What LeBron needs to do

[peeker643]

Hate to agree for many reasons but even as far as Boston Game 3 in 2010 he was "LeBron".

Like he was conflicted that whole series as to who he was and what was coming.

[e0y2e3]

Yep, that game was more enigma than fact re: that playoffs, but you could clearly see the dude mind melting into some sort of confused internal war.

Of course, it happened the year he had so many role players around him (even if they sucked for the most part) real LBJ could have had a shot at the title... that is, if Shaq wasn't poisoning the locker room and Mo Williams somehow became good (which is pretty damn unclikely).

[mattvan1]

Hate to agree for many reasons but even as far as Boston Game 3 in 2010 he was "LeBron".

Like he was conflicted that whole series as to who he was and what was coming, which doesn't explain him going completely in the tank at home in Game 5, or justify him quitting like a spoiled fucking child in Game 6, but at least it's a data point to consider.

[mattvan1]

Yep, that game was more enigma than fact re: that playoffs, but you could clearly see the dude mind melting into some sort of confused internal war.

Boo fucking hoo. Delonte boning his Moms and all of his inner demons still don't justify the fact he quit in Game 6.

I have no issues (now, at least ) with LeBron for leaving, with The Decision, and for holding a victory parade, err "pep rally", before he stepped onto the floor in Miami.

I still can't quite get over the fact he simply laid down at the end of Game 6 in Boston.

[peeker643]

Hate to agree for many reasons but even as far as Boston Game 3 in 2010 he was "LeBron".

Like he was conflicted that whole series as to who he was and what was coming, which doesn't explain him going completely in the tank at home in Game 5, or justify him quitting like a spoiled fucking child in Game 6, but at least it's a data point to consider.

Nope. But I wasn't asked to explain.

In Game 3 there he was 'LeBron'. No more, no less.

[e0y2e3]

Yep, that game was more enigma than fact re: that playoffs, but you could clearly see the dude mind melting into some sort of confused internal war.

Boo fucking hoo. Delonte boning his Moms and all of his inner demons still don't justify the fact he quit in Game 6.

I have no issues (now, at least ) with LeBron for leaving, with The Decision, and for holding a victory parade, err "pep rally", before he stepped onto the floor in Miami.

I still can't quite get over the fact he simply laid down at the end of Game 6 in Boston.

He did the same thing in Dallas last year and was about to do the exact same thing this year (there is still time).

I don't give any credit to the bullshit Delonte rumors or anything of the such, I just think the guy mind fucked himsefl when he looked at FA and is just now maaaybe getting out of it.

I don't buy that he laid down for a second, because that exact same deer in the headlights look was the story of last year's finals. I think he went mental end of the day.

[e0y2e3]

And re: the supporting casts, this board is the same group of reactionaries that cried about Sessions being given away for nothing for a month, when in all reality LA now feels like they got hosed.

[Larvell Blanks]

And re: the supporting casts, this board is the same group of reactionaries that cried about Sessions being given away for nothing for a month, when in all reality LA now feels like they got hosed.

C'mon that's justified. With the way Kyrie played, if AV was healthy, Sessions was the cog that would have made this team an 8th seed easily..........

[mattvan1]

I think he went mental end of the day.

If you're saying the guy had some type of mini breakdown I can agree. Not saying he quit on purpose to screw over the Cavs and the city of Cleveland (Dan Gilbert's rationale). But clearly something happened.

[e0y2e3]

Bingo....

I didn't understand what I was seeing in 2010 when it happened, but last year kind of brought the reality to light.

[pup]

LeBron was the most clutch player in the NBA until the 2010 playoffs.

The fact that series like 2009 w/ Orlando were even close were only because of his greatness, as the team around him was pretty ass cobbler.

What LBJ did last game, it was factually "went Cleveland." He played like the best, least intimidated player in the game and that is something he hasn't done in the playoffs since 2009.

You're drastically selling short just how GREAT LBJ had to be to make the 2008 Celtics series and 2009 Orlando series even close. He was dragging multiple 100 pound weights around the court at all times. Also, he nearly beat the Pistons in 2006 when he had an even worse team...

Despite all of the revisionist history in Cleveland, LBJ was a truly great playoff player that did it without ANY supporting cast right up until 2010, when he started to choke.

Pretty sure that sums up my position on the matter as well.

[FUDU]

I agree in large part, which is why despite how good a game he had the other day the show he put on v. Dtroit demolishes that effort.

Not.

Even.

Close.

[jb]

Heat vs Celtics is gonna be epic if Boston can stay healthy.

get ready for the Game 5 flashbacks 24 / 7 ala the Shot

[e0y2e3]

Boston isn't healthy, one of their best defenders (Bradley) is still hurt and Allen is not healthy at all.

That said, after that bullshit Haslem and then Pittman pulled last night the Heat should be without Pittman for 5+ games and Haslem for 1. Odds are Stu Jackson doesn't have the balls to suspend someone not named Ron Artest though, even if Pittman's intentional foul on Stevenson was the worst foul I have ever seen when considering intent to injure.

[CAVSTRIBEBROWNSin07!]

$50 says Riley was behind the hits. Just too bad we weren't treated to Frank Vogel hanging off Haslem's leg.

I mean, with slick thug leaders like Riley and Wade, do you really expect the blue collar guys to be any different?

[e0y2e3]

There is slick thugging and there is running ten feet with your elbow out to hit a dude in the throat, which is a new level of low.

You can end someone's career doing that shit.

[CAVSTRIBEBROWNSin07!]

Its Pittman/Haslem eagerly trying to impress Dwyane and taking it a step too far. What a hateable fuckin team.

[e0y2e3]

Plus the video of him winking at teammates after?

Ten times worse than what Ron-Ron got 7 games for. Shit's Malice in the Palace levels of bad.

[e0y2e3]

And I can live with Haslem's penalty. It should be a game, IMO, but there isn't a clear attempt to injure someone.... whereas the above bullshit is lower than low.

[pup]

Damn. That IS real bad.

[e0y2e3]

Especially considering it is payback for making a choking sign after LBJ missed tow FTs in the Heat loss.... that, plus the wink after..... unbelievable.

[motherscratcher]

Wow. I hadn't seen that yet.

Rest of playoffs wouldn't be out of line IMO.

[comish]

Holy cow

Big time thuggery....shouldn't lace up for AT LEAST three games

[metalhead9x9]

Real punishment would be to make him play every single minute for the rest of the playoffs.

[e0y2e3]

Well, if him and Udonis get a game Eddie Curry makes an appearance, so there is that.

[motherscratcher]

And it being the Playoffs should not be a factor in possible suspensions.

Didn't half the Suns get a game during the playoffs for wandering away from the bench?

[e0y2e3]

Yep, and Artest just got 6 games of a series.

[leadpipe]

I watched what Haslem did my whole life. And it's funny, cause if Kyrie took a shot, and someone stepped up like U.D., every Cav fan would've loved it.

Remember when nobody stepped up for Mark Price?

Anyway, Pittman's was horseshit, and the hammer should come down.

Pretty clear difference between the two. Hell Robert Parrish clubbing Laimbeer or the MxcHale clothesline were both as playoff bad.

[peeker643]

I watched what Haslem did my whole life. And it's funny, cause if Kyrie took a shot, and someone stepped up like U.D., every Cav fan would've loved it.

Remember when nobody stepped up for Mark Price?

Anyway, Pittman's was horseshit, and the hammer should come down.

Pretty clear difference between the two. Hell Robert Parrish clubbing Laimbeer or the MxcHale clothesline were both as playoff bad.

No doubt.

Only difference is eras and litigation tendencies. League's that look the other way or don't come down hard on that are susceptible to having themselves sued into oblivion.

[e0y2e3]

One for Haslem, which I am fine with considering he wasn't ejected. Pittman should have gotten more than 3 though.

BTW: Eddie Curry time BABY

[scrambler]

This is a great thread. I won't say too much in an effort not to ruin it too much! eo's posts all the way through are 100 percent right on in my opinion. It is blasphemous, but I am finding it almost impossible not to pull for LeBron these playoffs. We are seeing simply an unbelievably great player. Most of it for me is watching LeBron do what he did in game 4 then listen to human ass wipes like Skip Bayless talk about how LeBrons 40/18/9 were meaningless compared to what Dwayne Wade did that game. People who live in a vacuum. YEah, LeBron has screwed up in playoff games (finals last year, Boston '10) and his ESPN debacle last summer was hideous but people act like he'd been a failure in every post season game he's ever played and the complete opposite is what is true...eo bringing up the Orlando '09 series, the Boston '08 series against a great Boston team, not even mentioning what he did in the Eastern Conference finals against Detroit in '07 or Chicago last year. It really is a no win...if Miami wins it's because of the "have a ring already" Dwayne Wade, if they lose it's all LeBron's fault, period. That's the life he's chosen and I guess it's deserved.

It's a different world, someone once brought up look how many consecutive years the logo failed to win a championship...if he played today Jerry West would be considered and reviled as a gutless loser who couldn't close the deal regardless of how many half court shots he made in the NBA finals!

[e0y2e3]

I dunno about the Logo, people still love AI because of what he did with a bunch of scrubs.

That said, you have C-Webb on the flip side of the coin, a guy who was one terrible officiating blunder away from a title and may not make the Hall because of it.

[CAVSTRIBEBROWNSin07!]

That said, you have C-Webb on the flip side of the coin, a guy who was one terrible officiating blunder away from a title and may not make the Hall because of it.

Webber's loser status was burnished at scUM; his NBA career only furthered it. He more than any other great player, probably ever, needed that NBA ring to solidify his place in history.

Pure talent alone, he's a top 5 greatest PF. Entering the NBA with a gigantic handicap due to his failures in college and then never wiping out those memories drops him in the eyes of most and in the history books.

I don't feel bad for him.