday. The scary part is that the Cavs could play a really good game and still get beat by a desperate team playing at home in front of a frenzied crowd. They could have avoided that problem by caring even a little bit last night.
Go Cavs. As I’ve said all season, tighten it up!
Mike C.
May 1st, 2008 at 8:42 am
Brain, when are you going to grow some nads and start calling out Brown? You’re gutless. You’re credibility as a sports writer is suffering.
May 1st, 2008 at 9:19 am
The Cavs played terrible and Butler was tossing in all kinds of crazy shots, yet the Cavs would have won fairly easily if they had hit just half of those missed layups.
Washington is not a very good team and I can’t see how Eddie Jordan is regarded as a good coach.
And how many times does LeBron have to get hit in the head early in the game before people start questioning Jordan’s pre-game motivational tactics? Maybe it’s just coincidence.
May 1st, 2008 at 9:41 am
Unusual not having to read, “The refs stole the game!” 86 times. Only a few posts so far. Yep, Butler got away with a travel, but James also got away with his usual 12 extra steps on his last drive, and that was before any supposed foul.
And I don’t get it. The same people who praise Brown for being a smart playoff coach turn around and say he’s an idiot. Make up your minds.
They’ll still beat Washington, and then get clocked by Boston in 6.
I also think it’s hilarious that pompous NBA honchos Stu Jackson and David Stern fine guys for making those gang signals. What a joke. Half the guys in the league intentionally try to look like they’re thugs in a prison gang by wearing more ink than that guy in “Prison Break.” Why not make them cover their tattoos.
May 1st, 2008 at 9:54 am
Hondo17 at 8:19 pm…A great comment. You nailed it. And no. Nobody tells him when he is playing like a chump. Brown has already said that he’s not his boss. Lebron played like a chump. Perimeter Lebron is not the good Lebron.
With that being said, the rest of the team, save Z, sucked monkey nuts. 6 players (66% of the people who played) shot 24%. 10 of 42 for those stiffs. You cannot win playing like that. A combination of perimeter Lebron and stiffs shooting bricks leads to a loss. Those stiffs can’t help it, but Lebron sure as hell can.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:15 am
Windhorst mentioned Coach Brown above. LeBron took to many jumpers in the first half. TNT put up graphics to show no points in the paint for LeBron. His d was spotty as well. Z was the hot hand and they turned him cold. Wally made one shot I’m betting that Sasha could’ve made 2 shots…
May 1st, 2008 at 10:17 am
Nick’s right
May 1st, 2008 at 10:39 am
brian a., i wouldn’t count on sasha being able to make 2 shots. you probably could count on him going to the hoop weak 3 times, getting lost in defensive rotations twice, and ending up with one serious injury.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:41 pm
hey tom , the imaturity in which i was speaking with lebron has to do with him jacking long distance 3s after the hard fouls he was given . he did this in game 4 and 5 . he was not doing that to open up the lane for him on upcoming trips down the court . and for a 30% 3 point shooter , he shoots way too many 3s . and most of those 3s he takes comes after he pounds the ball into the court for 10 seconds . but who’s gonna tell him to stop ?
May 1st, 2008 at 12:41 pm
hey tom , the immaturity in which i was speaking with lebron has to do with him jacking long distance 3s after the hard fouls he was given . he did this in game 4 and 5 . he was not doing that to open up the lane for him on upcoming trips down the court . and for a 30% 3 point shooter , he shoots way too many 3s . and most of those 3s he takes comes after he pounds the ball into the court for 10 seconds . but who’s gonna tell him to stop ?
May 1st, 2008 at 12:56 pm
LeBron and some of you fans have to learn that you cannot get to the rim every time you want to, even if you’re LeBron. Until he develops some type of mid-range game he is never going to be able to take over fourth quarters like he should. Just think if on that last play he had put the brakes on and floated a 10-footer in there. The 3 Wizards guarding him would have been falling over each other on their way to the basket.
Jordan killed everyone for years by using his great driving ability to setup jumpers from close range. I know LeBron is great and he has carried this team, but if your only two options are a three pointer or a lay-up/dunk, you are a limited offensive player.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:20 pm
But, nickcanton, there are plenty of games where he has had that mid range game. Last night was not one of them. But, Lebron came out from the start of the game as perimeter Lebron. It was his plan. It’s not a good plan. One other thing when doing the inevitable Jordan comparisons, one thing stands out. There were no zones in Jordan’s day. Jordan saw single teaming more often than James for that reason alone (he was still doubled a ton). Never mind the fact that Jordan’s teammates were a lot better than James’ teammates thus commanding more attention. This is not to say that James is better than Jordan in his prime. Hardly. It’s just to point out the hole that James is in.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Anyone who claims that LeBron “can’t take over fourth quarters” has lost all credibility right there. LeBron lead the league in 4th Quarter scoring at 9.1 points (Kobe and D-Wade tied for second…with 7.8 points) and was 3rd in 4th Quarter assists this season. All he has done is control the 4th Quarter. One bad quarter does not change that.
Still, it was a pretty bad 4th Quarter. And an atrocious last 2 minutes.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Mike C. is right. LeBron did pretty good in the fourth quarter of that Detroit game last year, too.
I’d also like to see what LeBron could do with Ehlo guarding him one-on-one for a series.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:40 pm
The good news is that LeBron almost never has two bad games in a row. Even though his stats looked good (34, 10, and 7) I tihnk most of us would agree he did not have a good game last night. I look for him to bounce back big tomorrow night…..it’s just a matter of what the rest of the team will do.
They’re clearly the better team, but it’s a shame that it’ll be a long series now after having a chance to put them away in 5.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:56 pm
The zone defense is all the more reason why LeBron has to develop a 10-15 foot jump shot. Ask any basketball coach how to beat a zone and they will say jump shooting. I know that LeBron has been terrific in the fourth quarter this year, but I’m just saying as good as he is now he could be so much better, and he will need to be if the Cavs are ever going to seriously contend for a championship because he is THE man on this team whether they bring in more help or not.
May 1st, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Did someone seriously just call Lebron a limited offensive player? Are you serious? The guy almost averages a triple double, scores 30 points a game (of 80 points total) and that is limited. I would hate to see what your definition of successful would be
May 1st, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Zone defenses are even more reason why LeBron has to develop a 10-15 foot jumpshot. Ask any basketball coach how to beat a zone and they will tell you jumpshooting. I know LeBron has been terrific in the fourth quarter this year, but as good as he is now he could be so much better, and the Cavs will need him to be if they ever want to win a championship. Whether they bring in help for him or not, he will remain THE man and what happens at the end of close games will largely depend on him.
May 1st, 2008 at 4:32 pm
i agree that the long range game is needed for lebron to become totally unstoppable, but he is pretty close right now with the adjustments he has made from last year. his jumper is much smoother.
i think that lebron was shook by getting punched. he played like he was afraid after that, and i really can’t say that i blame him. even charles said the wizards have crossed the line in this series. it’s not about hard fouls, it’s about cheap shots, and lebron wanted no part of driving the lane hard after that. he started to make some moves later in the second half, but seemed leery of selling out. there was even a drive where he went hard to the rim and then turned his back to haywood while he was coming at him hard. i have never seen lebron feel the need to protect himself on the drive.
also, this team is built on the lebron dribble down the clock, drive and then either kick or finish strong at the end of games offense. that’s just what we do. it’s how we win sometimes, it’s how we lose other times. i’ll take lebron driving over z in the post all day.
May 1st, 2008 at 5:09 pm
um… the cavs score 97 points a game … not 80. And lebron and all of you need to stop whining… he wasn’t fouled on the last play … however he did foul butler on his drive a couple seconds before and you don’t hear butler crying about it
May 1st, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Guys… seriously. One ugly playoff game, that’s all. They shot poorly, executed worse, and had no one show up last night AND LOST BY 1 POINT. If LeBron makes the last shot, the Cavs had a gritty performance and won a playoff-style basketball game.
This criticism of a guy who throws up 30-8-8 on a nightly basis with minimum 3 guys guarding him is just unFREAKINGbelievable. Wow. The guy has off nights and still scores 30. Do any of you even realize how disgustingly good he is? Evidently not?
I understand that with the loss comes the knee-jerk negativity and ripping of everything Cavs, but get serious and place the blame where it belongs and move on to game 6.
-The bench absolutely sucked. Anderson Varejao should be losing his minutes to Joe Smith and even Duane Jones. The guy couldnt look more clueless, and now he doesnt even play defense. He makes Danny Ferry look smarter every time he checks into a game. What a turd.
-No one else looked to score. Delonte was tentative (why???), Wally looked scared and tight again, and Z seemed mentally out of it. While we’re on Z, could you please, for once in your life, GRAB a rebound, pump fake, and rip up strong like a freaking basketball player? Good lord, this isnt volleyball!!!
-We couldnt grab a rebound or a loose ball to save our lives last night. It looked like a blooper reel for stretches.
Lastly… Mike Brown is a good coach, and I firmly believe that he has a good basketball mind. His strengths are defense and his player’s coach approach, which have worked for him since he took over. HOWEVER, this team needs a guy like Mike D’Antoni to come in here and teach these guys how to run an offense and score in bunches. Former head coaches like Bob Hill have sat on benches as assistant coaches and we need an offensive mind on that bench to take that role. D’Antoni would be PERFECT, actually, and he coaches LeBron on the Olympic team.
All that said, the Cavs will win this series, so why go negative? LeBron will have a huge night tomorrow night. I’m looking forward to it.
May 1st, 2008 at 6:51 pm
World:
How can the last 90 seconds have gone down like that? Well, for starters, we have a sycophant coach that is obviously more concerned with keeping his job than ruffling any feathers. Mike Brown doesn’t have the stones or the reputation to tell Lebron what to do. So naturally, instead of acting like a seasoned NBA closer, he acted like a 23 year old kid in a pissing contest, trying to hit dramatic step back 3s instead of taking the ball to the hole and putting the game away. Listen, I don’t even know that I blame Brown for this. Can I blame the guy for knowing where his bread is buttered? My guess is he knows that if he starts trying to call the shots and it doesn’t work or he pisses of the wrong guy, he’s headed back to the exciting world of video coordination. So then I guess it’s really ownership and Ferry that have to be held accountable because we can’t expect Mike Brown to sabotage himself. If he can’t install an offense and or exert enough influence to prevent the team from playing insanely idiotic basketball in a playoff game, well, then we need someone else.
Then, there’s Lebron. Listen, Lebron is a gift to me as a Cleveland sports fan. When he is gone, I don’t think I will ever be able to really get into Cleveland basketball again. That said, Lebron isn’t doing what it takes to win right now. Well, let me qualify that: they aren’t going to win anything major anyway but he’s not doing what it takes to consistently beat a mediocre team like Washington. If Lebron is bricking free throws and trying to shoot his way on to Sportscenter, the Cavs are going to get beat….just about every time.
So how did we lose that game in the last 90 seconds? We have no offense to keep a lead, nobody to tell our superstar to do what’s good at (not what he so desperately wants to be good at), and no other players that are talented enough to pick up the slack. If Phil Jackson or Greg Popovich is running this team, Maybe Lebron isn’t doing that. Maybe Z is actually getting the ball when he clearly can’t be guarded. Maybe they are running an offense that creates easy baskets. Honestly, who knows. All I know is that right now, this team isn’t very good, they don’t play to win, and they are really only worth watching for shallow entertainment value (the one reason I’ve enjoyed all the feuding).
So World, I’m sorry buddy. I don’t like it any more than you do…but our team isn’t very good and our coach is a joke.
Maybe next year, right?
May 1st, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Biff , once again sir , you summed it up perfectly .i’ve said time after time , if you think lebron’s game is good now , he would even be that much better with a coach who holds him accountable for some of the choices he makes on the court . and he would even be more unstoppable if he had a coach who could really coach him offensively . it did not make snese in game 3 when washington was trapping lebron from the top of the key , brown still allowed him to bring the ball up the court . it does not make sense that you rarely see lebron getting the ball on baseline cuts , on the wing , and in the post .and what pissed me of more than anything , in back to back games when lebron was the victim of a hard foul , he came back on the very next trip and took shots well behind the 3 point line . and this is from a 30% 3 point shooter . he has to be held accountable for that as well as dribbling the shot clock away and hoisting crazy off balanced shots (i blame mj for making off balanced fade-away shots look so easy)
May 1st, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Biff- I am grateful to you for helping me navigate the turbulent seas of NE Ohio fanhood. But Biff, Explain me this: what’s behind the love affair of Gilbert and Ferry for Mike Brown? What has Mike Brown done to earn their esteem?
Thanks in advance,
World
May 1st, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Biff - thanks for the great post. There are only so many times and so many different ways one can keep stating what is so painfully lacking in this team. The thing is, I think LeBron would respond really well to a coach that challenged him and tried to force discipline on him (e.g. Popovich, Phil Jackson). Both Popovich and Jackson challenge their superstars in a way Mike Brown never has (and discipline their stars when they go outside the team offensive plan). It is always clear Popovich and Jackson are running their respective teams and not their stars. The same cannot be said for Cleveland. Mike Brown is not a horrible coach - there are plenty of NBA coaches that are similar or maybe worse and he deserves a lot of credit for some good things (like emphasizing defense and rebounding and making sure his team is under control and doesn’t act like buffoons like the Wiz players). The problem is that the Cavs have a once in a lifetime player who deserves and needs a top level NBA coach to fulfill his potential and Mike Brown currently is not that coach. As a result the Cavs continue to muddle along in their usual inconsistent, undisciplined way making the same mistakes over and over, but winning enough not too make things seem as bad as they really are.
As a Cavs fan I’m really dejected. Not because of one bad loss to an inferior Wiz team, but because they just seem so far from the level they need to get to in order to compete for a championship and I don’t see how they get there. Maybe they win this series. Maybe even they somehow find a way to upset the Celtics and then upset the Pistons/Magic. Even if all that happened (which is incredibly unlikely), do you really think this team has any chance in a 7 game series against a much better coached Spurs or Lakers team where in addition each team has 2 (or 3) reliable superstars? Anything less than a championship in the LeBron Cavs era will be a huge disappointment and they still need big improvements. They probably need a top level coach (of which there are none currently available), but more importantly they need at least one more big star and they don’t come cheap (unless your friend is the GM of the Timberwolves or you’re dealing with an incompetent franchise that is dumping salary like the Grizzlies).
I have dreams where Popovich is coaching the Cavs and every offensive posession is executed with purpose and LeBron reaches his potential. Sadly, I’m afraid, these will remain dreams…
May 1st, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Excellent post Ben. You really hit the nail on the head. The problem isn’t that Mike Brown is so much more horrible than half of the other coaches in the league. It’s just that with Lebron comes a “title only” mentality (which I think is totally fair in a sport like Basketball) and I think as fans, we can all say with about 99.9% certainty that Brown isn’t a title coach. The .01% chance that he could end up with a ring would be if the type of Kevin McHale or Chris Wallace situation you referenced came to fruition…and I’m afraid that just isn’t going to happen. I don’t think Uncle Dave Stern cares enough to keep Lebron in Cleveland to orchestrate such shady dealings in our favor. Thus, our only chance is a premier coach and modest roster upgrades (I have a sneaking suspicion that the last gasp of the Lebron era in Cleveland could be the disappointment of a slightly past his prime Mike Redd being another guy who isn’t the answer).
Now, on to your question World: First, I will say that I really don’t know “the answer” because I don’t have the kind of access that it would take to know such a thing. My guess is that the guy who really knows is the one whose name is on this blog. Still, I have my suspicions. The Ferry/Brown connection seems like a pretty easy one to figure out: San Antonio. I believe Ferry was still a player and Brown a coach when the Spurs won the title in 03. I’m sure they have a bond from being a part of that title team together. Plus, I bet they have both been indoctrinated with that whole “stability breeds success” mentality from the Spurs organization. So, from this alone, it makes sense that they would have each others’ backs. In addition, I suspect that Ferry has thought about the fact that if he fires Brown, it just might lead to the trashcan landing on his head as well. As it stands now, Ferry can play the whole “we just got to the NBA finals” card and everyone, at least out of cleveland, would think that he’s done a decent job with the team. If he fires Brown, it would only draw attention to the fact that in reality, given the presence of Lebron, the team is really underachieving. Plus, I’m sure if they start shaking up the organization, its going to draw attention that Ferry’s only moves since coming to Cleveland have been to DESTROY $60 million in cap space on total disasters and to add a TON of payroll without really adding wins. So I guess to conclude that point, it doesn’t make sense for Ferry to fire Brown right now. The whole, “keep the status quo because we’re moving in the right direction” idea is what’s best for both of them.
Now, on to Gilbert. To put Gilbert in context, remember that shortly after he bought the team, he fired the coach and GM, and every basketball pundit was calling him the next Dan Snider/Mark Cuban hothead meddling owner. So perhaps the criticism probably had an impact on him and made him reluctant to feed that image from that point forward. Beyond that, there could possibly be a Rick Carlisle issue. Carlisle coached the Pistons and we all know Gilbert used to (and perhaps still does) adore the Pistons. Brown coached under Carlisle in Indiana and I’m sure came highly recommended. That could have something to do with it. Plus, much like the Spurs, the Pistons follow the whole “stability brings championships” model. I bet Gilbert thinks that he needs to be patient before he can really assess what the future with Brown could bring. Or, alternatively, maybe he just doesn’t know basketball that well and thinks that last year’s trip to the finals means the team is legitimately close.
(Note, one additional possibility is that Lebron is telling someone to keep Brown but I would say that’s highly unlikely. My guess, given what I’ve seen, is that Lebron is probably indifferent, but with each passing year that he doesn’t win, will start pushing for a big name coach)
One last thing. Mike Brown is a 38 year old head coach who took a franchise that had never been there to the NBA finals in his second year at the helm. Just because you and I, and most of the rest of Cavs nation, knows that he is never going to be the real deal, it doesn’t mean that all the talking heads and columnists know that too. Now, add in the fact that Mike Brown is also African American. I’m not saying it has a huge impact, but in terms of media fallout, it’s a factor. If Ferry or Gilbert ax a 38 year old black head coach coming off an NBA finals season, I think you would see a lot of people around the country up in arms about it.
Again, everything I just wrote is 100% speculation. I know none of this for a fact. The only guy outside the organization that can probably confirm or deny any of these suspicions is Windhorst
May 2nd, 2008 at 12:03 am
This is just plain silly. There is a zero percent chance that Brown will be fired, even if they lost the series to Washington. Which won’t happen, but that’s not the point. The point is Ferry just signed Brown to a contract extension. It is absurd to think that Ferry is going to lose face by firing that very same guy before his extension has even begun. So give it up.
May 2nd, 2008 at 12:29 am
alan:
Listen, I understand that the chances of Brown being fired any time soon are remote. But, 1) I was just trying to explain why, and 2) can you be SO sure that Brown is as safe as you claim? Gilbert spent $375 million to buy this team and if he can’t build a winner, the only thing adding value to the investment might just walk right out the door. The prospect of losing tens of millions of dollars in franchise value and millions more in revenue might just be enough to make Gilbert eat a couple of years on that extension if he thinks he can bring in a winner.
Again, not likely, but if there is anything that sports have proven its that a) contract extensions don’t mean anything, and b) for the most part, millionaire owners are rich for a reason…they know how to protect their investments.
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:16 am
As a season ticket holder, I usually DVR games so I can see the replays and hear what the announcers had to say about key plays/calls…
After reviewing the 4th quarter I believe this loss can be pinned on Joe Smith.
I have been a big advocate of Smith since the trade- seems like he hits every open 16ftr when he receives a pass from LeBron.
But not only did he blow the 3ftr last night, he also missed a wide open baseline jumper.. then allowed Butler to hold him on Boobie’s miss that resulted in that INEXCUSABLE foul on Daniels, which allowed the Wiz to cut the lead from 3 to 1, w/ no effort.
Teams with leads CANNOT foul in the final minute.
You must make the opponent score from the field.
(and not on uncontested lay-ups like Butler’s off Jamison’s airball)
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:54 am
Good points about Lebron and his, at times, questionable shot selection, but let’s not miss out on the fact that the team he has around him is, at the very least, incredibly inconsistent offensively. Nobody, and I do mean nobody, has had to do more for his team to win (an actually good team) than James. So, I guess I give him a little more latitude in that regard. And, yes Coach Brown doesn’t coach him. At least offensively. That’s fairly obvious. A good coach would make him even scarier. But, it is kind of sad to have to critique him when if his teammates weren’t so limited, this team would be extremely dangerous. 10-42 for 6 players in that game. That’s .238 percent. On mostly unconested open shots. If just one of those goes down, the series is over and James doesn’t have to try and play the hero at the end. A little perspective.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:58 am
Great posts by Biff and Ben! (at least the Cavs are more fun to watch now then when Ben Poquette played for them).
Highly unlikely they make a move getting rid of Mike Brown even if they lose to the Wizards. The only candidate that I think would be an improvement is Rick Carlisle.
I do think Glibert would definitely eat the contract extension if it meant keeping Lebron in Cleveland beyond 2010, that would be a no brainer. But everything Lebron has ever said regarding Brown has been very positive.
What is Cavs don’t improve next year and are a 1st or 2nd round exit. If Cavs make a move then to get rid of Brown that only leaves Lebron with a new coach for one year before he can opt out. That is a scary situation too.
May 2nd, 2008 at 10:24 am
Wizards by 10 tonight
May 2nd, 2008 at 10:41 am
Ben Poquette mentioned Gregg Popovich…..I believe Popovich is the best coach in the league BY FAR. He’s so good there isn’t even a close second.
I’ve never been high on Mike Brown, but I do think it’s possible to win a title with him. You’d just need one more legitimate All-Star player and an offensive coach that won’t/can’t be stepped on by Brown.
May 2nd, 2008 at 10:43 am
Again, there is a zero percent chance of Brown being fired. Ferry will not lose face. When James opts out, they’ll include a new coach, if that’s what he wants, as part and parcel of negotiations.
And if James leaves, really, so what? Gilbert can dump costs and expenses like he’s Gund, Jr. or Clay Bennett. No fuss, no muss. Besides, the local media’s cheerleading PR assertion that Gilbert has been “willing to spend” is deceptive and bogus. Sure, Gilbert’s been willing to spend. Why? Because fans have been paying for the increased payroll, including any luxury tax. Since he and his group bought the franchise, NBA ticket prices have risen an average of 9.8%. But Gilbert’s ticket prices? 30.1%, over THREE TIMES the league average. And it’s undoubtedly going to be jacked up far more than the league average again next season.
But back to the point. Brown’s going nowhere, and Ferry isn’t going to lose face by firing him. And there’s no underlying financial reason for ownership to tell him to go somewhere else. So much like Ferry’s reign of error, it’s a moot point complaining about what’s already been done, as incredibly frustrating as it may be. So just accept his fashionable pairs of glasses and his glistening, lustrous chocolate head, and move on to something else. Like why can’t Brown stop dressing like a slob and consult with Isiah Thomas. Now there’s a guy who knows how to dress.
May 2nd, 2008 at 10:56 am
Thoughts on the Cavs’ coaching:
- I hate the Cavs’ half-court offense. It has to improve. But…
- Mike Brown didn’t call for LeBron to dribble out the clock on two of the last three possessions. That was all LeBron, and the only way Brown could have prevented that would have been to take LeBron out of the game. How do you think *that* would have gone over. You can’t hold Brown accountable for those plays, that’s all on LeBron.
- The Wizards only shot 41% in Game 5. You have to give Brown credit for getting the Cavs to play well defensively during the playoffs. It’s Brown’s focus on defense and rebounding that have allowed the Cavs to win a lot of playoff games over the last three years. More playoff wins (22), in fact, than the Lakers (8), the Suns (22), the Mavericks (17)…everyone but the Pistons (23), and the Spurs (27). While this year still has to play out, so far that’s a damn good performance in the playoffs, one that can’t be matched by Avery Johnson, Rick Carlisle, Pat Riley, Phil Jackson, and any number of people that fans would rather see coach this team.
- And at the very least, Brown hasn’t had his superstar give a big middle finger to his team by refusing to shoot in the second half of a Game 7, then bashing his teammates in the offseason.
- I know the grass is always greener, but let’s put things in perspective. The only “proven” championship coaches in this league are Phil Jackson (busy), Greg Popavich (busy), Pat Riley (retired in Miami), Larry Brown (busy), and…that’s it, that’s the list. Any other name thrown out by fans has just as much NBA Finals success as Mike Brown. Namely, none. Unless Chuck Daly or Rudy Tomjanovich comes out of retirement, the Cavs are going to have a first-time championship coach if/when they win the title. I don’t see anything in the resumes of Avery Johnson or Rick Carlisle or Mike D’Antoni that make me think they would guarantee a championship. In fact, all of those guys have watched as championship-level teams disintegrate under thier watch.
- I really wish the Cavs had won Game 5. But until they get knocked out of the Playoffs this year, I’m not going to say the team has underachieved.
Go Cavs. How about giving a damn tonight?
Mike C.
May 2nd, 2008 at 11:17 am
“- Mike Brown didn’t call for LeBron to dribble out the clock on two of the last three possessions. That was all LeBron, and the only way Brown could have prevented that would have been to take LeBron out of the game. How do you think *that* would have gone over. You can’t hold Brown accountable for those plays, that’s all on LeBron.”
A lot of fans say this, and it could be true, but what proof does anyone have for saying this? I mean, don’t get me wrong, whoever drew that up (whether it was the coach or lebron) wasn’t thinking straight. Brown said it himself that he should have called Z’s number. How do you, or anyone for that matter, know that he didn’t?
May 2nd, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Oh, panic time, huh? Gotta sweep everyone or complain and fret. Maybe Gaywood was talking about the fans, not the man.
Do I think the Cavs are the strongest team? No. Do I think anyone in the East will beat them in a seven-game series? No - not easily anyways. Lebron is made for the playoffs, and he will always be hard to beat in a best-of-7. Ya might beat him by 40 and feel good one game, but ya gotta do it 4 times. if they lose this series then we can be up in arms. Until then, I still look forward to watching Garnett self-implode against us. Dude’s a psycho, an actual fight may ensue with him around. He’s like a non-winning, less eccentric Dennis Rodman, but with more cheapshots…
I will say that although I really like our backcourt these days, I’d like to see them attack the rim more. It’s like watching Damona hang out waiting to shoot a three the whole time. Wally, Gibson, West and Brown sometimes only want to shoot threes or nothing, or else they don’t shoot enough. The ball movement is improving sometimes, but it’s usually all for a three.
May 2nd, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Corporate:
The dude is an NBA head coach. If he can’t control the players (including Lebron) then he can’t be the coach. The coach isn’t just there to “suggest” a certain course of action. He’s there to implement it. It’s his job to make the players fall in line. If they don’t, its his fault, not the players.
What would happen if Brown called Lebron out or called a play for someone else? Honestly I don’t know how he would react but if he wouldn’t comply, then the coach doesn’t have the type of influence that a coach needs to be effective. In the NBA, that’s the coach’s problem, not the superstar, not going to be traded, player’s problem.
Is that fair? I guess its no different than anyone else entrusted with supervising and directing those underneath him. If he can’t get them to fall in line or is afraid to ask, he shouldn’t be the supervisor.
May 2nd, 2008 at 2:06 pm
And I’m saying that Kobe Bryant once refused to shoot in the entire second half of a Game 7 Playoff game, when he was coached by Phil Jackson, a guy with certified playoff success and 9 NBA Championship rings.
Phil Jackson did not become a bad coach for that second half. No, his superstar decided to do something that was damaging the team, and there was nothing that Jackson could do to stop it. It’s no different if the same thing happens to Mike Brown. This is the NBA, and the inmates run the asylum. The best you can do is hope that your coach can convince them to do the right thing often enough.
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Mike C:
So you are comparing Phil Jackson not being able to control Kobe (a notorious selfish malcontent) for one half of one game to Mike Brown failing to intervene for an entire season of Lebron taking bad 3s, Varajao trying to take guys of the dribble, Hughes shooting atrocious jumpers, etc.? Really, those are the same? And would Phil Jackson call a play at the end of a playoff game that calls for Kobe to dribble around until the end of the shot clock with no other players even so much as setting a screen?
Somehow, I don’t think we’re talking about the same thing here.
May 4th, 2008 at 3:52 am
[...] Brian Windhorst, Akron Beacon Journal: "First, tremendous shot by Caron Butler and a tremendous performance. LeBron James was on him pretty good and he didn’t have a great angle, especially with Ben Wallace coming to help, and he got it in there. Although, am I crazy or did someone’s hand who hit the bottom of the the net maybe help wiggle that ball in? No matter, it went it. Second, LeBron drew contract to be sure on his last shot but it was a fair no call. Darius Songalia didn’t jump or even hit him on the upper body, he got off a fair try. Though the scene was a little wild. All the Cavs were standing on the court like they’d heard a whistle and so were some of the Wizards. Then the refs all go to the center of the floor, look at each other for a minute and then walk over to the scorer’s table. Everyone in the arena thinks they are going to review it like the Philly game but, nope, they were just asking for their jackets. It was funny sort of, the whole arena didn’t get it was over until they took the jackets." [...]