ORL vs CLE, or this year's NBA Conf Finals
by marionette on May 23, 2009 7:39 PM CDT
Email
PrintI feel a bit turncoat-ish as I write, but with last's night's thriller still fresh, and so many great finishes to the games already this year, I wonder if there's interest in a space to comment on what's happening specifically. On the other teams left, on the part of Blog a Bullers.
Of course many will say it could've or should've been "us". The Bulls simply couldn't afford the two flat games (only one truly bad) they had against the chumps. But it is hard not imagining how nice it would've been to go into the second round against a team that the officials will call a moving screen against! Even the DPOY, if warranted!
I'll remain skeptical of how the team would have actually faired though. With remembrances of Dwight Howard's infamous steal, to Varejao being granted a time out after sliding out of bounds (the game before the home loss to NJ, one that cost 50 wins and the "easy" post season bracket just the same), even the record (2-9 vs ORL, 1-3 vs CLE this year, but 6-6 over the last three) shows Orlando especially has kind of had The Bulls' number recently.
I think it was majoyenrac who bandied about with me in another thread regarding the quality of NBA East vs West, and this Magic team specifically. So with that as reason, not to mention LeBron, perhaps some of the community here would care to post comments regarding what's shaping up as a phenomenal post season.
In last night's game two, can't you feel for Van Gundy, the fact he's liable to turn into a walking ulcer over letting LeBron get the ball with ONLY ONE SECOND LEFT? After Pavlovic ran over Gortat and was rewarded with the "and 1", I thought the refs were going to hand it over to the Cavs. The subsequent technical (4 point play/possession!) and Varejao's crazy flop (running alongside Hedo!) only reinforced that, but then they called LeBron for traveling (LBJ: "...a great call by the officials", LOL!) and something else that went Orlando's way late (offensive foul on James, maybe?), my faith was temporarily restored. So, a great end, great shot by Turkoglu.... but let's get to it, shall we?
How do you let the guy touch the ball? There's ONLY ONE SECOND LEFT! But I think Stan Van can only beat himself up for something he wishes he'd said. Because the players all know the time left, and where the Cavs want the ball. In fact, I said aloud, "Watch now. James is gonna make a 3 to win it". Who didn't?
This points to what I discount in Orlando. I just never had much appreciation for Rashard Lewis. I thought those years in Seattle with Ray Allen the team underachieved considerably. I don't like the no PF line up. I like Houston so much more with Rafer out of there (and T-Mac). But even though Lewis did nothing on defense that last play, and somebody (Courtney Lee?) got pulled out from under the basket all the way to half court, I have much, much respect for the Magic TEAM now. I see the flaws, and I stand by my opinion that their size (even disregarding Howard) makes it easier for them to play effective defense. Not good defenders, per se. But they're a team, and play like winners, especially in this match up. (Even Rafer has impressed, the way he's filled in. Though a big key for them is they can use Hedo as "PG", with Pietrus in there, especially at crunch time.)
Can't wait to see more of this stuff! Sorry I didn't include links, and for any misspellings of the foreign born players. But there's another game now!
Funny how I don't hate Chauncey anymore!
FanPosts are user-created posts from the BlogABull community, and are to be treated as the opinions and views of that particular user, not that of the blogger or blog community as a whole.
39 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
been a while
forgot how frustrating….
bolds and italics didn’t make it through, and links? forget it! here’s majoyenrac, though.
"As a basketball player gordon is a useless as tits on a a whore" - BigWay (Dec 2, 2008). BigWank, I'll miss you more than all the others. This song is for you, my brother!
okay
now i’m thoroughly embarrassed. and pissed that lebron is on half time, all ‘cause he made a game winner. ugh, i knew i shouldn’t have.
“please tell us what it felt like, great one”…. “tell us more about how incredible you are”….
here’s to more leg cramps and bloody shins (what’s with that anyway?) for him! go magi! go thuggets!
and i’ll just create posts and comment back and forth to me self…. :-(
"As a basketball player gordon is a useless as tits on a a whore" - BigWay (Dec 2, 2008). BigWank, I'll miss you more than all the others. This song is for you, my brother!
by marionette on May 23, 2009 8:59 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Basically, I think there's no way the Magic lose this matchup unless LeBron goes nuts every night.
He’s trying, but …
The Lakers-Nuggets matchup is way more interesting. I want the Nuggets to win … we’ll see what happens. They have to stop screwing up, though. Since both teams are so mercurial it’s really a tossup as to who will win. :P
Three things you must know:
-"Ben Gordon is a bundle of muscle and clutch. That's all he's made of. Drink BG7 energy drink, you'll grow a pair of balls on your balls."
-Pau Gasol: The defense of a seven foot ladder paired with the post presence of Manute Bol.
-Joakim Noah is better than you.
I think even if he does
They can still lose too. I think they’ll have less than a 50/50 shot of winning it even if he does that.
No, I mean LeBron needs to go nuts like he did in Game 2,
that is, scoring 50 points and hitting crazy game-winning shots.
Three things you must know:
-"Ben Gordon is a bundle of muscle and clutch. That's all he's made of. Drink BG7 energy drink, you'll grow a pair of balls on your balls."
-Pau Gasol: The defense of a seven foot ladder paired with the post presence of Manute Bol.
-Joakim Noah is better than you.
i figured
james and co. would be “off” and have a let down for game three, didn’t you? king was 1-8 from three. still, the “team” was in it and i think the series goes 7 games, even if orlando should beat ‘em in 5 or 6. it isn’t a good match up for the cavs, but they were nearly unbeatable at home…
the west always interests me more. la is damn talented: odom is their 6th man! ariza has been great, but bynum has been asleep. kobe strikes me as a "personality drain’ for his team. i’d bet at least half of them really dislike him, and perhaps that’s partly why they’re “so mercurial”. if la can win in less, i’ll change my mind about them, but this one looks like a lock to go 7, especially if lakers can’t even win the rebounding battle (like last night).
"As a basketball player gordon is a useless as tits on a a whore" - BigWay (Dec 2, 2008). BigWank, I'll miss you more than all the others. This song is for you, my brother!
Well, they did lose pretty handily to the Magic at home.
And unless LeBron HITS his 35-foot threes they will again.
Look. It’s a bad sign for the Cavs when the only person on your team that has hit a three-pointer is … LeBron.
Three things you must know:
-"Ben Gordon is a bundle of muscle and clutch. That's all he's made of. Drink BG7 energy drink, you'll grow a pair of balls on your balls."
-Pau Gasol: The defense of a seven foot ladder paired with the post presence of Manute Bol.
-Joakim Noah is better than you.
Personal Feelings about the orl/cav series
When i saw lebron hit that 1 second shot…i was angry. The reason is because i am a bulls fan, and always was. And i am a fan of hte bulls of the 90s (like so many others) and i am a fan of His Airness. And that lebron james one second play, there was no doubt about it, that was very jordan like. And i hated it.
I cheer for the magic in this series, i want the greatness that is lebron to fall short, to struggle and to squirm. Lebron faces two fairly easy adversaries in the first two rounds of the playoffs…one against a no longer great pistons team holding on to the success of yesteryear, and one against an atlanta team that loses its best (only?) perimeter defender to injury and aside from a shotblocker have no real defense. Yet Team lebron is heralded as greatness, they cant lose to anyone says the media. So i cheer for a very weak orlando team, for only they have the ability to show that team lebron is only as good as its best player, and its best player is still lacking….
Lebron poses at every turn, he wears the face of someone that is entitled to something, but why? Because he wearns number 23, because he is the king of all freaks of nature in basketball, because his style of play and strenghts on the court fit in so well with the new rules of the nba giving him an upperhand in all games? Because david stern backs him at every turn as the biggest money making star of the nba?
Maybe my opinion is biased, but ill use the words of my friend, Jordan had Grace. He was the strongest guy on the court, but not strongest guy in the gym. He would outrun anyone and everyone for the ball, but he was never the fastest cat, jordan’s shoes were all the craze, but he didnt sign a contract with nike his rookie year. Jordan playfully clapped chalk into redds face for good luck, not announced his entrance to his fans. Jordan made his ladder, and then climbed it, wasnt told that he belonged at the top the day he was drafted. Jordan had another mvp on his team, and was still head and still led his team in a multitude of stats, he was a more times he was given credit for, the media just got tired of him being named that.
Lebron, he cant be touched because its a foul. Lebron He is bigger and stronger than almost everyone, yes the man has skill, globs of it, but he is missing something. Lebron reminds me of shaq, he can be the most dominant player of his time, but if he and jordan existed in the same generation jordan would destroy him. Jordan won, he claimed the top spot and wanted people to say that he couldnt, he shouldnt. He wanted teh media to create a jordan stopper, and then destroy him (craig ehlo) he wanted to face a ruthless no good team of bullies, so he could scream with dominance in thier face and send them home utterly stupified and beaten. He wanted nature to take a shot at him, put him at less than half strength and take away his ability to talk and communicate with his teamates, and yet still lead them to victory in limited minutes in a crucial playoff game.
Lebron, he is told his time is now, he is told that he is the greatest, he is told he is the second coming of jordan…no….he is the one to surpass jordan. Lebron hit one shot that we could actually call jordan esque. One shot! Sure hes won games, by utilizing his brute strength, the new nba rules, and a little something he calls the crab dribble, but there was no grace about that. There was no poetry, no heroism. But he finally has a shot, full of poetry and heroism, one shot that truly makes him appear jordan-esque and the media is salivating. THEY ARE DYING FOR HIM TO WIN, to become Greater than jordan!! HE is told he is there, and the media bows to him, stern bows to him….its disgusting.
But lebron needs that ring, he needs to win that ring before it truly takes place, and i fear that he just may…although i dont want him to. Had he not thrown chalk for attention, had he not been as big or as a strong as he is now, had he not posed with his teamates before every game as if they were on the cover of slam magazine, had he been someone that the media didnt give the title of jordan esque on a silver platter too, maybe i wouldnt have minded him taking jordans place. but he is lebron, a one man company, and i hope the magic or orlando refuse him of his ring. Let it take him one year longer to get his ring, let him be the most dominant player in the leage like shaq, just keep him away from the legacy of jordan.
Hey lebron, have you seen my 6 championship rings? My 6 NBA CHampionship rings. The 6 Championship rings that I myself have won?
On Behalf of Sue, Wjb, majoyenrac, Bullshooter and all the other Hinrich fans...Ill keep the Hinrich Hope coming...There will be light!
by piccolomair on May 24, 2009 2:27 AM CDT reply actions 6 recs
None of this is Lebron's fault.
It ‘s the fault of our culture and the media … and Michael Jordan. It’s MJ’s fault because he took this game to another level. And more than that, he made “himself” into a brand. Lebron is just repeating what he saw growing up from Jordan and trying like everyone does to better the one who came before them. MJ was the new Dr. J. Lebron has said as much that he doesn’t just want to win championships, but that he wants to be the most famous and the biggest brand. He wants to “Be Like Mike”, only BIGGER. That’s not just Lebron, that is our culture.
And as for the “coronation” of Lebron, that’s not his fault, it’s the media. As Jaina asked, “Was it really like this with Jordan?” The yes part has been answered below. The no part is the current state of the media. And that includes us here on SB Nation. We now have 50-100 channels of 24 hour sports channels, NBA TV, thousands of NBA media coverage online and millions of blogs. Every little thing gets blown WAY out of proportion, because everyone is watching it over and over again. Can you imagine if we had YouTube clips of Jordan after he hit “The Shot”? ESPN would have it rotating around the clock on TV, online and then in The MAG as a two page spread. All I can say is that as a basketball fan, I hope we keep having series like the Bulls and Celtics. I hope Lebron keeps nailing last second shots. I hope Team USA 2016 in Chicago (knock on wood) has D. Rose nailing a 25 footer for a win in the gold medal match. That doesn’t make Jordan any less “Jordan”. No one will ever be MJ, because he was the first of this new generation of media superstars. He changed everything. So we can complain that it’s not like the “good old days” or we can enjoy today’s players for what they are. Entitled, pampered, rich, international mega-stars and personal companies.
by Unrealcity on May 25, 2009 6:10 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
"Maybe I destroyed the game....
or maybe…you’re just making excuses"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-EyRUgp9Mk
On Behalf of Sue, Wjb, majoyenrac, Bullshooter and all the other Hinrich fans...Ill keep the Hinrich Hope coming...There will be light!
thanks
for elucidating my feeling “a bit turncoat-ish”, picco. i agree at least 90+%.
a favorite moment from the last game came from the mouth of doug collins. “he’s like shaq and iverson, in that it’s so hard on the officials to make calls with him.” and i laughed and thought, yeah: he’s too strong like shaq, and too busy in the paint (and at the line) like iverson. difference is, shaq’s on the wrong end of calls because he’s got the unfair physical advantage. lebron has the unfair advantage and gets the calls almost like he doesn’t, like he’s little iverson!
"As a basketball player gordon is a useless as tits on a a whore" - BigWay (Dec 2, 2008). BigWank, I'll miss you more than all the others. This song is for you, my brother!
Everything has been handed to LeCrab so easily
I hate queen james, plain and simple. Yeah he is a great dude, stud, but i don’t know, i just can’t seem to like him. Plus he wears the immortal number 23, it makes me hate him even more, the way he screams, the way he dunks, the way he celebrates a big shot, it makes me wanna kill somebody.
Chicago: Where Derrick Rose happens
by Juan dela Cruz on May 24, 2009 3:42 AM CDT reply actions 2 recs
"The NBA: Where LeBron happens"
Plastered on the front page of NBA.com…
*Barfs
I don't get the Lebron hatred at all
Now you guys know how everyone else around the league felt about MJ before he won a title.
Why resort to name calling?
-Dionysus2.0
because I wish to insult you personally
-your friendly BullsBlogger
was it really like this, though?
and i’m asking this as an honest question, because i’m too young to remember what it was like before he won (since i was only 8 at the time of the first championship).
lebron was called “king” before he even entered the league.
"They should. They better. I'm Vinny Del Negro!"
MJ was the first player with his own shoe line
And Nike gave it to him before he ever played a game in the league. He generated his share of resentment and jealousy around the league too. How do you think the rumors about him getting frozen out at the 85 All-Star Game started? Someone like Magic was wiining championships in the 80’s, but MJ was making millions more in endorsements – despite playing on a lousy team his first few years. It’s not like MJ came in the league and immediately started winning titles, so let’s give Lebron some time before we throw the “MJ won 6 titles!” line at him.
Why resort to name calling?
-Dionysus2.0
because I wish to insult you personally
-your friendly BullsBlogger
thanks guys (you and ozzie)
well i mean i never threw the “mj won 6 titles!” thing at lebron, but was still annoyed how he was coronated without having won anything. i just don’t know what the atmosphere was like in the 80s considering i was a year old when he was drafted.
i don’t know what it is about lebron, but something about him makes my skin crawl and i just don’t like him at all. that’s the only way i can describe it. of course i’d welcome the guy to my team, he is a great talent, but something about him really just bugs me. not even kobe annoys me as much.
"They should. They better. I'm Vinny Del Negro!"
by Jaina on May 24, 2009 3:41 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Why I would not trade Rose for LBJ, even though I think LBJ is the more valuable player.
i don’t know what it is about lebron, but something about him makes my skin crawl and i just don’t like him at all. that’s the only way i can describe it. of course i’d welcome the guy to my team, he is a great talent, but something about him really just bugs me.
"Whoever was responsible for pulling that offer [to Ben Gordon] off the table...bring him before me and I'll punch him right in the face " - Frederick Pfeiffer
by Granny Waiters on May 24, 2009 4:15 PM CDT up reply actions
you "think" he's a more valuable player
good on ya
sorry, that just sounded so wrong in my head.
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
You hate him for the same reason most non-Cavs hate him
He’s good, knows it, and likes to let us know quite often.
That Steve Nash is exactly the same as Kirk Hinrich, but worse.
by NBA Observer on Apr 8, 2009 12:23 PM CDT
by Ozzie Montana on May 24, 2009 6:57 PM CDT up reply actions
Read any of the million Jordan biographies
MJ had a ton of fanfare coming into the league, and through the genius of David Falk and others Jordan became the first mega-celebrity athlete in the NBA.
It’s a commonly held belief that Isiah Thomas conspired with other vets at the 85 ASG to freeze Jordan out.
You could say that MJ earned his superstar/demigod status, but hasn’t LeBron as well? He’s a star in a different media climate than MJ was in, and Jordan was still 100 times more popular and well-recognized.
That Steve Nash is exactly the same as Kirk Hinrich, but worse.
by NBA Observer on Apr 8, 2009 12:23 PM CDT
by Ozzie Montana on May 24, 2009 12:26 PM CDT up reply actions
YA
i hate coby bryant wayyy more than Bron. Im glad to see him and all the rest of the NBA stars develop all at once. Its like the 80’s-90’s when MJ, Isiah, Bird, Magic and Barkley were all pushin to be the best. You guys should definatley enjoy these next couple couple year as basketball fans…i guarantee in 2yrs, you’ll see plays/shots that youve never seen since youtube
"Talent wins games, but team work and intelligence wins championships." 23
Yeeaaahh thats a good point
I can’t hate or love Lebron really though. But for me if he wins this series then I’ll hand it to him because that would impress me more than most that hes done in his career so far.
I'm just glad the games don't suck
Last night was like an old-school Bulls/Knicks game. The Nuggets went overboard in trying to outmuscle the Lakers, and Gasol+Kobe calmly won the game.
That Steve Nash is exactly the same as Kirk Hinrich, but worse.
by NBA Observer on Apr 8, 2009 12:23 PM CDT
Lebron
I am definitely indulging in the well constructed media subtext playing throughout these playoffs, but I am not sure there are any substantive qualities in any of it. As far as I am concerned, both the hero and anti-hero talk an equal amount of trash, walk with comparable levels of entitlement and make the same fight faces after big shots; as for the commentary on teammate respect, Lebron’s situation seems as media-preempted as humanly possible.
The propagated hyper-reality of these playoffs, however missed during the era of Spurs/Pistons/Heat v. Mavs etc., shouldn’t be confused as evidence for personal judgment calls about who is actually a good or bad guy. The narrative is useful for enhancing the playoffs—ignoring that there is already phenomenal basketball being played—but for little more than that.
Good to know the refs are still capable of ruining the game
3 straight amazing games, then tonight’s clusterfuck. How are you supposed to enjoy a game where both teams combined for 86 free throws, yet the play wasn’t even remotely physical?
That Steve Nash is exactly the same as Kirk Hinrich, but worse.
by NBA Observer on Apr 8, 2009 12:23 PM CDT
I wonder if the Cavs believed the press about them being a lock for the finals? ;)
"Whoever was responsible for pulling that offer [to Ben Gordon] off the table...bring him before me and I'll punch him right in the face " - Frederick Pfeiffer
by Granny Waiters on May 25, 2009 1:25 AM CDT up reply actions
The one problem I have with Lebron is the posturing
after he dunks or makes a big play….always the same….chest out, knees slightly bent, face contorted in an absurd pseudo growl. Dude, we get it, you made a great play… act like you’ve been there before a la Walter Payton.
Also, on some level, I feel that he should be better. We give him all this credit, but he’s playing in a league with rules that are more conducive to offensive production than they were in previous generations. Given his athletic ability, he should be producing more than Michael ever did, but he’s not. He’s the most dominant athlete perhaps ever in the NBA: Malone’s size and strength + almost Magic’s vision + almost Jordan’s leaping, shotmaking ability (with more range) = LeBron… How does he not dominate more?
"Worker bees can leave.
Even drones can fly away.
The Queen is their slave."
He's 24 year old.
James doesn’t score as much, but he creates for his teammates more.
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
Jordan's teammates were not exactly great back then. Pippen was both a rookie and hurt, Grant played little behind the
offensively challenged Oakley, and the rest were NBA journeymen at best.
"Whoever was responsible for pulling that offer [to Ben Gordon] off the table...bring him before me and I'll punch him right in the face " - Frederick Pfeiffer
by Granny Waiters on May 25, 2009 12:30 PM CDT up reply actions
I always have trouble defining how old LeBron actually is in terms of nba age.
He has 6 years (and over 500 games) in the league, so I don’t know whether to define his production by his actual age or his “basketball age.”
"Worker bees can leave.
Even drones can fly away.
The Queen is their slave."
Footwork
His footwork is weak. Look at Jordan, Bird, Hakeem, or even Kobe’s footwork; Lebron isn’t even in the same league comparatively. He is a showman—with parts of Magic and Dominique strewn together; but until he develops some solid pumps and jabsteps (something Carmelo clearly has) he will not be anything more than the greatest physical talent in the NBA. Also, he plays off of the ball like he is a wide receiver.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
