Cavs/Pistons

Agree on the calls. When it was 88-81 Pistons and the Cavs had just been hosed by two HORRID calls in a row (one was a "block" of Lebron by Sheed where Sheed basically grabbed an arm), I thought the Cavs might go ahead and unravel.

Then LeBron went batshit.

 

Lebron had the look of a mother who just had her baby snatched from her in broad day light in front of a police officer. Sheed got everything except ball.

That seemed to just piss him off. He missed exactly one shot that I can remember. And none of the Pistons wanted anything to do with him once he drove the lane. He was dunking, and if you got in his way you were going to eat the floor.

Unlike Majic's 42 vs the 6ers or Jordan's flu game, the Cavs needed every point Lebron gave them. If he misses once in that strech, the Cavs lose. This was a true superstar willing a team to win in a big playoff game, and that hasn't happened in a long, long time. Every other player on the Cavs looked horrified every time they touched the ball.

I don't much care for the Cavs other than Lebron. Their coach sucks, he spot plays his only true point guard cause he's a rookie, he won't run because Iz is too old, Verejo (sp) flops more than Vlade in his "prime," with less acting skill, and other than Gibson they freeze in the clutch. Lebron makes them worth watching, if only for these moments. Lebron is the anti-Kobe, he's been too unselfish, and it's taken him to this point to realize when it's crunch time, he needs to finish.

I hope they close out on Saturday. I don't want to see another Pistons/Spurs maulfest. I can go to my local gym if I want to see guys with bald spots miss shots, flop (Ginobli) and complian about fouls (Wallace).

 

I don't disagree with much of that at all. I will say that the selfishness thing is a fine line though. Some of that criticism of the first game was a bit much.

One of the ironies of Last night's game was that Brown was too stupid to pull Gibson when Rip kept backing him down and then shooting over him........but then Gibson fouled out and Brown had to put Snow in anyway.

And the dunks? No way I step in front of those either. But the layup at the end of the second overtime? I kill Lebron if I have to in order to make him shoot FT's instead of a scoop layup. That was bad.

The game from the past I thought of was the 'Nique/Bird playoff game. Except Lebron won and Nique didn't.

It's been (overall) a good playoffs to watch. Best in a while.

 

there were bad calls both ways really. the one where sheed lost the ball "off his leg" when the ball was nowhere near his leg, for instance. i thought there was contact on a few of tayshaun's shots, too.

 

>>I will say that the selfishness thing is a fine line though. Some of that criticism of the first game was a bit much.

I agree that their is a fine line. You can't go Kobe and take tons of shots from the opening bell, in the playoffs you'll run out of gas. But I would rather him shoot an open layup rather than pass out to cold shooter for a three. Marshall hadn't played.


>>One of the ironies of Last night's game was that Brown was too stupid to pull Gibson when Rip kept backing him down and then shooting over him........but then Gibson fouled out and Brown had to put Snow in anyway.

Snow's defense late helped definately, though it wasn't like the Pistons were cold like they were in game 3. But I'm not sure why Gibson was playing Rip instead of Billups, who he did a decent job on, or was that because Brown was playing Gibson with Jones, who really shouldn't be playing at all. Terrible defender who left his shot in Miami, I can't believe Kerr was crediting him for "forcing" Hamilton to miss a wide open jumper in the lane.

I think in the rotation, it was Maxiel who tried to tippee toe his way in front of Lebron instead of making sure he stopped the drive. Inexperience. That late sequence is where they missed McDyess.

Of course, we also got to see more of Weber, and it was a laugh riot watching he and Zig limp around and see who can make the most akward shots. They had their own Bird/Nique battle going on, if Bird and Nique were playing in the purple heart league at the local VA hospital.

>>The game from the past I thought of was the 'Nique/Bird playoff game. Except Lebron won and Nique didn't.

And except there was no Bird on the Pistons. I used to think Billups had it in him, but the last couple of playoffs he has really struggled.

>>It's been (overall) a good playoffs to watch. Best in a while.

This is the first time I've really gotted into it since the Suns got bounced. The stupid bench rule ruined that series, and I knew the Jazz, as well as they had played, just didn't match up well with the Spurs. And this Cavs series, until last night, has highlighted too many coaching mistakes. It's like seeing Riley taking on Phil, only in about 20 years when they are both senile. Games 3 and 4, yeah Lebron lead his team to a win, but the Pistons really stunk the joint up in those games. Last night, Detroit played pretty well, and lost.

 

varajao doesn't really flop that much. he plays hard and lets people foul him. if a guy is going to clear out with his arm, he'll let him clear out his head instead of just backing off. he takes a lot of charges and they're legit. he beats guys to the spot and gets set. he might accentuate things a little by hitting the deck, but i don't think big guys should be penalized for being big.

gibson has icewater in his veins. the kid does not play like a rookie. shannon brown looks scared everytime he's seen the court and hasn't seen much pt. gibson spreads the court for lebron and can play decent d for his size. snow was big in this last game for his defense, but when he's out there the other team has an extra defender to throw at lebron because snow is THAT bad on offense. they simply leave him cuz he can't shoot. his defense is nice, but the cavs woes are typically on the offensive side of the floor.

larry hughes is the biggest problem for the cavs right now. he just hadn't lived up to his signing. personally, i think it's because he wants to play a faster paced, run and gun style where blown ally-oops to lebron aren't a problem because they're gonna have lots of possessions per game. brown wants a defense-first orientation where ball control and lack of turn-overs is a priority so the defense isn't put in a bad position. he's clueless on the offensive side of the ball, tho.

 

It sucks that the playoffs have been so horrid that I A) didn't even know it was on, and B) missed a historic performance. Oh well. In any case, LeBron hit some amazing shots but at what point did the Pistons stop playing defense? (I'm guessing it coincided with Larry Brown's departure)


Also, it will be a shame if the Cavaliers win, both because I'm tired of LeBron and because Mike Brown is the worst coach in the history of the NBA and should not be rewarded with a Finals appearance (however brief). Of course, I don't want to see a Pistons-Spurs series either, so maybe they should just stop on this high note.

 

Having been to the 'Miracle in Richfield' when I was a kid this is awesome. Richfield was where the old arena was outside Cleveland.

What impresses me more than his on court game is his off court game. At 22. He is around a lot of quality people. Ever hear him in trouble? Ever hear him talk in the 3rd person? Ever not back up his teammates? Kid definitely has some character. I like good guys doing well.

And I will add one game does not make you the next MJ. He does it on a consistant basis, then you can make comparision.

 

My impression is not that he has good character, but rather that like A-Rod, he is too image conscious and too interested in making money to ever get in serious trouble. When I've seen him he's never struck me as a "good guy," just a "careful" guy. Incredibly talented player, though.

 

Well good luck with that. I have followed this kid since high school. Collin, I know you love to be septical. Again, it was only one game. He shows up tonight, he is something special.

He doesn't have the typical 'posse' around him. Right now he is a good 'kid'