WizBlog RSS FeedINSTANT CLASSIC: LBJ vs. DET
I hate admitting this, but LeBron James (who probably isn’t the most popular player to fans who read this blog) turned in one of those performances people will talk about for years decades in Game 5 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals.
James scored the Cavs final 25 points through the fourth period and two overtimes to (literally) lead CLE to a two point 2OT win in Detroit. If you have a TiVo/DVR, check the replay schedules on NBATV. If you don’t have NBATV, it actually might be worth three bucks to download.
For what it’s worth, I still think the Wizards at full strength are better than Cleveland. I’m sure that sentiment is strong to the readers here and Washington fans alike. Especially since that’s what most of the players were saying in post season interviews last month.
Grrrrr….I can’t wait til April/May 2008. This won’t be righted in November, December, January. At this point, it’s all about the Playoffs.
But, give credit where credit is due. LBJ was definitely King Thursday night in Detroit. What do you guys think - this series is playing out just like last spring’s DET-CLE match-up where CLE dropped a 3-2 lead (including Game 6 at home) and succumbed to the Pistons in Game 7. Do you see de ja vu in the making or will there be a new Beast of the East crowned this year?
June 1st, 2007 at 12:59 AM
wow just think we took em to the edge every game with 2 stars out and i would have to say we would have been in the ship game at least wow this should give the guys a bost to know that with 2 stars out they came close and with the cavs going so deep that that could have been us
June 1st, 2007 at 8:30 AM
I love seeing the Cavs do well. Makes us look better.
June 1st, 2007 at 10:11 AM
Teams do what they need to to win — Cleveland might still have beaten us, even with our full crew. I’m not saying they *would have*, but don’t conclude what would have happened based on our having been competitive w/ a depleted team.
You also don’t decide games by comparing rosters — you have to play. LeBron’s ability to come up big in a big playoff game is a credit to him. Gilbert showed that he could do that too when he beat Chicago 2 years ago in the playoffs.
All that said, I don’t think Cleveland is all that great a team. Take away LeBron and they are not very good at all, in fact. Larry has not performed for them in the way he performed here, for example. Gooden is a nice player, and the rookie Gibson looks like a real steal out of the 2d round.
June 1st, 2007 at 11:02 AM
All I could tell from the game is that Lebron did exactly what he was suppossed to do and took over the game, and Detroit did a horrible job of allowing him to do it. If I’m Detroit, I let anyone except Lebron beat me down the stretch. It worked in both Games 1 & 2 in the series.
June 1st, 2007 at 11:56 AM
Tom - I agree with you. My personal feeling, as a fan and observer, is that we’re better than Cleveland. I felt that before the injuries, I felt that last Spring when we lost in six (despite out scoring them for the series).
hawk - 100% agree with you. I can’t believe that game-winning basket in 2OT was a relative cakewalk to the basket for LBJ. If McDyess was there, I think it might have been different, but LBJ was a man possessed. He probably would’ve figured out a way to score in the end.
Give credit to CLE’s D as well. DET and CHI seem to get all the limelight about being tough defensive teams, but CLE’s defense is a vastly underrated part of their attack.
June 1st, 2007 at 1:05 PM
James is an excellent ball player but I hate his show-off attitude! I really think the rookie was the key to game 4 but I think he may picking up some of James’ attitude. I agree that Detroit should have made some one other the James shoot the ball. Three of Cleveland shooter’s foul out and Detroit didn’t take advantage of the situation. I hope that Detroit kick their butts in Cleveland and win the series. I don’t think I could stand it if Cleveland wins. No, I am not a LeBron James fan.
June 1st, 2007 at 3:30 PM
I personnaly can’t watch a Cavs game, I tried to watch this serie VS Detroit but each time I seen Ilgauskas, Varejao, Gooden or James my Wiz pride forces me to change the channel. I don’t like James for his attitude, as much as I don’t like Kobe you know, I already earned a thousands “You’d better grow up a lil bit and understand that a great player is a great player”, sorry I can’t. I respect those guys as players, I respect James cuz he honestly is quiet incredible, but that’s all, I’m still rollin with the Pistons (who were quiet disapointing these 3 last games ….)
June 1st, 2007 at 4:12 PM
i used to hate cleveland for last year and lebron james’ comment to gil at the end of game 6. BUT yesterday was utterly ridiculous. and as much i hate to admit it we were ALL WITNESSES yesterday. but then i think to myself, would that have even been that matchup/ ever have happened if we had had gil and caron. Cleveland isn’t that good because if gilbert and caron had been playing i honestly believe we would have won the series. well there’s no point in contemplating it now, theyre in the eastern conference finals but ive got nothing but respect for lebron. he is sick.
June 1st, 2007 at 5:55 PM
Hmmm, I do wonder whether the loss of McDyess made the difference, and whether the Pistons will win in Cleveland to even the series. If not, and if Cleveland goes to the NBA finals, I think San Antonio will eat them alive!
As to whether the Wizards are a better team than Cleveland — remember, Cleveland won 50 games; we were *not* in line to do that before Caron and Gil went down.
Cleveland is not that good a team, but they rebound and defend better than the Wizards; those two things are *critical* in the playoffs. I’m worried that Wizards management thinks this team is better than it is.
So… lets see what develops in the off-season.
June 1st, 2007 at 8:33 PM
TM - you have to remember that the NBA is all about match-ups. I’m not talking so much about being better in terms of what you achieve record wise, but who is better in a mano-y-mano matchup.
Yes, while CLE may be a better overall team in terms of taking on 28 other NBA teams, I think that Washington is a team that would give CLE trouble and in my mind at least, would beat them.
Think of it this way - DAL is obviously a “better” team than GSW in terms of wins and losses. And even if GSW was healthy all season, would they have challenged for the best record in the NBA? No! But they were a match up nightmare for DAL and that’s one of the biggest (if not THE biggest) reasons they won that series.
June 2nd, 2007 at 2:33 PM
Eric — tell me more. What is it about the way we match up with Cleveland that gives you this idea? From my pov, it could as easily be stacked the other way; we don’t match up well with their rebounding for example. So… what’s your thinking?
June 2nd, 2007 at 5:06 PM
The Wizards offense, to me is the difference maker. Of course, a lot of it is based on how well Gil is playing. CLE plays well against DET and NJN, who while potent, aren’t nearly as explosive as Washington is. At the same time, we probably wouldn’t be able to stay with LBJ.
This more or less goes back to last year. I still think we were better than CLE last year, regardless of how that series turned out, and I feel the same this year. Some of this is probably just stubborn pride and something in my gut, rather than something that can be rationalized with statistics and data.
June 2nd, 2007 at 5:07 PM
its the fact that GA and LBJ take the game over! IMO
June 2nd, 2007 at 7:37 PM
Come on, we all know if this year’s matchup inclueded Gil and Caron we would have won it! I’m not sayin we would have swept the series but still, we would definitly have won it… I hope next year CLE finishes 8th, not that I hate ‘em (yes I do) just do that we can get them in the first round, cuz we’re ending the season at the top of the east!