Last night’s Game 2 loss to the Detroit Pistons by the exact same 79-76 score illustrated the position I took following the first game of the series. LeBron James did go to the basket to attempt the game winning shot, got fouled by Rip Hamilton at least twice, neither of which was called, and missed the shot. It was silly to assume the King would have scored to win the game the first time. There is no guarantee a foul would be called if there had been contact on the play.
I don’t understand why James doesn’t get more respect. He’s clearly one of the three best players in the game, yet he gets hit and hit hard going to the hoop without drawing fouls. I really can’t think of a superstar who gets less respect. That’s not sour grapes either. LeBron doesn’t get the calls I watched the Birds and Jordans get when the Cavs were not a good team.
Once again the national media attacked the Cavaliers. Charles Barkley talked out of both sides of his mouth saying Mike Brown didn’t have confidence in the other players by holding the ball for the last shot, when following game one he said #23 had to take the final shot. Didn’t LeBron’s pass and Brown’s play show he had faith in someone else to take the game winning shot? It cannot be both ways.
These pundits also said the officials were letting the players play on the final shot yesterday. However, if that identical play occurred in the second or third quarter, there is no question James would have shot two free throws. There is also no doubt the referees swallowed their whistles on the final play. To say it is playoff basketball is also a joke. Last year in the Finals, Dwayne Wade lived on the foul line. Also, there is no question LeBron’s shot attempt was altered by the contact. It was a foul, and it should have been called.
Enough of this macho stuff in the NBA. Let’s get back to playing basketball. The same game they played in the 70’s and 80’s using athleticism and grace.
If I were the coach of the wine and gold, I would come out and say publicly today that my team has no chance to win if the games are called in that matter. The Pistons are up 2-0 in this series because the officials have called the game loosely. If the game is called tightly, the Cavs are sitting with a 2-0 lead coming home to the Q. It’s as simple as that. I would take my fine and put pressure on the league and it’s referees to start calling fouls. It worked for Pat Riley with the Lakers in the 80’s and it can work today.
However, I have to discuss Brown’s coaching. As much as he has made the Cavaliers a very good defensive team, he may be the worst offensive coach in the NBA. His concept of getting the ball to LeBron and having the other players get out of the way is not working. Larry Hughes is ineffective because he gets the ball on the three point line with less than five seconds remaining on the shot clock. His offense doesn’t make anyone better, including James. Barkley is correct in saying LeBron should be finishing, not starting the play. And if you have good offensive sets, you don’t need Steve Nash running the point. Look at the Pistons, Chauncey Billups is hardly the classic playmaker, but Detroit moves the ball and runs a good system and they succeed. This has to be addressed in the off season.
The first two games have been close enough to make anyone think the wine and gold can win the two games in Cleveland to even up the series. If they do that, they will have two more chances to win games in Motown. They say a series doesn’t begin until the road team wins. The Cavaliers have to hope that axiom is true.
JK
Cleveland Sports Perspective 