Here’s what happens if the Cavaliers lose two more games
2010-05-11
First off: I rarely do this, but here’s a Cavs-Celtics piece concerning how Rondo did his damage in game four. Basically, the Cavs are going to have to limit transition opportunities if they want to stop Rondo, and game four was a perfect storm of transition opportunities.
Anyways, onto anxiety and potential misery. I want to get all of this out of the way while the series is still tied (for the record, I do still the the Cavs will probably win this series), so I’m a step ahead of the fire and brimstone if they do lose. The Cavaliers are two losses, only one of which has to be at home, from losing this series. The series has been more or less dead-even so far — both teams have won semi-tough games at home and blown their opponent out on the road. Sometimes LeBron has looked unstoppable; other times, Rondo has controlled the game. There is a very, very, very real possibility that the Cavaliers are not going to win this series. Here is what I believe will happen if they do. Keep in mind that I am not saying any of these things are right or wrong. It’s just what I believe will happen.
-There is a high likelihood that LeBron James will leave. Not only has the team had trouble winning any game that LeBron did not dominate, but there doesn’t appear to be much of a core in place at the current moment. Shaq and Antawn Jamison aren’t getting any younger. Mo Williams, Delonte West, Anderson Varejao, and J.J. Hickson are the supposed under-30 “core,” and they certainly haven’t been setting the world on fire. LeBron will take a long, hard look at a team that can potentially provide him with a true running mate or running mates, as well as a fresh start. As always, I have no idea if LeBron’s already made up his mind one way or another. But you have to imagine losing this series will influence his decision.
-LeBron will get the reputation as the next Karl Malone/Dan Marino/Charles Barkley, whatever of sports. The dissenting opinion on LeBron will officially become the conventional wisdom on LeBron. Maybe it will be even worse, because only Marino had a chance to be considered an all-time great the way LeBron does. He will not shake this label until he does win a championship.
The list of MVPs to have never won a championship is very short. The list of two-time MVPs to have never won a championship is even shorter. LeBron does not want to be on that list. He is now in his prime. His team has had the best record in basketball for two consecutive years. Fair or unfair, it will be on him if the Cavs do not pull this off. You will see the op-ed headline “no more excuses for LeBron,” likely more than once.
-Mike Brown’s future will be up in the air. If LeBron leaves, he might as well stay, because teams without superstars win with defense. Also, they’re not going to find a big-name coach willing to take the Cavs job if they don’t have LeBron. If he does stay, they may make a desperate shake-up with the coaching staff — public pressure will be too overwhelming. I think Mike Brown has done a great job during his time in Cleveland. But players win games and coaches lose them, and the Cavs are losing some games they shouldn’t be right now.
-The front office will desperately search for an upgrade at the two-guard position. Anthony Parker and Delonte West have not been getting the job done, and the team clearly could use more backcourt production. Ray Allen’s name will be tossed around. He will ultimately likely sign with a team other than Cleveland.
-The team’s focus will be called into question. LeBron’s leadership will bear the brunt of that criticism. Before the playoffs, the team insisted it was much more focused than it was in previous seasons. So far, that claim appears to have been a crock of s**t. The Cavaliers have the talent to win it all and they are failing to get it done. Nothing pisses of fans and journalists more than this. They will swarm on this team like piranha going after a fallen horse. To some degree, they will be right to do so.
-Mo Williams’ ultimate value to a contending team will be called into question. Since the Cavs owe Williams 8.5 million dollars in the 2012/13 season and a rebuilding team won’t want him, they will not have any way to address those concerns.
-Z won’t get a ring.
That’s what I can come up with off the top of my head. I’m sure there’s more. So yeah, I’ve been a little stressed. If the Cavs go down to Orlando, fine. That’s a great team. If the Cavs put up a good fight, that’s a team I’m proud to be a fan of. Same thing goes for whatever team comes out of the West. But this series? Losing this series would be a killer. It would be a letdown of the highest order. I don’t want that to happen. Let’s all hope the Cavs come out kicking ass and taking names on Tuesday.
4-0 huh? Waaaaaay off Chuck!
The Cavaliers simply didn’t care in Game 5. I saw a team with no enthusiasm, no energy, and no drive to win. Missing all these shots, and just letting Boston run every kind of play at their beckoning. I don’t know how they can be so inconsistent. One game they dominate and the next they look like the New Jersey Nets. They were so terrible they left Charles Barkley essentially speechless. This is not a championship team, they’re no where near a championship team. They could have had this series done with tonight in my opinion. But they just don’t… Read more »
1. Get J.J. Hickson up, he brings ‘loads’ of energy!
2. I question the the team’s sense of urgency?
3. LeBron really needs to hit those jumpers and FTs!
4. Bench Shaq if he’s not helping, it doesn’t matter if he is a legend or not, he got issues with defense and rebounding IMO.
5. You must have ‘heart’ to win a championship. Boston got tons of that but Cle? not so much :(
I’ll be hoping for a Game 6 win on the road… I know they can win road games but the pressure is on Cle.
Fire Coach Brown!!!!! Where in the H-E double hockey sticks is LeBron’s head??? This game should have been a no brainer. The line-up sucked, and I have no clue what coach Brown was thinking. My biggest question is do the Cavs watch the games (win or lose) after the game are over? I do not think they do. This is the number one team in the league, and they are playing like they are the worse team in the league. If LeBron wants to leave and go to NY or where ever so be it, but get a RING first!!!… Read more »
@ Tom..Love it MAN. Reading Truth’s comments, I was getting pissed. Glad I didn’t have to write an essay because you explained it beautifully. Thanks, appreciate it!
what now? 4:40 left in game 5 and I cant watch this. Very concerned
I’m actually happy about where this series is. Probability. With the series tied 1-1 going into Boston, it was unrealistic to think that we would win games 3 and 4. Say Cleveland is a 60-40 favorite in Boston (thats pushing it). Probability says that Cleveland goes 2-0 THIRTY SIX PERCENT of the time. Better still, we got a good game (3) that shows how dangerous the Cavs can be when they play well. If the Cavs had lost game 3 and won game 4 by 30 points we would be celebrating.
@Chip:
Some day, Chip. Some day….
Colin, what’s really amazing to me is that you’re not coaching the Cavaliers. I mean, really, you should be the head coach of the Cavaliers next year! You know so much basketball!
@Tom: Its useless to argue with facts and logic when you are debating someone who refuses to use either.
Trust me, you can save yourself a lot of frustration by sticking to talking to people who know basketball… haha
@Patrick – the attitude is easy to understand if you think about the relationship between sports teams and fans like dating. If you fall in love, and get burned, it makes it harder to fall in love again. If it happens over and over and over, it makes it REALLY hard. each time, things have to be REALLY GOOD to get excited about the relationship again. And if you get burned AGAIN, it makes it that much more painful. that is the story of Cleveland sports (especially recently, when a lot of good teams have come up short in all… Read more »
Cavalier Truth – Mo williams 3 point percentage jumped .40 percentage points since teaming up with LeBron. Jamison’s FG% went from 45 to 49 since joining the Cavs. It’s obvious you are a Kobe fan. you know how I know that? No, it’s not because you sing Kobe’s praises. It’s because your arguments BLOW. LeBron made Larry Hughes less effective? Did you happen to notice how Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Ira Newble, Sasha Pavlovic fared after LEAVING the Cavs? Can you even tell me which teams they play for? They were STARTERS on a finals team with LeBron. Where are… Read more »
this was the most panic ridden article ive ever read here. what are you thinking krolik? we won 61 games! have a little faith
Jesus… everyone thinks the sky is falling or something… I think we all need to take a page out of Kobe Bryant’s book. When a reporter asked him if the Lakers were in trouble before game 5 against OKC, do you remember what he said? He basically told everyone to chill the f$%k out since the series was still tied 2-2. It wasn’t like the Lakers were down 3-1 or anything like that. It’s the same deal with us. The series is still tied 2-2. We are facing the 2008 defending champions. Rondo is emerging as one of the best… Read more »
Whoever claims that Lebron does not have the teammates to win it all are seriously delusional. The Cavs are as talented and as deep as they come. The people who claim that other superstars, like Kobe and Dwight, can have an off game and still win, unlike the Cavs, are missing the point. Even if Dwight has 8 points in a game, his presence in the paint opens everything up for the shooters, and his defensive presence is ALWAYS there. Even when Kobe scores 20 points on 25 shots, he creates easy opportunities for his teammates. It’s not a coincidence… Read more »
@Anthony- maybe you and I play some real D and quit missing dey open looks-we be a’ight. We’s gots ta gets nashty.
I just dropped my computer.
Hey long time reader first time poster. So I have…a friend…who is an NBA player and his coach insists that he guard a dude who is at least 5 times as quick and 3 times as fast…and he’s having the series of his life.
Any advice guys?
Where does this attitude come from? I was born in Ohio and moved to Central Florida when I was little. I moved back to Ohio to go to Ohio State and I notice a huge difference in the confidence of some of these people. Where is the swagger? Where is the pride in this state? The Lakers were in this same position in the first round. Did their fans go through this garbage? No. They have attitude, resiliency. They EXPECT to win. They don’t consider what will happen if they don’t. I’m sick and tired of hearing my fellow Ohio… Read more »
…please don’t leave me to shoot crucial jumpers this game, guys!
Rag on the supporting cast all you want. But if we bottle up what we did to the Celtics in game 3… nobody beats us. We played the game loose and easy and we gave the Celtics the worst playoff beat down in their franchise history. We just need to find some consistency. Its lack of consistency that has everybody all shook up. You’ll be able to tell from the opening tip tonight which Lebron has decided to show up. Just look at the eyes.
Zydrunus Willfuckus
Anyone want to buy some DVDs?
Whether you think he’s trying or not, whether you think he’s playing well or not, the point is this: If LeBron wants to be considered one of the greats, he has to find a way. If it means he has to go out and score 40 to get the win, he has to do it. If it means he has to be a facilitator for a teammate with a hot hand, he has to do it. Hell, if it means he has to take the other team’s best player, he has to do it. Best 2 out of 3. If… Read more »
Of course I read this blog.
The reason Rondo is the #1 player in this series is that he is having an INSANE series, in large part because Lebron’s teammates can’t cover him and because they keep missing shots, not rebounding, and putting him in the open floor. Honestly, given what Rondo is doing, I’m not sure what kind of game 4 performance it would have taken to make Lebron the #1 player in the series. The rest of the Cavs play better and Lebron is probably the #1 player in this series. I don’t think people are against criticizing Lebron because they are “afraid” of… Read more »
And look at a few posts above. Jordan DID it all for his first three titles. Why is it we expect LeBron to not do it all, if we want to call him the next MJ?
I can post and be excited about a team without having it tear my life apart if that team wins or loses. Will I be upset? Of course. But will I go about my next day the same I would have as if they had won? Yes. You are the one who made the real life comment first by saying “enjoy LIFE after LBJ cavaliers fans.” I was simply stating that I will still enjoy life w/ or w/o LBJ because what he does or doesn’t do doesn’t define what I do or don’t do. Never did I say you… Read more »
Forget the curveball Ricky…Give ’em the heater!
Ah Rich, bringing the real life card into it. Well played sir, well played… “I will thoroughly enjoy life after LBJ because my life doesn’t hinge on a basketball team being good or bad.” You, of all people, are the most conistent poster here. You post constantly during games and then the post game threads. You, of all people, are constantly criticizing everything about the Cavs in this series. You are not being positive in the least. I’d say if you have a job, that outside of your work responsibilities, and outside of sleep, this is your 3rd most frequent… Read more »
Well then I guess there’s only one thing left to do.
Win the whole f’in thing.”
I hope the don’t have a cut-out of Dan Gilbert wearing a strippers outfit in the locker-room! =O
Because we’ve come to expect 30-9-9 out of Lebron every night, anytime he doesn’t deliver that, he’s a failure?? And anytime he doesn’t deliver that and the Cavs lose, he’s a colossal failure just going thru the motions?? I got ya. Remember that next year when the Cavs win less than 40% of their games and he’s on another team where he doesn’t have to be on his game for 9 straight months. All they need is one guy, just one guy who is consistent and can shoot w/o being paralyzed with fear, w/o us fans hoping that jumper goes… Read more »
Why in god’s name does my buddy’s wedding have to be tonight?!?! This game is too huge to miss… I sure hope the King feels that way too…
Pierce has been awful this series, no doubt, but my point was that the Celtics have four of the five best players on the two teams…not necessarily those who are playing best in the series. As for Jamison, I think it’s pretty apparent that he is a limited player. He can score, though not so much vs. Garnett. He rebounds some but does he really grab the tough rebound in traffic? He doesn’t really pass and he is a horrendous defender. He has put up good stats on lousy teams, has never been a winner…I agree with a previous poster… Read more »
Sorry, I’m not going to live in fear of a player leaving so much so that he becomes immune to any and all criticism. I will thoroughly enjoy life after LBJ because my life doesn’t hinge on a basketball team being good or bad. Do I want to see the Cavs win? Of course. Will I cry myself to sleep at night if LeBron leaves? No. Stop being so afraid of an athlete who plays a sport. And no, Tony Allen’s 15 point game is not better than any other Cav has been in any single game this series. Again,… Read more »
@ Josh – So the Lakers went 7 against the #5 Rockets last year. How did that work out for them?
Sure, keep on blaming him. Its cool. As long as nobody else continues to show up, you have at most 3 games left to put the blame squarely on his shoulders. Enjoy life after LBJ, Cleveland fans.
The Celtics had Tony Freaking Allen be better in game 4 than any other Cav has been in any single game this series. But yah, keep blaming Lebron.
Oh, and Jim, others have pointed it out but I have to disagree. If we are talking this series right now as it has played it out, the best player on the court hasn’t been LeBron, it has been Rajon Rondo. So that is the first problem, LeBron not playing up to his potential. After that, there is no way you can tell me Pierce has been better than Jamison, and I personally think it’s a toss up between Allen and Jamison this series. So, for me, it has went something like : 1. Rondo 2. LeBron 3. Garnett. 4.… Read more »
I’ll be at game 5 tonight boys. Section 211. Who is going to be there with me??
@Josh, do I think the Cavs can win it all this year? Yes. Do I think they can win it all based on their current game form? No.
@squiggles – that’s a very interesting question, which will be posed more often if he fails to meet expectations this time around. That’s if the elbow doesn’t come up again…lol…
But seriously, I do wonder if LeBron is afraid that his best will not be enough… in my struggles to understand the tentativeness in his game, this is the only explanation I’ve come up with so far…
Josh: That’s not a question, that’s a statement of your opinion. But I disagree- the Cavaliers will definitely go all the way this year.
In order to do that, we need to close out this series against Boston first~ let’s make it painful for them.
I’m not ready to start thinking in any of these terms. My thoughts are more like: if there’s a parade in downtown Cleveland, what route would it take?
But if we are destined to lose in the Conf Semis, I prefer to be completely in shock AFTER losing, than spending/wasting time being “shock prepared” BEFORE that.
I am gettin anxious for this game to get started. All the speculation all the talk about potential outcomes and subsequent scenarios. Ohio State is probably the only other team I get this way about before a game. But I can’t say I’ve been this anxious in awhile. I’m tired of all the preliminary stuff. Game 5 is a MUST win. If Cavs lose this series, LBJ is as good as gone. But gettin a win tonight would at least bring them a step closer to Orlando. I like LeBron taking Rondo, but I think it may require a lineup… Read more »
Celtics fan here. I want to pose this question to you Cavs fans. Do you really think you can win the whole thing by: struggling with the #4 Celtics, then having to beat the Magic, THEN try beat the Lakers?? You guys are nuts if you think this poorly constructed Cavs team can do that. Orlando and LA are more balanced then my Celtics, not to mention younger and fresher. Unless you guys win the chip, I see Lebron leaving.
Lebron had a below-average game 4 and it was a near triple-double. I don’t think it was lack of effort. As several people have pointed out, 2 or more of the 7 turnovers were in no way on him. The Celtics defense at the end of the game was designed to keep him from getting to the rim. Perhaps he could have anyway, perhaps not. But I see it as a bad decision, not a sign that he doesn’t care or isn’t playing hard. What is the evidence — other than the fact we lost — that Lebron was not… Read more »
John’s post is completely correct. I also believe that this realization is one of the main problems hampering the Cavs in this playoff run. They are playing tight, as if the weight of the world is on their shoulders. And it is. I’ve never before seen a team that HAD to win the championship in one specific season. That’s what we’re watching. It’s hard to win a title – even harder to win under these circumstances. This realization is why fans are analyzing nonsense such as the few minutes of playing time that may or may not be available for… Read more »
“Well then I guess there’s only one thing left to do.
Win the whole f’in thing.”
YES! Major League FTW!!!
Maybe LeBron is a choke artist. Why is that question never posed?
To add on to Roger’s point, here are a few crude stat lines courtesy of databasebasketball.com (just pts/rebs/ast per game, not PER or other metrics) from other superstars’ championship seasons, courtesy of databse: Jordan ’91 (31.1/6.4/8.4); Jordan ’92 (34.5/6.2/5.8); Jordan ’93 (35.1/6.7/6.0) (I think Jordan’s 1st 3 title seasons are most comparable considering his age); D Wade ’06 (28.4/5.9/5.7); Kobe ’09 (30.2/5.3/5.5). Lebron’s 9-game averages thus far: 30.9/8.6/7.4. Lebron’s numbers are spectacular, but not hugely better than what Jordan, DWade, or Kobe produced in their title seasons, and arguably inferior to Jordan’s best post-seasons. And in all of these seasons… Read more »
Just to add to everyone’s depression, note that if the Cavs lose this series, tonight could be LeBron’s last home game as a Cav. Wallow in that one….
Jimmy, wipe the fairy dust out of your eyes. It’s quite clear that LeBron has either not been playing well or not giving his full effort in 3 games so far this series, 2 of them being losses. He’s not untouchable. Cavs fans above anyone have ground to criticize him this playoff series and lay some of the blame for these losses on him. We blame Mr. Toyoda when old people confuse the gas for the brake pedal, LeBron needs to take some blame if the Cavs play like they’ve confused the Boston Celtics for the New York Knicks. He’s… Read more »
Im still keeping the faith because this Cavs team is still capable of winning the next two games and they might win tonite by double digits…not like Gam 3 but more around 10-12 points…I think Lebron on Rondo to start the game will be a big deal and affect the game big time for both teams. I think Parker is good enough to handle Pierce as the latter hasnt done shit this series. If the Cavs get by the Celtics I think theyll have a completely different mindset against Orlando. This was the team that knocked them out in their… Read more »
Disagree. I’d take Jamison over Pierce and Allen. Anyway John? Did you really need to write this article? The day’s rainy enough.
A question for you Cavs fans – of all the players on both teams, who are the best players after Lebron? I think most people would say something along the lines of Rondo, Pierce, Garnett and Allen would be numbers 2 – 5; well Rondo #2 and the others as 3-5. Obviously, Lebron is far-and-away the best player but I think most folks would agree that the Celtics have the next best four players in this series. I think a similar (though not as strong)argument could be made to Orlando – after Lebron, you have D. Howard, Rashard Lewis, VC… Read more »
Well then I guess there’s only one thing left to do.
Win the whole f’in thing.
LeBron/supporting cast is chicken/egg. The team is built UPON him, not around him, so if he’s not there (i.e. not exerting himself, being “passive”, deferring too much, etc.) then the team doesn’t stand as tall. While their bad games are not ALL HIS FAULT, he is the admitted leader and if his effort is not there the rest of the team seems lost. While that’s on their heads, you kind of chose them because they had that quality, i.e. willing to follow LeBron. “Getting floor burns” is cliche, I know, but during most of these playoffs have you seen that… Read more »
Nathan, come on now. The Cavs have been the best team in the regular season 2 years in a row. They have the best player on the planet. They need 1 other person to show up to help him. JUST ONE. Three years running they’ve needed that one person. If they lose this series, its a colossal disappointment and I’m positive it means the end of the LBJ era. Last night Gasol went 33/14. Howard took 32 shots the entire Atlanta series and was a no-show in the Charlotte series and they still dominated. Nash has Stoudemire or vice versa.… Read more »
Will the real LeBron James please stand up? Doesn’t he have any more Game 3’s in him? That was a statement game… That was a blowout… That was a game that left me on a high, and left me satisfied when I slept that day…
Please LeBron, give us more Game 3’s… Win the championship, and I won’t feel so bad if you left Cle thereafter…
Anyone with me on this?
Yep, that’s pretty much it. This is the biggest postseason of LeBron’s career. If he does leave to say, New York, or wherever, it’s going to be another few years before he even has a chance at a title. It’s not like his team will be able to compete immediately, the other pieces have to be put in place. Even if he lands somewhere with Bosh, you’re looking at his 9th or 10th year that he can for the ring again…doesn’t look good for his legacy. Plus PR-wise, he can’t complain about how his supporting cast wasn’t good enough, because… Read more »
John, as much as I agree with you, this was horribly depressing.
Appropriate picture. Also agree with everything you’ve said.
I disagree on one count. If the Cavs lose this series in a close game 7 and the Celtics go on to win the championship like in ’08, then this is a lot less of a disappointment. I already have a wry smile on my face when I think about Fisher trying to guard Rondo.
Totally agree it would be a shame to lose to the C’s although there a good team.
Turning point for LBJ in his carreer he needs to get it done..
Right on krolic!