We gotta get back to playing tough-ass Defense

[Guest ATENEARS]

Seriously though, this team was physically tough at times this season ... playing tough as nails Team Defense. That is where their staple is going to have to come from when we reach the post season. That is where we over-come this softness in the middle and handle Dwight Howard, Boston, San Antonio or the Lakers. That's how this team has to get it done. That's why Mike Brown is in the drivers seat and why are where we are today.

 

I've pointed to that game in New York as the 'unraveling', and I promise I won't dwell on that game anymore, but that game is the exact opposite type of basketball that this Cleveland Cavaliers team needs to play.

 

It's gonna take a lot of work and staminia to play sound tough physical Team-defense night-in and night-out, but that is where we reflect back-on and rely on this 'Chemistry' we keep hearing about.

 

That's the Cleveland Cavaliers ... the ones who play sound Team Defense. LeBron James can not win it alone, this team must get back to who they are.

 

I'm feeling better now, four hours after the deadline ended. It's amazing what a little vodka can do for your attitude.

 

[Guest ATENEARS]

One more thing ...

 

Can we get into some foul trouble once in awhile? Like have someone foul out? Nothing is worst than watching a team grab their ankles and get owned on the boards (such as last game verse the Lakers), and our big guys end up with 1, 2, or 3 fouls.

 

Our big guys aren't scorer's (except Z), so hack someone and hack'em hard. Weight on their hip and prevent them from jumping and rebounding. Put a body'em! Freaking hammer someone.

 

No points in the paint.

[Guest Masters]

How was the NY game the unravelling? Aside from most actual NBA experts who actually watch Lebron's game vs. Kobe, will point out James was actually in the flow of the offense, as oppossed to Kobe's one man show. Good article to read http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3896242.

 

Before the NY game ever happened, the injuries caught up to CLE and they had poor losses to WAS, CHI, LAL, and ORL.

[DTBH]

Your link doesn't work.

 

Bro, if you don't think LeBron has selfish instincts and in that game in particular, his ATTEMPT to ONE-UP Kobe wasn't a selfish act, you are insanely clueless about NBA and professional athelete egos. LeBron doesn't play within the offense, and he hasn't for 6 years.

 

Maybe 13 year old second rate NBA fans think that passing out of a double team makes players 'unselfish', but grown-up real NBA fans ought to be able to see past that.

 

The things that Iverson is doing to Detroit, pounding the ball for most of the shot clock and completely killing the "team" element of the offense, is EXACTLY what LeBron has does to the Cavs on a lesser scale.

 

Kobe doesn't do that ... he shoots the ball or passes the ball ... either way, it's usually within the offense.

 

Half the supposed 'NBA experts" don't even see that, like Stephen A Smith or Kenny the Jet Smith, because they're more enamored with slam dunks.

[Guest Masters]

Your link doesn't work.

 

Bro, if you don't think LeBron has selfish instincts and in that game in particular, his ATTEMPT to ONE-UP Kobe wasn't a selfish act, you are insanely clueless about NBA and professional athelete egos. LeBron doesn't play within the offense, and he hasn't for 6 years.

 

Maybe 13 year old second rate NBA fans think that passing out of a double team makes players 'unselfish', but grown-up real NBA fans ought to be able to see past that.

 

The things that Iverson is doing to Detroit, pounding the ball for most of the shot clock and completely killing the "team" element of the offense, is EXACTLY what LeBron has does to the Cavs on a lesser scale.

 

Kobe doesn't do that ... he shoots the ball or passes the ball ... either way, it's usually within the offense.

 

Half the supposed 'NBA experts" don't even see that, like Stephen A Smith or Kenny the Jet Smith, because they're more enamored with slam dunks.

 

Fixed the link. Sorry about that http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3896242

 

OF course he has selfish instincts. Every great player does. And sure he wanted to put up a better show than Kobe. He thinks he's better than him. But that wasn't the point. He did it in the flow of the game. Kobe didn't. Kobe had 4 guys standing around watching him most of the night. Putting up a shot for just about every minute he was on the floor. Flashing a dirty look at a teammate for taking, and making an open jump shot. The point is Lebron's game was in the flow of a game, and that pointing to that game as any unravelling of the team is plain silly. Since CLE had lost some games they shouldn't have before that, and lost to two tough teams.

 

Dude, passing out of a double team is EXACTY what Kobe did not do in his performance. He shot over multiple double teams and does it regularly. I get to watch 80% of the Lakers games. There is good Kobe and Bad Kobe. Lebron isn't just unselfish because he passes out of a double team. He makes the extra pass when it is there, he's now leading the teams D, leading huddles, and he's averaging close to a tripple double every night. What does the guy have to do for CLE fans not make things up to poke at him about? Do you need him to sit himself for games?

 

You really just compared AI to Lebron? Now who sounds like the 13 year old NBA fan? Lebron did that 2 years ago when he has no help, had to score, and bring the ball up court. The only flow in CLE offense then was Lebron.

 

Stephen A Smith ain't an NBA expert. He is just a sports opinion writer at the end of the day. Kenny Smith played the game and won championships.

[Guest ATENEARS]

How was the NY game the unravelling?

 

Dude, I'm not even going to debate you on this game, you obviously did not watch the game.

 

If you think that we really needed LeBron to air-up 3-point shots from 4-feet beyond the arc in the first half in order for us to beat the NY Knicks, then there is no use debating you on this subject.

 

[Guest Masters]

Dude, I'm not even going to debate you on this game, you obviously did not watch the game.

 

If you think that we really needed LeBron to air-up 3-point shots from 4-feet beyond the arc in the first half in order for us to beat the NY Knicks, then there is no use debating you on this subject.

 

Of course you won't, cause you can't. You are just regurgitating what you heard from sports talk about how it was selfish play. I watched the game along with Kobe's game against the Knicks (which I am sure you didn't see).

 

You do realize right now that NY is sitting a couple of games out of the playoffs, right? Of course CLE doesn't need James to jack up that many 3's to beat them. Just like they didn't need it last night against MIL. But yet you're praising him in another thread for that performance last night. It was the same thing. Chucking up heat check 3's when it might be a bad shot. But it fell last night. Quit buying the hype and heat sports talk sells you on Lebron.

[Guest ATENEARS]

Of course you won't, cause you can't. You are just regurgitating what you heard from sports talk about how it was selfish play.

 

No one in the media took a 52-point Triple Double at the time and trashed it ... except Cavs fans who watched the game and saw the team get away from their game plan. My wife and I were both disgusted at LeBrons play as the game was unfolding. We'd state that it was the worst 50-point game and triple double we've ever witnessed.

 

Anyone who watched the Milwaukee game had thoughts of Jordan in their thoughts. LeBron's display in that game was jaw-dropping and had everyone buzzing all weekend long. The guy was in a zone and at one point he took an inbound at the other side of the floor and I yeld "Shoot-it!" (jokingly, of course) but the night had that feeling as if the guy could have hit it from anywhere, and any other Cav taking a shot besides LeBron was frowned upon because the kid couldn't miss.

 

If you want to state that he was just as good in NY, have at it. I strongly disagree. He was 2 of 7 in NY from beyond the deep arc, and something like 8-of-10 from that land on Friday night, with probably one legit miss and the other a quick hurl at an expiring shot-clock. We were down by 6 heading into the 3rd qtr (and that is only after LeBron sliced-up a double digit deficit with two huge deep shots before the buzzer), and we came out up by 4 after the awesome display.

 

In NY we began the game with 10-0 start, then got stupid. we carried a 6-point lead into the 3rd quarter and a 4-point lead into the 4th as the Cavs weren't in-sync and just muddling. I blame LeBron's selfish play for that boring ass jittery game. You seem to have some anti-Kobe fetish and comparison as the basis of your argument. Who's following the media?

 

I could give two-shits what Kobe did or didn't do, that's never been part of my argument, only that LeBron went into that game with thought of matching Kobe's total from a few nights prior. If you say Kobe was more selfish, I say thanks for the tip as i didn't see it (nor really care), but your arguement here on a basis of "LeBron wasn't as selfish ..." means nothing to me. He was selfish enough to take the Cavs out of their game plan ... my point all along.

 

 

[Guest Masters]

I know nothing about basketball and Atenears is right.

[DTBH]

You're wrong, Masters. And you clearly know nothing about basketball.

 

You're a completel Retard if you don't think you can get triple doubles with selfish play. That's sixth grader ideals. If you want to impress people, you will try enough for rebounds and assists to get a triple double. You sound like a xxxxin' thirteen year old with LeBron's Wal-Mart replica jersey on. Be a real basketball fan.

 

Bottom line -- he got 52 in New York because he WANTED 52... he got 55 in Milwaukee because it was HAPPENSTANCE.

 

Learn the difference, rookie. If you can't tell the difference, you have some real soul searching to do in terms of whether you're a real basketball fan or not.

[Guest Masters]

I know nothing about basketball and Atenears is right.

 

Dude, that is just gay to change my post. Don't you have some 12 year olds to molest *cough* I mean coach at baseball.

[Guest Masters]

You're wrong, Masters. And you clearly know nothing about basketball.

 

You're a completel Retard if you don't think you can get triple doubles with selfish play. That's sixth grader ideals. If you want to impress people, you will try enough for rebounds and assists to get a triple double. You sound like a xxxxin' thirteen year old with LeBron's Wal-Mart replica jersey on. Be a real basketball fan.

 

Bottom line -- he got 52 in New York because he WANTED 52... he got 55 in Milwaukee because it was HAPPENSTANCE.

 

Learn the difference, rookie. If you can't tell the difference, you have some real soul searching to do in terms of whether you're a real basketball fan or not.

 

LMFAO..... Yeah, I know nothing about basketball. You watched both games with the typical CLE fan/hater goggles on. James took as many bad 3pt attempts against MIL as he did against the Knicks (you could watch the hightlights to see that, but obviously you watch those with the same detail as games). He just made them against MIL. Or do you suddenly think shooting 3's 5-10 feet behind the 3 point arc are good shot selection? Who is a complete Retard? Oh yes, you. Which is obvious since that is what you have to go to in a discussion. Name calling. Always the sign of a brilliant mind.

 

Dude, I've been watching basket ball since the late 70's. The only person sounding like a 13 year old is you. Since you can't spell complete and go to name calling. Nor can you tell the difference between bad shot selection falling and not falling. Two months ago, you were probably sure James was going to the Nets, then the Knicks, but now are sure he'll stay. A month from now, if CLE loses 2 in a row, you'll probably think the sky is falling. Probably thought trading for Shaq would have been a good idea too

 

[Guest ATENEARS]

Dude, that is just gay to change my post. Don't you have some 12 year olds to molest *cough* I mean coach at baseball.

 

I didn't change your post, I figured you did. I was completely fine agreeing to disagree.

 

You have a anti-Kobe fetish and are reaching here, we all understand. There wasn't any need to alter your post and act like others did it for you.

[Guest ATENEARS]

Masters, why the asshole act-like-you-know-it-all attitude? There was nothing among this forum to warrant this bullshit.

[CIMO.]

Eh. He obviously played a better game in Milwaukee, and he probably did have more on his mind than the W in New York. He was playing selfish...but at least how I saw it, he was playing to carry the team. Mo was terrible, Ben and Varejao were non-existent, Delonte and Pavlovic were out. It was a night LeBron felt like he had to do everything, and he had the big stage. But he still shot 50% from the field, knocked down his free throws and got a triple double (kind of). Even if he was selfish and some people hated watching the game (I still loved it)...at the very least it's a show of what he's capable of.

 

And the Milwaukee game was great.

 

Oh yeah. Tough defense.

[Guest Masters]

I didn't change your post, I figured you did. I was completely fine agreeing to disagree.

 

You have a anti-Kobe fetish and are reaching here, we all understand. There wasn't any need to alter your post and act like others did it for you.

 

I didn't change it, so I figured you did. You are the only mod I recognize on this side of the board and the only one in this discussion. If you didn't do it, I appologize. I don't post lame crap like that post got changed to.

 

Again, sorry for thinking it was you.

[Guest Masters]

Masters, why the asshole act-like-you-know-it-all attitude? There was nothing among this forum to warrant this bullshit.

 

I didn't think I had an attitude until you took the "you obviously didn't watch the game" sarcastic remark (and by the way, I did watch it). Or until DT called me a Retarded 13 year old who doesn't know basketball.

 

When watching both the NY game and the MIL game, I saw the same thing. Lebron playing heat check 5-10 feet behind the 3pt arch, taking shots he really shouldn't take (but he does that stuff all the time). The only differences are that in MIL they fell, it wasn't MSG, and Kobe didn't just have a big night there the night before. As CIMO rightly pointed out, no one else on the team in the NY game even showed up, as far as their shooting. Yet those others got plenty of shots and James got to a triple double (or near after the fact). To me, the NY game was far more Jordan-esc than the MIL game. When CLE needed James to carry them, he did. Not just with his scoring, but his court vision and rebounding.

 

When I hear that being called selfish in NY, it seems like people have never watch AI, Star-berry, Melo (before Chauncy got to DEN) play, or Kobe play (especially his night before James's). I would go as far as to guarantee that if Kobe hadn't played in MSG the night before James, and James still played the same game, not a person would have been calling it selfish.

[Guest Masters]

Eh. He obviously played a better game in Milwaukee, and he probably did have more on his mind than the W in New York. He was playing selfish...but at least how I saw it, he was playing to carry the team. Mo was terrible, Ben and Varejao were non-existent, Delonte and Pavlovic were out. It was a night LeBron felt like he had to do everything, and he had the big stage. But he still shot 50% from the field, knocked down his free throws and got a triple double (kind of). Even if he was selfish and some people hated watching the game (I still loved it)...at the very least it's a show of what he's capable of.

 

And the Milwaukee game was great.

 

Oh yeah. Tough defense.

 

That's exactly it CIMO. Sure Lebron wanted to put on a better show than Kobe did. No doubt about it. But if carrying your team on a night they needed you to is selfish, I'll take that every day. If James was a selfish player, we'd be seeing a lot more nights like he had at MSG, even when the team is healthy, or contributing.