It's Magic, LeBron. (Part 2 of 2/East Finals Breakdown)
The Orlando Magic found a way to crap all over Nike's commercial and Madison Avenue's wet dream Finals matchup, exploiting the Cavs as the most overhyped 66 win team in NBA history.
So yeah, regardless of whatever unfolds over the next few days...Kobe's still the top dog in the Association. HOWEVER...LeBron's going to be great in due time. How many individuals can you recall averaged a 38 PPG, 8 & 8 for a SERIES and lose in 6 games? How often can someone say 'I had 25 points, 7 boards and assists, but that was my worst game of the series'? (Oh don't worry, I intend on going off on this in a bit.) LeBron is your quintessential freak, the 'once in a lifetime' talent that simply put, everyone's out of adjectives and superlatives to describe. If the man had...
A) Killer instinct, as in that Jordanesque ability to know when to simply seize a team by its throat and squeeze until it stops moving.
B) Mid-range jumper. Jordan killed people with this after he came back from his exodus from the sport. Even beforehand, when you denied his driving lanes, he popped one open from 15-20 feet with ease. Just ask Bryon Russell.
Right now, those two things are missing from his game. Oh and one other really important thing that will stunt his progression towards the Greatness everyone sees for him.
A SUPPORTING CAST!!! I picked up the Cleveland Plain Dealer and already, they've got Superman and Prince James as budding rivals for years to come. Not to get off on a tangent here, but hasn't the media had enough of trying to concoct scenarios, Finals matchups and crowning NBA Champions? How often do they have to be proven wrong before they simply decide, 'how's about we just report what they do and leave it at that?'. Still, I digress. In any event, here's why I really do believe LeBron staying in Cleveland isn't as certain as folks think.
2007 NBA Finals, Post Game 4: LeBron attends the post-game news conference, states that he has to improve going into next year. He does. Unfortunately for him as he's improving, he doesn't have a chance to help his supporting cast get better because Danny Ferry sends the bulk of that nucleus all over the tarnation. I'll give ya Larry Hughes, but the truth of it is...Drew Gooden should've stayed. So this leads us to...
2008 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Post Game 7: LeBron basically states that moves need to be made. So they're made. They give away Joe Smith to get Mo Williams and then eventually get Joe Smith back as a free agent. Go fig. So we speed forward to 2009, surely this changes things, right?
2009 Eastern Conference Finals, Post Game 6: LeBron...leaves. Exit stage right, he says NOTHING. Two years ago, it was himself. A year ago, it was the roster. What's left to say this year, hmmm?
So this brings me back to the 'Trade' which shouldn't have happened a year ago. You traded away two starters from an Eastern Conference Championship team for...what? A washed up guy who's pretty much done and a few bench folk.
If you put Mo Williams with the 2007 Eastern Conference Champs, they bang with anyone. Including the Celts, with KG and the Magic. Hell, they'd definitely bang with the Lakers. But I digress. I sit here, listening to WZIP, the University of Akron's radio station and you'd swear someone died. The mood is somber and well, for the better part of this season, I've told this radio station the Cavs weren't what they were blown into. I told them that not trading for Shaq cost this team a title this season. Sure enough, I was right. I don't want my center popping 3s. It didn't work for the Blazers when they had Sabonis, it doesn't work PERIOD. In the end, Cleveland's hit. They should look for a low post presence, but unfortunately, there aren't a ton of those lying around right now.
LeBron, is great. He doesn't have any rings (yet), but he will, provided he leaves Cleveland next Summer. The Cavaliers have ONE SUMMER, ONE, to get the pieces needed to convince LeBron to stay. This lineup consists of an All-Star, a really good PG in Mo and a bunch of role guys. That's it. MJ had to get Pippen and basically, a bunch of guys who were truly excellent role players. How so? Remember the only full year Pippen played without Jordan in 1993-94? That Bulls team won 55 games and if not for the Knicks, could've got to the East Finals. These Cavs are NOT good, after LeBron and Mo. Your PG runs the offense, period. He can't be the 'Man Behind The Man'. Too bad the Cavs realized this way too late.
Trackback
There are currently no trackbacks for this item.
Use this TrackBack url to ping this item (right-click, copy link target). If your blog does not support Trackbacks you can manually add your trackback by using this form.
Comments
Add Comment