yes, i am in the bag for LBJ and the cavs. no doubt. i am fan but i'm also a basketball nut and i've closely followed nba basketball for over 25 years and yesterday proved to me that in very simple terms, LBJ is a winner and kobe bryant isn't. period. kobe thinks he's MJ. he wants to be MJ and, as anyone can see, he is doomed to failure on that course. even with MJ's old coach. the lakers and kobe choked in the playoffs last year, while LBJ lead the cavs farther than anyone could've predicted. and no one did predict, for that matter! and yesterday i saw the same theme played out on the court. a guy who is a ballhog, albeit a super-talented ballhog, killed his team in the 4th while a guy who shares the basketball and loves to get others involved, lead his team to over 30 points in the final and most important quarter of the game! while others-let's say the less informed basketball fan-will always be more impressed by people like kobe or wade who seemingly coast (esp. wade) for 3 quarters before "taking over" in the 4th quarter, i remain more impressed by LBJ who, when he doesn't have it happening offensively, will look to lead his team in other ways. for my money, his dishes to sasha and andy yesterday were mundane yet brilliant at the same time.
LBJ has always said that he will do whatever it takes to win and he showed that yesterday. that is REAL leadership; not the guy who takes the last shot or most shots in the 4th quarter. it's the guy who does the things that leads his team to wins that count. i know this seems so simply obvious that it barely requires mention. but, unfortunately, it clearly does in today's media climate. look at this quote from an article on who will contend in the east by "famed" nba writer dave d'allasandro: "James isn't nearly as dominant as he was a year ago, and he is a reluctant leader -- though the rout of Miami was a powerful statement." "reluctant leader?" you know what that is code for, don't ya? it means he doesn't take a ton of shots! that is the modern definition of a "leader" in the nba!! this is something that is a truly negative aspect of MJ's legacy.
LBJ reallly is more like magic that jordan or bird, or whomever. and like magic, he needs to improve his jumpshot. when he does that, well, he will then become a player like no other...
***random thoughts***
*sasha is truly playing great basketball and he really does seem to be like a "lebron jr."
* speaking of sasha, he was part of what i think is the most effective line-up for the cavs and that is LBJ, sasha, hughes, andy and either marshall or gooden. it it the most dynamic and versatile line-up , both on offense and defense. kudos to brown for going with that look recently.
* bud shaw of the plain dealer parrots what seems to be the default line for cavs media types and says in today's column that "The Cavaliers still need a point guard..."
gibson has been part of the tonic that has lead the cavs on this winning streak!! our defensive numbers have IMPROVED since he was inserted in the starting line-up! he is shooting over 60% from the field! over 50% from 3-pointland!
*brian windhorst notes in article today that snow now "likes" coming off the bench. well, i think we all do! that's why so many of us called for it SOONER! face it, the "snow is the past we have and must start!" crowd were wrong and i wish that we'd get some public comments admitting this fact...but i would guess we're not likely to see that anytime soon!
snow has been a COMPLETELY different player coming off the bench and even hit two jumpers in the game!! when was the last time he hit two jumpers in a game?? november? but anyway, kudos to him for taking the benching the right way and helping the team be better. now, if only we could Z to consider the same...
*the cavs, after yesterday's win, have the best record of ANY eastern conference team against the western conference. i really wish we'd beaten the pistons that last time we played them, as it would've sealed the deal that we are/were the best team in the east. the fact that we're the best against the superior western conference should be enough but even i will admit that beating detroit is a bugaboo to the cavs at this point...
2 comments:
The recent point guard obsession in the media is weird, considering the Cavs have been starting Snow there for the past three years without much criticism from the press.
Now all of a sudden it's a unanimous belief that the team must trade for one. This despite the fact that the team has been scoring almost 100 pts. a game lately, with no "pure point guard" in the starting lineup.
And their defense has been better too.
indeed, larry. as i pointed out in the post, since gibson's insertion in the starting line-up, not only has the offense been better but the D has been statistically better. significantly better, in fact. and all this despite the fact that the grand poobahs of the media have told us for years that snow's defense was far too valuable to even consider sitting him.
it's a continuing mystery to me why the media seems so incapable of thinking "outside the box" when it comes to this issue. esp. as it seems these columnists are the first to slam a coach for being inflexable or not being inventive. bizarre...
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