|
Could We Be Entering the Dawn of the Mercenary LeBron Era?With the Cavaliers up against the wall in the Eastern Conference finals,
it’s time to ponder the King’s upcoming summer. He could very well
change the way we think about free agency … again.![[image loading]](https://i.imgur.com/BIeAJb6.png)
LeBron James has fallen on hard times in this postseason. The Cavaliers are a dented car heading home from Boston, running on empty with tape holding together a cracked windshield and dragging the tailpipe along the pavement. And it’s the King behind the wheel.
The Cavaliers are such a disaster that even some of their loyal fans think LeBron should bounce this summer. Aside from winning the Finals, losing to the Celtics is the best thing that could happen for James. He wouldn’t have to deal with the scrutiny of having another Finals loss on his record It’s fun to dream about James screening for Chris Paul, receiving the ball on the pick-and-pop, then attacking a closeout before kicking the ball out to James Harden for a wide-open 3. LeBron is at his best when the floor is spaced by four shooters; he’d have that in Houston and the two best playmakers he’s ever played with in his entire career. What better way to ease into your mid-30s than to play more off the ball alongside Harden and Paul? Playing alongside his looper would force the young Aussie to expand his game and learn the intricacies of cutting and screening, and the basics of shooting a basketball. James could effectively teach Simmons the ropes of being a superstar, then pass the baton once that time comes. But is James trying to be a mentor or to win? LeBron is the most powerful player in basketball. He’s already once changed the way players understand their power as free agents, and he can “break the mold” again this summer. He can have his cake and eat it, too, by signing one- or two-year deals with teams on the brink of contention. That could be the Rockets this summer, then the Sixers in a year or two, then the Lakers around 2021. It would be the dawn of Mercenary LeBron.
TR
|
Technically Speaking, LeBron Shouldn’t Be Taking Free Throws?The Cavs star’s game is almost flawless, expect for those nagging trips to the charity stripe.
Why does the King insist on stepping up to shoot technical free throws
when it’s one of the only things he isn’t royally good at?![[image loading]](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TLw4uWai-nu56rMSGDn1YOwt4Yg=/0x0:3000x2000/920x613/filters:focal(1694x747:2174x1227)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59762931/LebronFreeThrows_Getty_Ringer.0.jpg)
There’s only one scenario in which LeBron James hustling can go wrong: It’s when he’s dashing to the free throw line. Take the opening game of the Eastern Conference finals ... Al Horford committed a three-second violation. It took half that time for LeBron to realize a technical foul had been called, and there he was: power-walking to the free throw line before Mike Breen could get the call out.
James’s teammate Kyle Korver had also moved toward the stripe, which makes sense since Korver, at 88.9 percent from the line this season, is the team’s best free throw shooter. But there was LeBron stepping in front of him with his back turned. The team awarded the shot gets to decide who takes said shot, and because logic is logic, the most accurate free throw shooter on the floor typically gets the ball. But there was no conversation between LeBron and Korver. There was no pleading by the Cavs sharpshooter, no objection from the coaching staff, despite it being a playoff game, and despite Cleveland being down 23 points. There was only LeBron, waiting for the ball. Right fist up, blow. Left fist up, blow.
“It’s just one of those unspoken things that LeBron steps to the line,” says ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, who has been covering James his entire career. There are 15 seasons of evidence that point to it not being Lue’s choice at all. Throughout his career, LeBron has regularly volunteered to take technical free throws. (“Volunteer” being a loose term.) His rookie year under Paul Silas, an 18-year-old LeBron took nearly a third of Cleveland’s drawn techs. He ranked 10th on the team in free throw percentage. (To this day, he’s never finished any higher than sixth.) After four seasons in the league, James had taken 41.9 percent of the Cavalier’s technical free throws and shot them at a 65.8 percent rate.
“It’s just like dad at the dinner table with LeBron,” Windhorst says. “He gets the biggest piece of meat. … There were times where LeBron would push the guy off the line. A guy would actually be on the foul line, and he would come behind him and gently shove him off. And the guy’s always going to yield. LeBron’s always going to eat first.” But James has to be painfully aware of his inability to chew, having left more than 2,400 points at the line over his career. Some technique turned out to be ominous forecasting. The season after that comment, 2016-17, was LBJ’s worst-ever at the stripe. His routine varied 18 different ways. Some of those techniques included: tweaking the feet, from side-by-side, to staggered, to rocking, to shuffling, to stationary. He bent his knees, then he didn’t, then he bent ever deeper than before. He mimicked Ray Allen. He asked Kyle Korver for advice. He blew into his hands. He swiped his shorts. He rubbed the ball. Sometimes, he just stared into space like a really tall Jim from The Office. By the new year, after 14 seasons of hogging technical free throws, he stopped taking them altogether. After all this time, everyone has accepted that the charity stripe is the site of LeBron’s one inexplicable weakness by everyone. Everyone but LeBron, that is. Maybe, like us, he has a hard time believing he’s mortal.
TR
|
On May 19 2018 12:03 Twinkle Toes wrote:
The Cavaliers are such a disaster that even some of their loyal fans think LeBron should bounce this summer.
Wow hyperbole. This team just made top 4 again and they make it seem like they failed to get into playoffs.
|
|
|
Poll: ECF Game 3, who wins and how?BOS while LBJ carries CLE (2) 29% CLE and LBJ carries team (2) 29% BOS while CLE is all trash (1) 14% CLE plays perfect game (1) 14% Doesnt matter, just give us a competitive game (1) 14% 7 total votes Your vote: ECF Game 3, who wins and how? (Vote): BOS while LBJ carries CLE
(Vote): BOS while CLE is all trash
(Vote): CLE and LBJ carries team
(Vote): CLE plays perfect game
(Vote): Doesnt matter, just give us a competitive game
|
On May 19 2018 19:30 JimmiC wrote:Show nested quote +On May 19 2018 18:25 Kleinmuuhg wrote:On May 19 2018 12:03 Twinkle Toes wrote:
The Cavaliers are such a disaster that even some of their loyal fans think LeBron should bounce this summer. Wow hyperbole. This team just made top 4 again and they make it seem like they failed to get into playoffs. It is the world we live in. Casey just won 59 games, coach of the year (as voted by other coaches) and got fired.
Insane
|
|
|
Boston might be playing poorly, but that doesn't mean this isn't some crazy home cooking
|
Now that the game is out of hand the Celtics should just keep trying to get Baynes matched up on LeBron in the post, just for stamina purposes.
|
Maybe I'm a conspiracy theorist but I always think the refs know what result the league wants to see. Too many millions to be lost if this series ends in 4 games. I've always wondered what the communications are between the league and the refs. If the league tells them "Hey wouldn't it be great if this series went longer than 4 games *wink wink*" Or if they don't say anything and the refs just know what is expected of them. Maybe bonuses/raises/favorable assignments go to the "best refs."
|
On May 20 2018 11:16 BlackJack wrote:
Maybe I'm a conspiracy theorist but I always think the refs know what result the league wants to see. Too many millions to be lost if this series ends in 4 games. I've always wondered what the communications are between the league and the refs. If the league tells them "Hey wouldn't it be great if this series went longer than 4 games *wink wink*" Or if they don't say anything and the refs just know what is expected of them. Maybe bonuses/raises/favorable assignments go to the "best refs."
It seems pretty clear they assign refs based on their ability to do it well.
Like, in this game I doubt the overall stays will be that bad, but the tone was set super early: Brown got 2 quick fouls, and the Celts had 3-5 turnovers that were clearly fouls plus LeBron's second "monster block". This all turned into a massive lead and the Celts defense basically was ended (plus they seemed tentative on offense as well).
|
|
|
Pettiness is a virtue now?
|
Fighting against racism and white supremacy is pettiness now?
LBJ did what not even MJ dared to do, and crossed taboo lines in sports by venturing into political discourse,
and that is something that we should celebrate and do as well. Sports is just entertainment, but there are real fatal and violent effects of race hate and stupidity. And it is commendable that Lerbon understands this and is putting his weight on it.
|
Some life advice for you: If taking a moral stand makes you feel good or makes you feel like you have permission to be an asshole, you're not being moral. Lebron wasn't making a political statement, he was just being insulting.
I'm not going to address your assertions because this is not the place for it, just like it's not the purview of sports to discuss politics. The compulsion to bloviate about politics in sports is part of the policy of No Escapism that's a precursor to totalitarianism. You will be bombarded every minute of the day, you will not have a moments respite from being told what political views you should wholeheartedly affirm and any quibble against will result in your being unPersoned.
|
|
|
LeBron is 6 FG away from passing Kareem as the all-time leader in career playoff FGM. His playoff career is going to be soooooo long considering he's already the all-time leader in MP and he could still play another 5-6+ years.
What's really crazy is his playoff career rankings among "active" players.
G: #1
MP: #1
FG: #1
FGA: #1
2pFG: #1
2pFGA: #1
3pFG: #1
3pFGA: #1
FT: #1
FTA: #1
ORB: #3
DRB: #1
TRB: #1
AST: #1
STL: #1
BLK: #4
TO: #1
PF: #2
PTS: #1
Basically in a couple years he'll lead all active players in every statistical category, with the lone exception of being #2 behind Serge Ibaka in blocks. Edit: actually Steph Curry will pass him in made 3pers as well.
|
On May 21 2018 03:24 darthfoley wrote:
Lots of big words!
You can't dull my sparkle.
|
On May 21 2018 03:34 Jerubaal wrote:You can't dull my sparkle.
Poop diddity-scoop
|
On May 21 2018 06:42 darthfoley wrote:Show nested quote +On May 21 2018 03:34 Jerubaal wrote:On May 21 2018 03:24 darthfoley wrote:
Lots of big words! You can't dull my sparkle. Poop diddity-scoop
I wet my arm pits!
|
|
|
|
|
|
EPT![[image loading]](https://i.imgur.com/fwcuFQP.png)
