vdubb96 wrote: ^^ I give the over/under on you starting 5 threads if they lose!!!!

The over/under on 2quik starting threads is 8.

SQ_Crazies wrote: LOL, I'm not sure I've ever started that many threads in a day.

I don't start that many threads really.

Just bustin' your balls!! Everyone else seems to be, so I thought I'd join in!!! LOL!!

Alright, time to cram for this damn geology final...wtf. But here are my final 10 pregame thoughts:

1. LeBron has to take the lead. And I believe he will. He said "they've got me", so he's put it on himself. I expect greatness from the MVP tonight.

2. As long as we bring the intensity on defense we will be fine. Boston can't handle us when we do it--we've seen it this series, we just haven't been able to maintain the energy for some odd reason. It isn't about lineups or whatever, it's about playing hard, period.

3. I expect Boston to play the best they have all season--which means the Cavs will have to be on their game, but I would hope they plan on doing that regardless of what Boston does.

4. We CAN NOT let Tony Allen and Sheed beat us. Our reserves have to be stronger, they have to play like the lights might go out, because they might.

5. Defensively, not only is the energy a must, but we must be disciplined. Defensive rotation is something we've done well all season until the playoffs--and this team has so many weapons we can't afford that. They've got to trust the help and they have to bust ass to make sure they do help when it's their turn. Not allowing guys to get to the rim and keeping Shaq out of foul trouble is huge.

6. I'm not a guy who thinks the offense should run through Shaq, but he has to get some touches early because he's been VERY effective at getting them in foul trouble. It may not have always worked for us in the series, but it's certainly an advantage. Especially if we finally decide to be the aggressor. Get them in foul trouble early and come out in the 2nd half attacking and we can put them away early.

7. LeBron doesn't need to have a 21 point 1st quarter--but he needs to come out and establish himself early for the benefit of his teammates. He can get it going when he wants. In game 5, I really believe he got frustrated and didn't have the right mindset to get himself going late in the game because his supporting cast let him down. Time to stop worrying about what they'll do or getting them going--lead by example and make them follow suit.

8. Mike Brown needs to be smarter about his rotations and allocating minutes. I'd like to see us go 10 deep like we did all regular season. These guys proved themselves in the regular season and then he shortened up the rotation. It's a textbook playoff move, but it's not the style we played all year. This team feeds off each other more than any team in the league. When they get fired up, they're unstoppable because they all elevate their game.

9. Make a statement for the rest of the game in the 1st quarter AS A TEAM. Like I said, LeBron needs to take the reigns and lead the charge, but they all need to come flying out of the gate and be as aggressive as they can be. There is no tomorrow until that buzzer goes off and the Cavs are on top.

10. HUSTLE. Beat the C's at their own game, they're winning this series because as a TEAM they've played well and they've just flat out outplayed us. There is no excuse for that, we're the better team--it's evident by the dominance you've seen in this series when they assert themselves. It's evident by the regular season records. It's evident when you consider the fact that they've been the favorite in every game until tonight.

Go Cavs. I have no reason not to expect that we can take this back to Cleveland. Like I said, I expect Boston's best, they're treating it as a must win--but I also expect LeBron to go crazy like he did in game 7 against the C's 2 years ago. I hope I'm right, but I don't think the C's have anyone who can keep up with that pace anymore and cancel him out like Pierce did 2 years ago. Hopefully Mo or Jamison (or anyone) can compliment LeBron with a solid 20+ point effort. We need that. And I really think that Varejao might be huge tonight--he's a gamer, he's had back issues and hasn't been himself so far in this series but he's not the kind of guy to go out without a fight. I don't believe any of these guys are, but we'll find out tonight. I hope that in the pregame locker room, Brown "gives the mic" to Shaq. LeBron shouldn't say a word, make a point of making sure they understand how focused you are and how important this is. I hope Shaq can speak from experience and make sure they're as confident as they can be.

Lastly, PLEASE be aggressive Mo. He's played like garbage in this series but has had stretches that have been solid--and it's when he's being aggressive. The new role he has had to assume since the Jamison addition hasn't been a good fit, but as long as he's aggressive he can still be effective. Let's face it, I wouldn't mind seeing a little more Boobie Gibson (as long as we can get some shots for him) but Mo is still our best PG and he's going to get minutes. He has to bring it. These guys are hungry, they have been regardless of how they've looked--now it's time to let the big dog eat.

Can't wait to come back on here later and talk about how awesome they played with you fools and finally put game 5 behind us.

HighRoller74 wrote:

vdubb96 wrote: ^^ I give the over/under on you starting 5 threads if they lose!!!!

The over/under on 2quik starting threads is 8.

nope i will start one thread and up about fiddy

Getting pretty pumped for this one. As shocked as I was that Boston even won game 5, let alone dominated (which, as I said before the game, I didn't think the Cavs had any chance of losing), I still feel like the Cavs are the better team, and they HAVE to show it at some point this series.

Of course, then they'll lose a heartbreaker at home in game 7 in classic Cleveland style, but for tonight I still have faith.

The better the game, the less chance the Cavs will win. I think it will be a Cavs blow-out or a closely fought heart-breaking Cavs loss.

Ready for a W tonight, GO CAVS!

Good Luck Boston!!! May the misery for the mistake by the lake continue.

Al Capone wrote: Good Luck Boston!!! May the misery for the mistake by the lake continue.

Go Pens

it's going to take nothing short of a biblical effort from lbj to win this game.

boston drops the hammer on them tonight, sad to say.

Sage wrote: it's going to take nothing short of a biblical effort from lbj to win this game.

boston drops the hammer on them tonight, sad to say.

Pretty much...Lebron is going to have to have a game 3 type performance to get this thing back to Cleveland. I have no faith in anyone other than him and Jamison to score consistently. It will have to be a miracle type of game....

Cleveland needs Mo to be successful to win and unfortunately he is looking like a fraud.

LeBron will have to go off, I still have faith but their up and down play has really been weird.

I have an honest question..and I am not trying to start a fight:

If the Cavs don't back and win this series....will the be one of the biggest chokejobs in the history of the NBA?

EH, I'll take Boston 93 Cavs 92. Maybe a Paul Pierce game winner. I really want to say the Cavs, but my eyes cannot forget what they've seen lately. I don't know if one practice day fixed all the problems. But maybe it will. It did for the Celtics after they got worked over.

gibby08 wrote: I have an honest question..and I am not trying to start a fight:

If the Cavs don't back and win this series....will the be one of the biggest chokejobs in the history of the NBA?

yes, but to be fair to the Celtics....they have played very well.

wes_mantooth wrote:

gibby08 wrote: I have an honest question..and I am not trying to start a fight:

If the Cavs don't back and win this series....will the be one of the biggest chokejobs in the history of the NBA?

yes, but to be fair to the Celtics....they have played very well.

I agree with that

I don't think it'll be one of the biggest choke jobs. I think they're really good when the gel, but they don't seem to have the heart for the playoffs. I didn't think they were champions all year, so we'll see.

devil1197 wrote: Cleveland needs Mo to be successful to win and unfortunately he is looking like a fraud.

Larry Hughes version 2.0. He's just a LITTLE better because he brings it in the regular season. But Mo is clearly not a championship caliber PG. I think we can overcome that as long as he's smart with the ball at the very least. But if LeBron is back next year, Mo needs to be moved on in a trade. Though if LeBron leaves, the Cavs should try to hold onto Mo--unless they get a really good deal for him.

gibby08 wrote: I have an honest question..and I am not trying to start a fight:

If the Cavs don't back and win this series....will the be one of the biggest chokejobs in the history of the NBA?

I don't think so. Unless they come back out and repeat game 5--then it'll be a pretty big time choke job. But I still don't think one of the biggest in the history of the league. Lets face it, we overrated the supporting cast AGAIN. Most everyone was guilty of it, but I will hand it to a few Laker fans (see, I can suck it up--Sage and JakeGiant mainly) for seeing it all year. We underestimate how many wins LeBron generates for them by putting up playoff level numbers consistently through the regular season while everyone else is putting up "regular season numbers". And just like we learned in 2007 against the Spurs, a defense CAN "shut down" (under 20 points is pretty much shutting him down unless he has one of those 20 and 14 assist games) LeBron when they can focus on him and not worry about anyone else. Guys just have to step up and start making shots that they made for most of 82 games. We have too many guys who can't elevate their game for the playoffs--and a few that totally freeze up. When you look at the other teams, they have players who are elevating their games aside from the star. The guys are capable, I know they are because we saw it for 82 games--if they just play like they did in the regular season, not even elevate their game, LeBron can make up the difference.

But I think last year was still a bigger choke. Because MANY people thought this would be a tough series (I didn't) but last year FARRRR fewer people thought they'd struggle with the Magic. Let alone get beat up the way they did. They really were a LeBron career highlight away from winning in 5 games. And if you lose a series in 5 games, no matter how they went, you got dominated.

Yay, I wasn't guilty of it. In all honesty, I don't know which is a bigger choke job. I might say this year because far more people favored them this year than last year. I think a lot of people still thought LA would beat Cleveland last year. This year, it was Cleveland for most. I'm more shocked this year. I stuck up for the Magic last year when very few did because of their success against Cleveland. I picked the Celtics/Lakers to start the year, but after about 30 games I thought the Cavs would be the team in the East. I thought they would have learned their lesson from last year and make it to the finals. I don't think either year was a choke because I didn't see a championship team. I'm just more shocked this year.

I just saw that Lebron has the highest scoring average in NBA history in elimination games at 31.7. He edge Jordan who averaged is 31.4.

Yeah, I wouldn't be sure whether I'd pick this year (potentially) or last year as a bigger choke. There was more of a perception entering the playoffs last year that everyone up to the Lakers was nothing more than a speed bump, but they did remake their roster greatly this year in order to not repeat last year's failure.

Still, I don't know if I'd put it as an all-time choke-job. Regardless of LeBron's talent, the Cavs are a franchise that's never won a title. Them going out early, in reality, is a bit more pronounced version of a team like Phoenix, Dallas or the Sacramento of a few years back putting up 60ish wins and then going out before the finals. It gets a LOT more hype because of LeBron's status...but when a team hasn't exhibited the ability to have consistent postseason success, it shouldn't be an "all-time" choke when they simply maintain that trend. Now if they'd won it all last year (or even made it to the finals and lost a very hard-fought series to the Lakers), I think I'd call it an all-time choke-job.

Good Luck Celts.

gibby08 wrote: I have an honest question..and I am not trying to start a fight:

If the Cavs don't back and win this series....will the be one of the biggest chokejobs in the history of the NBA?

Fair question, but I don't believe so. The Celtics have 3 HOF'ers, a top 5 PG, and alot of playoff experience. It would be very disappointing, but not one of the biggest chokejobs in NBA history, imo.

Cleveland needs a strong start and LeBron needs to take it to the hole consistently early.

Mo needs to come through but that isn't a good thing to be needing.

Still behind the Cavaliers, one game at a time and it starts tonight. Win and get home to defend the court and get to the ECF.

GO CAVS!

se-alum wrote:

gibby08 wrote: I have an honest question..and I am not trying to start a fight:

If the Cavs don't back and win this series....will the be one of the biggest chokejobs in the history of the NBA?

Fair question, but I don't believe so. The Celtics have 3 HOF'ers, a top 5 PG, and alot of playoff experience. It would be very disappointing, but not one of the biggest chokejobs in NBA history, imo.

so now its 3 hof'ers and a top 5 pg before the series it was a bunch of bums who were going to get run off the court lol.