Posted on 05/14/2010 11:16:29 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
CLEVELAND -- As he came back onto the floor with 5:50 remaining the seats were half emptied, as they'd been seven long years ago and as they could be as soon as next season. The missing half of the audience had not waited to attend the final minutes of what may be LeBron James's final game in Cleveland.
The night began with the same kind of promise that greeted James's 2003 arrival to Cleveland, and it ended with the crescendo of frustrations that has grown with each of his seven springtimes here. But this was entirely different than the others. In past years, the Cavs lost in spite of James. On Tuesday they lost because of him.
The reigning two-time MVP missed 11 of 14 shots Tuesday while settling for jumpers at an alarmingly ineffective rate. His Cavs lost 120-88 in Game 5, which trends historically as the crucial game of any tight series. James was 0 for 4 at the half and did not score his initial field goal until the 30th minute when he leaked away for a soft two-handed dunk that nicked at Boston's ascendant 65-52 advantage. As he ran back to his teammates he heard cheers tinged with about-time sarcasm.
"We played awful," said James. "They got every right to boo us if they want to."
Was this his farewell to Cleveland? Was this how it ends? The Cavs were leading 29-21 early in the second when Boston coach Doc Rivers decided to rest point guard Rajon Rondo, who has been a mini-me version of LeBron for the Celtics. The Cavs should have cashed in but instead were instantly outscored 16-0 as Rondo's energy was replenished for the explosive third quarter.
(Excerpt) Read more at sportsillustrated.cnn.com ...
I’ve NEVER seen a team lay-down as the Cavs did last night in the final three minutes of the game. I believe thay still had a shot, but because of their lack of desire, lost the game.
The King already packing for NY? hee, hee
I think they gave up at the 5:50 mark. They were just smacking the ball around and not really trying to get the ball.
I think everyone agrees that this will cost him in his new contract with (fill in the blank)
You are right. They just totally folded. They didn’t even try late in the 4th quarter. It was pathetic. They forgot what we were all told when we were 6 or 7 years old. Keep your eye on the ball, hustle, don’t give up.
They seemed like they were looking forward to the offseason.
Kobe Bryant is the real MVP. He wins the big games.
There is no “I” in team.
And he plays for the greatest coach in NBA History.
He’s a self-centered, egotistical bum. This city has done everything in its power to adore this hollow man, and he repaid them this week by sloppy, lazy, and crappy basketball. He’s too busy dreaming of Manhattan to give a single rats-butt about Cleveland. Again, Cleveland is the chump-city of the Midwest.
Just the mere fact that he refuses to marry the mother of his two children shows me more than enough about what a self-centered bum he is.
Kobe never played for Red Aurbach, ha ha ha. With a healthy team I expect a repeat of the 2008 Finals, w/ the Celtics beating the Lakers again.
Not to diss Red, but he won his titles with pretty much the same players, Jackson his done it with two teams and with different lineups.
No but there’s an I in wIn jk
James will be the new Charles Barkley...stats and no rings.
The only way he will win one IMO is if he later gets on the same team as a Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant or D. Howard.
James is a Pippen not a Jordan.
We heard all of that stuff about Jordan before he finally won his first title. He needs a coach, just like Jordan needed Phil Jackson.
Or maybe Nick Saban can coach him? ;)
If you switched Kobe and Labron, the Lakers would sweep the playoffs/finals and the Cavs would have still been eliminated by the Celts.
2 teams of some of the best players in the history of the game. All in their prime.
The Bulls and Lakers both had other coaches that had Jordan and Kobe on their teams and they never won a title with those other coaches.
But there is an "M" and an "E". ;)
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