Something Strange Occurred in Cleveland Last Night

[Bendit]

What the hell was that?

Lebron looking disinterested?
Lebron going 4 for 15
Lebron not going inside
Lebron catching a case of Boshitis?

Where was the fire?...that look in the eye?...the unrelenting drive?

The last two games have been the absolute antithesis of what the man has been on the bb court and the swaggering persona off it.

So wtf happened?

My best guess...not having gotten much push back in his career he was now faced with one (unrelenting defense and not much help from his team) and he hasnt been able to overcome it...so far.

Opinions?

[Buddahfan]

What the hell was that?

Lebron looking disinterested?
Lebron going 4 for 15
Lebron not going inside
Lebron catching a case of Boshitis?

Where was the fire?...that look in the eye?...the unrelenting drive?

The last two games have been the absolute antithesis of what the man has been on the bb court and the swaggering persona off it.

So wtf happened?

My best guess...not having gotten much push back in his career he was now faced with one (unrelenting defense and not much help from his team) and he hasnt been able to overcome it...so far.

Opinions?

No one else wants to say it but I don't mind. It is the same thing that happened last year when the Cavs won 66 games and lost to Hedo in the Conference finals

[Bendit]

I am afraid I dont know nor have read anything specifically negative about Brown but have heard those rumours as well. Cant adjust they say. But what can he do when the Celtics clog up the lane defensively and dare you to/make you take jump shots....and your team chokes. The Cavs tried the same with the Celtics but they made their shots or got around the pylons Shaq & Z. Hence my leaning towards why LBJ didnt bulldoze his way to the rim. He wasnt doing much of it and passing off the ball a lot.

[Hotshot]

The thing I don't get the most, is why advertise that you have a sore elbow?! you pretty much let the other team target that area when they foul now.

[TheGloveinRapsUniform]

yeah man, it was weird watching the game last night.....lebron looked like he was high on 'shrooms or something....he kept looking around, he was slow and just wanted to get the hell out of there. He had a couple of chances to do the chase down block he's gotten famous for but he didnt.....

maybe he needs to tweet the fans and ask them what he should do, wahahahahaha

Boshitis, i like that Bendit!

[RikkJames]

The look of disinterest is his Ego covering up for him feeling worried and helpless, instead of having a look of urgency or panic, he feels the disinterested look is cooler.

All those sideline dances and mugging for the cameras when he was smashing the weaker teams is of no use now...
..1 more game...and "its a celebration b1tches." ( Damn, Rapts times are tough when u start rooting for the Celtics )

[TM Williamson]

No one else wants to say it but I don't mind. It is the same thing that happened last year when the Cavs won 66 games and lost to Hedo in the Conference finals

Come on. The best basketball player in the world was missing wide open jumpers BADLY, and that's on the coach?

I'm not the head of the Mike Brown fan club, and I agree he's not getting the job done as a coach, but last night was a pathetic performance from Lebron, plain and simple. He looked disinterested, he wasn't aggressive, he was lazy on defense, and he missed plenty of shots he usually makes.

I've always said I thought Lebron would stay in Cleveland, but after that performance and the way the Cavs have played overall in this series, I'm starting to think he's gone.

[mo-sales]

This whole 24 hours media cycle is getting out of control. Bron had a bad game, the Cavs lost a game they should have won, now they have to win in Boston. Its not a big deal. Bron is going to bring the hammer in game six and right the ship for game 7 back in Cleveland.

This series was always going 7, every Boston series does. Bron is one of the best to ever lace em up, he's not going down that easy.

The blow outs are disconcerting, but he shouldn't have triple double every night to keep his team in the game. The onus should be on his teammates to step up even a little. I think he just gets frustrated knowing that if he isn't going 100% all the time his team doesn't have a chance. He never mentally checked into the game last night, that won't happen in Boston.

[Copywryter]

This whole 24 hours media cycle is getting out of control. Bron had a bad game, the Cavs lost a game they should have won, now they have to win in Boston. Its not a big deal. Bron is going to bring the hammer in game six and right the ship for game 7 back in Cleveland.

This series was always going 7, every Boston series does. Bron is one of the best to ever lace em up, he's not going down that easy.

The blow outs are disconcerting, but he shouldn't have triple double every night to keep his team in the game. The onus should be on his teammates to step up even a little. I think he just gets frustrated knowing that if he isn't going 100% all the time his team doesn't have a chance. He never mentally checked into the game last night, that won't happen in Boston.

Absolutely agree. Though perhaps not about the Cleveland in 7 thing. : ) The fact that Cleveland fans were booing him made me think that the city doesn't even deserve him. A guy with a playoff PER higher than Jordan has a stinker of a game and they boo?

CLASSLESS.

[Buddahfan]

Come on. The best basketball player in the world was missing wide open jumpers BADLY, and that's on the coach?

I'm not the head of the Mike Brown fan club, and I agree he's not getting the job done as a coach, but last night was a pathetic performance from Lebron, plain and simple. He looked disinterested, he wasn't aggressive, he was lazy on defense, and he missed plenty of shots he usually makes.

I've always said I thought Lebron would stay in Cleveland, but after that performance and the way the Cavs have played overall in this series, I'm starting to think he's gone.

I think that that maybe we are avoiding the real point here. If Boston can figure out how to play lock down defense against the Cavs; remember Jamison and Williams are also scorers than if Brown was a championship caliber coach he would come up with a way to stop the Celtics.

It gets old repeating it, but you win in the playoffs with defense. Brown couldn't figure out how to stop the Magic last year and so far he hasn't been able to figure out how to stop the Celtics.

Its on him man. Its not like the Celtics are the top scoring team in the league or even close to it.

[TM Williamson]

Absolutely agree. Though perhaps not about the Cleveland in 7 thing. : ) The fact that Cleveland fans were booing him made me think that the city doesn't even deserve him. A guy with a playoff PER higher than Jordan has a stinker of a game and they boo?

CLASSLESS.

They were booing their team (not just Lebron) for laying an egg in the biggest game of the season, at home, against a team they are supposed to beat. If there was ever a time to boo your own team, that's it. The Raps have been booed off the floor at the ACC for less. I don't agree with booing your own team, but it happens, and when you're that good and you play that badly, you've got to expect it.

I think he just gets frustrated knowing that if he isn't going 100% all the time his team doesn't have a chance.

You can't demand $20 million dollars a year and then say "I shouldn't have to go 100% all the time for my team to win." That's what being a franchise player is all about. If he wants to pass the buck to someone else, he should go sign somewhere for the MLE and let someone else carry the load and take the responsibility. However, if he wants to be an international superstar, and make a billion dollars, and be the face of his team, and the NBA, and basketball worldwide, then he has to accept responsibility when he doesn't deliver. He can't get frustrated that the team goes as he goes. That's generally what you sign up for when you get paid the maximum allowable salary.

This team was built to get wins by following the lead of the best basketball player in the world. When they get wins (as they did all season) Lebron rightfully gets a ton of credit (two straight MVPs, obviously). But when they lose the biggest game of the year, and Lebron has his worst game of the year, he's going to rightfully get a ton of blame. He can't have it both ways, so in my opinion, he deserves any and all criticism he gets related to last night.

[TM Williamson]

I think that that maybe we are avoiding the real point here. If Boston can figure out how to play lock down defense against the Cavs; remember Jamison and Williams are also scorers than if Brown was a championship caliber coach he would come up with a way to stop the Celtics.

It gets old repeating it, but you win in the playoffs with defense. Brown couldn't figure out how to stop the Magic last year and so far he hasn't been able to figure out how to stop the Celtics.

Its on him man. Its not like the Celtics are the top scoring team in the league or even close to it.

Fair enough, and I do agree with you as far as the Cavs title chances go. But the way this team is constructed, they could have Red Auerbach, Phil Jackson, and Jerry Sloan coaching, and I still don't think they could win a game with Lebron playing the way he did last night.

In the big picture, Mike Brown could absolutely be a problem. Last night though, Lebron James was the problem, and no coach could have saved that game.

[Bendit]

We forget that "booing" is a negative reaction that can be have a basis in a complex/mixed set of circumstances. In defense of the Cleveland crowd last night, their whole fan base had been geared the entire season to have success (they won > 60 games). This was the second in a row they got taken to the woodshed. It was the way the team lost (over 30 pts. and the whole team played crap). They were stunned with what was happening. This could be their last home game. They were not getting beat in the finals and not even the conf. finals. The ownership bent backwards to spend whatever to put this crew together (for Howard & Kobe) and they were choking against Rondo and creaky Garnett and Baby Davis. It must have been horrible for that team to hear those boos. It shall be very interesting to see how they react come the next game. If Lebron doesnt revert back to being the beast it would have to be a physical problem....cannot believe he suddenly got neutered...his posse and Jamario...wouldnt allow it.

[Buddahfan]

The Cavs will have one thing going for them Thursday.

The game will be in the T.D. Banknorth Garden and not the old Boston Garden. They never would have stood a chance in the old building.

[mo-sales]

Lebron James, game 6 in Boston, minimum 40 points, triple double and at least 3 plays that make you wonder whether he is bound to same laws of gravity as everyone else.

You don't think he agonizing over last night's performance all day and disgusted by how he let down his teammates, his fans and the city. The guy isn't as much of a killer as Kobe, but he might have a bigger ego and to have everyone questioning his heart, ability, legacy and most importantly his ability to win the big one is going get his fire going. Unfortunately some guys just need a little extra motivation and now Bron has it. Should he have been motivated the whole time, obviously, but it is not too late and Boston has no one who can slow him down once he gets going.

All that matters is winning the series, no one looks back and questions the manner in which you did. Everyone got all in arms when the Celtics needed 7 to finish off the lowly Hawks, but then they won the title and it was considered a good tune up/wake up call.

The Cav's have been coasting and slowly gearing up for Orlando, but they overlooked Boston and now their in a dogfight. Lebron could be down 3-0 and I wouldn't be too worried.

The problem is Mike Brown, he has no clue what do to and Boston isn't even a difficult team to match up with. He had Pierce locked down all series and decided to throw AP on him to get him going. Rondo is truly awesome, but he's really the main guy you have to worry about. Don't bite on his ball fakes, jump the passing lanes and force him to score. The Celtics really get dangerous when Rondo gets his big men involved off drive and dishes.

Shaq can't play in this series yet Brown keeps trotting him out. Perkins has been useless so why match up against him. Go small and fast. Bron, Jamison, Hickson and Jamison should be the only bigs to see time. The Celtics don't have a single player other than Rondo who can play defense in transition, yet they keep waiting for Shaq to meander down and set up shop.

The Celtics have been winning because Brown is being outcoached as badly as one can and Bron keeps waiting for the right moment to shift into his highest gear. The moment has picked him instead of vice versa and the Celtics are going to need a miracle to keep Bron from going off in order to save not just the series, but his ego.

[Buddahfan]

The problem is Mike Brown, he has no clue what do to

The Celtics have been winning because Brown is being outcoached as badly as one can

Nothing new here. He was out coached by Van Gundy in last season's playoffs and it is happening again.

We will find out soon enough if Lebron can compensate for Brown's inadequacies or whether the Cavs go down to Boston like they did last season to the Magic.