LeBron must feel like a fool

[Fafnir]

I can't wait until all the Lebron vs. Kobe commercials (puppets, energy drinks, etc.) are running during the Nuggets vs. Magic finals.

Lol i thought the same thing.   They must be ticked they spent all that money to cash in on Bron/Kobe when it's looking unlikely Kobe will win his championship against Bron.

I still think you're assuming too much. The Magic present the Lakers with many of the same problems they do Cleveland. Not to mention that the Lakers still have to get past the Nuggets.

[celts55]

While I'm rooting for the Magic, I don't understand why LeBron would feel like a fool if the Cavs lose. I mean, I think he's the best player in the league and I don't think many would argue he's top 3. He's been scoring, rebounding, handing out assists, and playing great defense. If anyone should feel like a fool it the gut who thought D West is a starting 2 guard on a championship team, or big Z while a good shooter could play D. I watched a little of this series and the Cavs looked flat out awful when James went to the bench, which was not often. So, no, I don't think LeBron will feel like a fool at all. However, he might feel like he'll move somewhere else after next year.

[Manzana]

While the NBA markets LeBron and Kobe.. they are missing out on one of the classiest players and proven winners...

Chauncey Billups, this guy is the real star in these playoffs. He totally turned the Nuggets around once he got there. If AI was still in Denver, they wouldn't of even gotten out of the first round.

[Thruthelookingglass]

While the NBA markets LeBron and Kobe.. they are missing out on one of the classiest players and proven winners...

Chauncey Billups, this guy is the real star in these playoffs. He totally turned the Nuggets around once he got there. If AI was still in Denver, they wouldn't of even gotten out of the first round.

I can't confess to have watched the Nugs much prior to Billups' arrival, but I will go out on a limb here and guess that he has played a big role in getting these guys to actually play well together.  He was the glue that held the Pistons together.  Way to give him props, Manzana.

[mjohnson]

Chauncey and D12 are part of the BROTHERHOOD...

Can adidas replace nike during a NUGGETS-MAGIC showdown...

I missed those "There can only be one" commercial...

[dlpin]

It is not the showboating, chalk, and trash talking that bug me. KG does a lot of the same things.

What bugs me is the frontrunning. Like last year, when before game seven he was all "a Lebron James team is never desperate," and then right after he loses he gives a press conference about how he needs more help. Never mind that last year, except for game 7, he sucked and it was his teammates that carried him.

And then his inner circle circulated rumors of him signing in Europe, which he refused to deny. Then the season starts and he is all about how he might just stay because he is happy with the team. I have no doubt that if he gets bounced from the playoffs, he will go back to asking for help and etc.

That is what bugs me.

[anotherbanner]

I think the entire Cadets' team is too deferential to LeBomb.  None of them wanted any part of a key shot attempt down the stretch.  So it all fell on James to create something for himself.  This is how it is in every close game for them.

I think the team is actually a victim of his dominance in these situations.  Because his teammates figure that he's so amazing, that he has a way better chance of scoring a clutch basket than they do.  So they don't even want to try.  If they end up with the ball at the end of the shot clock, they'll chuck it up.  But they're probably not confident about making it.  They just wish LeBomb could've shot it instead.

I think they'll continue to struggle this way until the team gets a legitimate number 2.  Williams is a fine point guard.  But he doesn't look like a bona fide "Goose" to James' "Maverick".  You know what I'm sayin'?  It's similar to Jordan's early Bulls, which couldn't get over the hump until Pippen fully emerged as his Tonto.

I think they hoped Larry Hughes could be that guy.  He wasn't.  Drew Gooden.  Nope.  Wally Szczerbiak?  God no.  Mo' Williams, eh, probably not.  So until they either trade or draft another alpha dog, I think Bron-Bron will struggle to get his hands on the trophy.  The team just needs one more powerful ego to balance things out.

+1. Szczerbiak, Williams, Z, in the Magic series these guys have not proven to be the Cav's Pippen to LeBron's Jordan. In game 4, an obviously worn out James made some mistakes (i.e. turnovers) down the stretch. You could see the fatigue from him feeling he had to do it all by himself.
  Heck, the Celtics didn't feel that Allen or PP had to do it all, even with KG out.

[ACF]

It is not the showboating, chalk, and trash talking that bug me. KG does a lot of the same things.

What bugs me is the frontrunning. Like last year, when before game seven he was all "a Lebron James team is never desperate," and then right after he loses he gives a press conference about how he needs more help. Never mind that last year, except for game 7, he sucked and it was his teammates that carried him.

And then his inner circle circulated rumors of him signing in Europe, which he refused to deny. Then the season starts and he is all about how he might just stay because he is happy with the team. I have no doubt that if he gets bounced from the playoffs, he will go back to asking for help and etc.

That is what bugs me.

Good points; they're worth a TP.

[Drucci]

I don't know if LeBron feels like a fool but Mike Brown certainly is a fool. Coach of the Year? Come on... His adjustments come very late in this series and he didn't even said to his players to defend on Rafer Alston (who was litterally on fire!) because they let him wide open throughout the whole game.

[cordobes]

I don't know if LeBron feels like a fool but Mike Brown certainly is a fool. Coach of the Year? Come on... His adjustments come very late in this series and he didn't even said to his players to defend on Rafer Alston (who was litterally on fire!) because they let him wide open throughout the whole game.

So, is Doc a fool? He used the exact same scheme...

[Rida]

can we now officiall change Le Brons nickname from King James to King Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline.

[Drucci]

I don't know if LeBron feels like a fool but Mike Brown certainly is a fool. Coach of the Year? Come on... His adjustments come very late in this series and he didn't even said to his players to defend on Rafer Alston (who was litterally on fire!) because they let him wide open throughout the whole game.

So, is Doc a fool? He used the exact same scheme...

Sure, but Alston never got on fire against the Celtics and if he had, Doc would have adjusted, while Mike Brown didn't. Still I don't know if it was Doc's idea to let Alston open, it seemed more like Rondo didn't want to defend on him.

[kheeko]

Man had we had KG we'd be the ones going into the finals

trust

[pengaloo]

I don't know if LeBron feels like a fool but Mike Brown certainly is a fool. Coach of the Year? Come on... His adjustments come very late in this series and he didn't even said to his players to defend on Rafer Alston (who was litterally on fire!) because they let him wide open throughout the whole game.

So, is Doc a fool? He used the exact same scheme...

Sure, but Alston never got on fire against the Celtics and if he had, Doc would have adjusted, while Mike Brown didn't. Still I don't know if it was Doc's idea to let Alston open, it seemed more like Rondo didn't want to defend on him.

I think during one of the pre or postgame interviews, Doc said they had Rondo helping on Dwight so that their bigs would stay out of foul trouble. Not sure how well that worked out in the end though...

[Rida]

Man had we had KG we'd be the ones going into the finals

trust

We would have gotten to the finals if rondo could hit uncontested elbow jumpers too