Defending the Cle Cavs and the Alleged King James

[Thruthelookingglass]

I think what ultimately did them in was just being involved in a poor team matchup with Orlando. 

The simple, correct answer.

[winsomme]

Ah Winsomme, we disagree again. My morning was pretty boring so far anyways...

I hear the point you're making, but basically don't agree.

I think CLEs hubris was part of their problem. It put them in panic mode when that series got tough. and they simply weren't prepared for it.

Remember that quite a few of the guys on this CLE team went to the NBA finals in 2007. They may not have 'won anything' but they've been around the block, and they've been whooped, and they've won last second games. I don't think panic had much to do with it, in fact, I think more than anything their 'hubris' or confidence (not the same thing, I know) helped them avoid panic. I don't think Cleveland thought they were going to have a possibility of losing the series until the last 10 mins of game 6.

It just seems to me that a more fair way of describing Cleveland is that they are a team constructed to defeat the 2007-2008 Boston Celtics, and in the end they had to be able to beat the 2008-2009 Magic, if that makes sense.

A lot of guys missed shots they were making all season, and to me that can be attributed in part to the panic that quickly set in once they realized how tough ORL was going to be to beat.

Well it wasn't just Cleveland. Ray Allen and Paul Pierce missed a lot of shots they usually make during the regular season too. So did Eddie House.

The magic played pretty good perimeter defense throughout the series against us, and likewise against Mo Williams (who I don't think was really an All-Star anyways) and company.

I think the Magic found some playoff defense mojo and locked down on the wings, and it showed in both series.  

I agree with you about ORLs defense. They definitely stepped it up in the playoffs.

but I remember a point early in the series when they were showing those TO segments. SVG was addressing his team and he said something like "They haven't been here yet (close game at the end). We have..."

ORL just handled the pressure of the series better than CLE did IMO. CLE experienced very little pressure all season long. They did a lot of celebrating and to me, it came back on them in this series because they just couldn't buckle down when they needed to.

They were the best defensive team during the regular season, "stepping up" would imply they improved somewhat in the playoffs. I'm not sure that is the case.

how's "delivered?"

[winsomme]

I think what ultimately did them in was just being involved in a poor team matchup with Orlando. 

The simple, correct answer.

ORL was an even worse matchup for the Cs without KG and little bench contributions, yet we toolk them to 7 and were up 3-2 in the series.

I really think CLE was not prepared for a tough series which IMO is in part due to how they were handling their success leading into the ECF.

[hpantazo]

I think what ultimately did them in was just being involved in a poor team matchup with Orlando. 

The simple, correct answer.

ORL was an even worse matchup for the Cs without KG and little bench contributions, yet we toolk them to 7 and were up 3-2 in the series.

I really think CLE was not prepared for a tough series which IMO is in part due to how they were handling their success leading into the ECF.

exactly. cleveland doesn't have the proper mentality to win a title, and that comes from their leader, king james

[housecall]

According to weei radio this aft.Sterns is planning to speak to Lebron on his not addressing the media after game6.He said that he will make a decision after that whether any further action will be taken.


Stern later comes back and says he will not fine him...think that sends a bad message to the players.Whose will be next to challenge the system?If they don't fine him then it could open the door for other players not to give press conferences or answer media questions after games.

[hpantazo]

According to weei radio this aft.Sterns is planning to speak to Lebron on his not addressing the media after game6.He said that he will make a decision after that whether any further action will be taken.

what a load of BS

[Bankshot]

I think what ultimately did them in was just being involved in a poor team matchup with Orlando. 

The simple, correct answer.

Nah, I just think they ran into a better team.

[angryguy77]

Good points by all of you. Just wanted to add my own two cents as well.

I really thought that whole "Mo Williams should be an All Star" rant by the Cavs was silly. Both Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo were having outstanding seasons, both were DEFENDING CHAMPIONS, and neither one was originally selected either. Further, at that time, the Celtics and Cavs were virtually tied for the best record - it wasn't like the Cavs were way ahead of everyone else. How LeBron, Mo and their coaching staff actually thought Mo deserved it over those two when he'd never won a thing was a complete joke to me.

And as for blasting the Cavs now that they lost, it reminds me of what they say about NFL quarterbacks: you will get too much praise when your team wins, and too much criticism when your team loses. The '08 Celtics played their butts off, wanted it more than everyone else, and had fun doing it. But they were respectable. They didn't make a mockery of the game, they didn't play the air guitar on the bench, they didn't dance on the bench, or take "family pictures" like the Cavs did. In other words, if you're gonna put yourselves out there like that, you better be able to handle the heat.

LeBron is an amazing player, no doubt. But I've gotten a feeling for awhile now that he's watched way too much Sportscenter and believes his own press. Because Stuart Scott and the gang were already handing the '09 title to the Cavs before the All Star Break, I think LeBron and his team let that get to their heads, and started believing their own press. Add to that the fact that the officials give the Cavs whatever they want, and I think they really felt entitled to win the title. Just look at the disbelief on their faces when someone would actually call a foul on them!

A perfect example is the end of that regular season game in Indy, when there were two consecutive fouls - one on each team - on nearly identical plays. All NBA fans want is consistency when it comes to officiating. Well finally the officials got it right, but the Cavs wanted to get the call on both ends. Mike Brown had no reason to be upset, considering his team had just gotten the exact same call in their favor, but he WENT NUTS. And then still constantly has the balls to refer to his team as a "no-excuse team." Wow.

Another thing, LeBron often refers to his "supporting cast," talks about needing more help, etc. Honestly, I played pro football, and if any of my teammates ever called me part of their "supporting cast" or said they needed more "help," our entire team would have kicked his butt. It's one thing for the media to say it, but for an individual player to actually say it, that's crossing the line.

Further, LeBron referred several times to his game-winner against Orlando in Game 2 as a "great shot." It certainly was, but I doubt Jordan, Bird or Magic ever would have called their own shot great.

Lastly, by saying that LeBron is just so competitive that he couldn't dare shake Orlando's hands or appear at the press conference is an insult to all the great players before him. Pierce, Ray Allen, KG - those guys all shook Orlando's hands after Game 7. Are they not as competitive as LeBron? What about Bird, Jordan, Magic, etc? Those guys weren't as competitive as LeBron? LeBron has special basketball etiquette rules that only apply to him, and not anyone else in the history of the NBA?

Please...

That says all we need to know about him. You nailed it