OT- Magic/Cavs game
I know there are a lot of Pistons fans here. I'm a Cavs fan myself...wanted to see if anyone else was watching the Magic/Cavs game and the display Lebron just put on that took the game from 98-96 Orlando to 112-98 Cleveland. He's got 32, 8, and 13 right now...and he essentially took the 2nd and 3rd quarters off.
February 11th, 2010 at 11:06 PM ^
Only 12 FTA tonight for LeBron. Refs must be swallowing their whistles.
February 11th, 2010 at 11:13 PM ^
10 of the FTA were in the 1st quarter...he really didn't do his damage plowing into the lane. It was mainly drive and kicks to the shooters and him hitting some ridiculous jumpers at the end.
February 11th, 2010 at 11:31 PM ^
I didn't get a chance to catch the game, but I'm willing to bet if it was crunch time and the game was close the whistles would have blown.
Just for fun, I looked at the FTA stats this year:
1. Howard - 554
2. James - 532
3. Durant - 505
4. Wade - 470
5. Bosh - 456
6. Maggette (surprised) - 408
7. G. Wallace - 383
8. Anthony - 380 (in 39 games)
9. Nowitzki - 377
10. Kobe - 371
I'd have to say looking at that is probably a big reason why I don't watch the NBA as much anymore.
February 12th, 2010 at 12:48 AM ^
you don't like basketball.
Better players draw more fouls.
February 12th, 2010 at 2:43 AM ^
ha...
Better players draw more fouls? Seriously, this league has gone down the shitter. The way LeBonBon can drive to the lane an have another blow on him and get that called is complete B.S. People think Kobe and Lebron are great. Imagine Jordan in the league in his prime for this era. He would average 40-50+ pts a game. Without a doubt. The refs call terribly weak calls now in this AWESOMELY AMAZINGLY SWEET WHERE AMAZING HAPPENS hand check league.
February 12th, 2010 at 9:03 AM ^
outside of a political context. In this case, let me be the first to encourage you to continue not watching the League.
But yes, better players (particularly those with high usage rates and who live in the lane and/or have a package of amazing mid-range shooting and ball fakes) get to the line more often. In a universe of Platonically ideal referees, who would you expect to be on top of the above list?
To close, an analogy: dismissing the greatness of Kobe and LeBron because you don't like the hand check rule is like calling Richard Feynman and Murray Gell-Mann dumbasses because they've had access to computers. Imagine what Einstein would have done with a janky mainframe -- minimum 5 theories of relativity.
February 11th, 2010 at 11:09 PM ^
Yeah, the Cavs have to be the favorites in the East, I really don't see anybody besides Orlando even giving them a real competitive series. Hickson's emergence this season has been nice and even forgotten Tar Heel Jawad Williams has given them another shooter off the pine.
Rumors have it that Troy Murphy will be the newest addition, have to say that would be a mistake.
Doubt it could work but landing Camby would send the Cavs over the edge. Cavs would likely have to part with Hickson, something they hopefully won't even contemplate.
February 12th, 2010 at 1:01 AM ^
on defending against the 4 who can shoot. The Magics, Celtics, Atlanta(to some degrees but they have athletes in every positions basically) are the only three teams from the East who has the 4 who can shoot.
February 12th, 2010 at 2:54 PM ^
they can go with:
G: Williams
G: West/Parker
F: Moon
F: Lebron
C: Varejao
and let Lebron guard a 4 who can shoot. He could get up in the guy's face, because there isn't 4 who is going to blow by Lebron.
The Cavs have a lot more flexibility this year with Parker, Moon, Shaq, and Hickson.
February 11th, 2010 at 11:10 PM ^
but mostly because I had them -6. Don't particularly like the Cavs, but that was a beastly performance by Bron down the stretch. The fadeaway on Pietrus to close the deal was nasty.
February 12th, 2010 at 12:22 PM ^
Lol at Shaq bragging about shutting down Howard after the game. He just makes the Cavs more unbearable. Lebron is a great player but a poor sport. Can't shake hands or give a presser after losing, argues just about every call that doesn't go his way, shows up his opponents by posing and/or dancing, etc. He'll probably eventually get a championship, but I just think he should be more respectful of all his opponents.