Did the Cavs quit?

[connerhenry43]

Was shocked at the lack of urgency by the Cavs.(Edited:no need) ; I think LeBron is a fantastic, unselfish player. And his stats on Thursday (minus the turnovers) were far from humiliating. But when I saw him hit two straight threes, I thought he might heat up in the fourth, and the game could get tight again. It seemed that was his final hurrah though.

They had several chances to foul rondo (weak ft shooter), extend the game. There were no traps, no fouls, no desperation during the final two minutes. It was a 8-10 point game; we all know that is far from over. Mo williams jogged the ball upcourt, they played a standard halfcourt offense. Mike Brown did a little offense/defense, but for the most part, I think the Cavs packed it in for the final 2-3 minutes when their season was going down the tubes.

[KungPoweChicken]

If you were a Celtic fan, that game was a nail biter. But, in reality, it wasn't that close. If you take away those two circus threes by LeBron, the Cavs never really had a chance. They were, for the most part, thoroughly outplayed all game. Our defense was suffocating and our offense was flowing. Cleveland knew it. They realized fouling in the end wasn't going to help. They were outplayed by a better team. If you call that "quitting" or "mailing it in" so be it. I just call it getting beat by the better team.

[get_banners]

The game was not as close as the score suggests, but yeah, they quit. You can't play like that when your season is on the line. They needed to foul Rondo, they needed to push the ball up the court...that was just embarrassing and unacceptable.

[connerhenry43]

The game was not as close as the score suggests, but yeah, they quit. You can't play like that when your season is on the line. They needed to foul Rondo, they needed to push the ball up the court...that was just embarrassing and unacceptable.

very true, but it was a 8-10 game in the last 2 minutes or so, they did not trap, foul, pick up pace. nothing.

[moiso]

I don't know if they quit, but they never played hard enough to win the series.  It looked to me like Varajao was the only one playing with playoff intensity.  The Cavs looked like the Celtics of two months ago.

[Who]

The game was over. Cleveland weren't coming back from that deficit.

I don't understand the reaction to the Cavs play in the final two minutes.

[Aeacus]

The game was over. Cleveland weren't coming back from that deficit.

I don't understand the reaction to the Cavs play in the final two minutes.

While I agree a come back was unlikely, why not play hack-a-Rondo and shoot a couple of threes?  Extend the game for an extra couple possessions. It's an elimination game in the playoffs, do everything you can to give yourself a chance.  I would have started fouling Rondo every time he got the ball from 2:00 on.  As long as the lead is ten points or less, you do it in every playoff game to try and give yourself a chance for the miracle. 

Letting the opponent run 24 seconds off the clock is conceding the game and it strikes me as wrong in the playoffs unless your getting blown out by 15 or more. Rage at the dying of the light! 

Mind you I would have played Hickson and Varajeo 30+ minutes a game against us, so I'm glad I have nothing to do with the Cavs coaching staff.  Playing Shaq and Jamison together against our starting five was poor coaching.  Especially once Jamison showed his offensive game wasn't working. 

[Brendan]

The game was over. Cleveland weren't coming back from that deficit.

I don't understand the reaction to the Cavs play in the final two minutes.

Was talking to my bro afterwards and my reaction was more like yours, but he wasn't hearing it. "It's your season, you make millions, I don't care if it was a pre-season JV game, you do whatever you can to try and win." I can see it both ways - but last game of the season, you gotta foul and jack threes.

[connerhenry43]

The game was over. Cleveland weren't coming back from that deficit.

I don't understand the reaction to the Cavs play in the final two minutes.

Was talking to my bro afterwards and my reaction was more like yours, but he wasn't hearing it. "It's your season, you make millions, I don't care if it was a pre-season JV game, you do whatever you can to try and win." I can see it both ways - but last game of the season, you gotta foul and jack threes.

have to really disagree with "the game was over" statement. and i normally agree with a lot of what you write. however, how many times have you watched a game where a team plays poorly, hangs around (8-12) points, makes a run, and steals a game they have no business winning? happens in nba, happens in all sports. one team gets 12 hits, leave 12 on base, other team gets 4 timely hits and wins 4-3. nba same thing. if we were cavs fans, and our season was on the line, i would be livid with how they played the last few minutes. (and the whole game as well, but especially the final two minutes)

[Brendan]

closing nine points in 60 seconds? I agree its not impossible, just percentage-wise very low chance.

My bro also said "Reggie Miller scored 8 points in 5 seconds once"

[the_Bird]

Game wasn't over, especially when Rondo had the ball.  Odds are better than Rondo misses both free throws than makes them both.  IIRC, the Cavs were down eight points at that point, with a little more than a minute to plat.  Foul RR, he misses, hit a three and it's a five-point ball game with probably 50 seconds to go.

Just...  shocked that they didn't try.  I mean, you see teams foul in that situation in regular season games, it usually doesn't work - but they DID just give up.  If there's a 1% chance that it might actually work, that's a 1% better chance that doing nothing. 

They quit.  Don't see how you can argue otherwise.  Why on earth would you not do everything possible you could do - at that moment, what's more important?

[Who]

LeBron James was struggling mightily. Mo Williams had one baskets in the second half. Antawn Jamison was dying out there. The Cavaliers were shooting 29% from three.

The Cavs weren't able to get any quick baskets + were not able to get good looks from the behind arc + had nobody playing well offensively.

They weren't coming back from that deficit. It was over.

[Fafnir]

LeBron James was struggling mightily. Mo Williams had one baskets in the second half. Antawn Jamison was dying out there. The Cavaliers were shooting 29% from three.

The Cavs weren't able to get any quick baskets + were not able to get good looks from the behind arc + had nobody playing well offensively.

They weren't coming back from that deficit. It was over.

Agreed.

If it was my team I'd rather they tried though. But that would be the least of my complaints if I was a Cavaliers fan.

[openairmovie]

I don't know if they quit, but they never played hard enough to win the series.  It looked to me like Varajao was the only one playing with playoff intensity.  The Cavs looked like the Celtics of two months ago.

Varejao played with playoff intensity?  You mean like when he quit on an entire offense and defense segment  to cry to the ref "IM BLEEDING  IM BLEEDING" and when he realizes they dont care  he goes out and stands with his hands on his hips as the celts score. Only to find out he WASNT bleeding.   Real intense

[Andy Jick]

Let's pretend it's game 6 and WE'RE losing...

Oh, let the hypocrisy begin...

You guys know darn well what would have been posted here: fire doc!! trade the entire team!! blah, blah, blah...

Cleveland did throw up the white flag...But LeBron did: the body-language variety.