NBA Playoff Thread

Bullshit. O'Neal's attitude and work ethic have never been in question, instead his career declined for a very specific reason: his legs got old early and he lost his bounce. This is despite the fact that he was essentially rested his first few years in the league and got far FEWER minutes than the other one and dones whose legs have far outlasted his.

Sorry, but like much of what he writes, Simmons' 38K theory is bunk. Obviously every player's legs go at some point, but there's not some magic minutes odometer number that predicts when it will happen. Some players, like Jermaine O'Neal and Larry Johnson, lose their legs at an early age. Others, like Stockton and Miller, seemed to keep em forever.

Instead of a minute count, I'd suggest that a better predictor might be weight. My observation has been that heavier players tend to lose their bounce at a younger age than lighter ones. And, on that note, the over-260 lb Lebron might have some issues down the road. But not because of his minute count.

 

Weight would make good sense. It also underscores the reason for a big man to have a go to move on the paint like Kareem or Hakeem that can extend their career effectivness.

 

The more I think about it, I'm not sure even how solid of a predictor weight is. Karl Malone played at nearly 270 lbs, yet still played at an all star level until he was 40 years old, even winning two MVPs in his mid to late 30s when he had WAY more than 38,000 minutes on his odometer. Charles Barkley was fat, no fan of conditioning, short for his position, yet still lasted until his late 30s and won an MVP in 93 at an age when he must've had more than 38K on the odometer.

I don't think there's any way to reliably predict when a player's legs will go. Its just a combination of genetics, conditioning, body type, prior injuries and wear and tear that's different for every player. But, if I had to lay money on it, I'd bet that Lebron's legs last a lot longer than six more years.

 

If Malone was not on steroids, then no NBA player has ever been on steroids. I cannot use him in any equasion.

Barkley played a lot like the 40-year-old guy at the Y with his tube socks pulled all the way up late in his career. He mastered that back down post move perfectly. Plus, he was just so strong, and he could hit the outside shot.

 

Willis Reed sparked the Knicks to victory in Game 7 of the NBA Finals by starting even though he suffered a serious leg injury that kept him out of Game 6. LeBron is trying to do the same thing by playing through a serious elbow injury that would sideline him during the regular season -- an injury he will not use as an excuse.

Instead of supporting him, LeBron gets branded a quitter. Fan response to LeBron's gutty performance is a LeBromination. We should be ashamed.

 

James does not have Clyde as well.

 

It's an elbow sprain, not a SERIOUS elbow injury. We're not talking Tiger Woods and battling through a torn ACL and broken bone in his leg.
We should be ashamed? Of what? Expecting James to even act like he cares after blowing a huge game 5 in Cleveland. And then coming out afterward and acting entitled to a bad game. He played well before game 5, so why can't he play well then. The point is he didn't play well and didn't care that he didn't play well, so right now his legacy is a guy who was great, but didn't care enough to win a championship.

 

It's a serious injury, most likely a torn ligament, that will require surgery the moment the playoffs are over.

 

When did he tear the ligament?

Before or after his 28 point first half in game three?

 

Well before.

 

On Simmons's podcast, Windhorst said LeBron pulled Shaq up, with his right arm, in Game 5. He was skeptical that it's a serious injury and he seems to have as much insight into him as anyone. And, as Windhorst also talked about, it's not that he was missing shots. That happens. It was the passiveness, on the court and during timeouts, that shocked people - including those in his entourage and in management. The elbow wouldn't seem to have anything to do with that.

 

LeBron will dominate tonight. He is basketball's answer to Sidney Crosby.

Oh, wait ..... Crosby does have one ring to go with his Olympic gold medal.