First Round Playoff Thread

[Newz]

I think people are overreacting to Lebron's "bad supporting cast". RIGHT NOW, Wade is playing horribly and Bosh is hurt. Right now.

Where was this criticism when Wade was going ape **** last series? IF the Heat go to the finals, I fully expect Wade to return to playing like a top 5 player and Bosh to put up 18/10 and get taken for granted as usual.

Then people won't rip on Wade or say that Bosh was hurt... because Wade will be carrying his share of the load and Bosh won't be hurt.

Stun?

[europa]

So you don't think LeBron knows that if the Heat don't get the job done... that it's going to fall pretty much 100% on his shoulders? I think he's well aware of that.

I think you're well aware of that too, considering you pretty much excuse the other "top 5 player" on his team of playing nothing like a top 5 player at all.

I have? When have I said Wade has played well in this series? I haven't said that once. What I did say was I thought he played extremely well in the fourth quarter of Game 5, which is correct.

[mattg]

The expectations and criticism placed upon magic Johnson are/were minuscule compared to what lebron deals with. It isn't close. James is in a constant catch 22. The only way he avoids criticism is if he plays a historically great game start to finish, while all his teammates suck, and he dominates the last few minutes of the game. It's absurd and unfair.

[Newz]

So you don't think LeBron knows that if the Heat don't get the job done... that it's going to fall pretty much 100% on his shoulders? I think he's well aware of that.

I think you're well aware of that too, considering you pretty much excuse the other "top 5 player" on his team of playing nothing like a top 5 player at all.

I have? When have I said Wade has played well in this series? I haven't said that once. What I did say was I thought he played extremely well in the fourth quarter of Game 5, which is correct.

Right... and previously in this thread you used that to excuse his poor play for the rest of the game because of another casual fan hang up of "Well he might have sucked the first three quarters and in the rest of the games... but he 'brought it when it mattered most'!"

[trwi7]

So you don't think LeBron knows that if the Heat don't get the job done... that it's going to fall pretty much 100% on his shoulders? I think he's well aware of that.

I think you're well aware of that too, considering you pretty much excuse the other "top 5 player" on his team of playing nothing like a top 5 player at all.

Seriously. LeBron knows he's getting to get criticized if they lose game 7 or if they lose in the Finals. It's been happening for years and it's going to be even worse with the Heat because people hate how he left Cleveland. This isn't exactly ground breaking.

The point Newz, GJ and I among others are making is that LeBron is the one taking 95% of the criticism when he's played outstanding, while the other superstar player on the team is playing like complete garbage and taking the other 5%. We see a huge problem with that.

We all understand that superstars get the credit when the team wins and the blame when the team loses. The problem we have is the amount of criticism the one superstar that is playing great is getting and the one superstar that's playing like garbage isn't getting.

[europa]

The expectations and criticism placed upon magic Johnson are/were minuscule compared to what lebron deals with. It isn't close.

As always, it's difficult to compare eras. There was no Internet, message boards or blogs or the high amount of coverage there is today. It's a completely different environment. But again for those who don't remember or aren't old enough to remember, Magic was killed by the media and fans after that Finals. And he had already won a title.

[JayMKE]

Lebron brings a lot of it on himself. I hope he fails and feels bad. Show all the wannabe superstars out there what happens when you ditch you team to chase rings.

[europa]

So you don't think LeBron knows that if the Heat don't get the job done... that it's going to fall pretty much 100% on his shoulders? I think he's well aware of that.

I think you're well aware of that too, considering you pretty much excuse the other "top 5 player" on his team of playing nothing like a top 5 player at all.

I have? When have I said Wade has played well in this series? I haven't said that once. What I did say was I thought he played extremely well in the fourth quarter of Game 5, which is correct.

Right... and previously in this thread you used that to excuse his poor play for the rest of the game because of another casual fan hang up of "Well he might have sucked the first three quarters and in the rest of the games... but he 'brought it when it mattered most'!"

But he did. When the game was close and the series was potentially on the line Wade was right there, making a number of big plays and playing great. I'm sorry if I happen to think that making big plays in the fourth quarter of a close game (especially a close playoff game) is important but I do. Would it be better for the Heat if Wade hadn't sucked before then? Of course it would. It would've helped the Celtics if Pierce, Rondo and Ray weren't misfiring so badly in that time too. But at least some of those guys stepped up when the moments were big and the game was in question. That's something I value and when I see it I'm going to praise it. If that makes me an ignorant, casual fan so be it.

[trwi7]

Just think, Wade wouldn't have needed to play like a clutch player in the 4th quarter if he hadn't played like crap in the first 75% of the game.

[mattg]

http://www.backpicks.com/2011/06/17/late-game-bias-when-some-points-count-more/

Anyone who thinks 4th quarters are worth more, read this.

[Kerb Hohl]

Lebron brings a lot of it on himself. I hope he fails and feels bad. Show all the wannabe superstars out there what happens when you ditch you team to chase rings.

I don't like how LeBron did it. I'll agree with that. Extremely douchey move.

That said, with how the NBA CBA is formatted, I'd side with him leaving 100 times out of 100.

When your team is capped out for 3-4 years with a supporting cast of Mo Williams, Antawn Jamison, and Anderson Varejao...I'd leave too if I was being constantly judged on titles.

It's not like the NFL or MLB where you can stay somewhere and they can build differently around you quickly. LeBron did all of that himself in Cleveland and reinforcements were nowhere near joining them.

*Unless you are granted ability from David Stern to trade-rape Memphis with a sandpaper condom.

[europa]

Just think, Wade wouldn't have needed to play like a clutch player in the 4th quarter if he hadn't played like crap in the first 75% of the game.

Very possible. And maybe the series would be over if LeBron had played half as well in the fourth quarter of Game 5 as Wade did.

[Nebula1]

Nebs is the kind of guy who would rather have a pitcher that's 15-10 with a 5.5 ERA than pitcher that's 12-14 with a 2.5 ERA.

I'd rather have pitchers who win the World Series and whatever their numbers are, so be it.

[InsideOut]

James can't win a tile in Cleveland playing with Larry, Moe and Curley so he takes crap. James leaves to play with better players to win a title and takes crap. Miami loses in the finals with James playing great while his teammates suck and James takes crap. Miami wins title with James playing great while his teammates suck and James takes crap because he left Cleveland to play with other great players. No matter what happens James will take crap but that is fair because those are the expectations some fans have.

In a losing effort...

Player A puts up 30/10/10 on 12 of 20 shooting while playing great D but is 1 for 4 in the 4th quarter.

Player B puts up 18/4/3 on 7 of 20 shooting but is 4 for 5 in the final 6 minutes of the 4th quarter.

If you could go back in time and replaced one of those players while keeping the others players results which player would you replace. My guess is all would replace player B yet here we have James taking 100X more heat than Wade. And why...because some fans seem to act like 2 points in the 4th quarter are worth twice as much as 2 points in the 1st quarter.

If you had 1st pick to put a team together to win a title next season who here wouldn't take James with that 1st pick?

[Nebula1]

If you had 1st pick to put a team together to win a title next season who here wouldn't take James with that 1st pick?

I'd take Kevin Durant

[InsideOut]

Nebs is the kind of guy who would rather have a pitcher that's 15-10 with a 5.5 ERA than pitcher that's 12-14 with a 2.5 ERA.

I'd rather have pitchers who win the World Series and whatever their numbers are, so be it.

So you'd rate the 5.5 ERA pitcher over the 2.5 ERA pitcher if the 5.5 ERA pitcher's team had just won the world series?

[trwi7]

Nebs is the kind of guy who would rather have a pitcher that's 15-10 with a 5.5 ERA than pitcher that's 12-14 with a 2.5 ERA.

I'd rather have pitchers who win the World Series and whatever their numbers are, so be it.

Which is why you would fit best in the 1960s.

[InsideOut]

If you had 1st pick to put a team together to win a title next season who here wouldn't take James with that 1st pick?

I'd take Kevin Durant

Why...because you feel he is right now the better player than James?

[Buckrageous]

Lebron brings a lot of it on himself. I hope he fails and feels bad. Show all the wannabe superstars out there what happens when you ditch you team to chase rings.

I don't like how LeBron did it. I'll agree with that. Extremely douchey move.

Yes, "The Decision." A TV show that somehow offended 48x more people than actually watched it. I have a feeling that 95% of those that killed him for doing the show would have killed him if he turned down ESPN's offer and just done a press conference. What if that story would have come out. I can hear it now, "this guy signs a $100 mil contract and instead of doing a small segment on ESPN with the money going to charity he does a press conference in Miami, only thinking of himself. The Boys and Girl's Club helped him when he was young and this selfish prick wont even help raise money for them by doing a little interview on TV. Hes just another arrogant athlete that turned his back on those who have jelped him along the way. I'll always hate him for treating a charity like that." Hes known as the guy who offended the basketball world by announcing his FA destination on ESPN. He was this close to being the guy the guy who offended the basketball world for putting himself above a charity.

[Nebula1]

Nebs is the kind of guy who would rather have a pitcher that's 15-10 with a 5.5 ERA than pitcher that's 12-14 with a 2.5 ERA.

I'd rather have pitchers who win the World Series and whatever their numbers are, so be it.

So you'd rate the 5.5 ERA pitcher over the 2.5 ERA pitcher if the 5.5 ERA pitcher's team had just won the world series?

I would rather have the pitcher who won me a World Series whatever the numbers may be. You either win a title or you don't in sports.