LeBron snub?

The Cavs just got upset in the Eastern Conference Finals. The magical (no pun intended) season was over. And what is the story that refuses to go away? LeBron leaving the arena without congratulating Orlando or speaking to the media. Give me a frickin' break.

This isn't youth sports where you have to lineup and shake hands after the game. This is the NBA. Let's not get our panties in a bunch because someone didn't want to talk to you in his moment of disappointment. Now David Stern wants to speak to LeBron about it. How is this a story?

Be a good sport and gracious in defeat, they say. Give me a break. What makes someone great is the unstoppable desire to win. T0 put winning above all else (without resorting to performance enhancing drugs or otherwise cheating). Just a few years ago we were bashing Larry Hughes for not caring about the team and putting himself first. I, for one, am glad LeBron was so pissed about the loss that he had to leave without congratulating Orlando or speaking to the media. I wish the whole team was that pissed. They should be. I want players who care about winning that much. And I don't want players who are so sensitive that they would feel slighted if the opposing team didn't shake hands with them after a crushing loss.


Bad sportsmanship is going to the other team after the loss and picking a fight. It's talking sh*t and making excuses after a loss. What LeBron did is not bad sportsmanship. But the oh so petty media insists on getting its interviews. Especially with the big stars in the league. And if that star spurns them, the media is compelled to lash out with this stupid story. Heaven help all those sports fans out there who are agreeing with the media and buying this "story."

Until next time, this is Barry Lakin, sayin' all the world is schlach. Read the rest of this article

It happened, We're Over It, We're Moving On

Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts. The sky is not falling . . . .

I attended game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals last night expecting to be treated to another 48 minutes of Cavalier poetry. Needless to say, 24 of those minutes fell a bit short of my expectations. I left the Q hoarse, angry, and exhausted.

I'm not going to recap the game. I'm not going to point out all of the obvious and ridiculous things that the Cavs botched, both in their execution and strategy in the second half. All I'm going to do is offer a few suggestions that I think might help the Cavs handle a team that they just don't match up with particularly well; and yes, I'm well aware that "don't stand around on offense" is probably near the top of the list of adjustments that need to be made, but we're going for a few things that are a little more subtle:

1. Take 75% of Szczerbiak and Gibson's minutes and give them to Sasha. Keep in mind, I am not a Pavlovic fan. But I just don't see how you can justify playing a guy a) whose feet are glued to the floor, or b) who is undersized and brings nothing to the table right now, over a guy who is 6'7, agile, and can also put the ball on the floor on the offensive end. Listen, I'm well aware of Sasha's deficiencies. I just think that with both Lewis and Turkoglu out on the floor, when the Cavs decide to change things up by going to the bench, the should do it by bringing out a big perimeter player who can bother Orlando's shooters a little bit.

2. Increase Lebron's minutes. I know, this sounds a little bit ridiculous since he only sat about 90 seconds in the 4th quarter but part of what has made the Cavs such a tough playoff out for the last couple of years is that the team becomes significantly better when Lebron is playing 48 minutes. I thought it was a costly mistake to put him on the bench to start the 4th last night. Playoff leads are too hard to build. It is senseless to have a guy work all game to build and maintain a lead just to let it slip away so that he can get a quick blow. There are no back-to-backs in the playoffs. The TV timeouts are endless. Lebron can go 48 minutes without a problem. Let him do it. At the very least, eliminate the rest at the start of the 4th. The Cavs can't afford to take him off of the floor for defensive reasons, let alone offense.

3. Give Andy a crack at Howard. I completely agreed with the strategy of forcing Howard to beat single defenders to win the game. Boiled down to its simplest form, in a pure pissing contest between Howard and Lebron, Howard loses 99 times out of 100. He just doesn't have the offensive arsenal to score every time down the floor like Lebron does. That said, having Z guard him all game is making things a little too easy. At least Andy might be able to stay in front of him and draw a cheap charge or two. I'm not saying the Cavs should do it all game because they can't afford to have Varejeo in foul trouble but he definitely needs to spend a little more time on Howard, if only to force him to make a few more baby hooks. Obviously, if the Cavs do this, it means more time for Wallace and Joe Smith because one of them is going to have to guard Rashard Lewis. I'm fine with that (assuming they stop screwing up the switch-offs on the sideline pick and roll). I love Z but unless the Cavs are going to run offensive set through him in the low post (which they won't as long as Howard is down there), then there isn't much reason to have him out there all game.

4. Stick Lebron on Alston and leave him there until somebody else gets hot. I'm not sure why the Cavs switched the assignment last night when Orlando's perimeter players were quiet in the first half. Plus, having Lebron on Alston gives him a little more flexibility to be a helpside defender down low. I'm not saying he can just go roam and block shots, but it's not like Turkoglu or Lewis where helping equals instant death.

5. Stop making Z show on screens 30 feet from the basket.

6. Push the perimeter defense out even further out. I know, it sounds absurd but Orlando can't win games with 2 point shots. On that last possession, I wished Varejao had just waved Rashard Lewis by him and made him make an uncontested 8 footer. I know, putting guys in a position to beat you off the dribble forces defenders to help and causes things to break down. Still, I'd rather take my chances with that than allow Lewis and Turkoglue to get good looks at the rim all game. The Cavs defenders need to be up in Lewis and Turkoglu's chests swatting at the ball trying to make their lives difficult and disrupt their shooting motions.

Aside from the aforementioned, there are a host of other obvious adjustments that need to be made (e.g. Mike Brown not doing his best S.V.G. impression by pissing his pants and overreacting to his opponent's play by abandoning his gameplan) but I have confidence that the Cavs will make them. The Cavs are a 66 win team. The Magic are a team that is built to succeed one night and fail the next. The sky is not falling. The Cavs have spent 8 months convincing us that they're the best team in the league. One bad half doesn't change that. Keep the faith everyone. This series is going to be a roller-coaster but I still believe the Cavs will prevail.

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It's Orlando: The Road to the Finals Just Got Harder

And so ends the reign of the Celtics . . .

I can't help but feel a little disappointed. There were so many reasons to want the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals: The inflated media hype they generate, the cliche' "team of destiny" storylines that would've inevitably developed, the fact that they're completely finished and would've probably been pounded by the Cavs in 5 games, the revenge factor associated with embarrassing an aging and decimated Celtics team . . . It would've been a lot of fun.

With that said, I guess I can appreciate the silver lining in the Celtics' defeat: This was absolutely the end for them. Garnett may come back but he's never going to be the defensive enforcer that he used to be. Paul Pierce has crested the hill and is rapidly crashing back toward earth. Did you see him trying to take guys off the dribble in these playoffs? He looked like he was running in sand the entire time. Ray Allen? Entering the Reggie Miller "I can only contribute on a great team that can create wide open looks for me" phase of his career. The Celtics are done . . . for a while. Of course, when their cap situation improves, they are bound to land a marquee free agent or two. Players are always going to want to play in Boston. It's a decent town that gets a ton of media attention and the Celtics have a fantastic basketball tradition. But before the Celtics rebuild, they're going to have to pay the bill for the Championship they (along with Kevin McHale) won last year.
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Another silver lining from the Celtics' failure: With Garnett going down, Glen Davis got to show just enough for someone (hopefully the Celtics) to wildly overpay for him this Summer. As a Cavs fan, you have to appreciate that. Sure, we may have our own bill coming due with Varejao but at least he's a legit 6'11 and can play center when called upon. The Celtics are genuinely screwed. Seriously, they're probably a 50-55 win team next year. It's our time now.

Bring On Orlando:

Before I can start breaking down the Magic as a team, I have to address a major subplot to this upcoming series that the networks are sure to miss. You may not have known this but Magic Center Dwight Howard has a real thing for porn stars; and not just any porn stars. He likes porn stars that poop in hot tubs. The sight of a floater cruising along in a steaming whirlpool really turns him on. Don't believe me? Follow the link below:

http://yourhollywoodnews.com/?p=7919

Some highlights:

-Howard invited his porn star friend to a Magic game but insulted her by giving her crappy tickets.
-The object of Howard's affection seems to enjoy defecating and menstruating in hot tubs.
-Howard cornered Ms. Carey in a bathroom and whipped it out.
-Howard is a devout Christian.

You stay classy Superman.

Ok, so I've been waiting to post that for about, oh, I don't know, two years. Now that I've gotten it out of my system, lets talk basketball. Just for fun, we'll break down this matchup Terry Pluto style:

Can the Magic beat the Cavs?

Yes. Orlando is extremely dangerous but very little of that has to do with Dwight Howard. Howard may be able to protect the rim and hammer the glass but there's only so much damage he can do by himself. Rather, it's Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu that really present the problem for the Cavs. Both are 6'10 and can be extremely dangerous from the outside. If one or both of them get hot, there won't be a ton that the Cavs can do about it. When you're giving up that much size on the perimeter, closing out on a shooter will only protect you to a certain degree. The Cavs' defense thrives on packing the paint and making teams beat them with jump shots. Orlando is one of the few teams in the league that can actually win that way (hence the reason they were able to beat the Cavs twice by double-digits this year).

Can the Cavs pound Orlando like they did Detroit and Atlanta?

Yes. Here's the thing about Orlando: They may punch harder than Boston, and they may present a greater danger of knocking us down (aka, winning at the Q) but they don't have Boston's jaw. If we hit them hard in the mouth early in the series, they might just hit the canvas for good. This is a team that is a) inexperienced, b) built around the 3-point shot, and c) coached by a guy who is prone to freaking out in big moments. If the Cavs had taken games one and two at the Q against Boston, the Celtics would've come back and fought hard at home. However, if the Cavs really take it to Orlando Wednesday and Friday, the series might be over early. Orlando may have more talent than Boston but they don't have the Celtics' leadership, experience, or intestinal fortitude.

So what's the game plan?

Well, I'm sure with as much time as they've had off, Mike Brown and his staff know exactly how they're going to handle the Magic. If it were me, I'd make it my number one priority to contest EVERYTHING from the outside and take my chances with Howard. If nothing else, the Cavs have enough big men in Z, Varejao, Wallace, and Smith that they can just foul the shit out of him and make him beat them from the line. I'll take my chances with Howard shooting lots of jump hooks and free throws.

The Magic will win if:

They have an absolute lights out shooting night in either games 1 or 2 and steal one from a stunned Cavs team at the Q. Then, they go back home, take advantage of their crowd, and beat a still somewhat bewildered Cavs team twice more to go up 3-1. Then, they come back to Orlando for game 6 and finish it.

The Cavs will win if:

They can keep Orlando from penetrating. It sounds counter intuitive to worry about penetration when you're talking about a team with a dominant center and a bunch of 3-point shooters but realistically, it would be tough for the Cavs to lose 4 times unless they're getting beat off of the dribble. Howard might be good for one Orlando win on his own. Turkoglu and Lewis could win two more with hot shooting nights. Still, I don't see Orlando getting to 4 unless Alston and the other perimeter guys can break down the Cavs' defense allowing Howard to dominate the glass and get easy second-chance points. If the Cavs can stay in front of their men, I like them to win the series.

The good news for Orlando is:

The Cavs might have to rely heavily on Sasha Pavlovic in this series. Aside from Lebron, he's the only guy with both the size and quickness to bother Orlando's big shooters.

The good news for Cleveland is:

Lebron might just assassinate Orlando by himself. This isn't the same player we've seen in years past. He is now good enough not only to win games by himself, but to win entire series by himself. Then again, even if he doesn't, the great thing about having the home court is that you can count on your complimentary players to show up for at least 4 games in the series.

More good news for Cleveland:

Orlando's point guard is Rafter Alston. He is, uh . . . let's just say unreliable.

Prediction:

If you're betting against the Cavs at this point then you're insane. Orlando is capable of giving the Cavs a very tough series, and even capable of beating them if everything breaks just right for them. Still, if you're playing the odds, the Cavs have to be a pretty good favorite in this series. I'd say with the homecourt and the extended rest, they could probably beat Orlando in 7 series out of 10. That's why for my prediction, I'm going with Cavs in 6.

Wednesday can't arrive soon enough. Read the rest of this article

Cavs Get Big Home Win: Top Seed Within Reach

I don't have much time to write this morning but I wanted to get a few Cavs thoughts out there to start the discussion. I'm interested to get the pulse of CMCR nation regarding this team right now.

1. In full disclosure, I only really watched the last quarter of the game as I was out and about in Cleveland taking in the St. Patrick's day festivities. With that being said, I think I pretty much got the gist of things: The Cavs tried to limit the damage caused by Howard down low and ended up getting scorched by Orlando's bigger perimeter players. At the same time, our beloved Cavs, now reincarnated as a pure jump shooting team, hit enough shots and got enough stops and friendly whistles down the stretch to pull it out. Not exactly the way I'd want to win but a win nonetheless.

2. Orlando is a huge problem for us because they have the best frontcourt player in the league and a ton of tall guys that can stroke it from the outside. That's not to say that the Cavs couldn't beat them in a seven game series, but I would absolutely rather play the Celtics. That's right Jon Barry, I said I would rather play the Celtics. Your idiotic Daily Dime notwithstanding Jon, I would rather play the Celtics. I encourage all of you to go read his Daily Dime column on ESPN this morning and go tell him what an idiot he is. Right Jon, the most "mentally tough" team in the Eastern Conference is the same one that couldn't stand upright away from home last year in the playoffs. Why is it that the "experts" over at ESPN only mention the Cavs as a contender with flaws? When LA shits the bed at home to a crappy Philly team, it's because they're realizing that they don't need home court in the playoffs and the Sixers are really playing tough. When Boston folds down the stretch, it's because of Garnett. When Cleveland keeps winning, it doesn't matter because they don't have a "legitimate third option" and they can't win without Ben Wallace. Great analysis this morning fellas.

3. I said it in a comment earlier this week: I'm not alarmed about the Cavs right now but I'm definitely concerned. This team can't jump shoot their way to a title. Lebron has to be attacking the rim all night and when teams take him away, Mo and Delonte need to be penetrating and Z needs to be getting the ball down low. Honestly, I'm more concerned with the offense right now than I am the defense. A few matchup problems aside (Guys like Yao and Howard), the Cavs can turn the screws on anyone defensively when they want to, especially at home. But, if they continue to develop an identity as a jump shooting team, it will be hard to break out of it in May and June.

4. Everyone talks about Ben Wallace being a huge difference maker but from where I stand, the biggest difference between the current version of the Cavs and the one that was mauling everyone earlier in the year is Delonte West. He doesn't look like he's ever been fully healthy since he came back from the wrist injury. Before he got hurt, his shooting was fantastic and he was attacking the basket with regularity. Now, he just disappears on the court for long periods of time. I know with his psychological issues, there is a lot that can be going on at any given time that can impact his play but this team desperately needs him to return to his early-season form.

5. Like I said, I missed three quarters of this game and I can see from the box that Lebron played out of his head. That being said, the deep three he hit at the end of the game made me want to vomit. I know, I know, I'm Mr. negativity but come on: You're comfortable with Lebron taking ridiculously deep 3's when we're down at the end of games? Me either. Yes, I know he made it and that's what great players do but I just hope that in his head, he knows that such a shot would never be acceptable with the season on the line. Sure, he tried the dribble drive and kick in the few possessions before that and guys were missing the open shots but it still didn't justify what he did. I'll take the win and not say any more about it but please, someone out there just assure me that Lebron understands that he can't take these shots in the playoffs.

6. LA lost and the Cavs now have the best record in the league. Will they hold on to it? I'd say it's 50/50. The Cavs aren't playing that well right now and still have plenty of tough games ahead. They need to treat every one of them like a playoff game because as much as this team can win on their road, their best bet to win a title is an 08 Celtics type playoff course where they win everything at home and try to steal a couple of games on the road.

Ok, that's it for this morning. I honestly don't even know how to feel right now. We have the best record in the NBA but I felt much better about this team two months ago. I need some reassurance people. What do all of you have to say?

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