There seems to be some discussion about whether or not LeBron was fouled on the last shot he took at the end of Game 3. Before I add my two cents, let's take another look.
In my estimation, Bowen was trying to foul LeBron on the floor, before he shot. That would have been a good move, because LeBron would have received two free throw attempts, which would have done the Cavs no good being down by three. Bowen clearly and intentionally made contact with LeBron, and since the Cavs were down three, James immediately elevated and jacked up a 30-footer, hoping to get to the line for three free throws. There are two problems with this:
1- As LeBron should have learned from the Detroit series, the refs are not going to send you to the line to win the game this deep into the playoffs unless you were literally raped by the other team. I'm talking blood, pants around the ankles, the whole nine yards.
2- If the refs did actually blow the whistle there, they almost certainly would have called a two-shot foul, and would not have given LeBron three free throws. See (1) for the reason why. The argument/controversy here would be that it should have been a "continuation," since James didn't dribble after the contact and simply rose up for the shot. Again, there's no way the refs are calling that, especially knowing what the Spurs' intentions were going into that play.
As I said at the time, the Spurs did exactly what they should have done on that play: attempt to foul LeBron on the ground, not giving him a chance to tie the game. LeBron did exactly what he should have done, which was elevate for the shot as soon as he felt the contact, because two free throws wouldn't help his cause at that point. And the refs did exactly what they should have done, which was let the (slight but intentional) contact before the shot go with a no-call.
So since everyone did exactly what was expected of them in that situation, where's the controversy?
In case you missed it, here's a photo of the end of "The Sopranos." Yeah, exactly.
Craig and I discuss the Finals and "The Sopranos," which have both been disappointments.
Craig: Got back from a trip to Wyoming last night, and here's how I know that the Finals suck: I haven't watched a single solitary minute of games 1 and 2 (because of media blackout in Wyoming). So the big news is how the Cavs rallied from a 27 point deficit to cut the game to 8 points last night? Unless you're the 1998 Utah Jazz, every team rallies from a big lead in the playoffs. Channeling Hacksaw.... "WOW!"
This is SO the 1999 NBA Finals.
Brett: This series is way too predictable. I said while watching Game 1 that the Spurs would pull away from CLE by the beginning of the 4th (which they did), and that the 20-point lead was coming in Game 2 (which it did). All that's left is for my sweep prediction to come true, which is very likely.
Mike Brown: Awful coach. His decision to sit LeBron for the rest of the first quarter after picking up two quick fouls cost them any chance at that game. As I said last night while live blogging, (that's right, I'm block quoting myself):
Some might say that Brown was "damned if he did, damned if he didn't" take LeBron out once he got that second foul, but I disagree. If you're the coach, you put it on your superstar to play smart and not pick up that early third foul. If he does, then you can sit him. Instead, the coach will now have to take all of the heat for this lame decision, as LeBron played the entire second quarter and never picked up that third foul.
And yes, EVERY team rallies when they're down 20+ in the fourth, because the leading team has packed it in already. Utah did that too against SA, and look how that turned out. Such a non-story.
Craig: I agree with your take on LeBron. In the playoffs Phil Jackson used to keep Shaq in the game in whenever he got three fouls in the second quarter. Two things happened: he knew Shaq would normally play smarter and not commit a dumb foul and that the refs would most likely NOT call the fourth foul on a superstar. Only once did it backfire (the 2004 playoffs against Houston).
There's no way LeBron fouls out of a game... ever! This will never happen for the rest of his career. Brown needs to realize that Stern has banked the future of the NBA on the burgeoning Wade-LeBron rivarly and that they'll always get the calls (even if Steve Javie is reffing in Cleveland).
What's the deal with Larry Hughes? I know he has "plantar faciitis" (which is the alternative to tendonitis. Translation, "Hung over from too many lap-dances." I believe the Lakers flipped a coin with Devean George (heads pf, tails tendonitits) for every missed game in 2005-06.) Back in 2000, he was supposed to be a version of A.I. lite. Now he's hitting more strip clubs than playoff jumpers and the Cavs are stuck with him till 2020. (God I hope Kupchak isn't on his cell phone right now offering Farmar, Bynum and Brown for Hughes and Ilgauskus.)
Brett: Alright, so the Finals blow. what about "The Sopranos?" I hope the picture I used for the post didn't spoil anything for you.
Craig: The series was originally supposed to last 5 seasons and it really lost me during that coma in the first part of the 6th season. (BTW - This trend of HBO calling it Part 1 and Part 2 of a season over the span of 24 months is retarted. Just call it "Season 6 - our writers can't come up with 12 storylines and the lead actor is making Larry Hughes-type of money per episode so we'll just crap out 10 scripts.")
ANYWAY, the Sopranos should have ended after 5 seasons and lost a lot of momentum when they took 18 months between seasons. They had a Sopranos marathon on A&E over Memorial Day weekend and you can really see just how much the show has dropped from say the 4th season to today. The episodes had a better pace to them and were fresh. To use a much-overused phrase, The Sopranos "jumped the shark" after they killed off the greatest butterface in the history of television, Drea DeMatteo.
I didn't watch the finale last night because I was traveling back from Jackson, WY. I'm about 4 episodes behind, but I'll watch it later tonight just to keep up with the talk.
Brett: If you haven't heard and don't want the ending ruined for you, stop reading now. Otherwise ... Sorry, but the last episode totally sucked. The last one was WAY better, which ended when you had Tony and his crew holed up in a safe house with him going to sleep holding a shotgun, waiting for all hell to break loose. And in this episode... nothing happened! They brokered a boring meeting with Phil's number two guy that somehow put an end to the war? Then they wack Phil (which was cool, BTW), but the ending "cut to black" was a total copout. Two possibilities: 1- Tony got wacked, because he has said in the past that he thinks "everything goes black" when it happens. 2- Nothing happened, and life goes "on and on and on" like the song lyrics for "Don't Stop Believin'" say it does.
Either way, since when is it okay to just fail to show an end to a movie, television show, or sporting event? If that's now acceptable, I expect David Stern to follow this not-so-brilliant example and just air a blank screen for the next two games of the Finals. At least with the Spurs and the Cavs, there would be no dispute about how it was going to turn out.
by Brett Edwards One American Idol showed up tonight, the other one didn't. The Spurs surprised no one by taking Game 1 of the NBA Finals, 85-76, and it really wasn't that close. LeBron was completely shut down, and didn't score his first field goal until there was 7:13 left in the 3rd. I live-blogged this train wreck at the FanHouse, here are some of the highlights.
- I'm very disappointed that the Spurs' PA announcer (who sounds very, um, creaky) didn't introduce Daniel Gibson as "Boobie." I mean, the NBA likes the nickname enough to put it on a t-shirt, so why not?
- Tony Parker, from "Paris." I guess there are no schools in France? Or did he not graduate from one. We know Eva Longoria won't bang him until they get married, but we can't find this out?
- Parker goes down hard, and we have our first Eva Longoria shot at the 6:21 mark. Everyone that had the first two minutes of the game in your office pool, pay up.
- San Antonio has missed 10 of their last 12 FGs and still lead? Meanwhile, LeBron misses another shot. The King is now 0-6 from the field. WE ARE ALL WITNESSES.
- They're airing the Vitamin Water commercial with 50 Cent conducting the orchestra. Anyone out there into V Water? For me, there are too many damn formulas to figure out which one I should buy. 50 has one, Shaq has one, and there are like a million different choices with different combinations of flavors and vitamins. I don't know about you, but when I'm thirsty, I don't want to have to consult an old chemistry textbook to see which drink I should buy.
- LeBron does the ol' "shoot it right after the buzzer" so it won't count against his field goal percentage, which is still a big zero. 40-35 Spurs at the half.
- A couple of points about the halftime panel. Grant Hill, feel free to lay off the blow before you go on national television. Dude acted like he was shot out of a cannon when he got the chance to talk. And, Grant? No one cares about your personal experience, unless it's about rehabbing from an injury.
- Mike Breen with the "this could be a dangerous time for Cleveland" comment. You think so, doctor? Parker lays it in to extend the lead to 11, timeout Cavs.
- This is hilarious! The arena is playing Green Day's "Brain Stew" (iTunes store link) from the Insomniac album. See, I've always said the Spurs are so boring that they'll put you to sleep, and now the team is admitting it.
- With 9:10 on the clock, I'm calling this game like a doctor calling a time of death. Cleveland can't hit threes, LeBron is invisible, and the Spurs are up 18.
- What's the record for lowest points in a Finals game? I'm thinking Cleveland might challenge that tonight. Let me do some Googling, be right back.
- OK, that record's safe. The Jazz managed only 54 points in losing Game 3 of the 1998 Finals to the Bulls. See that Cleveland? You have something to shoot for in Game 2.
- JVG just mentioned the 1999 Finals, and since this game's a blowout, let's talk about that. ESPN's John Hollinger ranked the last 60 NBA Finals teams, and the 1999 Spurs came in at number 8. Um, no [freaking] way. The 1999 season was shortened by a lockout, and most players were injured, out of shape, or just didn't care. It's also the only time in NBA history that an eight seed (the Knicks) made it to the Finals. So putting the Spurs ahead of teams like the 1989 and 1990 Pistons, or the 2000, '01, and '02 Lakers, is absolutely preposterous. Look, the Spurs have won titles since then, let's just agree to drop a huge asterisk on 1999, shall we?
Just want to get in a quick prediction on the NBA Finals...
The Spurs in this in five games with the Cavs winning a Bavetta-led game 3 at home.
The only other way that Cleveland has a chance in this series is if Stern puts in a request for LeBron to get "The Wade Treatment." Other than that, the Spurs are better coached, have more talent, have more experience and have taken a tougher road. Again, if this series is fairly refereed, the Spurs should win easily. And that's a big if.
As Matt Watson so eloquently put it this morning, Even David Blaine Can't Get Detroit Into the NBA Finals. I thought I was the only one (outside of Detroit) that was hoping to see the Pistons and the Spurs in the Finals, but it looks like the person in charge of this page over at NBA.com had the same hopes. This page is still up, and (shockingly) doesn't feature LeBron James who, besides being the greatest player ever, is actually in the Finals.
Anyway, with the Finals starting tonight, it's prediction time. Long time readers of this site may be surprised to hear it, but I'm picking the Spurs to sweep. The Eastern Conference has been an abomination all season, and the Spurs are too good defensively to be beaten, even once, by a one man team like Cleveland.
This doesn't mean I'm rooting for the Spurs though (obviously), and I can't root for a team whose second best player this post-season is nicknamed "Boobie." But I will be watching and live-blogging the whole series, so feel free to harass me over at the FanHouse while I come up with new and exciting ways to rip on both of these teams.
Still weeks away from the start of the NBA Finals and the "LeBron is GOD!!!" media blowjob bandwagon has now reached convoy proportions. I've read and heard stories about LeBron dominating the NBA for the next decade, LeBron surpassing Kobe as the best player in the NBA, LeBron dominating the NBA marketing machine and LeBron curing SARS, the Bird Flu and the West Nile Virus (and all other Fox News fear mongering diseases).
This is what happens when you have something like 27 days between the conference finals and the The Finals. With the Spurs (a bunch of flopping, nice guys who all get along) facing Cleveland (a crappy roster led by a top-five baller who got a first and second round bye in the playoffs) there's really nothing much to write about. So instead of waxing poetic about the flop-off between Anderson Varejao and Manu Gynobili, the media's left scrambling for any kind of storyline. Basically we're left with non-stop overblown LeBron James hyperbole. (Remember how people were saying Manu Gynobili was one of the best players in the NBA after having a few good games in the 2005 NBA Finals? Well, it's the same thing, but magnified because We're All Witnesses.)
Here's some of my thoughts about all the hype:
Game Five was *NOT* the Greatest Game Ever! Before all the LBJ fans start calling me a hater, LeBron's performance in Game 5 was awesome. As I wrote a few days ago, "This was one of those games that takes the quotes out of the word "superstar" separating the great from the anointed/promoted greats."
But how great of a game is it if the opposing team plays ZERO defense? Here's the top three problems (of many) that I saw in Detroit's "defensive scheme":
1. The Pistons didn't double LeBron as he dribbled the ball up court. When Kobe was dropping 50 points a game, opposing defenses started triple teaming him has he crossed the halfcourt line, daring Kobe to pass the ball to wide open teammates. Detroit needed to do something similar, especially with LeBron's court vision and un-Kobe-like trust in his teammates.
2. The Pistons were horrible on their defensive switches. How else can you explain Jason Maxiell guarding LeBron from the top of the key with less that two minutes left and no help defense? (I'm talking to you Mr. Big Shot!)
3. Finally, the Pistons forgot how to close off the lane when LeBron penetrated. In fact, the artist formerly known as Tayshaun Prince literally sprinted out of the way as LeBron drove the lane. You're telling me that Prince was more concerned with being YouTube-ized than to make a key defensive stop in the most important game of the Eastern Conference Finals?
Well Tayshaun, you still ended up on YouTube. Here's the Top Five Plays from Game 5. Three of them show LeBron penetrating the lane for uncontested dunks. The fourth play shows Prince sprinting out the lane as though LeBron's carrying a bomb. Possible the worst defensive moment in Prince's career:
That three pointer to tie the game (play #2) was flat out sick! But with three of the top five plays happening against ZERO defense, how is this game one of the greatest games in playoff history? MJ, Wade, Kobe, Iverson, Magic, Bird, etc. can also have one of the greatest games in playoff history against zero defense. Let's give LeBron his moment, but let's not get carried away with what Game 5 was... the best single effort in one of the least compelling post seasons in NBA history.
The LeBron IV's are not flying off the shelves. Despite the fact that We're All Witnesses, we're *NOT* witnessing the LeBron IV's on our feet. I don't have the sale figures in front of me, but I do know what I see. I've been to the Nike outlet store in Camarillo twice in the past 6 weeks and both times I've seen the LeBron IV's in all sizes selling for less than $90 (they retail for $149.99). In fact, you can get a pair for $119.99 at eastbay.com.
Stop the whole LeBron-Kobe comparisons! The local media out here in LA has been arguing that LeBron is better than Kobe because he took a less talented team to the NBA Finals. Hogwash I say! Seriously, this argument is giving me a headache. First off, the Cavs truly got a first round bye when they faced the Wizards without their two best players in Gil-Zero and Caron Butler. Whereas the Lakers faced off against Phoenix, one of the top three teams this year.
LeBron could have had 35-8-8 every game against Phoenix and the Cavs would still lose in five.
Let's look at the staring five of both teams. The Lakers started Jordan Farmar (a rookie), Luke Walton (with genetically damaged ankles, he's Bill Walton's son for crissake), Lamar Odom (torn shoulder, injured knee, league rule prevents him from hitting the bong) and Kwame Brown (as my friend Matt says, "Has ass-cheeks for hands")... you're telling me that LeBron would do better with those four? The Cavs start Sasha Pavlovic, Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden and Ilgauskas (two-time NBA All-Star!!!)... possibly one of the worst starting five for the Finals, but still better than the Lakers.
Both players are great, but given that there's a high number of Kobe Bryant detractors, there will always be a huge support of the whole "(insert hot NBA star player here) is better than Kobe Bryant" talk. You had it last year with Wade and you'll hear it again with someone else.
What I'm saying is, this lame sportstalk radio topic simply exists because we have way too much time to kill before the NBA Finals start (which I believe is 4th of July weekend). Stick to more important topics, like Lindsay Lohan's spiraling career or Britney Spears' cottage cheese ass.
Until then, check out another photo of the Pistons *NOT* guarding the lane:
Daniel Gibson: "Boobie." Really? I know that's something his mother used to call him when he was younger, but he should have left that back in some dark corner of his mind, never to be mentioned again. You now, like the time that wacky uncle of yours had a few too many drinks one Christmas Eve and asked you if he could touch your penis. ANYWAY, here's a look at what Gibson might look like next to LeBron if his stupid nickname were to accurately represent his likeness.
Chauncey played like he was hitting the bottle in Game 4.
Chauncey Billups led the Pistons in scoring and rebounding in Game 4, contributing 23 and 9 to Detroit's losing effort. So it may seem unfair to place the blame for this loss squarely on his shoulders, but that's exactly what I'm going to do. Those numbers are a little deceiving, in that Chauncey went only 6-16 from the field, and got nine of his points at the free throw line. He also continued to struggle with turnovers, committing five while dishing out just two assists. But his normally solid decision making down the stretch is what really cost the Pistons the game.
Detroit was down six with about 2:30 to play, so every possession was critical as they tried to fight their way back into the game. Chauncey took the ball and drove to the lane, but ran over Daniel Gibson (who had the game of his life by the way - fucking home court advantage, I guess) for the offensive foul. This was the least of Billups' poor plays, but Gibson was clearly outside the protected area, and Chauncey should have pulled up before running him over and picking up the foul. Rip Hamilton did precisely that on the next possession to cut it to four.
The Pistons got a stop, then Chauncey made two bone-head plays on the same possession. First he started to drive, then left his feet with nowhere to go, and turned in mid-air for a pass to ... Drew Gooden. If that wasn't enough of a WTF play, Billups compounded it by immediately fouling Gooden, with 1:15 still on the clock. Why give the Cavs a chance to add to their lead at the foul line with so much time left? The correct play would have been to just come down and get a defensive stop, there was absolutely no reason to foul there, and Billups should have known that.
So Gooden makes one of two, Rip Hamilton scores again on the next possession, and the Pistons get a stop. Incredibly, they've still got a shot with the ball, down three, with :47 left on the clock. Plenty of time, right? Just come down, and take the first good look you get. If you get a quick two, you may not have to even foul, there would have been well over 24 seconds left, so one final defensive stand might have given you a shot to win the game. But Billups considers NONE of this, and pulls up for a wild 3-point attempt in transition with a defender creeping up on him right as he shoots. An absolutely HORRIBLE shot in that situation, all of a sudden Billups is going Steve Nash on us with the game on the line?! That's a bad shot in a freaking pickup game, when all that's at stake is if you get to play the next game or not. I certainly don't expect to see that from a former Finals MVP, on the road, in the Eastern Conference Finals.
I don't think I've ever been watching Chauncey Billups in the fourth quarter, and on consecutive plays said, out loud, "what the hell?" followed by "WHAT the FUCK?!" while reacting to his Devean George-like decisions. But that's exactly what I found myself doing while watching the end of Game 4. I don't know if Billups' impending free agency is weighing on him or what, but he seriously needs to pull his head out of his ass if the Pistons want to get to the Finals.
The Spurs took a 3-1 series lead on the Jazz last night, and are now just one win away from advancing to the NBA Finals. Apparently that was enough reason to celebrate for a group of about 200 of their fans, who went to the airport in the middle of the night to greet the team as they returned home from Utah.
Wow, there must REALLY be nothing to do in San Antonio. Two things I enjoyed about this video: the guy dancing around in the huge hat towards the beginning, and Tim Duncan pointing (presumably) at the fans toward the end, with the "look at those idiots!" grin on his face.
Here's some quick takes on the Piston's 79-76 win last night:
On the final play. To me it looked like LeBron was trying to draw the foul rather than make a shot. It looked like once he felt the contact he tried to sell it a little to get to the freethrow line. Given that Detroit's overplaying to the left side of the hoop, why not stop and pop from 8 feet out?
Varajao - I believe it's Portuguese for moving screen or extreme flopping (dual meaning based on the tense, look it up at www.floppingandmovingscreen.com/br). Look, I know Sheed pushed off just prior to that late baseline jumper, but did Anderson really need to jump back 10 feet? The guy easily has 50 lbs. on Sheed and a backhand push sends him airborne? The ref would have given him the offensive foul (it happened just a few possessions earlier when Sheed held LeBron away from the ball), but the flop was so damn obnoxious, there's no way you award that. (The baseline camera shot really shows just how much he jumped) The flopping is flat out sickening. And don't get me started on that freethrow moving screen and roll with LeBron. Even though almost every NBA team does it, it IS illegal.
That Pavlovic traveling call (started as a jumper then tried to pass/dribble before landing) was the quintessential street ball play. We've all played ball with the dudes who argue that it's a legal move and the dispute gets settled by shooting for it (even though it's illegal). I thought it was funny to hear some of the Cleveland homers in the press conference try to make that part of the "refs screwed us" storyline. They even convinced LeBron it was a bad call (probably because he never gets called for traveling).
Too many Piston turnovers. I was surprised at how many times the Pistons turned the ball over in the final 6 minutes. They became a late 1990's Pat Riley team by forcing the ball to Sheed too much. That pass from Sheed to a cutting Billups was AWFUL!
Too much one-on-one for Detroit. As Doug Collins pointed it out many times, the Pistons were running too many isolation plays on offense. The Piston's are a better team with Hamilton running off screens and moving the ball around the perimeter on O. Rip Hamilton really looks awkward when going one-on-one... it's just not his game (though he hit a nice step-back jumper in the final few minutes (btw-he pushed off)).
Mike Brown needs to learn how to conserve timeouts. The Pistons won by three, BUT if CLE had a TO, they could have set up a last chance shot with 1 second left (Varajao heaved a full court shot at the buzzer down three).
Mike Brown's doing a decent job. With all the criticism that Mike Brown gets, he's doing something right by making this a close series. Talent-wise, Detroit should be blowing the Cavs out of the water, yet both games at Detroit came down to one possession. He's made Detroit look like crap on offense. I haven't watched enough of the series to pinpoint why, but Brown's done a decent job.
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