Sports Blog » Cleveland Cavaliers

King James Is A Crybaby, And I’ve Got Proof Now

Dave — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 23:37:32 +0000

The last couple of days I’ve bashed LeBron. Well, I’ve bashed him way before then, but now I’m really bashing him, and feel I’ve got something to actually back it before (where at first it was just out of total spite and hate). No, seriously, though — Adrian Wojnarowski writes a great piece over on Yahoo! Sports about King James and his sudden exit after losing Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, without so much as a “Hey, nice job” to anyone on the Magic.

You people are going to keep telling me this guy is MJ? C’mon. He’s not even Larry or Magic. Let’s let him pass those two before we throne him as the next Airness.

[King James left the playoffs as a loser]

[Yahoo!]

LeBron Silent

Dave — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 01:01:34 +0000

If you know me, you know I”m not the biggest LBJ fan. I’m just not. I’m not saying he isn’t good, I’m not saying he isn’t the best player in the league, I just don’t like cheering for a guy that can blatantly charge on a regular basis and always watch the defender get called for a block.

So I’m going to point out that LeBron James won’t address the media after his crushing Game 6 loss in Orlando. Dan Wetzel, who wrote the piece, goes on and on about how the Cavs have to get something around LeBron.

I’m going to go back to my point: The Cavs got enough around LeBron to win 66 regular season games. To lose only one real home game all regular season. If they did all that, didn’t they do enough to give him a chance in the playoffs? The team stormed through the first eight games, and they were given the title already. There were multiple comments about how with Mo Williams, LeBron had a real No. 2 threat. Now they’ve lost, got dismantled by the Magic, and suddenly the guy had nothing around him.

Please go play in Europe when your contract expires. Maybe there you’ll get called for a foul.

[Yahoo!]

Magic vs. Cavs, Game 5

Dave — Fri, 29 May 2009 00:30:27 +0000

The game starts in about 12 minutes. If the Cavs win this series, don’t be surprised. The refs have done everything in their power to give this one to LeBron, and the Magic have survived (and last night, it was evident these same refs are trying their hardest to get Kobe there, as well).

LeBron has had a great series. He’s averaging 42 ppg, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. Great numbers. And while I’ll never blame the guy for his team being in a 3-1 hole, I will say this: Suddenly everyone is saying that Cleveland doesn’t have a team. For the better part of this season, with the Cavs dominating the NBA both on the road and especially at home, all everyone could talk about was what LeBron was capable of doing now that he has a team around him. With the addition of Mo Williams, this team was for real, and LeBron didn’t have to carry them all the time. Delonte West plays lock down D. Ben Wallace can defend the middle. The list went on and on.

It even continued into the post-season. After mauling the Pistons in Hawks in eight total games (sweeping both), it was stamped that the Cavs were going to the Finals, and now the only question was who they’d be facing.

Now they’re down 3-1. They’re strugging. They’re being outplayed by the Magic on offense and defense. This thing should be over, but a miracle last second shot has extended the season. And all of a sudden, the only talk is that LeBron has no team around him. That nobody can step up. That he has to have someone else, because these guys don’t cut it.

Again: I’m not blaming LeBron. But I do find it funny that all season long we’re finally able to see what the Cavs are capable of now that there’s a team around him, and then when the third series of the playoffs comes around he suddenly doesn’t have anybody. If LeBron is the “Next Jordan,” as I’ve heard some of his fans say (me, personally, I think his jump shot is too hit or miss, and I don’t think his career will be nearly as long — he relies on his 260 pound frame for a lot of his points, and that will fade as his career goes on), then I think the guy needs to be able to win against mediocre teams, whether he has a team around him or not. MJ won with John Paxson, BJ Armstrong, Luc Longley, Will Perdue, Steve Kerr, and a gang of other no-name guys that he made names. He had Scottie Pippen, sure, but we all saw what Scottie Pippen was post-Jordan, both during his time with the Bulls when Jordan had his brief hiatus, and also during his time with the Rockets and Trail Blazers towards the end of his career.

Where’s this rant going? Not sure. I just thought it was funny to hear about a great “team” all year long, and now all of a sudden LeBron has to have help, because these guys stink.

It’ll be an interesting game tonight. I say the Cavs win by 15. And as much as I want the Magic, I think the refs give them a game in Orlando, and Cleveland some how manages to come back from 3-1 and win the series, to meet Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. From there, maybe the refs can call the games as they see them, and not how the TV ratings want them to be.

Hawks About To Finally Be Done

Dave — Tue, 12 May 2009 00:58:27 +0000

The score is Cleveland 58, Atlanta 54 with a little less than a minute in the third quarter, but if this series and the series before have taught us anything, it’s that the Hawks don’t lose by less than double digits, and the Cavs don’t win by less than double digits.

Josh Smith is leading the way for the Hawks with 18 points, but also has about 10 of those “why are you shooting that far out, Josh?” moments.

This series should come to an end in just a few minutes. If the Cavs outscore the Hawks by 20 in the 4th quarter, don’t be too shocked.

ESPN’s Latest Power Rankings

Dave — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:03:43 +0000

The latest Power Rankings are out, and since I’m too lazy to do one myself, I’ll just link you to theirs. A couple of notes:

The Celtics are back to No. 1. Yay. I just love the Celtics, with overglorified players like KG, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. Please, LA or Cleveland, please beat them in the playoffs.
The Nuggets are No. 6. How is it that one good point guard can change a team around so much? No AI, insert Chauncey, and this team is rolling.
At 23-19, the Heat are No. 10. I know they’ve been surging, but c’mon. No. 10?
In the same conference and same division, and three games up on the Heat, the Hawks are No. 11. This is the power Dwyane Wade has on a team.
Beware the 76′ers, who sit at No. 12. After their terrible start, they’ve come on strong and are looking like the playoff threat they were last year.
At No. 30, is there really any hope for the Kings? They don’t have the worst record, at least, which belongs to No. 26, the 9-35 Thunder.

Two Feet Taller and Two Feet Closer, and I Can Do That

Dave — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:42:56 +0000

Not the biggest LeBron fan. I’ve always felt he’s overrated. He reminds me of Shaq…. not a whole ton of skill, but for his position the biggest and most athletic person. Regardless of my feelings — feelings that people always bash — it’s a pretty impressive dunk.

LeBron May Follow Josh Childress, Only He’ll Get A Bit More Money

Dave — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:49:21 +0000

If you’ve been wondering just how much the American dollar has dropped, look no further than already-rich NBA players wanting to go to Europe to play ball, something that was once never imagined.

After watching Josh Childress head to Greece, LeBron James is saying he’d consider the move, as well.

A person close to James said Tuesday that the Cavaliers’ superstar would strongly consider playing overseas if he was offered a salary of “around $50 million a year.”

It’s hard for me to imagine the NBA letting LeBron James go, but the bottom line is that if he’s offered $50 million a year, there’s not a team out there that’s going to match it. Unless, of course, Isiah Thomas is re-hired somewhere, where he’s great at getting seven players with max deals and having a salary cap around $300 million, somehow.

LeBron Looking To Make A Lateral Movement To New Jersey

Dave — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:11:38 +0000

It’s all rumors and speculation right now, but LeBron sat down in an interview and cleared the air a little on whether or not he’d join the Knicks. He didn’t rule out playing for the Knicks, not by any means. But he did say his favorite city is Brooklyn, where one New Jersey Nets team plays.

“My favorite borough? Brooklyn,” James said, choosing the proposed future home of the New Jersey Nets over the borough of Manhattan, where the Knicks play their home games. “Brooklyn is definitely a great place here in New York City, and some of my best friends are from Brooklyn, so I stick up for them.”

I understand his love for the city. With that said, for the last two years all we’ve really heard is LBJ complain about not having enough help down in Cleveland. News flash, LBJ: Jason Kidd is gone. And Richard Jefferson. That leaves you with Vince Carter, who can dunk, and some young guys that aren’t very good.

Ben Wallace is looking better and better by the moment.

The New Dream Team?

Dave — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:42:51 +0000

It’s probably not the new Dream Team — I mean, how can you beat Hakeem, Clyde, Charles, Scottie and MJ? — but it’s as formidable a crew as the U.S. has put together in a long, long time. The 12 man team was named today, and it lists some pretty good names.

The team is headlined by the likes of Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, but joining them will be Jason Kidd, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Chris Bosh, Tayshaun Prince, Michael Redd, Dwight Howard, Carlos Boozer, and Carmelo Anthony.

Though I’d leave a few of those off — there’s got to better player than Redd, Prince, and Kidd — it’s a solid squad. The starting five will more than likely be Paul, Kobe, D-Wade, LBJ, and D. Howard. That leaves guys like Jason Kidd, Deron Williams, and Chris Bosh coming off the bench, which is about as good a sixth, seventh and eighth man as it gets.

Oddly, not a single player from the World Champion Celtics. No one in LA’s complaining about that one.

NBA Playoffs, Balls Being Picked, What Could Be Better?

Dave — Tue, 20 May 2008 22:55:50 +0000

Well, for starters, football. But since we don’t have football, I guess figuring out the NBA Lotto and figuring out if Boston can lose at home will have to make due.

Tonight features Detroit on the road against Boston, where the Pistons will try and exploit all of Boston’s many weaknesses that, unfortunately, Atlanta and Cleveland weren’t able to exploit (or at least exploit enough). My prediction last night was off — I said Hornets by 8 — and tonight I’m going out on a limb, saying Detroit not only covers, but Detroit wins.

Boston has got to be worn out with 14 games already played in this year’s playoffs, and Detroit has cruised through. Some people will say that makes Boston battle tested, but I think that makes them pretty weak. I mean, Atlanta? I’m from Atlanta, I’m a Hawks fan, and I still think they’re pretty bad.

Say what you will about Cleveland, but they’re a one man team, and if KG is a legitimate MVP, and Paul Pierce is all he’s suddenly been cracked up to be, and Ray Allen is that other guy in the Big Three, then they should have mopped the floor with the Cavs.

That said, they didn’t, and tonight features the first game where a team has about as much talent as them. And if the game isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, then we at least get to watch the NBA Lotto at halftime, where we can see just how easily David Stern rigs everything to make sure players end up in big markets where he wants them. Miami has the best shot at No. 1, but don’t be too shocked to see it head to New York, where they’ll take Derrick Rose and rid themselves of Stephon Marbury.