Series Thread: NBA Finals. Cleveland vs. Golden State...

[LAD]

Poor wording purposely used by the reporter as bait and repeated by LeBron in his answer. He should know better by now though.



It was disappointing how it was handled but that play will be remembered for a while. Hill missed the free throw, Smith missed the score, LeBron was unsure of how many timeouts the Cavs had. Everything went wrong on that play lol. Smith is a grown man too, LeBron shouldn't need to be a shoulder to cry on in order to be a proper leader.

What I don't understand is why LBJ was unsure of their timeouts left. Isn't that something that should be discussed with all 5 guys prior to the F/Ts being shot? Isn't that something a high IQ basketball player should know without having to be told?

I think people are placing too much blame on JR alone. Yea he had a mental midget moment, but LBJ also had a mental blunder himself because he was right there in the refs face & not calling a timeout.

 

[Mecca]

Totally agree. He didn't handle the moment well and I think he knows it. Who knows, OT could've gone a lot differently if he doesn't act defeated.

The answer he gave the reporter was a bit dismissive/defensive, but it also wasn't what the headline makes it sound like.

What it was is a guy having to answer the same question, 5 different ways , after one of the toughest loses of his career.

I give him credit for not going thermonuclear.

But, just like that dumb ass coach who didn't foul in the last minute of the NCAA Championship game, gotta be a pro.

As for the huddle, wow....

Not a great look. But, I'm sure he was fucking exhausted, mentally and physically.

Can't be on your A game all the time.

 

[Mecca]

What I don't understand is why LBJ was unsure of their timeouts left. Isn't that something that should be discussed with all 5 guys prior to the F/Ts being shot? Isn't that something a high IQ basketball player should know without having to be told?

I think people are placing too much blame on JR alone. Yea he had a mental midget moment, but LBJ also had a mental blunder himself because he was right there in the refs face & not calling a timeout.

It was JR's fault and Lue.

None of that should be placed at Lebron's feet.

He wanted JR to either shoot, pass to the open guy and then he half heartedly signaled for timeout in the confusion.

All that happened in 4 seconds.

 

[Mecca]

I disagree only with it not being a fair expectation. He calls himself their "leader". He also calls himself "king". Kings are leaders & therefore should be setting good examples. In that moment, especially, he has to make sure he can reach his guys & lift them up. None of his team mates can play like he does, but if he can make them buy into them having enough to help them win he has to do that. Of course that's a fair expectation.

Isn't Draymond the leader of the Warriors?

Lmfao....

Yeah, he is the model of mild, mannered professionalism...lol

Lebron is a human being.

None of us are perfect.

He's allowed to have non-superhuman moments on the court from time to time.

This is nitpicking.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

What I don't understand is why LBJ was unsure of their timeouts left. Isn't that something that should be discussed with all 5 guys prior to the F/Ts being shot? Isn't that something a high IQ basketball player should know without having to be told?

I think people are placing too much blame on JR alone. Yea he had a mental midget moment, but LBJ also had a mental blunder himself because he was right there in the refs face & not calling a timeout.

Only thing you can even think of is that nobody was thinking about an offensive rebound.
Mindset was prob being in the lead, tied up with Warriors having the ball.

 

[LAD]

It was JR's fault and Lue.

None of that should be placed at Lebron's feet.

He wanted JR to either shoot, pass to the open guy and then he half heartedly signaled for timeout in the confusion.

All that happened in 4 seconds.

I know it happened fast, but a high IQ means you're prepared for those types of situations - that you're aware of all possibilities.

Let's be honest - a lot of these close playoff games are determined by which team breaks down mentally. We see it all of the time.

 

[LAD]

Isn't Draymond the leader of the Warriors?

Lmfao....

Yeah, he is the model of mild, mannered professionalism...lol

Lebron is a human being.

None of us are perfect.

He's allowed to have non-superhuman moments on the court from time to time.

This is nitpicking.

Of course Draymond is their emotional leader - and DID HE NOT get heat for losing his cool that what most of us believe lead to their demise that year?

But when LBJ loses his cool it's nitpicking? Stop it. Let's keep things 1-hunid.

What fan doesn't expect their team's leader to have a high IQ? This is the very moment when his high IQ should take the forefront & kick in.

I'm not saying he has to be perfect. What I am saying is he should've known they had a timeout. What I'm also saying is he should've been able to take JR & give him a prep talk right then & there because they still had a chance to pull off a win.

 

[Mecca]

I know it happened fast, but a high IQ means you're prepared for those types of situations - that you're aware of all possibilities.

Let's be honest - a lot of these close playoff games are determined by which team breaks down mentally. We see it all of the time.

So, what's Dray's IQ when he put his forearm in Harden's throat?

What about when he dribbled the ball off his foot?

What's Steph's IQ that he gave the ball to Dray to begin with?



It was one play.

You can't take one bad play out of the 1,000's of great ones that LeBron has made this year and use it to question his basketball mental makeup.

Especially when he wasn't the guy with the ball in his hands.

The guy has been clutch.

He has carried that entire team playing Damn near the entire game for the last few series.

You are overreaching here.

 

[LAD]

Only thing you can even think of is that nobody was thinking about an offensive rebound.
Mindset was prob being in the lead, tied up with Warriors having the ball.

Which might also point to no one really doing their homework - because history shows that while Hill is a 80%+ he struggles with clutch F/Ts.

 

[Mecca]

Of course Draymond is their emotional leader - and DID HE NOT get heat for losing his cool that what most of us believe lead to their demise that year?

But when LBJ loses his cool it's nitpicking? Stop it. Let's keep things 1-hunid.

What fan doesn't expect their team's leader to have a high IQ? This is the very moment when his high IQ should take the forefront & kick in.

I'm not saying he has to be perfect. What I am saying is he should've known they had a timeout. What I'm also saying is he should've been able to take JR & give him a prep talk right then & there because they still had a chance to pull off a win.

It was one play.

You are bashing his IQ and placing undue blame on him for JR's mistake.

 

[Wamu]

 

[LAD]

So, what's Dray's IQ when he put his forearm in Garden's throat?

What about when he dribbled the ball off his foot?

What's Steph's IQ that he gave the ball to Dray to begin with?



It was one play.

You can't take one bad play out of the 1,000's of great ones that LeBron has made this year and use it to question his basketball mental makeup.

Especially when he wasn't the guy with the ball in his hands.

The guy has been clutch.

He has carried that entire team playing Damn near the entire game for the last few series.

You are overreaching here.

Well Dray clearly isn't the franchise player that LBJ is, so not even sure why they're being compared. That my fried is a far reach on your behalf.

Dribbling the ball off his foot? Are you saying that is a mental midget moment? I don't know which players are exempt from that happening to them. Here's a gem...

So are we now saying that Steph giving the ball to Dray is a low basketball IQ play? Doesn't Dray execute their offense regularly?

The conversation was around LBJs actions in those CRUCIAL moments. As a leader I think he could've handled things better that may have had the result they were hoping for.

 

[LAD]

It was one play.

You are bashing his IQ and placing undue blame on him for JR's mistake.

I am not bashing his IQ, I am questioning it in that moment. Those are two very different things.

 

[LAD]

So, what's Dray's IQ when he put his forearm in Harden's throat?

What about when he dribbled the ball off his foot?

What's Steph's IQ that he gave the ball to Dray to begin with?



It was one play.

You can't take one bad play out of the 1,000's of great ones that LeBron has made this year and use it to question his basketball mental makeup.

Especially when he wasn't the guy with the ball in his hands.

The guy has been clutch.

He has carried that entire team playing Damn near the entire game for the last few series.

You are overreaching here.

Also, in Dray's defense when a similar play happened in game 5 of the Houston series Dray DID know they had a timeout & actually tried to call timeout to save that last possession that ended the game & resulted in a loss for GS.

 

[Mecca]

Also, in Dray's defense when a similar play happened in game 5 of the Houston series Dray DID know they had a timeout & actually tried to call timeout to save that last possession that ended the game & resulted in a loss for GS.

That's terrific.

But, he still dribbled the ball off his foot and it cost them the a game, right?

One play doesn't make you a mental midget.

 

[Mecca]

I am not bashing his IQ, I am questioning it in that moment. Those are two very different things.

Again: it was one play.

Seriously, you know I'm team ALL Day.

But, your dislike for him is almost as bad as @WiggyRuss and his rants about Pat Riley.

 

[Mecca]

Well Dray clearly isn't the franchise player that LBJ is, so not even sure why they're being compared. That my fried is a far reach on your behalf.

Dribbling the ball off his foot? Are you saying that is a mental midget moment? I don't know which players are exempt from that happening to them. Here's a gem...

So are we now saying that Steph giving the ball to Dray is a low basketball IQ play? Doesn't Dray execute their offense regularly?

The conversation was around LBJs actions in those CRUCIAL moments. As a leader I think he could've handled things better that may have had the result they were hoping for.

Steph is a franchise player.

He missed a game winner.

So, despite all the other Shit he's done in his career, he's no longer clutch, right?

Because one play is enough to undo everything else....lol

 

[LAD]

That's terrific.

But, he still dribbled the ball off his foot and it cost them the a game, right?

One play doesn't make you a mental midget.

correct, it might have cost him the game - but my point is that is hardly a mental midget moment.

Not knowing the score in a FINALS game and/or the STAR PLAYER not knowing if you have timeouts in a CLOSE FINALS game are different things - and yes they are and have been viewed as mental mistakes.

 

[Mecca]

correct, it might have cost him the game - but my point is that is hardly a mental midget moment.

Not knowing the score in a FINALS game and/or the STAR PLAYER not knowing if you have timeouts in a CLOSE FINALS game are different things - and yes they are and have been viewed as mental mistakes.

Lebron knew the score.

Jr. didn't and you just said that we shouldn't blame JR.

I'm confused.

Seriously, just be honest....

You hate him and will bash him any opportunity you get.

I was the same way with Kobe.

...and am still that way with Draymond, Smart and a few others.

I'm just more honest about it...lol

 

[LAD]

Again: it was one play.

Seriously, you know I'm team ALL Day.

But, your dislike for him is almost as bad as @WiggyRuss and his rants about Pat Riley.

Most people would say I dislike him so I am picking anything to nitpick. But I expected different from you.

You already know I call a spade a spade. When Dray got suspended for game 5 in 2016 I was all over the fact that he likely cost them that series. While I understood the reason he reacted the way he did, I also said he needed to be better in that moment.

Furthermore, it is not only me that thinks LBJ could have done more in those moments. Personally, I expect more from the team's leader. That's it.