LeBron has regressed

[British_Pharaoh]

You cant even count on him to score 24+ points a night anymore

you cant count on him for anything at the moment, not even 100% effort

no-one has any fire in their eyes or a desire to win, they're just so laid back in their approach to a game, and STILL Sasha is the only one who consistently attacks the rim and the only one besides lebron who can execute the layup.

this team has most of the right cogs to become a title contender, they're just not fitted correctly.

Sasha is one bad performance away from getting scrub minutes, such is the attitude of Mike brown who will stick by snow longer than even i would but will gladly give a good shooter like sasha who can make a layup a decrease in playing time.

Gibson I love the guy but 5 points and 1 assist isnt worthy of the starting job

at least with eric he's creating 18 points for other players.

LeBron just looks so different from last year, I dont even know if he's had a 4th Q where he has taken the game over (like Wade had against us this season) and scraped out a victory yet this season.

his scoring comes in patches during games and he's not exploding for 10,12,18 points in a quarter.

he rarely hits the 30 point mark and since nobody else is going to, the offense needs to get to Golden State Warriors form in order for us to put a string of victories together.

I'm praying for the cavaliers to be hotter than Victor martinez in the second half.

[British_Pharaoh]

Brown should use the second half to experiment with the lineup (start sasha) and the offensive setup

its clear we're not even close to contending for the eastern conference nevermind the NBA title against the Mavs, Suns or Spurs.
cos if Brown starts next season with the same lineup, same rotation and same offensive gameplan as he ahs since he arrived

I'm gonna sh*t on his car

[Dozen]

He was prolly distracted

"That wasn't the only odd thing that happened during the Pistons' 90-78 win. Referee Steve Javie ejected a courtside fan in the third quarter. The fan was badgering all three officials for what he, and most of the Cavaliers players, thought were some missed calls on LeBron James. Turns out, the ejected fan was a member of James' entourage. He was, in fact, his driver

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... 50343/1127

And the DE-TROIT........TURN-OVER was pathetic!

[swerb]

Finally got a chance to watch highlights of the Lakers game I tivoed.

LeBron hasn't regressed for shit. As I've been saying all year, he's pacing himself.

One of these days when I have time, I'm going to go back and figure out his stats in nationally televised games vs games not on national TV.

[FUDU]

I think it may be a combination of LeBron pacing himself and stagnating (instead of regressing).

He may be pacing himself, if so I find that kind of BS and arrogant all at the same time. The Cavaliers are not a team that is in any type of position to pace themselves or have their team leader/superstar pacing himself. If LeBron needs pacing then instead of doing it by means of his style of play on the floor (which directly effects W's & L's) maybe he should be paced with more breaks and less minutes a game. Then he can still bust ass and get a rest without playing different. B/C make no mistake about it, he is playing different this season.

However I will say this, this is his 4th NBA season and sometimes we need to give credit to the competition. Let's face it everybody has seen plenty of him and they all know what he can do and is best at. Maybe just maybe some of them are figuring out little ways to keep from from doing what he does best sometimes. Detroit certainly seems to be able to "contain" him, so maybe this season that is the case for LeBron?

[leadpipe]

I just think he's depressed. For one of two reasons. Either, A. He caught a glimpse of the Cavs salary list and realizes he's doomed to the same teammates for three more years. or B. The fact that he realizes he has three more years before he leaves.

[consigliere]

I have to agree that if he is pacing himself, that it is BS of him to do that. I mean, if Sabathia were pacing himself and trying to save himself for later in the year, I'd go apeshit on him. The Lebron in the Lakers game was close to the Lebron of last year, and one of the few times that Lebron has shown himself this year. Bottom line, we needed Lebron to take the next step as an elite player this year and improve in his weaknesses, and he has not done that....and his other parts of his game have suffered some. So, yeah, he has probably slightly regressed.

[jb]

He was prolly distracted

"That wasn't the only odd thing that happened during the Pistons' 90-78 win. Referee Steve Javie ejected a courtside fan in the third quarter. The fan was badgering all three officials for what he, and most of the Cavaliers players, thought were some missed calls on LeBron James. Turns out, the ejected fan was a member of James' entourage. He was, in fact, his driver

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... 50343/1127

And the DE-TROIT........TURN-OVER was pathetic!

12, how'd he get home?

[furls]

He probably just wore his back out carrying this pathetic roster and the horrible signings on it.

[Dozen]

I think we all need to wait until seasons end to say if he regressed or not. If he balls and takes us to the ECF's opinions may change.

[gdbenz]

If the team finishes better but LeBron's stats are inferior to last year, would you still say he's regressed?

[FUDU]

If the team finishes better but LeBron's stats are inferior to last year, would you still say he's regressed?

Sure b/c this about him possibly regressing not the team. I think he could regress (a little) and the team could improve.

IE: Lebron has not improved on D at all this year really, but the team has quite a bit.

[pup]

Was anyone still watching late in the AS game last night, when Kobe was defending LBJ like it was a Game 7? I guess some guys actaully get pissed when you come into their building and beat them on National TV.

[leadpipe]

That, and the fact that in no way was Kobe giving up that MVP. You couldn't have gotten the ball out of Kobe's hands the last 5 minutes without a crow bar. Running down the shot clock..... With the game being in Vegas this marked the first time in about 10 years the all-star MVP wasn't fixed. That was good, I guess. Probably the highlight of the game was Aguilera just putting a big time mis-match on Spears. Remember when they were neck & neck? Now it's Cavs vs. Suns

[FUDU]

Was anyone still watching late in the AS game last night, when Kobe was defending LBJ like it was a Game 7? I guess some guys actaully get pissed when you come into their building and beat them on National TV.

The best part was when Kobe got all serious on D up on LeBron and Lebron had his way and bulled his way through almost the entire western squad for a nice finish.

The game itself sucked and the pre game was one of the gayest things in sports I have even seen.

IMO NBA All star weekend needs to find a way to incorporate a 1 on 1 or 2 on 2 tournament. Lose the dunk contest for a few years, keep and shorten the Rookie v Sophomore game keep the 3 pt shoot out.

Kobe/Duncan v LeBron/Howard

[swerb]

IMO NBA All star weekend needs to find a way to incorporate a 1 on 1 or 2 on 2 tournament. Lose the dunk contest for a few years, keep and shorten the Rookie v Sophomore game keep the 3 pt shoot out.

Kobe/Duncan v LeBron/Howard

I agree. A 1 on 1 tournament would be a hard sell due to injury concerns, but 2 on 2 may be viable.

Even if you could get 4 teams, 8 of the 24 All-Stars.

I'd keep the dunk but tweak the rules. 3 point contest is always fun. The Skills Challenge and that other crap with the NBA guy, old guy, and WNBA gal is unwatchable.

[swerb]

Just noticed this while perusing Windhorst's blog. His blog entry right after the Laker game.

I respect no ones opinion more with regard to this team ...

http://blogs.ohio.com/cavaliers_blog/

--If LeBron James played to 75 percent of this level 60 percent of the time, he'd win the MVP award. The 38 points is nice, the 10 in the fourth is better, the 18-of-22 at the line is brilliant. Now, he got some calls tonight he doesn't get other nights. But his willingness to drive and find lanes, even against Kobe Bryant, showed how dominant he can be. He backed down a bunch of guys tonight and that only makes him stronger. He played an A-plus game and won it for the Cavs. That is how he played at the end of last season.

[Guest]

Was nowhere to be found last night in the 4th
We wouldn't take a shot, and when he did, it was terrible

[consigliere]

Was nowhere to be found last night in the 4th
We wouldn't take a shot, and when he did, it was terrible

I missed the game. Hmm, must not of been on national TV. No?

[swerb]

No, it was on TNT.

[Guest]

No matter what anyone else says, Hughes is tough as shit.
If it wasn't for him and E Snow(who played great) they would have lost by 25
Both guys D was awesome last night. The other clowns, that was a different story.
Should Larry being shooting as much as he has been? Probably not, but when Lebron just stands around or looks to pass with 6 on the shot clock, what can you do.
You can tell Larry is getting closer to 100%(is that really possible?)

[consigliere]

Hughes is a bust. He is a good player, but not the All-Star type compliment to Lebron he was made out to be. I hope he is dealt this offseason, as I'd rather see his minutes go to Sasha and Gibson.

[swerb]

I agree 100%, Hughes and Snow's D kept the Cavs in this game. Without a doubt,.

Hughes can't shoot for shit though. And he won't stop trying. I cannot handle watching this guy continue to jack up 19 footers off the dribble.

26 shots? Are you kidding me? 20 were jumpers. Predictably, he missed 17 times last night, including another 0-4 goose egg from three point land.

With Sasha, Damon, Z out ... the Cavs needed offense from someone, so I don't blame Larry for being a little more aggressive last night.

But he needs to stop shooting jumpers.

Hughes is in serious denial. He thinks he can shoot. He can't. You can tell by the look on his face when he misses. As if he's thinking "man, I can't believe I missed". Larry ... you miss over 60% of the time when you shoot from outside.

I will say this too ... Roker's offense does not suit Larry's game. It's not all Larry's fault. He gets frustrated that the flow of the offense does not yield him the high % looks that the Wizards Princeton offense does. So he just starts launching and missing jumpers.

Sasha's emergence will hopefully lessen the the reliance on Larry's offense for this team in the playoffs. But they're gonna need Larry's D.

[Guest]

I agree 100% Dick
You summed it up perfectly
He needed to shoot that many times last night.
When he drives, he's tough.
Lebron should have taken over the game in the 4th but didn't. It was hurtful to watch as he kept passing up shots and didn't drive to the bucket.
He needs to watch a ton of film of Kobe

[Dozen]

Hughes is no bust, he isnt used right. Spoon, did you notice how bad Hughes is going to his left? HORRIBLE. He would be 10 times more effective if he went to his right. Call me crazy, but I dont see Brown being the coach here next year. His rotations are horrid, I mean do any of us really know how good Sasha/Shannon Brown/Gibson are? I know Im not sold on any of them.And neither was anyone else including Ferry. He couldnt make a trade and that directly results to Browns rotations. We dont even know what we have let alone trying to dish it to someone elsein a trade. Remember some of the things youve been hearing. Ferrys "we discussed it throughout the organization" comments about getting more minutes for Gibson/Sasha. And also dont forget Brown was here before Ferry. How many time have you heard "the coach wasnt the GM's guy" before? Kinda like when Hart axed Hargrove cuzz he wasnt his hire.