LeBron James

[Gus Zing]

After sleeping on it..

Just figure out a way to get by the Pacers.

Still think we get by the Raps(or Wiz) in the 2nd round.

ECF I'm not betting against LeBron. Just have to get there.

I haven't been this frustrated since the Magic series (in the east) though. At least with the Celtics I thought they were the better team that regained their rhythm.

Lue is making Mike Brown like rotations though.

 

[Gus Zing]

I was gonna hammer LeBron for not doing what was needed to preserve the lead in the second half but after seeing this interview clip there's no need. For whatever reason, he didn't have it during that Pacers run. LeBron once again shows what a class act he is.

I think there's still some playoff adjustment on his part with having no Kyrie. We really should have kept Wade so we can take LeBron off the ball.

In fact I think Jose needed some run in the 2nd half.

 

[buzzdog]

I think there's still some playoff adjustment on his part with having no Kyrie. We really should have kept Wade so we can take LeBron off the ball.

In fact I think Jose needed some run in the 2nd half.

Cedi. He can get to the rim when they shut off everyone else's water.

 

[Ace Kicker]

How many 1-win teams have statues outside their arenas for their best player?

If LeBron stayed here the rest of his career, then okay. But leaving twice in FA after quitting on the team (and common sense/quitting may not be mutually exclusive here) is where I draw the line.

Even Skip is in disbelief.

 

[NorthCoastBias]

Its probably the only one we are ever getting in the NBA. Does anyone really believe that the Cavs are going to draft their way into future championships? Because that's what it will take. No superstar is ever coming here unless we draft him, and in most cases even if we do, he is going to just bide his time to get away.

When Lebron left the first time we got lucky as hell to get all those #1 picks (plus several other very high picks) and we hit on 1 guy.

We would need an all world GM and coach to get this team to back to championship level and its highly unlikely to happen with Gilbert's style of ownership.

I've read this line of thinking on this board in the past and just don't get it. The Golden State Warriors were basically the NBA's version of the Cleveland Browns for about 40 years. I'm sure most of their real diehard fans had these same types of thoughts over that time period. Sometimes all the pieces fall into place. To think they can't again at some point is just plain old defeatism.

 

[wremy]

Workload plays a factor as well, Wremy.

I think you have to understand that he would be feeling frustrated as well at the fact that he has to go out and score 40+ points again for us to win. In the first round. Also, the lack of calls as well. Bogdanovic was getting away with a lot of reach-in fouls which weren't being called.

I am not saying that is fine or alright. But, its a result of a lot of things. Now, if he just had to go out and score 40+ points, its ok. But on the top of that, he has to also create shots for others which we kept bricking and also rebound the ball, while marshaling the defense. That takes a toll on you mentally.

And as great as LeBron is, he can't keep on doing that consistently. Certainly not in his 15th season.

Yeah I can understand that in the 4th quarter but when you're up 17 coming out of the half when you only played 18 minutes in the first half and basically coasted those 18 minutes you should have all the energy you need to come out and put this team away in the third quarter... That's where I'm most upset about it was time to put them away get a big playoff win and comea out and shit the bed in the third quarter... I mean he was basically a no show for quarters 1 and 4 in game 1 and damn near a no show for most of the second half last night on offense because he was continuing to settle for jump shots and pound the ball into the ground, turn it over, and make bad decisions with the basketball

 

[ACisKING]

Well at least he’s saying the right things...

Asked how he could get his teammates to play better, James said, “What are you guys looking for? You think I’m going to throw my teammates under the bus. I’m not about that. Guys have just got to play better, including myself. I had six turnovers tonight. I was horrible in the third quarter. Couldn’t make a shot. If I make some better plays in the third quarter, then the lead don’t slip. We know we’ve all got to play better as a collective group.”

 

[Littaguy714]

It is difficult to be critical of LBJ when you look at the numbers he put up last night.

That being said, LBJ just did not seem fully invested in the game. He did not quit, but he seemed content to play the game like it was regular season game number 18 and he was trying to figure out what his teammates could do in crunch time.

He was strangely passive in the 4th quarter of a playoff game.

This was not Boston of 8 years ago where he stood in the corner and hid, but he was content to act as the PG and distribute to teammates the entire quarter. He never attacked the rim and tried to finish. The only shots he took were ones he settled for long 3's (and he hit a few of them).

Even during timeouts or breaks in the action, he was pretty quiet and seemed to be keeping to himself. He was not the vocal leader some of these young guys needed in crunch time.

I don't know what to make of it.

For all we know, he will come out a holy terror tomorrow, put up 45/12/10 and lead the team to a double digit win and the Cavs win the series in 6.

However, if he comes out and plays like he played the 2nd half of last night's game, in my opinion the season is all but over.

To me, it will be a signal he has checked out and just does not want to have to carry this group in the playoffs and is ready to move on in his career.

If that happens, there will be plenty of time for the blame game, but as far as I am concerned, that starts and ends at the very top with an owner whose only redeeming quality is his willingness to spend money.

If spending money was all it took to win championships, teams like the Nets and Redskins would have won championships of late.

 

[Phil Mixtape]

The mere thought of him going to Philly makes me shudder. Can't really think of a more deplorable/undeserving fanbase than there. It's the same as everywhere else too, everyone calling him "Lebitch" until he's on your team and you're praising the fucking heavens . .

 

[CavsFan07]

The mere thought of him going to Philly makes me shudder. Can't really think of a more deplorable/undeserving fanbase than there. It's the same as everywhere else too, everyone calling him "Lebitch" until he's on your team and you're praising the fucking heavens . .

Do you not recall all the names Cavs fans were calling him when he left for Miami? Myself included.

 

[BrutX15]

The mere thought of him going to Philly makes me shudder. Can't really think of a more deplorable/undeserving fanbase than there. It's the same as everywhere else too, everyone calling him "Lebitch" until he's on your team and you're praising the fucking heavens . .

Most Cavs fan will go back to that as well... I've said it over and over, he would be crazy to not go to Philly if he only cares about winning more rings. At the same time though, it also confirms why he will never be considered greater than MJ or Kobe, or even to Kareem and Bill to the older generation. At any sign of adversity he jumps ship (assuming he leaves this off-season). The finals record is just extra fodder to many. I think being to that many straight finals is amazing, no matter how many losses.

First stint in Cleveland, adversity hits with no help, he bolts to Miami. Miami gets their clock cleaned by the Spurs, more adversity with aging roster, he bolts back to Cleveland. Adversity with owner over politics, and sub-par roster, he bolts again. At least when adversity hits the next time, he can probably just retire.

He is one of the greatest, no denying it. But it's funny how older players are called mercenaries when they chase after rings. Meanwhile, LeBron has been doing it his whole career, once again assuming he leaves this off-season. He could shut that story line down by staying with a lesser team, but so far he has proven to always go where the grass is greener, before adversity inevitably kills it. Even though all it needs is just a little water.

 

[CHIMOCHIS]

Most Cavs fan will go back to that as well... I've said it over and over, he would be crazy to not go to Philly if he only cares about winning more rings. At the same time though, it also confirms why he will never be considered greater than MJ or Kobe, oreven to Kareem and Bill to the older generation. At any sign of adversity he jumps ship (assuming he leaves this off-season).

First stint in Cleveland, adversity hits with no help, he bolts to Miami. Miami gets their clock cleaned by the Spurs, more adversity with aging roster, he bolts back to Cleveland. Adversity with owner over politics, and sub-par roster, he bolts again. At least when adversity hits the next time, he can probably just retire.

He is one of the greatest, no denying it. But it's funny how older players are called mercenaries when they chase after rings. Meanwhile, LeBron has been doing it his whole career, once again assuming he leaves this off-season. He could shut that story line down by staying with a lesser team, but so far he has proven to always go where the grass is greener, before adversity inevitably kills it. Even though it could just use a little water.

Don’t blame lebron for knowing how to sign contracts and being smart with his bread

 

[BrutX15]

Don’t blame lebron for knowing how to sign contracts and being smart with his bread

Who's blaming him? I'm sure not. Pretty sure I said he would be crazy to not go to Philly.

 

[dano_24_26]

If I was a Philly fan I don't think I would want him. Then they could run a slower offense and more ISO. Since that works so well

 

[Jontibs]

An ageing Lebron needed to adapt his game to more of a team wide system. Instead he has had to try to revert to the 2007 version LBJ, and frankly he is as much at fault for this as Lue.

The whole quitting thing annoys me. The very idea of it, that he would prefer to lose in the first round as opposed to the finals as if losing in the finals is a greater failure than losing to a mid level team in the first round. I don't understand why anyone could possibly hold 2007 or 2015 against him, anyone who makes an argument without an agenda that is.