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Funny how that loss to Dallas earlier in the year was what made them try harder as a team and losing to Dallas in the playoffs might be what breaks them up as a team.
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2011 NBA Finals Thread
- Thread starter wuck
- Start date
Funny how that loss to Dallas earlier in the year was what made them try harder as a team and losing to Dallas in the playoffs might be what breaks them up as a team.
Cool story bro.
CAVS BLOW at least LEBRON MADE IT TO THE PLAYOFFS UNLIKE U BUNCH OF JOKES. FUCK THE BUCKEYES THEY CANT EVEN PLAY BY THE RULES GO CANES. WADE CAN BEAT THE WHOLE CAVS TEAM BY HIMSELF. GO HEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! STOP HATIN ON THE BEST TEAM IN THE NBA. HEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND BTW FUCKTARD ALL CALLS ARE CALLED THEY JUST DONT CALL THE FOULS ON LEBRON. GO MIAMI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
pr26
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Shouldn't you have made this post BEFORE last night? Before lebron embarassed himself and showed they were not the best team in the nba?
They don't make trolls the way they used too I guess.
NorthCoastBias
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But I thought that shiny gold basketball trophy meant the Mavs were the best team in the NBA? Silly troll.
czvo
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Post of the year? I'm nominating it just for sheer irony.
Yeah... because... the team that loses the finals is actually the best team in the NBA. You're not too bright are you?
Montana
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http://www.cleveland.com/lebron/index.ssf/2011/06/lebron_james_remains_chosen_fo.html
LeBron James remains 'chosen' ... for derision, skepticism and criticism after Finals meltdown: Brian Windhorst analysis
Published: Monday, June 13, 2011, 7:11 PM Updated: Monday, June 13, 2011, 7:12 PM
Special to the Plain Dealer
By Brian Windhorst
MIAMI -- LeBron James disappeared into another summer of discontent Sunday night, nothing like the sunset he'd planned to be riding into when he transplanted his roots to South Beach last summer.
Another year, another James-led team losing despite being the title favorite, this time to the Dallas Mavericks in six games in the NBA Finals. It came with more questions than ever about his leadership and his playoff ability. This time, though, he didn't have Mo Williams or any other Cavalier teammates to kick around.
No, this time the heavy blame, fairly or not, came crushing down on James. He played, without question or qualification, the worst playoff series of a career that is now eight years old. He averaged fewer than 18 points a game after averaging 27 in the regular season, the biggest scoring drop off for any player in Finals history.
The numbers only confirmed what millions of eyes were seeing, that James was faltering badly in the clutch. It was happening for a second consecutive year and this time there was no free agency to divert attention once the series was over. Just heaps of criticism for James' inability to carry the Heat as he had for much of the season and the previous two rounds of the playoffs when he seemed to be near the apex of his powers.
There was no running from it, and he knew it.
"Any time you feel like you get to the top of the mountain and you fall off, there's definitely a personal failure," James said after the 105-95 loss Sunday. "It was a failure in '07 when we lost to the Spurs when I was in Cleveland, it's a failure now for myself losing to the Mavericks."
The vast majority of the country -- overwhelmingly in unscientific but wide-ranging polls -- were rooting against him and delighted in this most recent failure. Even his former teammates.
"Dallas just healed my heart," Williams wrote on his Twitter account late Sunday.
Many could relate to Williams' emotion.
When James left the Cavs to join the Heat last summer it was, he explained in bits and pieces over the course of many months, because he felt it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He couldn't pass up joining two friends and fellow All-Stars in a desirable warm-weather city. He didn't want to miss out on an NBA arms race that the Cavs couldn't compete with because they'd been taken out of position by trying everything to win the previous two years.
"I understand a lot of the backlash that came with me going to Miami, but I understand also that I did what was best for me, what was best for my family, and what was best for me being a professional athlete," James said in happier times after he finished off what many considered a masterpiece series in the Eastern finals over the Chicago Bulls.
"I understand what this league is all about. I wanted to team up with some guys that would never die down in the moment. The opportunity presented itself with this great organization and we made it happen."
Like many things James has said over this last year -- with fans and critics hanging on his every word -- these came back to bite him. James' new teammates didn't die down in the moment in the Finals. Wade averaged 26.5 points, seven rebounds and 5.2 assists while shooting 55 percent. Chris Bosh averaged 18.5 points and 7.3 rebounds, better numbers than any James teammate had averaged in a series before this season. Even role players came to his aid, as point guard Mario Chalmers averaged 11.8 points and shot 40 percent from 3-point range as he played several of his best games as a pro.
Yet, with thick irony, it was James who appeared to die in the moment. As he became deferential and uncharacteristically passive over the last two weeks, both his intestinal fortitude and legacy were thrown into a perception blender.
This was not at all part of his plan, which made it so much harder for him to swallow as he walked away from another ringless season. The feelings that he ran from in Cleveland were back, but with what sure seemed like justified finger-pointing.
"I pretty much don't listen to what everybody has to say about me or my game or what I've done with my career, I don't get involved in that," James said. "This is year after year after year for me.
"Me as an individual, people write or say what they want to say about me. It doesn't weigh on me at all. The only thing that weighs on me is when I don't perform well for my teammates and the guys that I play for every day."
Most days this season were pleasant for James. He had the best-shooting season of his career and the most versatile defensive season as well. His defense on Derrick Rose, the Bulls' guard who took the MVP trophy from him, during the conference finals was textbook. His willingness to change his role and yield some responsibility and glory to Wade during the year earned him high praise from his coaches and teammates.
He privately took pleasure, meanwhile, in seeing the Cavs' struggles and it slipped out a few times -- whether on Twitter or in vague comments. He knew Cleveland was still watching; the television ratings showing Northern Ohio's interest in Heat games were a topic of conversation in the Heat locker room during the playoffs.
When the Heat took a 2-1 lead in the Finals and looked to have Game 4 under control, it looked like all of it was going to fall into place.
But with James in position to carry the Heat home, the role he was expected to play when he and his new teammates celebrated his arrival and predicted multiple championships, he wheezed in the moment.
At just 26, it's still possible those championships may come. But this was not how the script was supposed to start. It left him scrambling for an out. For once, he couldn't go to his game as his answer and instead he seized on belittling those who rejoiced in his struggles.
After a year of struggling to win approval for personal choices that alienated a once-huge fan base, it felt like a poetic end.
"All the people that was rooting on me to fail, at the end of the day they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before," James said. "I'm going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things that I want to do with me and my family and be happy with that."
Brian Windhorst is a former Plain Dealer NBA beat writer and currently works for ESPN.com.
LeBron James remains 'chosen' ... for derision, skepticism and criticism after Finals meltdown: Brian Windhorst analysis
Published: Monday, June 13, 2011, 7:11 PM Updated: Monday, June 13, 2011, 7:12 PM
Special to the Plain Dealer
By Brian Windhorst
MIAMI -- LeBron James disappeared into another summer of discontent Sunday night, nothing like the sunset he'd planned to be riding into when he transplanted his roots to South Beach last summer.
Another year, another James-led team losing despite being the title favorite, this time to the Dallas Mavericks in six games in the NBA Finals. It came with more questions than ever about his leadership and his playoff ability. This time, though, he didn't have Mo Williams or any other Cavalier teammates to kick around.
No, this time the heavy blame, fairly or not, came crushing down on James. He played, without question or qualification, the worst playoff series of a career that is now eight years old. He averaged fewer than 18 points a game after averaging 27 in the regular season, the biggest scoring drop off for any player in Finals history.
The numbers only confirmed what millions of eyes were seeing, that James was faltering badly in the clutch. It was happening for a second consecutive year and this time there was no free agency to divert attention once the series was over. Just heaps of criticism for James' inability to carry the Heat as he had for much of the season and the previous two rounds of the playoffs when he seemed to be near the apex of his powers.
There was no running from it, and he knew it.
"Any time you feel like you get to the top of the mountain and you fall off, there's definitely a personal failure," James said after the 105-95 loss Sunday. "It was a failure in '07 when we lost to the Spurs when I was in Cleveland, it's a failure now for myself losing to the Mavericks."
The vast majority of the country -- overwhelmingly in unscientific but wide-ranging polls -- were rooting against him and delighted in this most recent failure. Even his former teammates.
"Dallas just healed my heart," Williams wrote on his Twitter account late Sunday.
Many could relate to Williams' emotion.
When James left the Cavs to join the Heat last summer it was, he explained in bits and pieces over the course of many months, because he felt it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He couldn't pass up joining two friends and fellow All-Stars in a desirable warm-weather city. He didn't want to miss out on an NBA arms race that the Cavs couldn't compete with because they'd been taken out of position by trying everything to win the previous two years.
"I understand a lot of the backlash that came with me going to Miami, but I understand also that I did what was best for me, what was best for my family, and what was best for me being a professional athlete," James said in happier times after he finished off what many considered a masterpiece series in the Eastern finals over the Chicago Bulls.
"I understand what this league is all about. I wanted to team up with some guys that would never die down in the moment. The opportunity presented itself with this great organization and we made it happen."
Like many things James has said over this last year -- with fans and critics hanging on his every word -- these came back to bite him. James' new teammates didn't die down in the moment in the Finals. Wade averaged 26.5 points, seven rebounds and 5.2 assists while shooting 55 percent. Chris Bosh averaged 18.5 points and 7.3 rebounds, better numbers than any James teammate had averaged in a series before this season. Even role players came to his aid, as point guard Mario Chalmers averaged 11.8 points and shot 40 percent from 3-point range as he played several of his best games as a pro.
Yet, with thick irony, it was James who appeared to die in the moment. As he became deferential and uncharacteristically passive over the last two weeks, both his intestinal fortitude and legacy were thrown into a perception blender.
This was not at all part of his plan, which made it so much harder for him to swallow as he walked away from another ringless season. The feelings that he ran from in Cleveland were back, but with what sure seemed like justified finger-pointing.
"I pretty much don't listen to what everybody has to say about me or my game or what I've done with my career, I don't get involved in that," James said. "This is year after year after year for me.
"Me as an individual, people write or say what they want to say about me. It doesn't weigh on me at all. The only thing that weighs on me is when I don't perform well for my teammates and the guys that I play for every day."
Most days this season were pleasant for James. He had the best-shooting season of his career and the most versatile defensive season as well. His defense on Derrick Rose, the Bulls' guard who took the MVP trophy from him, during the conference finals was textbook. His willingness to change his role and yield some responsibility and glory to Wade during the year earned him high praise from his coaches and teammates.
He privately took pleasure, meanwhile, in seeing the Cavs' struggles and it slipped out a few times -- whether on Twitter or in vague comments. He knew Cleveland was still watching; the television ratings showing Northern Ohio's interest in Heat games were a topic of conversation in the Heat locker room during the playoffs.
When the Heat took a 2-1 lead in the Finals and looked to have Game 4 under control, it looked like all of it was going to fall into place.
But with James in position to carry the Heat home, the role he was expected to play when he and his new teammates celebrated his arrival and predicted multiple championships, he wheezed in the moment.
At just 26, it's still possible those championships may come. But this was not how the script was supposed to start. It left him scrambling for an out. For once, he couldn't go to his game as his answer and instead he seized on belittling those who rejoiced in his struggles.
After a year of struggling to win approval for personal choices that alienated a once-huge fan base, it felt like a poetic end.
"All the people that was rooting on me to fail, at the end of the day they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before," James said. "I'm going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things that I want to do with me and my family and be happy with that."
Brian Windhorst is a former Plain Dealer NBA beat writer and currently works for ESPN.com.
Cayman13
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MattyFos.
Let's go Brandon!!
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Cool.
MattyFos.
Let's go Brandon!!
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I live my AC sig. But this is DEFINITELY sig worthy.
Apathy
shalom
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HOLY FUCK YOU'RE RIGHT! I FORGOT!
GUYS. GUYS. HEY GUYS. DID YOU KNOW HE WAS FROM OHIO? WE CANT HATE HIM IF HES FROM OHIO.
GOD I LOVE TYPING LIKE THIS.
FUCK.
Backstage
A winning record? Pshaw!
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Did you know the Baltimore Ravens are originally from Ohio? And who doesn't love them, right?!
MattyFos.
Let's go Brandon!!
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Hold on. You're telling me Lebron is actually from Ohio? Why haven't I heard of this before? I would like to see a birth certificate.