Celtics-Cavs Game 4 Notes
Deuces wild
Watched the whole game with my mom.
First Quarter
–LeBron is picking the Cs apart early with his passing.
–Cs getting early points off of pick and roll slips, KG excelling with the slippage. (Note: he would excel with the slippage later in the game, but in a more literal sense.)
–Good aggression from Delonte West, slicing backdoor and penetrating hard before nailing a floater.
–KG has all of Boston’s early first quarter field goals, beasting inside and wetting jumpers. Water is wet and KG is sweat, and sweat is water.
–After LeBron rumbles through the paint like freight train, mom opines: “Well, thank God he’s a basketball player and not selling auto insurance. He’s doing what he was meant to do.” I think the Geico Gecko has already made his presence felt.
–Apparently Delonte West is battling bad allergies. What is he allergic to, being consistently awesome?
–It’s a seesaw affair early. It feels like the Cs are getting cleaner looks at the rim, what with the Cavs scoring on a tough midrange floater from Boobie and a 3 point play from LeBron.
–Mom on Anderson Varejao: “Is that a good aerodynamic haircut?”
–A pretty Joe Smith fade–career metaphor?–puts the Cavs up 23-21 to end the quarter.
Second Quarter
–LeBron gets after Pavlovic and Doug Collins praises his leadership. A little while later, Collins notes that LeBron has only made shots after absorbing contact. Such all encompassing absorption; LeBron was either a roll of paper towel or a writer in a past life.
–Solid contributions from Boobie and Andy–”Boobie and Andy”; I smell a sitcom!–help put the Cavs up 37-31.
–Relevant stats via DC/TNT/A truck: The Cavs have started 7-9 for the period; Rajon Rondo has taken more shots than Paul Pierce and Ray Allen combined.
–Mom, on Pierce wrapping LeBron up and dragging him into the crowd: “YOU CAN’T DO THAT!” I doubt there was another mother in the stands that felt the same way…
–Ray Allen is doing a fantastic impression of the mouse in my apartment.
–Cs go on a 6-0 run after LeBron picks up his 3rd foul. LeBron is visible on the bench, yelling at his teammates: “MOVE THE BALL. F*CK!” Good job, TNT. How LeBron managed to yell an asterisk into a curse word is stunning.
–A Z tip and two Boobie free throws sandwich a Ray Allen pull up, putting the Cavs up two heading into the half.
Third Quarter
–Wally Szczerbiak and Ray Allen basically audition side by side in the remake of a crappy recent flick that starred Mark Wahlberg. You might have heard of it.
Shooter.
Szczerbiak impresses the casting director most with an 18 foot bank shot, but Allen nails more lines.
–A seemingly haphazard volleyball tap from Z leaves LeBron wide open at the 3 point line with the ball. He missed many shots on this night, but this much needed trey went down. Cleveland just had a moment.
–Rajon Rondo is hot. Sam Cassell is not. Maybe because one invariably gets cold on the bench.
–JOE SMITH! (Those two words just say so much)
Fourth Quarter
–P.J. Brown and Sam Cassell run a pick and roll that was actually born in 1957.
–A beautiful no look from LeBron to Joe Smith puts the Cavs up 76-71.
–Does P.J. Brown claim ten foot bank shots on his tax returns?
–LeBron drills a big 3 off a bruising screen set by Varejao. Pierce counters with a 13 footer, but Boobie responds with a 3 of his own. The role players are rolling.
–Mom, upon seeing a jump ball: “Ooh they’re doing one of those jumpy things!”
–Acceptable nicknames for the dunk:
THE ROTTERDAMN (lots of windmills in Rotterdam), THE HOKEY POKEY (incredible lyric/reference from the Outkast/Rae song “Royal Flush), THE YOUR MOM, THE AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, THE BIG STICKIT (you know, cause he dunked on KG).
A final point: With 8:45 left in the fourth quarter, Daniel Gibson nailed a three. It pushed Cleveland’s lead to five, but that wasn’t what was really important. As he was backpedaling down the court, a smirk crossed Boobie’s face. It was one of those typical “I know something you don’t know” grins. It was really simple, and it read: we’re not losing this game. 6 minutes later, moments before the ROTTERDAMN, another Boobie 3 effectively sealed the deal.
Best of 3. Cleveland rocks.
175 Responses to “Celtics-Cavs Game 4 Notes”
May.13 at 8:04 am
Sam Rubenstein says:
When LeBron had to scream at his mom for embarrassing him at work… it was the first time I could relate to him as a fellow human. Then that dunk… no more relating.
I think Jake watching this game with his mom created a telepathic rift that set Gloria off.
May.13 at 8:12 am
Tariq says:
Note to Delonte West: Neck tattoos are gross, especially on you. I now abstain from nourishment during Cav games so as to avoid any kind of unfortunate gag reflex.
May.13 at 8:13 am
dpak says:
i can’t find a vid on youtube.
anyone know where i can see the dunk?
May.13 at 8:15 am
Tariq says:
Jake: At the risk of revealing a lack of intelligence, I have to confess that I didn’t get the writer = absorption thing. I mean, paper towels, OK, but what’s the writer thing supposed to mean?
May.13 at 8:16 am
onekingdown says:
K “papercup” G folds in the 4th again. Dude never recovered from the Peeler UFC elbow to the chin. P***Y!!! Also, girl behind LeBrons right foot has face in hands?! Yes, get courtside tickets so you can NOT watch the dunk that changed the series and stuck a fork in the Cs. Or is she just scared of dunks?
May.13 at 8:17 am
Tariq says:
The crappy and (relatively) recent Mark Wahlberg flick that came to mind was Four Brothers, which even Andre 3000 couldn’t salvage.
May.13 at 8:19 am
Tariq says:
I mentioned Four Brothers before I read the part about “Royal Flush,” which, unlike Four Brothers, is very, very good.
May.13 at 8:20 am
onekingdown says:
dpak.. u r kidding right? nba dot com, maybe? just maybe?
May.13 at 8:20 am
Tariq says:
My last observation about these game notes: I’m both shocked and pleased to see them posted in such a hyper-punctual manner.
May.13 at 8:23 am
TADOne says:
Gloria James is not to be f*cked with.
May.13 at 8:43 am
Tariq says:
Hey TAD, where are your Piston notes?
May.13 at 8:48 am
Eboy says:
Lebron has a way a making overrated Eastern Conference foes seem abysmal in the face of ridiculous dunks that suddenly change series.
May.13 at 8:53 am
Tariq says:
Wow. So the dunk was SERIES-CHANGING?!
May.13 at 8:54 am
WhaHuh says:
I made the mistake of watching the whole match, turrible turrible offense. These two teams are embarrasing- the last 7 mins were the only enjoyable part. LeBron with a Patented dunk to try and convince us he was back to form (hes not)
May.13 at 8:55 am
Lz - Cphfinest3 says:
Cavs can play D + LeBron can take over (even when shooting horrible) - This one is going down the wire. Cavs in 7.
May.13 at 8:59 am
Eboy says:
T, if you viewed any of the Pistons/Cavs series of last season, Leberon’s plundering of the Pistons in game 5, puncuated by viscious dunk after dunk, I think, was the moment the Cavs took the series by the balls and then ended it in the next one. TAD could correct me. I think Lebron is due at least ONE big game in this series and it still hasn’t happened. If it does in game 5 and the Cavs pull out a win, it will be over in 6 back in Cleveland. Boston looks tired and slow even against a cement truck-like team like the Cavs. That and the fact the Celts can’t win a road game are a toxic mix.
May.13 at 9:07 am
TADOne says:
Scoring 29 out of 30 points was way more important than the actual way the points was scored, but his dunks do make quite an impression.
May.13 at 9:08 am
Eboy says:
In layman’s terms it would be called “backbreaking.”
May.13 at 9:09 am
Tariq says:
Eboy: I still think the Celtics win this series. And if the Cavs DO win, it won’t be because of that dunk, that’s for sure.
May.13 at 9:10 am
Tariq says:
And as bad as Boston’s road playoff form has been, they’ve been pretty invincible at home, which is where Game 5 will be played.
May.13 at 9:13 am
Eboy says:
T, there’s a thing called momentum in sports. Lebron’s facial to Mr. Garnett is a momentum swinger. I would imagine you have heard of that or in playing polo or whatever it is that you guys do over there, you would have run into that force of nature at some point.
May.13 at 9:14 am
onekingdown says:
dunk+boobie smile=Celtics dunzo!!
May.13 at 9:15 am
TADOne says:
Eboy, your argument would have more validation if in fact the dunk swung momentum or gave the Cavs a lead, but Cleveland was up 7 at the time, with about 2 minutes left.
May.13 at 9:16 am
TADOne says:
I think Varejao’s defense on Garnett is much more telling.
May.13 at 9:17 am
onekingdown says:
Eboy..co sign all comments here today. The fact he dunked on KG was well too fitting also!!
May.13 at 9:21 am
onekingdown says:
Look at Paul’s face in the face: “Mommy, no! Not the “dust off your golf clubs” dunk”
May.13 at 9:21 am
onekingdown says:
*picture
May.13 at 9:22 am
Eboy says:
TAD, you are right, but I would think, similarly to a timely Sheed three or a Rip pull up, that regardless of a lead amount, the timing of a play that sucks the air out of a gym is not to be overlooked.
May.13 at 9:31 am
TADOne says:
So are you saying that the Cavs will win game 5?
May.13 at 9:31 am
neaorin says:
Eboy, I don’t know about that dunk being a momentum swinger, but I will say this: that Pistons team had (and still has) more mental toughness than these Celtics. Even after LeBron’s transcendent Game 5 the Pistons were out for revenge and only gave up in the last quarter of Game 6 after Gibson’s barrage of threes and Sheed’s meltdown. If the Cavs somehow take Game 5 in Boston there’s been nothing so far in these playoffs to convince me that Garnett & co will respond in the same way.
May.13 at 9:39 am
Eboy says:
TAD, if Lebron has a big scoring game (35+) and the Cavs cut down on the Celtics offensive rebounds, I think they will take Game 5.
May.13 at 9:41 am
TADOne says:
Well hell, I could have given you that prediction with or without Bron’s dunk.
May.13 at 9:42 am
Eboy says:
So who wins game 5?
May.13 at 9:44 am
TADOne says:
The team that scores the most points.
May.13 at 9:48 am
Eboy says:
There’s a good response.
May.13 at 9:52 am
TADOne says:
Honestly, regardless of the neuturing the C’s did or did not get from that LeBron dunk, I just don’t see the Celtic’s losing at home. The Celtic’s are like the Utah Jazz of the East, where they play with a whole different intensity level at home. As for the road woes they have had, I just think that all season the “Big 3″ dominated but an alpha dog was never established, and that is hurting them on the road games.
May.13 at 9:59 am
neaorin says:
This might be a more appropriate comparison for last night’s dunk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hulWhyyM5MM
May.13 at 10:00 am
Eboy says:
So by your calculations, the Celtics will win the title by winning every series in 7 games?
May.13 at 10:04 am
TADOne says:
Um no, I’m talking strictly this series, I don’t see them losing at home to the Cavs.
May.13 at 11:16 am
riggs says:
if they lose game 5 then the series is done, but i also would like to know why theyre being shoved in the limelight when every other series except the pistons are tied right now.
May.13 at 11:38 am
Myles Brown says:
Can both of these teams be eliminated in this round?
May.13 at 11:44 am
Froggiestyle says:
As any MN fan will tell you, don’t look for KG in the 4th Q - will Rondo save the Celts? Perk? Davis? Can Beantown recover from another cinderella regular season - then a post season meltdown??? Eat my MN shorts Danny Ainge ;0P
PS. I dont even like Wally, but how much do you think he’s motivated to knock off KG (BTW they had the same amount of points last nite - could be a sign ?)
May.13 at 11:44 am
Tariq says:
According to Eboy’s mullet/inbred rationale, Cleveland beat the Wizards because of Jay-Z’s “series-changing” diss track.
May.13 at 11:58 am
Froggiestyle says:
Looks like the Slam cover jinx has begun…
May.13 at 12:06 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
a single dunk can’t change a series. get a grip
May.13 at 12:13 pm
Eboy says:
T & Khalid, while I respect both of your intellects (which are both highly impressive) your self-professed claims that neither one of you have ever lit up the basketball world with your own ball playing abilities kind of makes me take what both of you are saying and think you need some highly competitve life experience on a basketball court in order to understand the rationale I was using. Sorry.
May.13 at 12:14 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
KG should have fouled the sh*t out of him.
May.13 at 12:18 pm
Tariq says:
Eboy: I’m pretty sure pasty, wheezing, Ben-Gay pickup games at the YMCA give you no insight whatsoever into the pro game.
May.13 at 12:20 pm
Eboy says:
Perhaps if you could arrange a visa to come to this country you’d be able to find out first hand. As long as you could get past the watch list, that is.
May.13 at 12:20 pm
Myles Brown says:
Unless that dunk gave LB a J this sh*t aint over. But I still wish it was. Sheesh.
May.13 at 12:20 pm
Tariq says:
Russ: If KG had fouled him, he would have had Gloria to deal with.
May.13 at 12:21 pm
Eboy says:
And co-sign Russ, except that KG didn’t really have time to react.
May.13 at 12:21 pm
Tariq says:
Eboy: …………………….
May.13 at 12:22 pm
Eboy says:
Myles, who’ve you got for the remainder? Or is it so turrible you really can’t muster enough to give a sh*t?
May.13 at 12:22 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
I’m sure Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are thinking, “wow, that was a sick dunk—we should just quit.” After all, Kevin Garnett’s never been dunked on before or anything. (Ray Allen probably IS thinking “we should just quit,” but it seems like he’s been thinking that for a month. Did playing for Seattle make him forget that there actually ARE playoffs? Has someone mentioned to him that these games are important? I’m not sure whether he knows.)
May.13 at 12:23 pm
Eboy says:
Hey, you want to throw insults, I can too. You should know that, fuc*er.
May.13 at 12:24 pm
Tariq says:
Eboy: Apparently you can, but without any kind of wit, subtlety or sensitivity. Typical, I guess.
May.13 at 12:26 pm
Myles Brown says:
It would disgust me to see Bron soot 30% in a series and still beat a number one seed but at this point Im starting to think the Celtics dont deserve to advance either. Big Three my ass. Didnt Varejao outscore them combined in the 4th? I dunno. Ill decide before Game 7.
May.13 at 12:26 pm
onekingdown says:
That dunk was only the exclamation point after the Bron 3/Boobie 3 sequence. Clear out the suitcases and log on to expedia dot com Boston! And lets ask Robert Horry about series changing shots, shall we? Certain ref calls don’t change series either, right?
How dumb do the people at Gatorade feel for putting KG in that “league of clutch” commercial? Nothing says clutch like 2pts in the 2nd half.
May.13 at 12:26 pm
Eboy says:
I don’t think they were going to quit, Russ, but obviously their team makeup is terribly fragile at the moment and a sudden change of momentum is what I’ve been referenceing this morning. (Obviously the big brained characters that are throwing their proverbial hats into the ring haven’t been able to figure this out)If momentum is not a factor in NBA basketball, more than any other sport, then I must have been watching some other sport for the last 25 years or so. Cleveland has snatched it back and the dunk was a point of emphasis to it.
May.13 at 12:27 pm
JWade says:
I got to give it to Lebron
His dunks always make highlights
May.13 at 12:28 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Is it too late to activate Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish for the rest of the series? At least one of those guys–grey and old or not–might want the ball down the stretch. Also, to Doc Rivers: You had an entire SEASON to establish some sort of rotation. Nice work. I hope Big Baby eats you.
May.13 at 12:29 pm
Eboy says:
Me saying you have to get past a watch list is much worse than you putting me into a inbred gene pool. Cool T, I’ve got your logic now.
May.13 at 12:30 pm
Tariq says:
Myles: I can’t argue with that. Boston have certainly disappointed me during these playoffs. I just keep thinking “OK, now everything’s gonna click and they’ll go back to being the dominant reg season team.” But that never seems to happen.
May.13 at 12:30 pm
Eboy says:
Russ, do you think Doc will stay if they don’t get a ring, or at least make the Finals?
May.13 at 12:30 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Please point to one dunk in the previous 6,967,844 years of basketball history that changed the momentum of an entire series. Didn’t Josh Smith have like 37 dunks in the previous series? It’s not that I absolutely believe that the Celtics will prevail (because they might not), but their weaknesses were exposed LONG before The Chosen One™ defecated on KG’s head.
May.13 at 12:30 pm
onekingdown says:
And Ray Allen quit when he got to Boston. Remember he was not happy about the coming here (at first, or so he says anyway). He’s seen the 3 headed monster script with the Bucks and we all know how that worked out. Dude, knew/knows what’s coming.
May.13 at 12:33 pm
Z says:
I’m with Eboy on this oneu. A dunk can change a series. LeBron now knows better than to try to switch hands and flip shots on dribble drives, he said it himself in the press conf. Boston was just reminded that when LBJ get his mind into it and wants to get to the tin, there’s not much you can do. Makes me think of the 2-handed dunk he had against Detroit with basically the whole squad trying to grab him.
May.13 at 12:35 pm
Tom says:
I’m with eboy, that dunk was a series changer/momentum swinger, whatever you choose to call it. It was an exclamation point kind of thing where Lebron basically said in one play “I don’t give a f*ck about your regular season record and your fake tough-guy scthick, I can get mine whenever I damn well please” Celts are now officially desperate for a win and the cavs have nothing to lose.
May.13 at 12:35 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
I can’t see Doc getting fired. They won what, 65 games the first season with a new team? I think they squeak past the Cavs (in seven again), and no matter what happens in the conference finals, I think Doc gets another year. His substitution patterns have been troubling, and the late-game offense is appalling, but the latter is on the players as much as it is him. Can someone please be assertive?
May.13 at 12:36 pm
Eboy says:
Z, let’s be clear. A dunk can’t change a series, but possibly giving said player extra confidence, his team a huge boost, and a little deflation to the opposition, I would think that one powerful statement can be some form of altering. But I’m sure I’m wrong.
May.13 at 12:37 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Tom: If LeBron can “get his whenever I damn well please,” please explain a) why he finished with 21 points, and b) why none of those 21 points came on jumpers that weren’t threes. And I wouldn’t categorize the Celtics as “desperate.” Both teams have merely held serve. It’s a three-game series, and Boston has home court. The Hawks had momentum after Game Six and look where it got them.
May.13 at 12:37 pm
Eboy says:
Russ, do you think Paul’s back problems (what’s with that sh*t this postseason) are his main cause of not being dominant in late game situations?
May.13 at 12:38 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
LeBron needs extra confidence?
May.13 at 12:41 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
And I’m sure Pierce’s back has something to do with it, but KG needs to step up or else his multitude of critics are just going to have more ammo. Right now he’s looking like Dirk Nowitzki with less range and more defensive intensity. Unless his back hurts too, he’d better throw his team on it, and the sooner the better.
May.13 at 12:43 pm
Eboy says:
Russ, when you’ve shot as poorly as he has this series, I think his overly boisterous reaction his late three and the dunk were indicitave of him having some form of relief that he was able to get off for a minute. So yeah, I think that the late game plays he made will build his confidence up a little.
May.13 at 12:43 pm
Tariq says:
Russ: If you had played H-o-r-s-e with your great uncle once, maybe you would understand the competitive nature of the NBA.
May.13 at 12:44 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
Careful eboy….
May.13 at 12:44 pm
Eboy says:
Especially when Sideshow may become known as the KG Stopper if Cleveland fu*ks around and wins this series.
May.13 at 12:46 pm
Eboy says:
Khalid, what was said that was so off base? I’m assuming the get a grip comment was directed at me, so I just wrote a response. No ill will on my part.
May.13 at 12:54 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
Momentum in a NBA playoff series is the most overrated thing in sports. again, this is NOT the nfl, where time is always a factor. after the celts won game 2 damn near all the same people who are killing boston were killing lebron and the cavs. its getting absurd. I know ben appreciates the hits that you guys give the site by commenting (we all do) but if some of you never came back to this site i would be okay. i don’t enjoy discussing sports with people who only live highlight to highight and game to game and get on websites and profess themselves to be experts. you get on here and make totally irrational assertions and state claims without any intimate understanding of the people you talk about or the people you talk to. you people are boys. get your minds right or bounce.
May.13 at 1:01 pm
Eboy says:
Hmmm………
May.13 at 1:05 pm
onekingdown says:
(I’m aka FLUXLAND)
Not sure what you expect from a magazine who’s target audience is (for the most part) kids and teenagers, dude! And that’s how they live… highlight to highlight.. game to game.
May.13 at 1:12 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
I don’t ever write for teenagers. the people i write for know who they are…
May.13 at 1:12 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
The following dunks have two things in common: A) They were the most memorable moment of the series they took place in, and B) The dunker’s team lost every series: 1) John Starks over Horace Grant and Michael Jordan. 2) Scottie Pippen over Patrick Ewing. 3) Kevin Johnson over Hakeem Olajuwon. 4) Chris Webber over Charles Barkley (I seem to remember Chuck coming back and throwing 57 or so on the Warriors the next game). 5) Baron Davis on Andrei Kirilenko. Those are just off the top.
May.13 at 1:12 pm
Eboy says:
That’s been you all day, FLUX. You never agree with me. Wow. FLUX/oneking, everyone should be allowed to voice their opinion in a public forum, right or wrong, informed or misinformed. It takes a guy like Khalid to try and put a leash around those of us who don’t meet the standards expected. Russ and Myles have also done this at various times, so a bit of reflection is always good.
May.13 at 1:14 pm
TADOne says:
Ok, this went to the wayside. But just to add: The ONLY series swinging shot I can think of in these playoffs is Duncan’s 3 against the Suns. That was deflating for the Suns, but even that is debatable being it was only game one.
May.13 at 1:15 pm
WhaHuh says:
LeBron “the chosen one/best player last night” was 7-20, DONT televise the rest of this series. Collosal failure on this scale should be punished
May.13 at 1:16 pm
blackice87 says:
If Boston holds home down, they are champs, if they slip up it’s not so certain. NO ONE HAS BEATEN THEM AT HOME YET. I’m not even a Celtic fan and I can admit they are dominant at home. After game six the comment section will be flooded with either A) The Celtics are the ticket this year because they can win at home even after a momentum shift, or B) The Cavs are taking this in 6 or 7 because they have home court and have proven they can beat Boston at home. And if Boston does lose at home and then take the series anyways, do they now become front runners for the chip? btw the lakers are going to lose to the Jazz, The Jazz are less likely to lose at home than the Celtics, and they have what it takes to win in staples, AND I HATE THE JAZZ.
May.13 at 1:17 pm
Eboy says:
TAD…… you do remember a certain Michigan based squad that got an illegal three point basket counted which probably put the Magic in a really tough hole to climb out of not too long ago, no?
May.13 at 1:20 pm
TADOne says:
Ok, this will be the last time I reference this, but the Magic had TWELVE MINUTES LEFT IN THAT GAME! Also, they had a 4 point lead with about 7 minutes left, and couldn’t hold it.
May.13 at 1:21 pm
onekingdown says:
Yeah it’s been me all day..thought I’d clear it up, just in case. Can you read, Eboy? Never agree with you? uhhh .. comment at 9:17, Sir?
Co sign again at 1:12 as well. I have blasted them for this on numerous occasions, even called them a holes once. Then again, I’ve seen comments that send me over the edge as well and then I understand them. My biggest beef is what you said, that simply not sharing their opinion or meeting their standard implies we are ignorant and stupid. Tariq and his inbred/mullet comment left me shocked.
May.13 at 1:22 pm
Myles Brown says:
*Eats popcorn*
May.13 at 1:24 pm
H to the izzo says:
……..*in lieu of Myles*
May.13 at 1:25 pm
H to the izzo says:
Damn.
May.13 at 1:25 pm
Captain America says:
Shee-it! A dunk is worth 2 points or/and an and1. The C’s will win one more at home.
May.13 at 1:26 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Buzz Bissinger was right!
May.13 at 1:27 pm
Eboy says:
Myles, I sometimes wish I could just do that too without getting into hot water.
FLUX (why confuse us?) I didn’t mean anything like that, I just know that the boys get tired of cetain things being said and other things set them off so I would think that those of us who comment all the time can quickly change up what they request. It wasn’t meant to indicate anyone being ignorant or stupid.
May.13 at 1:27 pm
drew says:
lebron punched the big ticket and all that was left is a ticket stub
May.13 at 1:28 pm
onekingdown says:
Khalid.. I don’t even understand your last comment. Why do you write for a magazine then? Why not just email your thoughts to your family and friends, instead of having them put out in public, where there is a possibility people with perceived less intellect and whom may not share you opinion will say thing that bother you. You need to create your own website where people need to pass the “Khalid Salaam bball IQ test” to join. And who other then yourself, Brown and Russ profess themselves as experts?
May.13 at 1:30 pm
H to the izzo says:
@FLUXkingdown:I do,all the time.
May.13 at 1:33 pm
Myles Brown says:
I’m 99.9% sure I’ve never called myself an expert.
May.13 at 1:33 pm
Eboy says:
I would give izzo credit for knowing college basketball pretty well.
May.13 at 1:33 pm
Eboy says:
An ex parte witness?
May.13 at 1:34 pm
TADOne says:
I’m 100% sure i’m not an expert, but I play one online.
May.13 at 1:35 pm
TADOne says:
And I honestly think Ray Allen has aged 5 years in the last 5 weeks.
May.13 at 1:36 pm
H to the izzo says:
Yay!Although I’m not actually sure what the argument is about since I haven’t read the rest of the comments(I’m pretty sure it’s less than riveting stuff)I’d just like to say that although someones opinions should not be completely dispelled,they can be wrong.I refer you to Charley Rosen.
May.13 at 1:37 pm
Eboy says:
Can I point to Steven A Smith?
May.13 at 1:38 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
I’m no expert either. Somehow I don’t think I’ll be hired as a coach or a GM anytime soon. But at the same time I do write about NBA basketball for a living. I go to an awful lot of games and talk to an awful lot of players/coaches/writers on a fairly regular basis (Lawrence Frank says hi). I do like to think I have a different perspective on things than the average fan.
May.13 at 1:38 pm
FLUXLAND says:
confusion over.
Brown.. nice stat.:) You don’t call yourself..you just ARE an expert, right?
I dunno man! I love this place and all the writers and their styles. I just hate being called an idiot because I don’t share the same level of knowledge or don’t share their opinion. It would be like blasting someone for being a “casual” fan.
May.13 at 1:39 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
there is no IQ test..but yeah i expect to discuss topics in a intelligent way. is that too much to ask?
May.13 at 1:41 pm
Eboy says:
FLUX, Khalid didn’t single anyone out. It was a “you know who you are” comment. I think these guys know we love the fu*k out of their work, it’s just that they get annoyed when an uniformed stance sticks around too long.
May.13 at 1:43 pm
Eboy says:
Remarkably, this has been a ball only topic all day. This has been a trend since Holly’s Post Up went away. I think you guys would be happy about that.
May.13 at 1:46 pm
FLUXLAND says:
It would be, if the person doesn’t have the same level, or close to, of IQ as yourself, IMO. Christ, I don’t have the knowledge you guys do, but does that mean I’m not entitled to an opinion, no matter how baseless it may seem? Not only that but if you recognize someone may not know what they are talking about, why would you roast them? What pleasure could you get out of that? It just makes you look more ignorant, IMO. And with all that knowledge I would expect you guys to teach and elaborate on what others may be missing.
May.13 at 1:47 pm
TADOne says:
Russ, if you are still lurking, where are the Bulls turning their attention to now as far as coaches?
May.13 at 1:50 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
I think Pax is just randomly interviewing people on the el.
May.13 at 1:51 pm
Eboy says:
Can they buy out Billy Donavon? Joakim could become an All-Star.
May.13 at 1:51 pm
Jake Appleman says:
okay, seriously you guys, what the f*ck?
May.13 at 1:52 pm
Captain America says:
Can’t believe how you folks turn on KG and the “Big 3″ when the chips are down…talk ’bout fair weather. All season you’ve been talkin’ them up.
May.13 at 1:53 pm
TADOne says:
Sorry Jake. Great notes though.
May.13 at 1:54 pm
Eboy says:
Jake’s THE ROTTERDAM is my new favorite dunk name.
May.13 at 1:55 pm
John E. Sanford says:
Awesome notes Jake.
May.13 at 1:56 pm
Tariq says:
Flux: I understand where Khalid is coming from. Totally. A few years ago, I was giving a friend of mine English (as a second language)lessons. He would come over 3 times a week and I would teach him grammar and stuff. Anyway, one day, he insisted that the thing you use to play video games with is called a “hand” (that’s a direct translation from the Arabic). I tried to explain that it’s actually called a “controller” or “joystick” or “joypad”, but he insisted that it was indeed called a “hand”. Why? On what basis? No idea. Now I’m no Hemingway, but if I’m GIVING YOU ENGLISH LESSONS, it’s annoying as hell when you cling to your opinion so stubbornly. Especially when you’re opinion is..um..wrong.
May.13 at 1:58 pm
Tariq says:
Hey Jake, could you clarify the absorption = reincarnated writer thing, please?
May.13 at 1:59 pm
Eboy says:
And this comes from the same person who went on a self-imposed commenting strike for a similar dismissal at the hands of another SLAM staffer. Odd.
May.13 at 2:00 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
flux i’m not trying to be mean-spirited just for the sake of it. i think we all learn from each other and our different viewpoints is what makes this site imo the best basketball site in the world. My beef is that i’ve been noticing a trend lately where the tone of the site is starting to resemble other sites i sometimes frequent, where the commentators ignorance totally dominate everything. I don’t want that to happen here. This site is suppossed to be for hardcore fans, student of the game type people and those who really love basketball. It needs to stay that way and i felt compelled to say something. Also, i’m no expert. But i do know what i know. And a single dunk, i don’t care how domiante it is or was can just hijack a series. Russ gave several good examples of that. The fact that people were saying this was the last straw for me. Thats all. I have no beef with you guys. everything is cool.
May.13 at 2:00 pm
Shooter#9 - Brasil says:
another sensational explosive performance by the king!
best player ever! overall player, amazing, incredible…
king james for prsident… he is god
jordan is nothing compared to the REAL KING… yeah, right… cleveland won game 4, and i just expect people to come with all this CRAP, specially guided by this idi-ots in the media today.
drive-or-die basketball is being exposed and it surely doesn’t look good… its embarrassing to see a player that most people judge as the best basketball player, taking shot after shot.. and always getting the rim… than he makes 1, even tough a triple, but 1, and than he is god again…
embarrassing. you can’t put MJ and lemerd in the same SENTANCE. i watch this games and all i remember is “lebron took a worst team to the finals”… how stupid can people be? ps: boston looks ridiculous nowadays and i blame doc rivers.
ray ray… one of my fave players in the league… you better step up or you will get some burn too.
May.13 at 2:02 pm
Tariq says:
Eboy: Live and learn, buddy.
May.13 at 2:03 pm
Eboy says:
There wasn’t people (plural) saying it King K, I was the only one. I’ll stand by it, and I know what I know too.
May.13 at 2:06 pm
Jake Appleman says:
Tariq: writer absorb and are (self)absorbed. Paper towels absorb and self absorb. It’s really not complex at all. Are you trying to get me to say it?
May.13 at 2:06 pm
Eboy says:
And T, I give you my apology for earlier. You know I have love for you even with my 3 arms and and a constantly open mouth.
May.13 at 2:07 pm
Jake Appleman says:
Eboy who were you were referencing with the “comment strike”?
May.13 at 2:07 pm
Ergo says:
I usually don’t comment, but I read pretty much all of them. The vast majority of comments here is hyperbolic one-liners with people trying to find different ways to say “So and So” sucks, is soft, dumb etc. Since the professional writers (except for Lang) partake in it all the same (you do too, Khalid, from time to time), it’s kind of hypocritical to suddenly demand a higher standard from the readers.
May.13 at 2:11 pm
Eboy says:
Jake, it doesn’t matter. He can answer for himself if he wants. I’m his biggest supporter though. I think he knows that.
May.13 at 2:12 pm
deuce21 says:
I know I’m not the only one to think this but I’m really starting to get hyped about seeing a possible Cavs/Lakers final. Lebron V Kobe sounds a little like MJ V MAgic dont cha think?
May.13 at 2:12 pm
deuce21 says:
BTW, The Big Stickit is the best choice….
May.13 at 2:15 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
wait, are ergo and lang the same people?…if not then i’ll say this. i don’t want this to continue as some us against them type of situation. but i won’t tolerate the bs either. ask my co-workers what the sign above my desk says. lets just move on from this before i really get mad. cool?
May.13 at 2:16 pm
nastruthomas says:
i took it upon myself to count the witty remarks and banter between Eboy and Tariq a la’ Around The Horn style…. Whit Hot is killing “Lord” 12 to 7…thats only counting this topic board… …for what its worth …zing!
May.13 at 2:18 pm
Myles Brown says:
*Sends Russ to get more popcorn*
May.13 at 2:19 pm
H to the izzo says:
If I haven’t already said it,great notes Jake.Anything with a Family Guy reference pleases me though.
May.13 at 2:20 pm
Eboy says:
Khalid could pull some Tony Stark ish and shut us down from afar. Bastard!!!!!!! King, give us some rope, dude. You know we love you guys. Why would we be here all the time if we didn’t?
May.13 at 2:24 pm
TADOne says:
Ok, since no one else has asked, what does Khalid’s sign say?
May.13 at 2:24 pm
Tariq says:
Jake: Oh! Sorry, I feel foolish. I should have gotten that, especially since I would like to be a writer one day and am VERY self-absorbed, which means I’m on the right track.
May.13 at 2:27 pm
FLUXLAND says:
Jake, my bad … & I’m going for THE BIG STICKIT.
Khalid/Tariq: I understand the frustration, I just don’t think the method to prevent that from happening (domination of ignorance) is to blast away. Maybe I am wrong. Maybe I just mis interpret when you guys are joking around or joking around. Being ignorant back is just adding fuel to the fire. Unless the idea is to dominate with superior verbal insults. As per dunk..I don’t know. Can it not just be a matter of opinion? Did Horry sinking that 3 from the Vlade “slap” not take the life out of the Kings? Maybe not. Did Duncan’s 3, like TAD said, change the whole series? Maybe not. Did Horry’s hip checking (and subsequent Nash Oscar performance) not change everything? I know it’s hard to conceive that one single solitary basket or act can change something completely. But it is possible it’s was the final straw, no? There was a few other things that led to that dunk..the dunk just seemed to be the exclamation point. Like Gibson looking back with that smile as if saying “You know what? You guy are all smoke and mirrors” The dunk can be just be taken as the moment that confirmed the suspicion and then changed evertything. Just an opinion.. you don’t have to share it.
May.13 at 2:27 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
Eboy, we’re good.
May.13 at 2:29 pm
FLUXLAND says:
uhh *or being serious
May.13 at 2:33 pm
FLUXLAND says:
Brown: I love the *popcorn* comments. I LOL every time.
Khaild signs guesses:
BS FREE ZONE or STUPIDITY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED
May.13 at 2:36 pm
Eboy says:
I’m with you always, K, believe me. Even Myles, too! *sits, looking at monitor, hoping that someday Brown realizes this*
May.13 at 2:37 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
flux its much better than that.
May.13 at 2:41 pm
TADOne says:
I’d imagine it has many more curse words.
May.13 at 2:43 pm
FLUXLAND says:
I can’t call Brown - Myles. I always think of the the guy from Murphy Brown. Sorry, Mr. Brown.
Khalid: uhh.. is the text short or long?
May.13 at 3:11 pm
Z says:
@ Khalid. You’re on point 95% of the time and I enjoy your no nonsense, tell it like it is style of writing. However, I’m not too fond of the «this is what i have to say and everybody who thinks otherwise doesn’t know ish about ball». That was my 2 cents. Big fan of your work tho.
May.13 at 4:42 pm
tealish says:
Sigh. I knew this dunk and its so called “residual effects” would be over-embellished, and ultra-hyped past the realm of gag-worthiness.
It’s a dunk. A huge power dunk. (as if there’s any other type of LeBron dunk). But the game was really over by then. So game-changing? Nah. It certainly punctuated the win and gave the Cleveland fans another chance to roar. But some of you are saying the dunk was SERIES CHANGING?? Wow.
May.13 at 5:27 pm
tealish says:
Haha, I’ve only just gone back to read the comments and my oh my, what tasty drama. It’s hilarious how there is some real anger here, but I guess I kind of understand where it comes from. Though, not really…
May.13 at 5:50 pm
Dutch Rich says:
What u know about dunking anyways old man. Deflating lil E’s momentum on the baby hoop in the backyard don’t count.
May.13 at 6:25 pm
B. Long says:
KG b!tched out by not jumping. Zo got posterized a couple times in his career but atleast he went down swinging.
May.13 at 6:44 pm
albie1kenobi says:
as bron crossed posey over and first stepped his way up, in KG’s mind:
should i go for the block? i’ll probably get killed by the L-train.
should i get the hell away? i can’t take the pu$$y way out.
what to do? whoops. too late.
BOOOM!!!!
May.13 at 7:07 pm
Eboy says:
Dutch, you’re funny. I like you. You’d be another victim at any court on this wonderful planet, so I take solice in that. You made me laugh. Comedic fun. Thanks for lightening the mood of today’s tension filled discussion.
May.13 at 7:15 pm
Joey E. says:
LeBrons in 7
May.13 at 8:11 pm
B. Long says:
KG, Lebron has a suprise for you! I’ll give you a hint it’s in his shorts and it’s not a toaster!!!
May.13 at 9:09 pm
DP says:
They should have called a foul. KG got sh*tted on and once again he dissappeared in the fourth. and some guy told me Kobe sucked ass in the fourth…………….
May.13 at 10:34 pm
Ben Osborne says:
I love our commenters.
May.13 at 10:50 pm
Dutch Rich says:
E!! I’ll fly to the Sunshine state and find you in your local park. Won’t introduce myself, drop 24 on you, break your ankles, lick the back of my business-card, stick it to your forehead and walk into the South Florida sunset smokin a Dutch. R
May.13 at 11:04 pm
Eboy says:
Dutch, THAT was even more funny. Get with the computer age. Business cards are SO 1992. I’ll have one of my boys take a video from their cell phone and have your disgrace posted here for all the world to see within minutes.
May.13 at 11:47 pm
Dacre says:
Dutch Rich…your dropping 24 points???…ha…you probably play a great “zone defense”,I believe you can only drive to the basket in one direction. A shot from the top of the arc.
May.13 at 11:49 pm
Dacre says:
…and let me guess…by your business card…your in..”I.T.”. Pure athlete.
May.14 at 12:15 am
tealish says:
When I see basketball trashtalk and callouts on these boards, I can’t help but wonder how many people here, including SLAM stuff, have actually played meaningful ball - as in, HS senior team and up. My guess is 1 in 10?
May.14 at 12:48 am
Dacre says:
hmm….perhaps…what is the average age of visitors here though…? 1 in 10 seems a little hard. I was thinking maybe 4 out of 5 played at school….with 2 out of those 4 playing FOR the school rep side, 1 in 4 might have represented at a zone or regional level….Umm anyone represented at a state level here?
May.14 at 12:56 am
Dacre says:
…other than mike beasely?
May.14 at 9:36 am
Tariq says:
I bought some prescription goggles from Price Club back in the mid-nineties, but just used them to shoot jumpers alone. I swiftly retired after that. Does that count as “meaningful ball”?
May.14 at 9:41 am
Eboy says:
Tariq Rambis.
May.14 at 9:09 pm
Dacre says:
Tariq ‘Horace’ Grant
May.14 at 9:10 pm
Dacre says:
I’ll stand up and say I played round ball at a high level.
May.15 at 2:45 am
Froggiestyle says:
wow! look at all the fun I missed. Reminds me of the fun days of old “pile on” aka “smear the q***r”. Y’all play nice now ya hear?
May.17 at 10:13 am
dogman says:
mom should do color commentary on the sports network of her choice…and get paid the big bucks. –dad