NBA Playoff Thread

That's a ludicrous analogy. Willis Reed could barely walk, was limping and hobbling up the court, and had to go out of the game a few minutes after his unexpected start in that Game 7. He was physically unable to play, he appeared in the game essentially just for motivational purposes.

Lebron is obviously still quite able to play at a very high level, given that he gave one of the most impressive performances in his entire career in Game 3 well AFTER the date when he allegedly hurt his elbow, and looked pretty damn good in Game 1 right after it happened.

The injury happened weeks ago now, and I've seen no outward indications that it's debilitating him to any sort of meaningful degree. He has continued to look awesome during stints when he looks like he truly wants to. He's not favoring the arm, his shooting form looks the same. He played like total crap on Tuesday, but there was no evidence that it was because of his elbow, instead it inexplicably looked like he had just mentally checked out for much of that game.

 

Do you have link to back that up? I've seen no evidence that it's a tear. And you'd sure think the world's most expensive basketball commodity would've had that checked out by now.

 

Simmons has no fucking "insight" into anything.

He's always going to attribute evil/devious/selfish/irresponsible/egomaniacal motives to anybody playing against The Boston Team.

It goes without saying LeBron is an egomaniac drama queen faking his injury so he can grease his getaway to New York. It's so simple, why doesn't everybody see it?

 

That' a solid anti-Simmons rant, Starman, but I believe you misread STG's post. He was suggesting that Windhorst was the one with insight, not Simmons. I'm doubting the Cavs' beat writer would have the pro-Boston bias you're complaining about.

 

Whoever said that LeBron doesn't care about winning championships must not have been alive in 2007, you know, when he carried a team that had BOOBIE GIBSON as a main guy to the Finals.

Whether you think his three bad games in seven years statement was egotistical or not, he was right. He got roasted for telling the truth, but some of you guys are taking it wayyyyyyyyyyyy overboard. Like it or not, LeBron was the best player in the league this year. That's fact. Acknowledge it or not, he's playing hurt right now. And to claim that he's not committed to winning is close to the dumbest shit I've read on this board.

 

Read between the lines of his comments. He keeps talking about not using his elbow as an excuse. He said yesterday he'll deal with the elbow in the offseason. He is not denying he has an injury. The only question is the severity.

LeBron is gutting it out and playing through an injury that I'll bet you a dollar is severe and requires surgery. MRIs have been done, and the official word is that it is a strain. Right. This wouldn't be the millionth time a team lied about a player's injury.

C'mon, what's more likely -- within the last week LeBron has become so angry at his team and his city that he quit against the team's biggest rival of the past few years, or his elbow damage is much more than revealed.

 

Brian Windhorst just tweeted that LeBron said he does not have a torn ligament.

 

We'll know for sure after the season just how severe the elbow injury is.

But I think you're making excuses for him way too early. A few days from now we could be talking about his greatness again. Then what will you (and the other Cleveland fans, full of hope that "he'll stay if only we say and think nice things about him! He's hurt! Fire Mike Brown! Please stay!!!!!!") say about him?

Also: Pedro Gomez just said on ESPN that Amare Stoudemire was nearly traded to Cleveland this year. If true . . . ouch, Cleveland fans. That would have been the "Other young star" move that would have definitely kept LeBron in town.

 

Isn't Stoudemire a FA? It's not like Cleveland couldn't just sign him in the offseason, if so.

 

If they have the cap room. Cleveland/LeBron isn't exactly a destination for free agents to take less money to sign there.

Or if they can come up with a sign-and-trade with Phoenix.

EDIT: DJ Stewy Scott just asked if LeBron is "the biggest free agent in NBA history?"

Avery Johnson gave an unhesitant "Yes."

WHAT?!?!

1996 called. It has some perspective to offer.

 

It was. But to be reminded of it today is tough. JA Adande checks in with a bit of perspective:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2010/columns/story?columnist=adande_ja&page=lebron-100512

(The same columnist intimated two weeks ago that we had seen the last of Kobe Bryant as a dominant force)

So . . . they're in Boston. Does that mean Garnett gets to do the stupidity with the rosin bag tonight?