thedynasty1998;427161 wrote:The playoffs are such a different game. They actually play defense. The benches are not as important. There are not as many easy baskets.
The Cavs overachieved during the regular season as teams like the Lakers and Boston sort of coasted. Then when playoff time came around, Boston and LA turned it up a notch, whereas the Cavs were already playing at their max.
You really think the Lakers just said F it and didn't get up to play the Cavs? Be realisticthedynasty1998;427161 wrote:The playoffs are such a different game. They actually play defense. The benches are not as important. There are not as many easy baskets.
The Cavs overachieved during the regular season as teams like the Lakers and Boston sort of coasted. Then when playoff time came around, Boston and LA turned it up a notch, whereas the Cavs were already playing at their max.
ytownfootball;427158 wrote:Difference was that with LBJ on a 3 year deal the Cavs had to make moves, whether they were what they actually thought was best or not. They were on the clock, and the pieces that they actually may have wanted were not available at the time.
ytownfootball;427165 wrote:You really think the Lakers just said F it and didn't get up to play the Cavs? Be realistic
Oh really?!!?!!! Who would they have gotten? They got the best player in the league, who else could they have gotten that would have as much impact? Nice FAIL.thedynasty1998;427173 wrote:If Miami didn't sign Lebron they certainly would have gotten someone else.
Commander of Awesome;427179 wrote:Oh really?!!?!!! Who would they have gotten? They got the best player in the league, who else could they have gotten that would have as much impact? Nice FAIL.
Why do you guys let him get away with this shit?
thedynasty1998;427183 wrote:When did I ever say they would have gotten someone of equal talent? Nice FAIL at trying to call me out.
I said that other teams in the East were getting better and if Miami didn't sign Lebron, they still have the cap space to get someone else to join Wade, Bosh and Mike Miller.
enigmaax;427170 wrote:It didn't mean anything to the Lakers. Do you really think there's no difference between regular season and playoff basketball? It isn't a stretch to say that a team who has never won anything finds more moral victories in beating good teams when it counts for nothing (they think it shows they've arrived). It isn't that the Lakers didn't try to beat the Cavs (or anyone else in the regular season), it is just that they turn on the real drive when it counts. Cleveland never learned what that means.
Joey: I think you're the greatest, but my dad says you don't work hard enough on defense, and he says that lots of times, you don't even run down court. And that you don't really try... except during the playoffs.killdeer;426928 wrote:I realize you are probably exaggerating to make a point...but, that statement is absolutely ludicrous.
You are obviously not of a generation to have ever seen Kareem play live.
If all you know of the NBA in the 1980's is what you see on ESPNClassics, I can see why you might say that.......however,
although KAJ was in the second half of his career by the time Magic was drafted in 1979, he went on to put up numbers that would argue against any assessment of him being a mere "shell of his former self."
For the initial Magic season in LA, Abdul-Jabbar (24.8 ppg, 10.8 rpg) further cemented his place in history by winning a record sixth MVP Award.
Abdul-Jabbar continued to average at least 20 points for the next six seasons.
The Lakers reached the NBA Finals eight times in the 10 seasons between 1979-80 and 1988-89.
In the 1985 Finals, Game 2, Abdul-Jabbar recorded 30 points, 17 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 blocked shots in a 109-102 Lakers win. Los Angeles went on to win the series in six games.
In the Lakers' four victories in that Final, Abdul-Jabbar averaged 30.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.0 blocks.
Abdul-Jabbar was named Finals MVP 1985.
Before you throw your "expert assessment" of Kareem's career out there so lightly, perhaps you should have the knowledge to back up your sass.
Skyhook79;427203 wrote:There is a difference but it certainly doesn't involve turning it on and off for the Playoffs and regular season, ie: Coasting. Its more about one team focusing and gameplanning on 1 team and 1 team only for 4-7 games. You don't do that in the regular season. No one today does that better than the Celtics and Lakers.
Heck Mike Brown couldn't even get Lebron to pay attention in a timeout huddle. The Cavs had the talent but they didn't have the focus and it starts with Lebron James.
No one focuses more than Kobe Bryant today and THAT is the difference between Champions and just Contenders.
Skyhook79;427203 wrote:There is a difference but it certainly doesn't involve turning it on and off for the Playoffs and regular season, ie: Coasting. Its more about one team focusing and gameplanning on 1 team and 1 team only for 4-7 games. You don't do that in the regular season. No one today does that better than the Celtics and Lakers.
Heck Mike Brown couldn't even get Lebron to pay attention in a timeout huddle. The Cavs had the talent but they didn't have the focus and it starts with Lebron James.
No one focuses more than Kobe Bryant today and THAT is the difference between Champions and just Contenders.
Sonofanump;427229 wrote:Joey: I think you're the greatest, but my dad says you don't work hard enough on defense, and he says that lots of times, you don't even run down court. And that you don't really try... except during the playoffs.
KAJ: The hell I don't. LISTEN KID. I've been hearing that crap ever since I was at UCLA. I'm out there busting my buns every night. Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes.
enigmaax;427974 wrote:Uh oh, now the national media is starting to turn on you Cavs fans. Good comparisons, especially as it relates to Jordan.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/LeBron-James-takes-the-easy-way-out-Good-for-hi;_ylt=Ao6ZMhAXoj1We1IRp0CSYsK8vLYF?urn=nba,256810
dat dude;428028 wrote:How can you possibly interpret that as "turning on Cavs fans?" If anything, he repeatedly ripped Lebron for his tackless "Decision," which is what bothered the fans the most. I think most (on here, and personally in my experience) understand why he left, but are just pissed about the way he went about it.
ytownfootball;428067 wrote:Why am I having such difficulty in finding rationale supporting your continued interest in the subject?
krazie45;427187 wrote:Does Mike Miller still join the Heat if LeBron doesn't sign there first and recruit him?
Also to say that the Cavs played as well in the playoffs as they did in the regular season is false. The Shaq injury (ironically against Boston) threw off their entire mojo as they were ROLLING prior to that. Obviously the playoffs and regular season are different but I mean the Cavs and Lakers played on national television on X-Mas day and the Cavs rolled them. Do you really think the Lakers weren't playing hard in that situation? Do you think that the Cavs played as well against the Celtics in the playoffs as they did in that Lakers game? (answer is no, except for Game 3 where they gave the Celtics their worst home loss in the history of their entire franchise). The problem the last few years for the Cavs haven't been the other guys on the court, or the guys on the bench, it was the bald guy in the suit.
Anyone else notice how no other team has really jumped at the chance to hire Mike Brown?
KR1245;428077 wrote:Good post. I dont think Mike Brown is getting enough blame here. Cavs had the talent, Brown didnt know how to use it.
Interesting discussion. First off, I think it's hard to discredit what Jackson has done with all the rings he has. Sure he might have went ring chasing, but the fact remains, he gets it done. I think when you talk about the all time greats, he has to be up there.enigmaax;428082 wrote:Here's a subtopic I'm interested in. I've seen people say that Phil Jackson and Pat Riley, as examples, aren't really that great of coaches because they had so much talent. Some people obviously feel that Mike Brown is just that bad of a coach. There's room for discussion on how an NBA coach can really be great or horrible, based on how much real influence on the team they have.
So, throw your opinions out there - is Jackson great and Brown horrible? Does either get unfair praise or criticism? Does it really matter who is on the sideline? What determines if someone is great or horrible at that level?
