The Cavs got off to a fast start in the first quarter, but eventually the Celtics heated up and took control of the game. The shots were falling for them, particularly the three-pointers, and the Cavs got a little cold.
It’s the first game, and they had to start without Delonte West and face a tough team while the Cavs had two new starters. You can’t expect them to be in mid-season form, and they weren’t. No cause for worry – as Shaq said they’ll be fine.
The refs didn’t help out as well. The traveling rules apparently don’t apply to Ray Allen and one ref called a ridiculous palming call on LeBron with two minutes left when the Cavs were down four points and staging a comeback. But refs don’t affect games in the NBA – right?
The last 24 hours have not been kind to Braylon Edwards. First, he dropped a pass on the first drive of the game yesterday vs the Bengals, and then watched Mohamed Massaquoi’s coming out party. Then, late last night (early this morning), it has been alleged that Edwards punched a friend of LeBron James. Now we’re hearing all sorts of things about a LeBron/Edwards feud.
As anyone surprised by this? What’s wrong with this guy?
Given Massaquoi’s performance, and with Brian Robiskie on the roster, should the Browns be wasting any time at all with Braylon Edwards in the lineup?
It will be interesting to see if the Browns or the NFL suspends Edwards for this incident. In many ways, they would be doing the Browns a favor. Edwards will not be a part of this organization long term. Why not focus on developing the young guys?
OH – “hate” is a strong word, but true Cleveland fans have little love for Micheal Jordan. How many times have we had to watch replays of “The Shot?”
Now, Michael has entered the Basketball Hall of Fame, but instead of giving a gracious acceptance speech, Jordan decided to show his true colors – i.e., the stuff he tried to hide for years for fear of ruining his million dollar image. Rick Reilly’s reaction was spot-on.
Michael Jordan’s Hall of Fame talk was the Exxon Valdez of speeches. It was, by turns, rude, vindictive and flammable. And that was just when he was trying to be funny. It was tactless, egotistical and unbecoming. When it was done, nobody wanted to be like Mike.
And yet we couldn’t stop watching. Because this was an inside look into the mindset of an icon who’d never let anybody inside before. From what I saw, I’d never want to go back. Here is a man who’s won just about everything there is to win — six NBA titles, five MVPs and two Olympics golds. And yet he sounded like a guy who’s been screwed out of every trophy ever minted. He’s the world’s first sore winner.
I saw it live, and while it was fascinating, honest and entertaining, it was also shocking as well. MJ is so full of himself, and so consumed by his legendary competitiveness, that he comes across as a complete dick. Perhaps LeBron James will never equal Michael Jordan on the basketball court, and perhaps his lack of this killer attitude will hold him back, but I guess nobody can match Jordan on that front.
The guy seems miserable, so one has to wonder if it was all even worth it. Frankly, I’ll be happy now to see him wither away and get all upset when he has to watch a new generation of players achieve great success. It’s another reason, also, to pull for LeBron to win a championship . . . IN CLEVELAND!
Perhaps this will also send a message to LeBron, who still hasn’t committed to staying in Cleveland. There’s more to life than money and fame, and turning your back on your home town and a team and fan base that has supported you will be a dick move worthy of MJ himself. Do you really want to be like Mike?
We’ve been hearing about match-up problems posed by the Magic, but the Cavs can win this thing if they just play better. Mo Williams and Delonte West need to pick up their games. In game 3 it looked like they drank too much caffeine before the game.
LeBron James also needs to play better. That might sound crazy given his point totals so far in the series, but James needs to make better decisions. Too many times he threw up long shots without giving the offense a chance. Craig Sager just reported that LeBron admitted this in an interview before the game.
The Cavs have the talent – they just need to execute.
Here’s a cool post on how LeBron’s shot against the Orlando Magic in game 2 “altered history.” I don’t necessarily agree with the conclusion, as I think LeBron will stay no matter what happens in this series, but it’s a well-written and entertaining post.
Q: Didn’t you mention previously that Cleveland’s crowd is in full “LeBron might leave in two years mode so let’s go crazy” mode or something like that? Based on Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals (which is the first I’ve seen of Cleveland in the playoffs), Dwight Howard has more heart than their fans. I cannot believe how dead they were.
–Charles, Clifton, N.J.
SG: You can’t totally blame them, for one reason — that was the first time all season when the Cleveland fans truly sensed the stakes and realized that (A) they weren’t cakewalking to the title and (B) they’re still Cleveland, the city that hasn’t won a title since 1964 and has experienced a variety of Stomach Punch moments — so that window of doubt opened up and everyone fell right through it. They got tight and so did the players. But what happened was a necessary part of the process: Sometimes you need those “OK, this ain’t gonna be easy” moments to get over the hump. The best thing that ever happened to the ‘90-91 Bulls was losing Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The best thing that ever happened to the 1999-2000 Lakers was nearly blowing Game 7 of the Portland series. The best thing that ever happened to the ‘07-08 Celtics was Game 7 of the Cleveland series, when the Cavs wouldn’t go away. You don’t know what kind of team you have (and what kind of fans you have) until someone socks you in the mouth at home. How you respond to that moment defines the team you become.
Now, if some 2003 Cubs karma surfaced there — namely, the “Oh God, it’s happening again, we’re screwed!” factor — then that’s a whole other story. But the Cavs fans have been terrific all season; I think they just got nervous and froze. You know what’s not helping them? Their loser game coordinator, who played “In The Air Tonight” coming out of the timeout with 14.5 seconds left on the biggest possession of Game 1, then topped himself by unconscionably playing “Jump” by House of Pain right before the game-deciding jump ball with one second to play when the Cavs looked screwed. Nice discretion! The Cavs’ game coordinator might be the guy who fulfills my dream of seeing a team getting fans fired up by playing “The Shining” clip of Jack Nicholson swinging an ax into Scatman Crothers’ chest. I wouldn’t put it past him.
Simmons nails it. Cavs fans have been a little spoiled at home, so stunned silence shouldn’t be a surprise. Also, Cleveland fans are gun shy after all the disappointments, so that explains it as well. In any event, the place certainly lit up after LeBron’s shot last night!
For years we’ve had to watch replays of Michael Jordan’s famous shot against Craig Ehlo and the Cavs. Now the media can start showing LeBron James’s last second shot to give the Cavs the win tonight over Orlando. Nice!
The voting wasn’t close, as LeBron James easily won his first MVP award over Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade. Nobody was surprised. Despite the great seasons delivered by Bryant and Wade, LeBron brought his game to a new level this season. He worked on his free throws and he became one of the most ferocious defenders in the game. He actually came second in the voting for defensive MVP! His critics would never have dreamed he would make such progress on defense. His ability to chase down players on the break and swat away what seemed to be easy layups made him look like Superman, and he now intimidates opponents on both ends of the floor.
I remember years ago when I was interviewing in Chicago in the late eighties. Jordan had not yet won a championship, but he was well on his way to being perhaps the best ever. One of my interviewers explained how amazing it was to be able to watch Jordan night after night as a Bulls fan. Now I can appreciate what he felt.
Late this season, we finally saw LeBron start to work on his post-up game. Once he adds this last weapon he will be virtually unstoppable.
Isn’t it fun watching the Cavs humiliate the Detroit Pistons? The Pistons are a bunch of thugs, and they’re trying to get physical with LeBron and the Cavs, but the Cavs are not backing down. One more game and these has-beens will have a long off-season to contemplate how they’ve become a mediocre team.
John Paulsen from our national site, The Scores Report, dug up another great column from Bill Simmons where he discusses the “trade value” of 40 NBA players. His take on LeBron is awesome.
1. LeBron James
Last February, I wrote that he didn’t have a ceiling. This year? I figured out his ceiling. At least for right now. At age 24, he’s a cross between ABA Dr. J (unstoppable in the open court, breathtaking in traffic, has the rare ability to galvanize teammates and crowds with one “Wow” play, even handles himself as well off the court) and 1992 Scottie Pippen (the freaky athletic ability on both ends, especially when he’s cutting pass lines or flying in from the weak side for a block), with a little MJ (his overcompetitiveness and sense of The Moment), Magic (the unselfishness, which isn’t where I thought it would be back in 2003, but at least it’s in there a little) and Bo Jackson (how he can occasionally just overpower the other team in a way that doesn’t seem human) mixed in … only if all of that Molotov Superstar Cocktail was mixed together in Karl Malone’s body. This is crazy. This is insane. This is unlike anything we’ve ever seen. And to think, LeBron doesn’t even have a reliable 20-footer or a post-up game yet. See, this is only going to get better. And it’s already historic.
As a Celtics fan, I shudder for the future. As an NBA fan, I am pinching myself.
Until next year.
Great stuff. He also has an interesting take on another Cavs player.
J.J. Hickson: My favorite under-the-radar rookie and a legitimate 2009 Playoff X Factor. If he played for the Lakers, L.A. fans would be comparing him to a young Karl Malone right now.
