Well what I can say – I’m still shocked! Shocked! Shocked!
How can LeBron not win the title? I still can’t get that through my head. He’s supposed to win the title. That’s the way basketball works. That’s the way the NBA has worked for 50 years. Best player, best point differential, best team, wins it all. This isn’t the NCAA tournament, this isn’t Any given Sunday. These are seven game series grinded out over a week and half.
I’m still positive that in some parallel Lost universe he’s playing the Magic on Sunday. In fact, I’m pretty sure that’s the real universe and I’m typing this up in the parallel.
I did watch the whole game – and it did most definitely feel totally surreal throughout – even if the cavs were within striking distance most of the time.
In spite of his gaudy counting stats this was most definitely not Real LeBron. Not in his play, or body language or anything at all.
I have seen him play at least a few dozen games over the course of his seven year career.
I can’t remember even once seeing him fumble the ball on the catch of a good pass or unable to pick up his own crossover, or dribbling off of his foot, all of which he did on multiple occasions last night.
I can’t remember even once seeing a totally errant pass that had no shot at being caught by any Cav player whatsoever. And I counted at least three of these – crazy Delonte West style – passes last night.
I can’t recollect him missing to the right of the rim by a foot on his jumper – and again this happened multiple times last night.
So clearly this was not real LeBron. Either his elbow hurts, or he’d run out of steam (he sure looked tired out there) or he was sick. I don’t know.
He was working hard – those rebounds came because he was jumping 10 feet in the air over everyone else to make sure he secured the ball. He was launching himself from one side of the court to the other to deflect passes and create fastbreaks…
But in true Bizarro fashion he was most definitely not running full steam ahead when he had the ball in those breaks… He’d run over half court and then stop and not even have a pass ready to go. It was like Mo Williams was playing in LeBron’s body.
And even more Bizarro – after 10 seconds of clock had already been dribbled away by his offensively challenged teammates the ball would arrive to him at the top of the key coming off a screen. And, get this, he would pretty much immediately pass it right back to one of his teammates, who would inevitably dribble another 10 seconds of clock off. I have never seen this. I still don’t understand it.
And in embarrassing Bizarro – The Celtics actually had Ray Allen guarding LeBron for most of that game. Ray freaking Allen!!! Giving LeBron about 3 feet of space too. Are you really going to tell me Real LeBRon wouldn’t have had a total field day being guarded by Ray Allen!?!?!?
And definitely most Bizarro of all. He was neither shocked nor visibly disappointed when the Celtics had a pretty much insurmountable lead with a minute and half to go, nor when the clock finally ran out. He made a point of hugging every Celtic and saying something into their ear (my guess? He said go get the Magic and/or congrats – you guys earned this – and/or I’ll be back next year with a better f’ing team so make the most of this opportunity).
Real LeBron – You might remember – stormed of the court in disgust after the magic defeated them in game 6. Wouldn’t even do a post game.
I think ultimately he must have realized that not being 100% (of even 85%) there was absolutely no chance he could win the title, even if he could get past the Celtics. Title or bust meant it didn’t really matter if it was 2nd round ouster or finals in 4. And I think he hates the coach and he was down on his teammates and pretty much just wanted to get the hell on with his life. Why play if I don’t really have a chance?
As far as the Cavs – My goodness! A little LeBron backslide exposed what a weak team they are.
Mo Williams was freaking awful. Awful! He came out looking for his own shot and made a few (got 20 in the first half) and he’s all cocky and shit. But he also dribbled the hell out of the ball and failed to get it to LeBron on multiple occasions – most notably on a horrific fast break where he decided to run through two Boston players and fumble it out of bounds rather than passing it to an open LeBron under the basket. I’m talking about a play any one of us could have made. Just a basic I’m running down the court, I just crossed half court, there are two Celtics at the foul line and LeBron is at the basket. I mean even Celtics fans were a little disgusted. LeBron was definitely disgusted.
Antawn Jamison was even worse. He couldn’t make a layup or a floater, much less an open jumpshot. He got a couple of steals early, but otherwise was absolutely torched by KG. If he was a free agent coming off of that game – I’d venture to guess there would be no team in the NBA willing to sign him next season. Just unbelievable timid, and bad. Maybe his elbow hurt too. Or maybe he just absolutely choked in a big game. Or maybe he had no idea what the hell was going on and that piece of crap coach couldn’t design anything for him to get easy shots offensively.
Cavs second best player was Varejao – Who got limited run from their idiot coach – and was repeatedly exposed offensively by the Cavs penchant for running the high pick and roll with LeBron and Varejao. If there’s one lesson from the Orlando series last year its this: double LeBron and force him to pass to Varejao. More often than not, Varejao will not be able to complete a shot or the play. If you’re going to run a pick and roll 20 feet from the basket – freaking run it with someone that can shoot, pass and dribble (at least one of the three!) REtard. Still every Cavs line-up looked more legit when he was on the floor.
Also got to give Kudos to Shaq – He may be a lumbering Giant, but he played hard and smart. Like this game mattered and he knew what he was doing. Plus perkins is a real good matchup for him since he cant really exploit Shaq’s defensive weakness. At one point they had Shaq guarding KG, which did not work as well, but for the most part Shaq held his own. He went to the basket HARD every time he had the chance and when Perkins had the ball under the basket for a layup he fouled the shit out of him. Ended the game with 5 fouls I believe and everyone one of them counted. (Mo Williams on the other hand stood under the basket while Rondo laid it up on a fast break. Guess he didn’t want to ruin his manicure or anything. And besides what’s Rondo? A 55% shooter from the free throw line? Freaking embarrassing… Mo Williams sucks.)
And the freaking coach – He dusted off Ilgaukas and played him for what seemed like an eternity on TWO separate stretches. Needless to say it was a while before he was able to hit a freaking jump shot – given that’s he hardly played in 3 months and is almost 40. Every coach interviewed before the game pretty much said you can’t start Jamison on KG (which is exactly what he did and the Celtics proceeded to get the ball to KG as often as they could). Every coach interview said you have to make mo willliams guard rondo or get someone else to do it. Having Mo on Ray Allen gave the Celtics a 3rd offensive weapon. How can you let the other team have 3 offensive mismatches from the opening whistle?
And what the fans need to be worried about is – How can LeBron look at this team and the players on it and the lack of high draft picks or cap space or youth or upside potential and think this team is possible going to get any better? Is LeBron going to get better? He just had the 2nd best PER of all time – I’m going to say he’s pretty much peaking.
As far as the Celtics they looked great. Major props to Rondo who has become a tremendous force. He took anyone he wanted off the dribble and when the Cavs put LeBron on him he said fine – stood two feet behind the 3 point line on the corner and handed the ball off to his teammates and let them go to work on the non-LeBrons. Just so controlled and with a remarkable basketball IQ (one that made you reminisce about Real LeBron). And he hit some 18 footers too. And he was certainly the best athlete on the floor. Honestly I can’t do justice to how good he was and just how much he controlled the game – and neither can the video game stats. He was a freaking revelation to watch.
Now KG, I’m just not sure what to say. He looked great. Repeatedly hit turnaround, fade-away 15 footers. I’m talking like three in a row to start the game. Hard shots. We couldn’t make 1 out of 50 if we were they only ones on the court. And he was mobile as all get out. I don’t understand how this is the same player I saw dragging his legs up and down the court two months ago. I mean someone must have spliced up some video somewhere showing just how different the two are. One looks 50 – like Bill Russell putting on a uniform and trying to play out there - the other looks 27. How is that possible? Not suggesting anything, but you got to admit it’s pretty fishy that his knees suddenly rejuvenated like that.
We’ll see how good this team is when the play the Magic. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see them do well – I mean they should have some of the same match-up advantages right? Neither Jameer Nelson nor Vince Carter has any hope whatsoever of containing Rondo. It’ll help to have Howard under the basket, but once the first defender is broken down, every subsequent helper leaves someone open and this Rondo guy got himself some Jason Kidd koolaid or something. And Derek Fisher won’t even try. They’ll start Kobe on him right away. (Isn’t this what killed the Lakers two years ago?) And yeah the Lakers have all the big men and all that, but I’d argue that KG in the league is the only player tall enough at the PF position to guard Gasol – and he might just have enough athleticism left in him too.