Celtics-Cavs Second Round Series

[billmac91]

I wasn't talking about money for Lebron. Gilbert will pay what it takes to put pieces around Lebron to win. I don't think a player can be a part owner while he plays. Jordan was a part owner in Washington, but had to give it up when he decided to play. They might be able to come to a handshake agreement that if Lebron finishes his career in Cleveland Gilbert will give him a % of the team, but there won't be anything in writing. There is no point being pessimistic now. Lebron is going to make ungodly money outside of ball regardless of where he plays, but this is his home. Everyone in Northeast Ohio loves him now, but if he were to leave he would be more hated than Manny and Thome combined. What's the point of building that massive house if you are only planning on living in it for a year?

That's all true....I just think the Nets will be more aggressive than the Cavs when it comes to pitching LeBron or surrounding him with players.

I do agree, Cleveland/Akron is home, and that is definately in our favor but even if he plays in Brooklyn he can keep the house and let his family stay in the area. His girlfriend is living there with their kids, and even if he is a hated man in Ohio for bolting to Brooklyn, I'd imagine he'd keep the family in Ohio.

Who knows though? You bring up good points, I just think Brooklyn is definately in play. Some Clevelanders dismiss the chance it could happen, but it most definately can. And I think the city will sweat it out before a decesion is made, because LeBron and his business associates are smart enough to know how powerful they are in the negotiation.

 

[exhawg]

That's all true....I just think the Nets will be more aggressive than the Cavs when it comes to pitching LeBron or surrounding him with players.

I do agree, Cleveland/Akron is home, and that is definately in our favor but even if he plays in Brooklyn he can keep the house and let his family stay in the area. His girlfriend is living there with their kids, and even if he is a hated man in Ohio for bolting to Brooklyn, I'd imagine he'd keep the family in Ohio.

Who knows though? You bring up good points, I just think Brooklyn is definately in play. Some Clevelanders dismiss the chance it could happen, but it most definately can. And I think the city will sweat it out before a decesion is made, because LeBron and his business associates are smart enough to know how powerful they are in the negotiation.

I agree Brooklyn is in play, but I figure there is no use worring about it. If the Knicks were in a position like the Nets will be when Lebron will be a FA I'd be a little more worried. IIRC Carter is still under contract for the next 3 years so Lebron would be stuck playing with him for a year unless they could move him. That's a bonus for the Cavs.

 

[billmac91]

I agree Brooklyn is in play, but I figure there is no use worring about it. If the Knicks were in a position like the Nets will be when Lebron will be a FA I'd be a little more worried. IIRC Carter is still under contract for the next 3 years so Lebron would be stuck playing with him for a year unless they could move him. That's a bonus for the Cavs.

not to continue to beat this all into the ground, but 1 other major issue that wasn't brought up is Jay-Z. They are best friends, and can basically be on top of the world together as business partners. One is the owner, the other is the best athlete in the world.

The marketing machine behind them is actually limitless.

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Cavs fail to follow formula on offense Coach says key principles broke down in Game 1, leading to poor shooting
By Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Thursday, May 08, 2008
BOSTON: It has been seven months and 89 games, but as the Cavaliers prepared for Game 2 against the Boston Celtics, they were going back to the basics from training camp.
After reviewing the game video, Cavs coach Mike Brown said some of the team's standard offensive principles of ball movement and of general rotation broke down in the 76-72 loss in Game 1.
It was surprising considering that the Cavs have been running the same plays for months and, in Game 6 against the Washington Wizards, displayed some of the best movement and execution all season.
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

LeBron will bounce back Cavs star has history of turning it up a notch after suffering a bad game
Published on Thursday, May 08, 2008



BOSTON: LeBron James peeled back his upper lip.
''Want me to show you?'' he said to a Cavs PR representative who had asked (at my request) where he was hit on Boston Celtics guard Sam Cassell's flagrant foul Tuesday night.
James then revealed the cut that he received inside his mouth as he drove to the basket.
''People think I'm diving,'' he scoffed. ''Maybe I need to get my eye poked out for people to know I'm getting hit.''
Clearly, James hears the crowd and the comments, comments that state he overreacts and draws foul calls with Shakespearean antics.
The cut was proof otherwise.
James does get hit, and when he does, he reacts. The crowd doesn't like it because the game is fast and the hits are hard to see live.
In Washington, he got poked in the eye and reacted; the crowd howled, but he had to call timeout to flush out his eye.
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James has history of rebounding from bad games


Thursday, May 08, 2008Branson Wright
Plain Dealer Reporter
Boston- LeBron James had the worst shooting night of his career in Game 1 of the best-of-seven semifinal playoff series against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, but neither James nor coach Mike Brown is concerned.
History is on James' side.
"He is who he is and it's as simple as that," Brown said. "He's human and he had a tough night. He hasn't had many tough nights in a row. Usually when he has a tough night, he bounces back the next game and has a pretty good game."

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Cavaliers' clogged offense needs a tune-up, Terry Pluto says


Thursday, May 08, 2008
Scribbles in my notebook as the Cavaliers prepare for Game 2:
Boston- Mike Brown said the following about his of fense, other than the obvious comments about the lousy, 30 percent shooting:
No. 1 The Cavs kept the ball on the same side of the court: If they brought it up on the right side, it usually stayed there. That made them easy to defend. It also took away passes inside because Boston threw up a tight zone near the hoop.

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Posey wreaking havoc on Cavs


Thursday, May 08, 2008Mary Schmitt Boyer
Plain Dealer Reporter
Waltham, Mass.- Boston coach Doc Rivers knew he'd never win, but he was willing to make a case for James Posey as the NBA's top sixth man.
"When they were asking about the Sixth Man Award, I brought up Pose," Rivers said Wednes day as the Cel tics prepared to host the Cava liers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals tonight in TD Banknorth Garden. "You could never win the argument with his numbers, but you can with his value to our basketball team."
This is a basketball team that led the NBA with a 66-16 record and owns a 1-0 record in this series against the Cavs.

Cont....

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Don't expect to see a repeat of Game 1 from the Cleveland Cavaliers-Boston Celtics playoff series, says The Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw


Thursday, May 08, 2008Bud Shaw
Plain Dealer Columnist
It's finally arrived. The make-good for the greatest sporting injustice of our time.
Can you put a price on the insult of seeing LeBron James pictured on a "Crybaby" T-shirt in Washington last week? When the pizza is 23 cents at Papa John's today, you betcha.
I hope those independent-franchise owners in D.C. learned a lesson when they put the corporate name on the T-shirt proudly worn by Wizards fans last week. No justice, no peace
Cont...

 

[Piney]

I agree Brooklyn is in play, but I figure there is no use worring about it. If the Knicks were in a position like the Nets will be when Lebron will be a FA I'd be a little more worried. IIRC Carter is still under contract for the next 3 years so Lebron would be stuck playing with him for a year unless they could move him. That's a bonus for the Cavs.

not to continue to beat this all into the ground, but 1 other major issue that wasn't brought up is Jay-Z. They are best friends, and can basically be on top of the world together as business partners. One is the owner, the other is the best athlete in the world.

The marketing machine behind them is actually limitless.

I am less worried than most people. I remember reports during his previous contract extention that the Cavs were telling the NBA to watch the Nets for tampering due to Jay-Z. I am sure Jay-Z has been warned about the possibility of tampering with LeBron.

Take the next logical step, if LeBron signs with the Nets how quickly does Gilbert slap a tampering charge on the Nets and Jay-Z? This can be a HUGE headache to the league. I can see Gilbert raising hell cuz he is liable to lose not just a few million, but potentially a hundred million dollars!!! Cuz the Cavs would be worthless to him without LeBron.

But enough about LeBron leaving as this is not the thread for it... back to beating the Celtics!!!

 

[Piney]

Good call man, I don't feel as bad now.

Especially cause I know we can take them.

Only problem lies in what Pierce and Allen do come Thursday.

If they go off like they are capable, the Cavs will get blown out unless Lebron goes for 35+ which is unlikely the way Brown is coaching is offense. Being outcoached by Doc Rivers is embarrassing.

Memo to Brown: please keep Wallace on KG.

Ray Allen is the only guy I am worried about. Paul Pierce? Not so much, he really has a hard time against LeBron and only averaging 14 pts against us during the season speaks volumes regarding that. The only thing to worry about with Paul Pierce is getting LeBron in foul trouble.

Back to Ray Allen, he is the guy I worry about cuz we have Wally on him to start the game and eventually he gets West on him when he and Gibson are in the game. Allen didn't really get stopped, he just wasn't involved in the offense and the shots he took were open shots. He should knock those down. THAT is what I am worried about. Once he gets hot it will be hard to stop him as that is when Boston will make sure he is involved. And a reminder, he was their leading scorer against the Cavs during the regular season.

 

[jlb1705]

Nice start by Z tonight.

 

[exhawg]

So far so good. I hope Ben's back isn't screwed up bad again.

 

[jlb1705]

West has been tenacious so far tonight. This is the kind of effort (at both ends) that they're gonna need from him if the Cavs want to win this series.

 

[jlb1705]

Wallace goes to the locker room with "extreme dizziness". He fouled to stop the clock and get himself out of the game, and nearly fell over as he approached the bench.

I'd bet he's out for the rest of this game, but it sounds like something that probably won't keep him out longer than that like his back might have.