IS LEBRON Already CASHING OUT????

[gmp]

Now I'm not one to believe in alot of consipacy bunk...BUT....

First's it's the mysterious elbow injury (which shows nothing on an MRI)...

Then it's a game 2 beat down in Cleveland...Lebron shows no emotion in the postgame interview.?

Then he plays lights out game 3 (probably to save face) after game 2

Then a modest game 4 nothing great from the league MVP (again no emotion in post game interview?

Then comes the biggest game of the year...in front of the home town crowd...chanting MVP, MVP...time to take the series by the throat, and he throws up an 0 for 4 first half shooting performance???????? followed by a awful shooting second half??

 

WHere was the reckless abandon drives down the middle, the 3 bombs, the follow-up dunks over Garnett the cross over pull up jump shot? the run-outs on a break?......

 

My theory is this....and I said this before...the closer Lebron gets to a title in Cleveland, the bigger as*hole he looks when he bails in JULY, all the questions about leaving a team when you reached the Conference finals would be really hard to answer...how do you say all you do is want to win when you bail on a team that reaches the conference finals?

 

It's alot easier for him to bail on a team that now looks like they need alot more work and talent to reach the NBA finals...

He'll get it in NYC.....

 

I feel for ya CLEELIN....ya can always re-up Shaq for next year at 20mil

 

 

 

[BrownIndian]

Now I'm not one to believe in alot of consipacy bunk...BUT....

First's it's the mysterious elbow injury (which shows nothing on an MRI)...

Then it's a game 2 beat down in Cleveland...Lebron shows no emotion in the postgame interview.?

Then he plays lights out game 3 (probably to save face) after game 2

Then a modest game 4 nothing great from the league MVP (again no emotion in post game interview?

Then comes the biggest game of the year...in front of the home town crowd...chanting MVP, MVP...time to take the series by the throat, and he throws up an 0 for 4 first half shooting performance???????? followed by a awful shooting second half??

 

WHere was the reckless abandon drives down the middle, the 3 bombs, the follow-up dunks over Garnett the cross over pull up jump shot? the run-outs on a break?......

 

My theory is this....and I said this before...the closer Lebron gets to a title in Cleveland, the bigger as*hole he looks when he bails in JULY, all the questions about leaving a team when you reached the Conference finals would be really hard to answer...how do you say all you do is want to win when you bail on a team that reaches the conference finals?

 

It's alot easier for him to bail on a team that now looks like they need alot more work and talent to reach the NBA finals...

He'll get it in NYC.....

 

I feel for ya CLEELIN....ya can always re-up Shaq for next year at 20mil

 

1. If Lebron get Cleveland the title it it easier for him to leave. People will excuse him and respect his decision. It is for James that shaq and Jamison was bought. Now if he bails out with such a decent starcast then he will never be put in the same sentence with Kobe, Larry, Magic and Michael.

 

2. NY has enough money for 2 big signings. Unless it is Lebron and D'Wade I do not see how NY can get over Boston or Magic. Even with LeBron and D Wade the Celtics are still one tough cookie.

 

3. If LBron leaves Cleveland for NY, It is just for the cash+glitz +glamor ; not cos he has a better chance of winning the championship there.

[BrownsKidd]

I was shocked at his lack of intensity and his poor play last night, but equally shocked that he displayed no displeasure in the way the team was playing. It's as if his bags are packed and he is ready to get out of dodge.

 

Maybe Lebron is holding back his emotions against Mike Brown, who I think, if Lebron stays, Brown is gone. Did anyone see Brown get in anyones face, Lebron, Shaq (the champion veteran)... No... I don't get it.. Something is up.. And I don't thing the fans are going to like what happens next.

[BrownsKidd]

1. If Lebron get Cleveland the title it it easier for him to leave. People will excuse him and respect his decision. It is for James that shaq and Jamison was bought. Now if he bails out with such a decent starcast then he will never be put in the same sentence with Kobe, Larry, Magic and Michael.

 

2. NY has enough money for 2 big signings. Unless it is Lebron and D'Wade I do not see how NY can get over Boston or Magic. Even with LeBron and D Wade the Celtics are still one tough cookie.

 

3. If LBron leaves Cleveland for NY, It is just for the cash+glitz +glamor ; not cos he has a better chance of winning the championship there.

 

Agreed... No way, he can ever be put in the same sentence as Michael with the way he is playing and if he leaves for a worse situation in NY.

[ballpeen]

You might be right gmp....who knows.....it would be easier for him to say we are a long way from being a championship team.

 

 

My thinking is James will look for a team with a top young center and top young point guard. If he has that, that team wins.

 

We don't have either and don't have much hope of getting them any time soon.

 

 

 

My thinking is Chicago would be a team that could propel to the top if James joins them.

 

 

Good young center....check

 

Good young point guard....check

[gmp]

You might be right gmp....who knows.....it would be easier for him to say we are a long way from being a championship team.

 

 

My thinking is James will look for a team with a top young center and top young point guard. If he has that, that team wins.

 

We don't have either and don't have much hope of getting them any time soon.

 

 

 

My thinking is Chicago would be a team that could propel to the top if James joins them.

 

 

Good young center....check

 

Good young point guard....check

 

I can buy that.... team has young talent,

 

Good Young Center...OK

Good Young Point Guard..OK

Big Market.....OK

Has money to spend....OK

Will get a good coach.....OK....

 

Problem is ..It's JORDAN's Town..and always will be......There in lies the problem!!

 

 

[ATENEARS]

Jordan could win with the team the Cavs have assembled around Lebron.

 

I hope Lebron walks and I hope even more that the Cavs are prepared to fill the roster in his wake. Lebron is too caught up in the marketing appeal, he's done, I hope to God he goes to New York where he will be destracted beyond belief. He will NEVER win a title, he ain't man enough.

[Chicopee John]

Jordan could win with the team the Cavs have assembled around Lebron.

 

I hope Lebron walks and I hope even more that the Cavs are prepared to fill the roster in his wake. Lebron is too caught up in the marketing appeal, he's done, I hope to God he goes to New York where he will be destracted beyond belief. He will NEVER win a title, he ain't man enough.

 

 

Not that I care about the Cavs or James, Stan, but this seems a bit harsh - and premature.

 

I understand the anger and disappointment but how would/will you feel if the Cavs come back and win the series?

 

Is anything short of an NBA Championship a failure, in your opinion?

 

[ballpeen]

Jordan could win with the team the Cavs have assembled around Lebron.

 

I hope Lebron walks and I hope even more that the Cavs are prepared to fill the roster in his wake. Lebron is too caught up in the marketing appeal, he's done, I hope to God he goes to New York where he will be destracted beyond belief. He will NEVER win a title, he ain't man enough.

 

Too bad we can't trade him...it's a shame we won't get anything, but I honestly think he is gone.

 

 

I don't know about the team around him.

 

 

We lack at center and PG.....and don't have any real prospect to improve.

 

 

Take James out of the mix and we probably don't even make the playoffs...

 

 

We'll find out what the guy is made of over the next couple of months.

 

[allaneddie]

There's something wrong with him physically or mentally, and I'm afraid it's the latter.

[Chicopee John]

There's something wrong with him physically or mentally, and I'm afraid it's the latter.

 

 

Why do you say that? He is pyhsically hurt - that is documented. Did he contact 'mental fatigue', etc. within the last week?

 

Silly.

 

[Pumpkin Eater]

Jordan could win with the team the Cavs have assembled around Lebron.

 

I hope Lebron walks and I hope even more that the Cavs are prepared to fill the roster in his wake. Lebron is too caught up in the marketing appeal, he's done, I hope to God he goes to New York where he will be destracted beyond belief. He will NEVER win a title, he ain't man enough.

 

 

After the debacle last night, I agree. You took the words right out of my mouth. There is a damn good team built around LeBron.

[BrownIndian]

The one thing that we overlook since we are busy criticizing LeBron - What was Mo Williams or Delonte West doing ? What was Parker doing ? Celtics have a deeper bench than us. And if our bench is not going to step up there is not much that LeBron can do. Far too often have we seen the support cast choke when they are needed to perform. Shaq and Jamison addition has and should have made us better. We need a coach who can tell Mo williams that he is the 'Scottie Pippen' to LeBron James. We need a coach who can get on their face.

 

We have a support cast which in paper makes us the 3rd best in the East; so im not too worried if LeBron wants to leave as long as we can get Wade or Bosh. But I want the support cast to be that good come playoffs too.

[ATENEARS]

The one thing that we overlook since we are busy criticizing LeBron - What was Mo Williams or Delonte West doing ? What was Parker doing ? Celtics have a deeper bench than us. And if our bench is not going to step up there is not much that LeBron can do. Far too often have we seen the support cast choke when they are needed to perform. Shaq and Jamison addition has and should have made us better. We need a coach who can tell Mo williams that he is the 'Scottie Pippen' to LeBron James. We need a coach who can get on their face.

 

We have a support cast which in paper makes us the 3rd best in the East; so im not too worried if LeBron wants to leave as long as we can get Wade or Bosh. But I want the support cast to be that good come playoffs too.

 

The Cavs probably have the deepest bench in the league. With one-time starters such as Z, Varejao, West, and even Hickson coming off the bench. We have all kinds of styles of play at our disposal to keep teams guessing, the Celtics basically have one style and have been the team dictating in this series because Mike Brown has been lost.

 

Last night when Varejao & Z came into the game, we were down 1. When they were removed late in the second quarter, we were up 8-points. When Coach Brown went back to the starters in the third, we fell behind by a dozen, in comes Varejao and Z and we cut it to 4, eventually giving it back up to about nine on some fantastic Ray Allen shooting.

 

Moe was getting blown out on the defensive end in the second half, so instead of going to West who is a better defender, we parade in Boobie and then don't even run any plays to his strength which is shooting. We leave Boobie out there to focus on defending. Seriously, are you kidding me?

 

When Varejao & Z came in, we took Jamison off the floor. Never did we go with LBJ, Jamison, West, Z & Varejao, and to me I thought that was our hardest working players last night. Shaq had a pretty decent game actually, and I would use him to come in and pound the middle, draw some fouls and combat when needed, but then rotate Z in to spread the floor, open lanes for LBJ and Jamison to penetrate and allow room down low for Wild Thing to work his relentless rebounding skills.

 

Instead we go with Boobie, an exhausted Parker, Shaq, a lathargic Lebron, and Jamison (who probably still has no plays designed for him). Nice line-up Coach Brown, you stupid, fat, bastard.

 

Hell with Z in, even Moon then becomes effective, slashing and rebounding with a threat to shoot. I think Shaq has a purpose here, but damn, he clogs up the middle and our offense way too much. Bring him in to defend, and clear his big fat ass out of there offensively at other times.

 

Parker probably played the most minutes last night, and the guy was our 7th or 8th man during the heart of the regular season. How can owner Dan Gilbert not get in this teams grill? That guy has provided everything he could and this dumb-ass coach and self impossed 'King' act like there is something missing. There is something missing, assholes ... both of YOU.

 

[cambridgeho]

Last night was sickining. None showed any type of anything. Thank god i didnt pay to watch that game. I feel terrible for the fans that were there, they would have had more fun playing cornhole in the parking lot. I am a huge fan but last night I actually turned the game off midway through the 3rd, why should I lose sleep over a team that just looks like they are going through the motions. Hopefully they dont want to get eliminated and try a bit harder next game. Also maybe we can trade up in the draft and get someone good enough to maybe keep Lebron in town.

[ATENEARS]

Last night was sickining. None showed any type of anything. Thank god i didnt pay to watch that game. I feel terrible for the fans that were there, they would have had more fun playing cornhole in the parking lot. I am a huge fan but last night I actually turned the game off midway through the 3rd, why should I lose sleep over a team that just looks like they are going through the motions. Hopefully they dont want to get eliminated and try a bit harder next game. Also maybe we can trade up in the draft and get someone good enough to maybe keep Lebron in town.

 

I was there, but we won our tickets in a raffle. However, still managed to drop some pretty serious cash around town before and after.

 

I was at a local bar back in Berea with 5-minutes left in the game. Didn't watch the ending, and didn't watch any press conference.

 

I was never so pissed off at the Q as I was last night. I've walked back to the parking lot after Browns games so pissed off that I was mumbling to myself the whole way back and people just got out of my way because It was obvious that I was steaming ... same scenario took place last night at the Q, I think my wife dragged me out of there because I was ready to kill someone. Worst time I've ever had at the Q, and we went there very festive and ready to rock the place.

 

 

 

[calfoxwc]

A friend told me today, that she went to a charity auction.

 

The biggest big winner was a Mediterranean cruise for 11,000.

 

The second biggest winner was... a lodge at that last debacle of a Cavs game.

Whoever it was, paid 5500 bucks for the lodge to see THAT game.

 

Whoa.

 

Lebron didn't even wear the arm bandage that night - he may have some serious tendonitis from a fall

 

he took vs the bulls. I think the team knew he had to take the night off, and they went zilch on the man up meter.

 

But why was he even out there? To play one handed? Heyl, I can make a left handed foul shot.

 

I agree, apparently something is wrong somewhere. That team just gave up for whatever reason. Or... something.

[Canton Mike]

I honestly don't think the players are buying into the garbage game plans & rotations Brown expects them to follow, & why aren't we starting JJ & Varejao to run the Celt's old men off the court EARLY in the game? In addition, where is our offensive rebounding, other than Varejao?...getting back to the defensive end, as soon as the shot is released?..Sure seems like it. We get 3 quick fouls on their key players, then back off?..We should be going straight AT them, forcing them to foul or give up the easy basket!

Personally, I want to keep Lebron, add a player who INTIMIDATES on defense, & get a REAL Head Coach. Either get rid of him, or Gilbert & Ferry need to let Brown know he needs to coach & keep his players playing hard for FOUR quarters each game & to utilize in the playoffs the plays that worked during the regular system.

There needs to be a major fire lit!!!

Mike

 

[ballpeen]

I was there, but we won our tickets in a raffle. However, still managed to drop some pretty serious cash around town before and after.

 

I was at a local bar back in Berea with 5-minutes left in the game. Didn't watch the ending, and didn't watch any press conference.

 

I was never so pissed off at the Q as I was last night. I've walked back to the parking lot after Browns games so pissed off that I was mumbling to myself the whole way back and people just got out of my way because It was obvious that I was steaming ... same scenario took place last night at the Q, I think my wife dragged me out of there because I was ready to kill someone. Worst time I've ever had at the Q, and we went there very festive and ready to rock the place.

 

 

 

Sorry to hear that man.

 

 

I like the Cavs, but don't really care for the NBA if that makes any sense, so I am not as invested as some. Probably a product of living out of town for so long......but I am invested in the Browns.

 

 

Kind of why I didn't go to Rivals to watch the SEC Championship game....I am invested in the Gators and know I am not a pleasant person if my team is losing and people start pointing fingers my way.....even if in fun.

 

 

 

 

But hey....this isn't over here...let's see what happens tomorrow before we bury the team and send James on his way.

 

 

 

I know all about being pissed off while making 10 hour drives home, wondering why I came up in the first place.

 

[hoorta]

I can buy that.... team has young talent,

 

Good Young Center...OK

Good Young Point Guard..OK

Big Market.....OK

Has money to spend....OK

Will get a good coach.....OK....

 

Problem is ..It's JORDAN's Town..and always will be......There in lies the problem!!

 

You want more of conspiracy? Why did LeBron change numbers to #6 next year? Yeah, #23s taken in Chicago.

 

[hoorta]

Not that I care about the Cavs or James, Stan, but this seems a bit harsh - and premature.

 

I understand the anger and disappointment but how would/will you feel if the Cavs come back and win the series?

 

Is anything short of an NBA Championship a failure, in your opinion?

 

In short, yes- and LeBron pretty much said the same thing.

 

I'd feel great if we somehow win the series, but that's not enough anymore John. In the history of the NBA a team that has had the best record two years running has never failed to at least make the Finals once- we may break that string. Here's my disappointment in a nutshell. I was riding the Cavs Gravy Train last year all the way to the Orlando series. Believe me, that crushing defeat taught me a world of NBA knowledge I didn't have at the time. We overlooked the Cavs played like crap against the top teams. Not so this year, and Ferry & Gilbert systematically got players addressing every weakness the Cavs displayed in the playoffs last year. Silly me-I thought the Cavs had addressed not having big guys that could guard the perimeter- so we bring in Parker, Moon, and Jamison- only to see the Celtics shoot 50% threes on Tuesday night.

 

So what are we looking at now? A team that's sleepwalking, and thinks they're so damn good all they have to do is jack up their play in the fourth quarter, and they can beat anybody. One other thing- Mike Brown is as Stubborn as a Missouri Mule, (maybe about as smart) and IMHO it's going to cost him his job after this season, unless he somehow wins it all. If you follow the game closely, anyone who isn't blind to what's going on knows Mo Williams cannot guard Rajon Rondo, and Antawn Jamison is getting the snot beat out of him trying to stop Garnett, yet Brown persists in those mismatches. My Cleveland connection said Brown was quoted as saying "we'll find out Thursday what kind of players and team we have." True enough, but look in a mirror Mike, and start coaching a game like Phil Jackson- you had better 'cause if you lose today, might as well put the house up for sale, you're gonzo.

 

If you read some of those other excellent posts from Pluto and Yahoo- there's something up with LeBron- and it isn't his elbow. If he wants to be another Jordan- then he should damn well play like Jordan- not just settle for free throws the entire first half of a huge game- we saw him put up 21 points in one quarter in game three, against the same damn team, so whats up?

[ATENEARS]

Not that I care about the Cavs or James, Stan, but this seems a bit harsh - and premature.

 

I understand the anger and disappointment but how would/will you feel if the Cavs come back and win the series?

 

Is anything short of an NBA Championship a failure, in your opinion?

 

I'll cross that bridge when and if it gets here. Right now, I'm pretty disapointed that we have left Mike Brown at the helm just so Lebron could coach around him. We have the best player in the game and have assembled a heck of a team around him. We can play outstanding defense, shoot the three, be unselfish, and play awesome as a complete team. But to be out-coached and have all of those weapons neutralized is hard to swallow.

 

Like Hoorta said, it was obvious that Moe was getting beat by Rondo, so who do we go with? The bench player who plays much better Defense (West) or the bench player that hasn't seen the court in months because he has no Defense in him and can't do much of all to help the team anymore (Boobie)? Tough decision I know ... West never stepped foot on the court in the second half.

 

Varejao comes in and distrupts Garnetts first three attempts after he scored at will against Jamison ... you guessed it, we went back to Jamison and watched the Celtics pull away by 20.

 

The NBA is all about match-ups, and Doc Rivers isn't out-coaching Mike Brown, Mike Brown is out-coaching Mike Brown. Doc is just playing all he has, Mike is playing what he don't have and ignoring what he has.

 

[ballpeen]

No doubt Mike Brown is a goof.

 

The worst thing that happened to this team was that simpleton being named coach of the year last year. Had that not happened, we may have replaced him.