As Magic Johnson said and I am paraphrasing, "OKC Thunder cannot make plays when it counts, therefore, they cannot get CONTROL of the game at the critical time".
I was so surprised that basketball junkies/sportswriters (i.e Stephen A Smith, Chris Sheridan) and knowledgeable fans were so HIGH on the Thunder winning the NBA Finals. I picked Miami.
If you were picking the Thunder to win the NBA championship, you should have known that:
a) Miami only last year went through the toughest experience in basketball - losing an NBA finals after being up. It was fresh in their mind.
b) The Thunder have NEVER experienced an NBA Finals so that takes time and a rough road to get right. Westbrook in game 4 had one of the best games in any NBA Finals and they still lost! Think about that.
c) The Thunder are a jumping shooting team and a good defense ALWAYS makes it tough for an open court/jump shooting type of team. (7 for 34 in last three games from 3 point range speaks volumes).
d) Youth - Thunder are young and haven't paid their dues. They are paying now!
e) Heat has a sense of urgency. They know that if the Thunder would win, it could make it tough to beat them in the next few years.
f) Dwayne Wade won the NBA title in 2006 after being down. Experience.
g) Pat Riley, Pat Riley, Pat Riley - Don't ever discount his influence as GM and President.
h) Lebron is clearly the best player in the game and has been showing his mental toughness (unlike last year) by making critical and tough late game shots throughout these playoffs.
I will leave you with this last quote:
"Teams are 30-0 all-time in the NBA Finals when leading the series 3-1."
(http://espn1420.com/heat-silence-thunder-take-3-1-finals-lead/)
Maybe next year Thunder or more likely, in a few years as Miami may just be starting their own Dynasty!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Monday, May 9, 2011
My Lakers - Disappointed YET excited about 2012.
Here's a moment that put a dagger in my heart. A dear woman friend (Swedish) in the USA who has never critiqued my Los Angeles Lakers wrote:
"They didn't even bother to show up.... Bunch of ??????? (except Fisher);
I purposely left out the derogatory word as it's painful to read. Her "spot on" comment hit me like a ton of bricks. As a die-hard Lakers fan, that was a big dose of reality about their pathetic play.
Another moment that aptly describes this series was early in the 3rd quarter of Game 4. Laker Ron Artest had an open layup that would have cut the lead to 17 points. The momentum was in LA's favor as Dallas came out lazy in the 2nd half after a glorious first half of basketball. Artest missed the terribly easy shot and in an instant, the game was back to a 25 point Dallas lead.
Game and series over.
There was still a glimmer of hope when Artest choked yet his failure exemplified the consistently poor play of the Lakers throughout this series.
Magic Johnson (NBA Hall of Famer) couldn't explain the complete collapse of his beloved team. I can't. I don't think anyone can. There must be some underlying issue as I have never seen any legendary franchise compete this poorly in a playoff series. Is someone in the Laker organization dying and we don't know about it? That might explain a collapse of this proportion.
Whatever the reason, let's not forget that this Dallas team played extraordinary basketball. When two players hit 15 of 16 three-point shots as Jason Terry and Peja Stojakovic did in game 4, it's nearly impossible for an opposing team to get a victory.
For my Lakers to get blown out in this pivotal game 4 is embarrassing. As a fan who has been bleeding Purple and Gold for 32 years, it was painful to witness. It's happened to us before (Memorial Day Massacre) when Boston crushed us in Game 1 of the 1985 NBA finals although it was only one bad game. The Lakers recovered after that terrible defeat and went on to capture the 1985 NBA championship.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIja-CPHfUI&
Am I angry? A bit.
Am I disappointed? A lot.
Does it hurt? Sure does.
Am I excited for the 2011- 2012 season and beyond? Absolutely!
We have a proud and long history of success - namely 16 NBA titles and we will be back.
Mitch Kupcheck (Lakers GM) will have to make some tough choices in the coming months. In my opinion, every player except Kobe Bryant is expendable. I would love to see them make a serious effort for Dwight Howard of the Orland Magic and we have the players that others teams desire ( Gasol, Odom or Bynum) to make a deal like that happen.
After this disaster, we need new blood and that includes the coach.
Brian Shaw has been a faithful assistant to Phil Jackson for 6 years. In addition, he played on some great Laker teams and was a strong player and leader on and off the court. I hope they are smart enough to give the reins to him.
As for Dallas, the way they are playing gives them a great opportunity to win an NBA title. If they don't get their first championship, the heavy sweep of the Lakers won't mean much. It will just be another playoff failure for this solid organization. I wish them well as I am a fan of their owner, Mark Cuban.
For all the Laker Haters (and there are many), enjoy your time in the sun as it won't be long. The Lakers will rise again and compete for the 2012 NBA championship.
A personal thanks to the greatest coach of all-time, Phil Jackson. He guided this Lakers franchise to 5 thrilling championships in the last decade including last year's stunning victory over Boston - my personal favorite.
Kobe, get re-focused. NBA teams, watch out.
Laker Doubters, I look forward to smiling down on you with the NBA's O'Brien trophy glistening in the air as we hold it up for our 17th NBA title.
Gswede
"They didn't even bother to show up.... Bunch of ??????? (except Fisher);
I purposely left out the derogatory word as it's painful to read. Her "spot on" comment hit me like a ton of bricks. As a die-hard Lakers fan, that was a big dose of reality about their pathetic play.
Another moment that aptly describes this series was early in the 3rd quarter of Game 4. Laker Ron Artest had an open layup that would have cut the lead to 17 points. The momentum was in LA's favor as Dallas came out lazy in the 2nd half after a glorious first half of basketball. Artest missed the terribly easy shot and in an instant, the game was back to a 25 point Dallas lead.
Game and series over.
There was still a glimmer of hope when Artest choked yet his failure exemplified the consistently poor play of the Lakers throughout this series.
Magic Johnson (NBA Hall of Famer) couldn't explain the complete collapse of his beloved team. I can't. I don't think anyone can. There must be some underlying issue as I have never seen any legendary franchise compete this poorly in a playoff series. Is someone in the Laker organization dying and we don't know about it? That might explain a collapse of this proportion.
Whatever the reason, let's not forget that this Dallas team played extraordinary basketball. When two players hit 15 of 16 three-point shots as Jason Terry and Peja Stojakovic did in game 4, it's nearly impossible for an opposing team to get a victory.
For my Lakers to get blown out in this pivotal game 4 is embarrassing. As a fan who has been bleeding Purple and Gold for 32 years, it was painful to witness. It's happened to us before (Memorial Day Massacre) when Boston crushed us in Game 1 of the 1985 NBA finals although it was only one bad game. The Lakers recovered after that terrible defeat and went on to capture the 1985 NBA championship.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIja-CPHfUI&
Am I angry? A bit.
Am I disappointed? A lot.
Does it hurt? Sure does.
Am I excited for the 2011- 2012 season and beyond? Absolutely!
We have a proud and long history of success - namely 16 NBA titles and we will be back.
Mitch Kupcheck (Lakers GM) will have to make some tough choices in the coming months. In my opinion, every player except Kobe Bryant is expendable. I would love to see them make a serious effort for Dwight Howard of the Orland Magic and we have the players that others teams desire ( Gasol, Odom or Bynum) to make a deal like that happen.
After this disaster, we need new blood and that includes the coach.
Brian Shaw has been a faithful assistant to Phil Jackson for 6 years. In addition, he played on some great Laker teams and was a strong player and leader on and off the court. I hope they are smart enough to give the reins to him.
As for Dallas, the way they are playing gives them a great opportunity to win an NBA title. If they don't get their first championship, the heavy sweep of the Lakers won't mean much. It will just be another playoff failure for this solid organization. I wish them well as I am a fan of their owner, Mark Cuban.
For all the Laker Haters (and there are many), enjoy your time in the sun as it won't be long. The Lakers will rise again and compete for the 2012 NBA championship.
A personal thanks to the greatest coach of all-time, Phil Jackson. He guided this Lakers franchise to 5 thrilling championships in the last decade including last year's stunning victory over Boston - my personal favorite.
Kobe, get re-focused. NBA teams, watch out.
Laker Doubters, I look forward to smiling down on you with the NBA's O'Brien trophy glistening in the air as we hold it up for our 17th NBA title.
Gswede
Monday, April 4, 2011
Butler Basketball - Still a Minor
What we witnessed tonight in the NCAA College Basketball Championship was an incredibly bad performance from the Butler Bulldogs against the University of Connecticut Huskies (UConn).
In their "Moment of Truth", they put on one of the worst displays ever in a title game. It was brutal to witness. UConn was a big reason why Butler suffered tonight, playing an intense and focused 2nd half of basketball to seal the victory. They deserve a hearty congratulations!
Therein lies the difference between a MAJOR and a Mid-major. Butler shot 18%, lowest OF ALL TIME in a championship game. Would that horrible shooting performance happen to a Major university? Everyone should know the answer to that question.
The mid-majors had a glorious run with the success of VCU and Butler, both making it to the Final Four in 2011. Since these institutions lack the resources of the major colleges and don't get the most talented players, their success this year was remarkable.
Being a former Division 1 player of a mid-major (University of Vermont), I'm happy to see the smaller colleges prevail in this great tournament. But, on the Grand Stage (Championship), I think it will be a long time before victory comes to one of these programs.
Butler has a great program and they should be proud of their success in the last two years - making it to the Championship in 2010 as well, losing to Duke. In addition, they have given hope to the likes of VCU, a team that has no doubt gained inspiration from them.
The Bulldogs may once again get to the main event of college hoops although in terms of capturing the top prize, they are still a "Minor" - which was made crystal clear tonight.
Gswede
In their "Moment of Truth", they put on one of the worst displays ever in a title game. It was brutal to witness. UConn was a big reason why Butler suffered tonight, playing an intense and focused 2nd half of basketball to seal the victory. They deserve a hearty congratulations!
Therein lies the difference between a MAJOR and a Mid-major. Butler shot 18%, lowest OF ALL TIME in a championship game. Would that horrible shooting performance happen to a Major university? Everyone should know the answer to that question.
The mid-majors had a glorious run with the success of VCU and Butler, both making it to the Final Four in 2011. Since these institutions lack the resources of the major colleges and don't get the most talented players, their success this year was remarkable.
Being a former Division 1 player of a mid-major (University of Vermont), I'm happy to see the smaller colleges prevail in this great tournament. But, on the Grand Stage (Championship), I think it will be a long time before victory comes to one of these programs.
Butler has a great program and they should be proud of their success in the last two years - making it to the Championship in 2010 as well, losing to Duke. In addition, they have given hope to the likes of VCU, a team that has no doubt gained inspiration from them.
The Bulldogs may once again get to the main event of college hoops although in terms of capturing the top prize, they are still a "Minor" - which was made crystal clear tonight.
Gswede
Monday, December 20, 2010
The Pressure was too Much for this Kid
In college sports, moments which I call "moments of truth" happen frequently although usually not with this much money on the line.
Kyle Brotzman missed as easy field goal that would have assured his team a place in the Rose Bowl and brought millions of dollars to his college.
A few paragraphs from the NY Times article:
On the last play of regulation in a tie game against Nevada in Reno on Nov. 26, with a chance to keep Boise State’s national championship hopes alive and with a fallback spot in the Rose Bowl virtually assured, Brotzman pushed a 26-yard field goal a smidge to the right. In overtime, still shaken, he pulled a 29-yard attempt left. Nevada won, 34-31.
Benson is a Boise State alumnus. He is sympathetic to what Brotzman must be going through. He is also a pragmatist.
“Eight million dollars would have come to the WAC if he makes the kick,” Benson said. “That’s the reality of it.”
(http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/21/sports/ncaafootball/21boise.html?_r=1&ref=sports)
Here are the financials from the same article for both school and coach:
The Rose Bowl, like other Bowl Championship Series games, touts a per-team payout of $17 million. For teams like Boise State and others in one of the five conferences without an automatic bid, the payout is $12 million, Benson said. Boise State figured to gain $3 million, the other WAC teams would have split $5 million, and the four other second-tier conferences would have split $4 million.
Instead, Texas Christian of the Mountain West Conference is going to the Rose Bowl. Boise State will get part of the $1 million payout in Las Vegas, and the WAC will get a fraction of T.C.U.’s reward.
The missed kick also cost Boise State Coach Chris Petersen a $125,000 performance bonus due if his team reached a B.C.S. game, according to details of his latest contract. (The bonus for reaching a certain level in the N.C.A.A.’s Academic Progress Rate: $20,000.)
The most difficult loss to measure is the intangible of exposure. Last season’s Rose Bowl, between Oregon and Ohio State, had nearly six times the number of viewers as the Las Vegas Bowl between Oregon State and Brigham Young. That could affect things like Boise State’s alumni donations, application numbers and recruiting.
Should that kind of presurre ride on the shoulders of one player? Yes. BIG big time sports are for BIG time players. This was his chance to shine and he failed to make a kick he probably prepared for his whole life.
Here's some of the backlash from the story:
Yet when Brotzman missed the kicks against Nevada, the fallout was immediate and disturbing. Talk-show and bulletin-board chatter was nasty. Fans established ridiculing Facebook pages. (A counter-campaign in support took hold, however, and by the end of last week about 45,000 people had signed on to a Facebook page called “The Bronco Nation Loves Kyle Brotzman.”) A man who gambled heavily on Boise State reportedly made threatening phone calls to the family home.
“There was definitely an immediate backlash: ‘This kid cost us a chance at the national championship,’ ” the Idaho Statesman sports columnist Brian Murphy said. “It helped that Oregon and Auburn kept winning, so it didn’t really lose a spot in the championship game. And then there was the backlash to the backlash.”
At the end of the day, it's just a football game yet this kid will have trouble forgetting this day. I'm glad someone showed Kyle Brotzman some compassion as he will need plenty more.
“I just went up and hugged him and said: ‘You got a great future ahead of you. You’ve got to let that thing go by you,’ ” Hill said. “He was in good spirits. But that’s something that will be with him his whole life. I think he understands that’s part of the game. He’s a great young man. He had a 50-yarder the week before against us in the freezing cold. Right down the middle.”
Gswede
Kyle Brotzman missed as easy field goal that would have assured his team a place in the Rose Bowl and brought millions of dollars to his college.
A few paragraphs from the NY Times article:
On the last play of regulation in a tie game against Nevada in Reno on Nov. 26, with a chance to keep Boise State’s national championship hopes alive and with a fallback spot in the Rose Bowl virtually assured, Brotzman pushed a 26-yard field goal a smidge to the right. In overtime, still shaken, he pulled a 29-yard attempt left. Nevada won, 34-31.
Benson is a Boise State alumnus. He is sympathetic to what Brotzman must be going through. He is also a pragmatist.
“Eight million dollars would have come to the WAC if he makes the kick,” Benson said. “That’s the reality of it.”
(http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/21/sports/ncaafootball/21boise.html?_r=1&ref=sports)
Here are the financials from the same article for both school and coach:
The Rose Bowl, like other Bowl Championship Series games, touts a per-team payout of $17 million. For teams like Boise State and others in one of the five conferences without an automatic bid, the payout is $12 million, Benson said. Boise State figured to gain $3 million, the other WAC teams would have split $5 million, and the four other second-tier conferences would have split $4 million.
Instead, Texas Christian of the Mountain West Conference is going to the Rose Bowl. Boise State will get part of the $1 million payout in Las Vegas, and the WAC will get a fraction of T.C.U.’s reward.
The missed kick also cost Boise State Coach Chris Petersen a $125,000 performance bonus due if his team reached a B.C.S. game, according to details of his latest contract. (The bonus for reaching a certain level in the N.C.A.A.’s Academic Progress Rate: $20,000.)
The most difficult loss to measure is the intangible of exposure. Last season’s Rose Bowl, between Oregon and Ohio State, had nearly six times the number of viewers as the Las Vegas Bowl between Oregon State and Brigham Young. That could affect things like Boise State’s alumni donations, application numbers and recruiting.
Should that kind of presurre ride on the shoulders of one player? Yes. BIG big time sports are for BIG time players. This was his chance to shine and he failed to make a kick he probably prepared for his whole life.
Here's some of the backlash from the story:
Yet when Brotzman missed the kicks against Nevada, the fallout was immediate and disturbing. Talk-show and bulletin-board chatter was nasty. Fans established ridiculing Facebook pages. (A counter-campaign in support took hold, however, and by the end of last week about 45,000 people had signed on to a Facebook page called “The Bronco Nation Loves Kyle Brotzman.”) A man who gambled heavily on Boise State reportedly made threatening phone calls to the family home.
“There was definitely an immediate backlash: ‘This kid cost us a chance at the national championship,’ ” the Idaho Statesman sports columnist Brian Murphy said. “It helped that Oregon and Auburn kept winning, so it didn’t really lose a spot in the championship game. And then there was the backlash to the backlash.”
At the end of the day, it's just a football game yet this kid will have trouble forgetting this day. I'm glad someone showed Kyle Brotzman some compassion as he will need plenty more.
“I just went up and hugged him and said: ‘You got a great future ahead of you. You’ve got to let that thing go by you,’ ” Hill said. “He was in good spirits. But that’s something that will be with him his whole life. I think he understands that’s part of the game. He’s a great young man. He had a 50-yarder the week before against us in the freezing cold. Right down the middle.”
Gswede
Sunday, September 12, 2010
"White Shadow" couldn't help Turkey as USA wins World Championship Gold
It was very interesting to read how one of my favorite TV shows (White Shadow), helped the popularity and expansion of basketball in Turkey. Their dedication to the game helped them to reach the Finals of the World Championships.
Though the show had modest USA ratings, in Turkey it was a BIG hit.
I implore you to read the article titled, "Turkey Channeled "White Shadow" as Basketball Caught On". A few paragraphs and the link are below:
Turkey’s rapid rise as a basketball power can be traced, in part, to “The White Shadow,” whose 54 episodes appeared on black-and-white TV here from 1980 to 1982.
“It made people aware of basketball in Turkey,” said Alper Yilmaz, a former national team player who works in the front office of Efes Pilsen, a club in Istanbul that has won 13 Turkish League titles since its founding in 1976.
“There was already basketball in Turkey,” Yilmaz added, “but after that show, everyone started playing.”
“ ‘The White Shadow’ effect is real,” Aytac Erenler, a former player at Middle East Tech in Ankara wrote in an e-mail. “It immediately influenced crowds and even made parents look more positively to their children’s passion for shooting a ball to a rim attached to the electric pole on the street for hours.”
(http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/10/sports/basketball/10whiteshadow.html?scp=1&sq=white%20shadow&st=cse)
The inept attitude and play of the USA over the years at these championships was never surprising to me as we were lazy, unfocused and had a lousy structure. Not any more.
To see our dominance not only in these games but in all areas of basketball (USA holds every world title) is not surprising either because we finally have a system in place that gives us the opportunity to play our best basketball despite the differences in international rules and style of play.
The paragraphs below (followed by the link) tell the story of how times have changed:
Durant’s dominance underscores the larger theme of this American victory. The team came here without a single member of the 2008 gold-medal-winning Olympic team but won in part because of the larger infrastructure Jerry Colangelo has built at USA Basketball since 2006, in the wake of several embarrassing performances in the past decade.
American basketball now holds every major world title — Olympic, world championships, FIBA Under-19, FIBA Under-17, FIBA Americas Under-18 and FIBA Americas Under-16. The United States also qualified for the 2012 Olympics in London and overtook Argentina for the No. 1 world ranking, sealing a renaissance that had been years in the making.
“It’s a tribute to the structure and foundation we have for USA Basketball that we can turn over as many players that we have and be as successful as we’ve been,” said Colangelo, the organization’s managing director.
Krzyzewski’s international record in the period since taking over the team again in 2006 is now 49-1. He completed an impressive triple crown by winning the world championships gold to go with an Olympic title in 2008 and an N.C.A.A. title at Duke in 2010. After losing in his two previous tries at the world championships, Krzyzewski appeared emotional after the victory.
(http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/13/sports/basketball/13fiba.html?_r=1&ref=sports)
Over the past 16 years, some of my European friends would tease me or give that sly proud smile when the USA went down in defeat time after time. I don't think any of them are laughing now.
I tried to explain to them that if we ever truly cared, got focused and put a plan in place with the proper players, it would be EXTREMELY difficult to beat us despite the location. Being a former Division 1 basketball player, I hope they took my words to heart as my background should have elicited a bit of credibility.
Coach Ken Reeves from the "White Shadow" did a wonderful job of molding his kids and teaching them the game of basketball. Turkey gained a great deal of inspiration from the show and that is a beautiful thing. The rest of the world will need a bit of that "White Shadow" magic in order to take away our title as the World's best.
I wish our competitors well although I have a feeling that we will reign supreme for many years to come.
Gswede
Though the show had modest USA ratings, in Turkey it was a BIG hit.
I implore you to read the article titled, "Turkey Channeled "White Shadow" as Basketball Caught On". A few paragraphs and the link are below:
Turkey’s rapid rise as a basketball power can be traced, in part, to “The White Shadow,” whose 54 episodes appeared on black-and-white TV here from 1980 to 1982.
“It made people aware of basketball in Turkey,” said Alper Yilmaz, a former national team player who works in the front office of Efes Pilsen, a club in Istanbul that has won 13 Turkish League titles since its founding in 1976.
“There was already basketball in Turkey,” Yilmaz added, “but after that show, everyone started playing.”
“ ‘The White Shadow’ effect is real,” Aytac Erenler, a former player at Middle East Tech in Ankara wrote in an e-mail. “It immediately influenced crowds and even made parents look more positively to their children’s passion for shooting a ball to a rim attached to the electric pole on the street for hours.”
(http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/10/sports/basketball/10whiteshadow.html?scp=1&sq=white%20shadow&st=cse)
The inept attitude and play of the USA over the years at these championships was never surprising to me as we were lazy, unfocused and had a lousy structure. Not any more.
To see our dominance not only in these games but in all areas of basketball (USA holds every world title) is not surprising either because we finally have a system in place that gives us the opportunity to play our best basketball despite the differences in international rules and style of play.
The paragraphs below (followed by the link) tell the story of how times have changed:
Durant’s dominance underscores the larger theme of this American victory. The team came here without a single member of the 2008 gold-medal-winning Olympic team but won in part because of the larger infrastructure Jerry Colangelo has built at USA Basketball since 2006, in the wake of several embarrassing performances in the past decade.
American basketball now holds every major world title — Olympic, world championships, FIBA Under-19, FIBA Under-17, FIBA Americas Under-18 and FIBA Americas Under-16. The United States also qualified for the 2012 Olympics in London and overtook Argentina for the No. 1 world ranking, sealing a renaissance that had been years in the making.
“It’s a tribute to the structure and foundation we have for USA Basketball that we can turn over as many players that we have and be as successful as we’ve been,” said Colangelo, the organization’s managing director.
Krzyzewski’s international record in the period since taking over the team again in 2006 is now 49-1. He completed an impressive triple crown by winning the world championships gold to go with an Olympic title in 2008 and an N.C.A.A. title at Duke in 2010. After losing in his two previous tries at the world championships, Krzyzewski appeared emotional after the victory.
(http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/13/sports/basketball/13fiba.html?_r=1&ref=sports)
Over the past 16 years, some of my European friends would tease me or give that sly proud smile when the USA went down in defeat time after time. I don't think any of them are laughing now.
I tried to explain to them that if we ever truly cared, got focused and put a plan in place with the proper players, it would be EXTREMELY difficult to beat us despite the location. Being a former Division 1 basketball player, I hope they took my words to heart as my background should have elicited a bit of credibility.
Coach Ken Reeves from the "White Shadow" did a wonderful job of molding his kids and teaching them the game of basketball. Turkey gained a great deal of inspiration from the show and that is a beautiful thing. The rest of the world will need a bit of that "White Shadow" magic in order to take away our title as the World's best.
I wish our competitors well although I have a feeling that we will reign supreme for many years to come.
Gswede
Thursday, June 3, 2010
NBA Finals 2010 - A Kobe to Remember
As many people know, I'm an unabashed Los Angeles Lakers Fan. Magic is my favorite player although I have great respect for Kobe's skills and drive despite his childish behavior in the past - arrogance which could have cost us a championship between 2000 and 2002.
It's Kobe's time now and I expect him to deliver another title to LA - his 5th which would equal the great Magic Johnson. The Boston Celtics will be an extremely tough opponent but the Lakers will prevail. If the Celtics get into the psyche of the players around Kobe, things could get very tough for the Lakers.
As the wonderful article (portion below) from the Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy points out, Magic beat the Celtics twice in the NBA Finals and Kobe never has. The title of the piece is "Bryant in a must-win situation".
Kobe will give Phil Jackson his 11th championship ring (Sorry Red) and it will be a Kobe performance to remember.
The fun starts tonight!
Gswede
-----
In succession, we’ve seen the Celtics expose and demolish Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Dwight Howard in the first three rounds of the playoffs.
Now it’s all about Kobe Bryant. Do not forget this.
The Celtics and Lakers tap off in Game 1 tonight, and it’s impossible to understate the Kobe factor. Bryant won’t admit it, but he is on a mission to solidify his legacy by winning a championship against the hated Celtics. He has won with Shaq and without Shaq. He has beaten the Indiana Pacers, the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Nets, and the Orlando Magic in the Finals. But he’s never beaten Boston.
You can’t be the best player in the world if you lose two championship series to the Celtics. You can’t be the greatest Laker of all time if Magic can say he beat the Celtics twice in the Finals and you never beat them.
Kobe has had one shot at beating Boston, and he remains haunted by 2008, when he shot only 40 percent in the six-game loss to the Green. He made only 7 of 22 shots in the humiliating clincher and walked off the court in silent fury after the 39-point drubbing. Now he is back and he is a man on a mission.
(http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2010/06/03/bryant_in_a_must_win_situation/)
It's Kobe's time now and I expect him to deliver another title to LA - his 5th which would equal the great Magic Johnson. The Boston Celtics will be an extremely tough opponent but the Lakers will prevail. If the Celtics get into the psyche of the players around Kobe, things could get very tough for the Lakers.
As the wonderful article (portion below) from the Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy points out, Magic beat the Celtics twice in the NBA Finals and Kobe never has. The title of the piece is "Bryant in a must-win situation".
Kobe will give Phil Jackson his 11th championship ring (Sorry Red) and it will be a Kobe performance to remember.
The fun starts tonight!
Gswede
-----
In succession, we’ve seen the Celtics expose and demolish Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Dwight Howard in the first three rounds of the playoffs.
Now it’s all about Kobe Bryant. Do not forget this.
The Celtics and Lakers tap off in Game 1 tonight, and it’s impossible to understate the Kobe factor. Bryant won’t admit it, but he is on a mission to solidify his legacy by winning a championship against the hated Celtics. He has won with Shaq and without Shaq. He has beaten the Indiana Pacers, the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Nets, and the Orlando Magic in the Finals. But he’s never beaten Boston.
You can’t be the best player in the world if you lose two championship series to the Celtics. You can’t be the greatest Laker of all time if Magic can say he beat the Celtics twice in the Finals and you never beat them.
Kobe has had one shot at beating Boston, and he remains haunted by 2008, when he shot only 40 percent in the six-game loss to the Green. He made only 7 of 22 shots in the humiliating clincher and walked off the court in silent fury after the 39-point drubbing. Now he is back and he is a man on a mission.
(http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2010/06/03/bryant_in_a_must_win_situation/)
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Comparing Lebron to Jordan MUST End Now
It has never failed to insult me when someone tried to compare Lebron James (LJ) to Michael Jordan (MJ).
Yes, he has the physical tools and talent for the comparison although I NEVER thought he would be able to win the 6 Championships like MJ. In addition, I've never felt that LJ had the KILLER attitude of MJ. It didn't matter what situation he was in or who the Bulls were playing, MJ always came to destroy the opponent - Always.
Even a single performance by LJ and the Cleveland Cavaliers on their home court, like game 5's pitiful display against the Boston Celtics should stop any future comparison. Did you ever see MJ have a performance like the description below? I'll answer the question for you - NO!
The reigning two-time MVP missed 11 of 14 shots Tuesday while settling for jumpers at an alarmingly ineffective rate. His Cavs lost 120-88 in Game 5, which trends historically as the crucial game of any tight series. James was 0 for 4 at the half and did not score his initial field goal until the 30th minute when he leaked away for a soft two-handed dunk that nicked at Boston's ascendant 65-52 advantage. As he ran back to his teammates he heard cheers tinged with about-time sarcasm.
"We played awful," said James. "They got every right to boo us if they want to."
(http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/ian_thomsen/05/12/celtics.cavs5/)
This statement by Lebron from the same article above is very telling:
"I put a lot of pressure on myself to try to be great, to try to be the best player on the court. And when I'm not, I feel bad for myself because I'm not going out there and doing the things that I know I can do. I'm not going to hang my head low or make excuses about anything that may be going on. That's just not the type of player and the type of person that I am."
Can you imagine MJ feeling bad for himself? When that happens, confidence is shaken and the focus goes away from the goal on the court - namely winning.
In all my years of basketball (including Division 1 at UVM) I never felt bad for myself even when my play was less than stellar or a coach performed poorly. My confidence stayed high as I knew what I was capable of bringing to the basketball court. In my opinion, "feeling bad for yourself" is a sign of weakness in many areas not just basketball - something that should worry the Cavaliers.
Keep in mind that I like Lebron and the way he has carried himself and the NBA to new heights. He seems to be very team oriented and his personal life has not become tabloid fodder. What really matters in the end is how many championships he wins, not the numerous MVP awards (two so far) he will win in the future.
Kobe Bryant's legs and body are hurting now at the age of 31 because he has put so much wear and tear on them after coming to the NBA directly from high school as a teenager. It wouldn't surprise me to see LJ in that same predicament in 6 years as he came to the league in the same fashion as Kobe.
I'll be kind and give LJ ten more healthy seasons in the NBA - years he will be lucky to get. In those 10 years, he needs 6 Championship rings to equal the mighty MJ. With his past performances and numerous chances to win an NBA title including this year, would you put your money on him getting 6 rings? I wouldn't and he won't. 6 MVP's maybe.
Let's hope he can bounce back from this recent negativity. This criticism should make him stronger. If not, the all important NBA championships could remain elusive.
Now at 25, he is on the verge of being defined negatively for the first time in basketball. What he may not realize now, but will learn to appreciate at the far end of his career, is that he needs this criticism. Each of the biggest winners before him failed in his own way -- Michael, Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird -- and each was driven by that failure to succeed. The question for James is whether this failure is put to an end with victories in the next two games, or whether it is carried forth throughout the long summer ahead, carrying him like a flooding tide away from Cleveland and to a new home entirely.
(from same article as first quote above)
Having lived in Manhattan for a decade along with working at Madison Square Garden (MSG) in the mid 1990's, I hope LJ is brave enough and wise enough to take his talents to the "World's Most Famous Arena". The Big Apple would love to have him!
Being a free agent this year, I don't know if he is ready for the bright lights of New York City but it would sure give him the test of a lifetime and if he succeeds, the Cleveland years will be an afterthought.
Jordan loved to play at MSG and had some of his most memorable games there including a game 5 victory over the NY Knicks in the 1993 Conference Finals on route to a third championship. I enjoyed that game 20 rows from the court.
Lebron just wasted a game 5 victory versus Boston and his team will be hard pressed to recover and win the series if he doesn't stop "feeling bad for himself"
Yes, he has the physical tools and talent for the comparison although I NEVER thought he would be able to win the 6 Championships like MJ. In addition, I've never felt that LJ had the KILLER attitude of MJ. It didn't matter what situation he was in or who the Bulls were playing, MJ always came to destroy the opponent - Always.
Even a single performance by LJ and the Cleveland Cavaliers on their home court, like game 5's pitiful display against the Boston Celtics should stop any future comparison. Did you ever see MJ have a performance like the description below? I'll answer the question for you - NO!
The reigning two-time MVP missed 11 of 14 shots Tuesday while settling for jumpers at an alarmingly ineffective rate. His Cavs lost 120-88 in Game 5, which trends historically as the crucial game of any tight series. James was 0 for 4 at the half and did not score his initial field goal until the 30th minute when he leaked away for a soft two-handed dunk that nicked at Boston's ascendant 65-52 advantage. As he ran back to his teammates he heard cheers tinged with about-time sarcasm.
"We played awful," said James. "They got every right to boo us if they want to."
(http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/ian_thomsen/05/12/celtics.cavs5/)
This statement by Lebron from the same article above is very telling:
"I put a lot of pressure on myself to try to be great, to try to be the best player on the court. And when I'm not, I feel bad for myself because I'm not going out there and doing the things that I know I can do. I'm not going to hang my head low or make excuses about anything that may be going on. That's just not the type of player and the type of person that I am."
Can you imagine MJ feeling bad for himself? When that happens, confidence is shaken and the focus goes away from the goal on the court - namely winning.
In all my years of basketball (including Division 1 at UVM) I never felt bad for myself even when my play was less than stellar or a coach performed poorly. My confidence stayed high as I knew what I was capable of bringing to the basketball court. In my opinion, "feeling bad for yourself" is a sign of weakness in many areas not just basketball - something that should worry the Cavaliers.
Keep in mind that I like Lebron and the way he has carried himself and the NBA to new heights. He seems to be very team oriented and his personal life has not become tabloid fodder. What really matters in the end is how many championships he wins, not the numerous MVP awards (two so far) he will win in the future.
Kobe Bryant's legs and body are hurting now at the age of 31 because he has put so much wear and tear on them after coming to the NBA directly from high school as a teenager. It wouldn't surprise me to see LJ in that same predicament in 6 years as he came to the league in the same fashion as Kobe.
I'll be kind and give LJ ten more healthy seasons in the NBA - years he will be lucky to get. In those 10 years, he needs 6 Championship rings to equal the mighty MJ. With his past performances and numerous chances to win an NBA title including this year, would you put your money on him getting 6 rings? I wouldn't and he won't. 6 MVP's maybe.
Let's hope he can bounce back from this recent negativity. This criticism should make him stronger. If not, the all important NBA championships could remain elusive.
Now at 25, he is on the verge of being defined negatively for the first time in basketball. What he may not realize now, but will learn to appreciate at the far end of his career, is that he needs this criticism. Each of the biggest winners before him failed in his own way -- Michael, Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird -- and each was driven by that failure to succeed. The question for James is whether this failure is put to an end with victories in the next two games, or whether it is carried forth throughout the long summer ahead, carrying him like a flooding tide away from Cleveland and to a new home entirely.
(from same article as first quote above)
Having lived in Manhattan for a decade along with working at Madison Square Garden (MSG) in the mid 1990's, I hope LJ is brave enough and wise enough to take his talents to the "World's Most Famous Arena". The Big Apple would love to have him!
Being a free agent this year, I don't know if he is ready for the bright lights of New York City but it would sure give him the test of a lifetime and if he succeeds, the Cleveland years will be an afterthought.
Jordan loved to play at MSG and had some of his most memorable games there including a game 5 victory over the NY Knicks in the 1993 Conference Finals on route to a third championship. I enjoyed that game 20 rows from the court.
Lebron just wasted a game 5 victory versus Boston and his team will be hard pressed to recover and win the series if he doesn't stop "feeling bad for himself"
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