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NBA Loud - by Arnold

The Playoffs Lebron James - NBA Loud

The San Antonio Spurs are 2007 NBA Champions!

June 15th 2007 09:55
San Antonio Spurs with the championship trophy.
San Antonio players celebrating like it's 1999! (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images)



Break out LeBroom because it was a le sweep, 83-82 to the Spurs – champions for a fourth time since a certain basketball player named Tim Duncan came to the Alamo. While we still have your attention how about a le congratulations to le Tony Parker who also walked away with le Finals MVP trophy. Could Parker be the luckiest guy on earth? Major basketball talent, money, looks, MVP trophy, Championship rings and let’s not forget Eva Longoria! Some people have all the fortune.

Parker who dominated the Cavs with his blistering pace and deadly outside shot scorched them for 24 points doing as he pleased, while his fellow foreign sidekick, Manu Ginobili had 27 – 13 in the final quarter, including some clutch hoops down the stretch. And how could we forget Tim Duncan? He is the reason why the San Antonio franchise has been so successful during his reign, and although Game 4 wasn’t one of Duncan’s best games he still did made his mark with 12 points and 15 rebounds. The Big Fundamental also grabbed some vital boards with Cleveland closing in, and not only that, his hustle and the intangibles he bought to the game were something to behold.


San Antonio thoroughly deserved this one.

Moving to the opposition, LeBron James will have to wait a little longer to be anointed basketball royalty after Bron-Bron and the James gang were handed their asses on a platter. San Antonio picked LeBron and his team apart, brutally exposing their flaws for the world to
Tony Parker kissing Eva Longoria.
Tony Parker plants a kiss on a woman who has been stalking him throughout the Finals. She goes by the name of Eva Longoria. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
see, and James as an intelligent basketball player would now recognise that he has plenty to work on.

Credit James’ ineffectiveness in the Finals to the Spurs team who hounded LeBron whenever he went down the lane allowing for only two dunks, yes, you read that correctly, two dunks, for the whole series. Furthermore, after thoroughly dominating the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals, and Tayshaun Prince, James was met with more resistance by Bruce Bowen who shadowed Bron-Bron like bad body odour. The Spurs were so good at laying down the clamps on the King that he shot a paltry 31 percent from the field for the series.

This leaves us with the rest of the Cavs who were by no means a championship calibre team. Cleveland is woeful in their current incarnation and without the injured Larry Hughes the Cavs were doomed from the very beginning. Cleveland’s loss isn’t primarily due to LeBron because he tried his heart out, it’s just the team around him couldn’t hit shots to save their lives and without James, would be the equal of the Atlanta Hawks – don’t forget Anderson Varejao who thought for one moment that he was the man in Game 3.

As mentioned ad nauseum so far the Spurs played tight ‘D’ on LeBron, forcing him into shooting mid-range jumpers and rushed 3-pointers. They bodied and badgered him to such an extent that his turnover rate was excruciatingly high. Welcome, to Finals basketball young fella.

LeBron will learn from this and the NBA will be his in due time. Even the greatest get their licks
Thierry Henry watching the NBA Finals.
Even Arsenal football star Thierry Henry thinks the NBA is fan-tastic. (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
from time to time.

Now, that we have dedicated so much space for the vanquished, let us celebrate the victors.

Before the Finals the San Antonio squad repeatedly dismissed talk of a dynasty, but it certainly can’t be avoided now. The Spurs have built a model franchise that has basketball excellence as the centrepiece. No, one complains about playing time, and egos are kept in check because there is a team ethos that permeates through the franchise. Credit coach Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan for the unselfish mentality that is the hallmark of this dynasty in the making.

Kudos must go out to Tim Duncan because all things are possible due to TD. The continued brilliance he has continued to show, whilst making winning the most important thing is his basketball legacy. While, some measure success in the NBA through such superficialities such as money, endorsements, entourage and shoe deals, Tim Duncan has exposed that the only measure of true and everlasting success is titles. Many a critic (this space and writer included) have derided Timmy and the Spurs but let’s give a pound when the credit is due – Duncan and the Spurs deserve to be lauded.

The Finals started off in a flurry with one young star expected to ascend to greatness, while the other would get lost in the shuffle – Tony Parker would rise to the occasion and establish himself as a superstar, while LeBron James will take solace and joy at the birth of his second son prior to Game 4, because he won’t get to touch the Larry O’Brien trophy.

There really is only one thing left to say: Congratulations, to the 2007 NBA Champions, San Antonio Spurs.

Today’s video is of Game 4. ‘Nuff said.


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LeBron James Blows a Chance to Win Game 3 of the NBA Finals

June 13th 2007 12:20
Cleveland is going…going…gone? In what turned out to be an ugly,
LeBron James argues with ref at the end of Game 3.
LeBron James gets testy at the end of Game 3 over the non-call during his 3-point attempt. (Photo by Chris Graythen/NBAE via Getty Images)
grind-it-out contest saw San Antonio fall over the finish line to win an all important Game 3, 75-72. The Cavs are now 0-3 down and no team in the history of the NBA have overcome such a deep deficit. Cleveland, NBALOUD can assure you are not the team to change the tune of this song.

LeBron James once again had the chance to be the hero in his own house and on the biggest stage in pro-hoops – instead he passed off the opportunity literally and metaphorically. With 13 seconds left on the clock and the with the contest up for grabs James passed the ball off to teammate Anderson Varejao instead of taking it strong to the hoop. In fairness to Bron-Bron he expected to get the ball back, but the big Brazilian with the Sideshow Bob hairdo decided to take the shot himself and failed miserably. Should have made the shot yourself Bron-Bron.

There was one more chance left for the Cavs to take the game into overtime but LeBron’s 3-point heave missed with Bruce Bowen fouling King James on the shot attempt. However, the refs let the play go, which was a travesty in itself because you’d expect the man to get a call in his palace, during the finals, and because he is a superstar, especially when it was a legitimate foul! But it wasn’t to be.

San Antonio can thank their lucky stars that they got out of jail and this space would urge the Spurs players to buy a lottery ticket because it is their day of fortune but the reality is all of these guys make more money than the prize money given out!

Tony Parker wasn’t as dominant as he had been in the series but still managed to torch the Cavs with 17, including a key 3-point basket with a minute to go, while Tim Duncan was even more muted scoring 14 and getting a lot of bench time due to fouls. Manu Ginobili the final piece of the star Spurs star puzzle had a dreadful performance scoring only three points with all of them coming from the free-throw line and with 10 seconds to play.
Bruce Bowen and LeBron James
If you ever get the chance take a look at pictures of LeBron James in the finals, because Bruce Bowen is always in the same frame. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)


Cavs fans and the players will be rueing a golden opportunity to steal a win.

Daniel Gibson the rookie Cleveland point guard who has been mesmerising during the finals so far got his first start in a postseason game, replacing the injured Larry Hughes and what did the young fella do with his promotion? He proceeded to stink up the building, going 1-for-10 and scoring only two points. Gibson whose nickname is ‘Boobie’ played like a boob.

The Cavs can lament all they want about lost opportunities but it begins and ends with LeBron James, who once again showed to the world that he hasn’t quite mastered the art of taking the proverbial bull by the horns and bitch slapping the opposition. James has been lauded as a superstar and at times he has displayed his wares to the universe, but when the moment demands he steps up and win the game for the team, LeBron has looked like a little kid lost.

History and the moment have demanded that LeBron James take the mantle as the anointed one in the NBA. So, far he has failed to heed the call.

After spending this post bemoaning the clutch abilities of LeBron James it is only fair today’s video is something cool in regards to the King. An artist with too much time on his hand made an Etch-A-Sketch portrait of James and it is rather impressive.


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Tony Parker and the Spurs Cast a Spell, as the Cavs find themselves in Basketball Hell.

June 11th 2007 07:28
LeBron James in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
The Finals so far look awfully lonely for LeBron James. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)


Before the NBA Finals began, we, like many other spaces dedicated to pro-basketball made the usual predictions about what would be the trends to look out for and the final win ratio. NBALOUD gave the Cavs six games before they got bounced, and when those words were penned the caveat should have been noted at the time was that we were being mighty generous because they could conceivably go down 4-0 and that is increasingly looking like the sad reality.

San Antonio gave Cleveland a beat down of epic proportions today with a 103-92 victory, while going 2-0 up. The final score actually flattered the Cavs because for the whole game they were about as effective as a pornstar acting out Shakespeare in the Globe Theatre.

The Spurs were once again led by the little Frenchman who is going to marry a muy caliente actress in less than a month. Tony Parker had 30 points as he did a merry jig around the Cavs defence which were perplexed at how to stop the slick Frenchy. It didn’t help matters that the dynamic trio for San Antonio played sublime basketball for another game.

Tim Duncan had is usual superb all round output with 23 points, 9 rebounds and eight assists,
Gregg Popovich gets knocked down.
Cheap Shot Rob strikes again! This time he puts a hit on his own coach Gregg Popovich. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
while Manu Ginobili the super-sub was a blinding blur adding a further 25 points to inflict serious harm on the psyche of the Cavs.

Cleveland were being blown out of the water and heading into the fourth quarter found themselves 29 points down and then, like in Game 1 they made a run and shockingly were only eight points down at one stage. The Cavs shouldn’t fool themselves because a) everyone makes a run in the NBA and b) San Antonio got bored and disinterested.

Once the Cavs began to have the absurd belief that they might actually steal a win, the Spurs put that to rest with some solid play and clamped down on their opponents. It also helped that with about two minutes remaining Ginobili got clipped on a 3-point attempt that dropped in the basket which turned into a vital four point play.

We’ve gone roughly 300 words without once mentioning LeBron James so here we go: the King had 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists – sounds like a good night, no? Well, not quite, LeBron is being dominated by the Spurs who are making him look extremely second rate so far. The only player that can really hold his head up high for Cleveland is rookie Daniel Gibson who is showing absolutely no fear against these Spurs.

Many pundits have voiced their opinion that the Cavs are the worst team in NBA Finals history and for the first two games they have absolutely proved the critics right. There is nowhere to hide and Cleveland is being exposed by an immensely more talented outfit that is better than them in every facet of the game. Hell, even Cheap Shot Rob is showing the LeBron’s how basketball should be played doing his best Bill Russell imitation in registering five massive blocks in this contest.

The series now moves to Cleveland and for the second series in a row the Cavs find themselves in a 0-2 hole which they managed to dig out of last time and land a win. Sadly, for the team this time around is slightly different because they aren’t facing a weak Eastern Conference foe and this is San Antonio – a dynasty in the making.

Today’s video is of 5’9” Nate Robinson blocking the shot of 7’6” Yao Ming. It was one of the most memorable plays of the past season.


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The San Antonio Spurs Win Game 1 of the 2007 NBA Finals.

June 9th 2007 12:39
San Antonio Spurs dancers.
The Spurs dancers strut their stuff during Game 1 of the Finals. (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)


For anyone that doesn’t know the San Antonio Spurs drew first blood in the NBA Finals downing the Cleveland Cavaliers, 85-76.

Here at NBALOUD we can do the usual summary of what transpired during the game but that would be nonsensical now wouldn’t it? Especially considering that the game is now over 24 hours old and we missed the reportage boat due to external circumstances.

Instead this post will be a keen observation and dissection on how Game 1 unfolded and what might be the ongoing trends that we’ll be seeing throughout the Finals.

Our analysis today begins with the magnificent play of Spurs point guard Tony Parker who pwned the Cavs with 27 points and going wherever he pleased on the court. Mr. Eva Longoria is arguably the quickest player in the league and back in the day all defenders had to do was try to force Parker to shoot from the outside and that would be that because Tony
Tony Parker lay-up in Game 1 of NBA Finals.
Tony Parker is too quick for the Cavs. (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Parker was crap. That was then, this is now, and Tony has developed a deadly outside shot that makes him virtually unstoppable.

You can bet your sweet ass that the mooted move for Jason Kidd to San Antonio a few seasons back gave Parker the green light to become the All-Star that he is today.

San Antonio showed in Game 1 why they have been the most successful franchise in American sports when they dissected Cleveland and made them look second rate for long stretches of the game. The big three for the Spurs had dominant performances, while the team clamped down on LeBron James who looked less than stellar with 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists. That may sound like a semi-decent night for the King but up until the final quarter he was as quiet as a mouse on Christmas Eve – bar a stretch when he hit back-to-back 3-point baskets to draw the Cavs slightly closer, San Antonio played wonder defence on Bron-Bron.

James managed to shake his defender a lot of the times but the help ‘D’ from the rest of the Spurs was marvellous – if Bron-Bron broke the ankles of his man, two players from San Antonio would quickly cut off the driving lanes to deny LeBron a clear shot. It was an artful display of team defence. James was a paltry 4-of-16 from the field.

Cleveland have to face the reality that this is a different kind of beast that they are used to facing coming from the East – San Antonio are tough, experienced and better in every position, bar whatever spot James is playing in at the time. Tim Duncan ruled the low post with an iron first grabbing 13 rebounds and swatting five shots, while Manu Ginobili dropped a further 16 to sully the Cavs opening stanza in the Finals.

The disconcerting, yet comforting trend for Cleveland is the play of King James during a series opener where he has been as absent from the action as Paris Hilton from the nightclub scene of late during her detention. Cleveland though will warm to the thought that James has stepped up and dominated in subsequent games, while Paris can also be soothed by the reality that her vapid, publicity whore ways will once again be front page in the gossip section fodder. Some things were just meant to be.

Tony Parker is the video focus for today when he threaded a magical pass to teammate Francisco Elson in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.


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2007 NBA Finals Preview.

June 7th 2007 10:17
On the eve of the 2007 NBA Finals it would be appropriate to take a look at the combatants, no? For any visitors to this site who have been living in Jupiter for the past month this would be news to you – Cleveland are in the Finals! Repeat: the Cavs have shaken off the ghost Craig Ehlo and are now facing the Spurs for NBA supremacy. San Antonio in the final series for the year is less of a surprise. Well, duh, Captain Obvious!

Basically, speaking this contest will be LeBron against the Spurs, because without King James the Cavs are woeful. This isn’t necessarily a knock on Bron-Bron, it actually is an illustration of how gifted James is as a player, but if the Cavs played out West they would have struggled mightily to get out of the first round and it would be arguable that they would have even made the playoffs.

In the moribund Eastern Conference the Cavs didn’t even dominate winning ‘only’ 50 games. Cleveland faced an undermanned Washington team first up which is actually putting it mildly – when your team is missing Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler the chances of the squad overcoming such massive losses are slim to none. We can estimate the odds of the Wizards winning lie somewhere between Lindsay Lohan finding sobriety, or Dick Cheney joining the ACLU.

When the Cavs faced the Nets in the second round their job was made much easier with Vince Carter sleepwalking through the series and resorting to insanity, rather than Vinsanity.
LeBron James takes a shot.
Good luck stopping LeBron James San Antonio. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Plus, the Nets sucked.

Detroit in fairness was a much tougher prospect but they played horrendous basketball and are getting a bit long in the tooth. NBA writers galore have urged Joe Dumars to blow up the team and start anew. We at NBALOUD concur, actually Sports Insider and Ryan might have different thoughts to that conclusion.

Now, that we’ve dissected how easy Cleveland has had it again allow a reiteration of the point that the Cavs are in the NBA Finals purely due to the out-of-this-world talent of LeBron James. Sadly, for the Cavs that won’t be enough to overcome the Spurs.

San Antonio is building a very nice dynasty and are raging hot favourites to win their fourth title since 1999. Defensively the Spurs have the ability to shut out the Cavs and you can count on Bruce Bowen picking up LeBron James. The only problem for Bruce is James is too quick, athletic and strong for him so expect the Spurs to have some difficulties containing James. Or, alternatively expect Bruce to pull out some knees to the groin against LeBron.

The Spurs will probably try to shut down the rest of the Cavs and aim to contain Bron-Bron as best as they can. Besides King James, San Antonio own Cleveland in every other facet. In the backcourt Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili will be too much for the Cavs guards, while Tim Duncan will go to school against the frontcourt of Cleveland. Finally, Gregg Popovich will outwit Cavs coach Mike Brown who has shown himself wanting in the sideline stakes in the past.

Still, that being said LeBron will have one magical performance but expect the Spurs to win the series in six.

Today’s video is of magician David Blaine talking about LeBron James. If anyone can figure out what the hell he is talking about can you please inform NBALOUD. Thanks.


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Posted By: Stanley - Category: The Playoffs, Lebron James
   


Congratulations to the Cleveland Cavaliers who are the 2007 Eastern Conference Champs!

June 3rd 2007 09:49
LeBron James holds the Eastern Conference Championship trophy.
Eastern Conference Champs 2007! (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)


Let’s begin with the formalities: congratulations to Cleveland for winning their way into the first NBA Finals for the franchise. Go team!

LeBron and the Cavs finished off the Pistons today 98-82 in emphatic fashion. After the game James walked around the court with a happy, glazed look upon his face proclaiming: “This is like a dream," he said, shaking his head. "This is probably the best feeling that I've ever had in my life.” (Withers, AP, 2007)

The hero for Cleveland today though wasn’t James who had a relatively quiet 20 point, 14 rebound effort, but super rookie Daniel Gibson who dropped 31 – 19 coming in the fourth quarter to seal the Cavs first Conference Championship.

Gibson, the formally little used second round pick for the Cavs came alive today with an
LeBron James and Daniel Gibson.
LeBron James and Daniel Gibson share the love. (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
outstanding 5-5 effort from beyond the arc that was capped off with a very solid six rebound performance as well. Not a bad game for a guy who was just averaging 3.7 points in the playoffs.

Although LeBron didn’t have a mind blowing night his confidence and silky skills carried a largely unheralded squad of players into the promised land and they, in all honesty, have a chance to cause a huge boilover against the Spurs. Bron-Bron really is playing such sick basketball right now that anything is possible.

Four games ago it was hard to imagine that Cleveland could have pulled off the victory over Detroit with such ease. Yes, they were down 0-2 at that stage of the series but the signs were there that the Cavs were going to be a transformed team when LeBron attacked the rim in the dying seconds, took a hit and had no foul called. Cleveland was livid with the non-call but they took it in their stride and with fire in their bellies proceeded to kick the behinds of the more experienced Detroit team.

One team got stronger while the other wilted away under the immense pressure of the situation – ironically enough it was the more battle hardened Pistons team who blinked first.

However, it begins and ends with King James who was irrepressible in this series after enduring a barrage of unfair criticism in Game 1, doing what superstars are supposed to do, stepping up when the going got tough. In the end Bron-Bron was too much for the Pistons to handle and finished the series averaging 25.7 points, 9.2 boards and 8.5 dimes.

No matter what transpires after this we know this one truth – LeBron James will become the best player in the NBA for the next 10 or so years and this series made him and the public believe.

It may not be Cleveland’s time in the sun just yet, but as James has proved throughout his young career there is no precedent for such an immense talent. He has thrown the rulebook out the window.

The Cavs may just yet shock the world!

Today’s video is of Game 6 and the Cleveland celebrations. Enjoy.


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LeBron James has One of the Most Memorable Games in NBA Playoff History.

June 2nd 2007 13:03
NBALOUD may have been a tad late in our analysis of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals but it’s worth taking a look back at this contest because of LeBron James superhuman efforts. After winning the first two games of the series Detroit all of the sudden look extremely shaky and it is all due to the amazing performance of Bron-Bron.

Game 5 was a double-overtime classic with King James having a performance for the ages scoring his team’s last 25 points, including the final 29 of 30. Going by yesterday’s performance the Cavs would have beaten any team on earth due to the outstanding play of James. It is performances like these that really reinforce how wonderful basketball can be.

And let’s not forget about the Pistons, who full credit to them, played one hell of a game of team basketball but still came up short. Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton stepped it up together, the Pistons protected the rim and out rebounded the Cavs – but it still wasn’t enough. Why? Because it has all been about Bron-Bron.

Earlier in the series James was raked over hot coals for playing what appeared to be meek games instead of taking the bull by the horns and dominating like everyone expected. When we try and conjure up players in the league who are the most clutch performers LeBron wouldn’t have been one of the names that would feature prominently. Um, almost everyone
LeBron James dunk in Game 5 against the Pistons.
LeBron James walks on air. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
who bagged out James earlier should backtrack as fast as Carmelo Anthony did earlier this season in New York, because the king is alive and well.

James’ performance was so sublime it conjured up memories of Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Hakeem Olajuwon just to name a few basketball players who were so individually spectacular in a playoff series that not even a better team could stop this one individual.

You can now all hail LeBron as the new Neo.

Anyone watching Bron-Bron’s Game 5 performance would have their mouths agape at how good his game really was. Didn’t matter who was on him he’d hit the impossible shot, broke ankles and dunked at will. James had the ball on the string and it seemed like he was the only one on the court.

Detroit now face the exact same scenario as they did last season when they faced the Cavs – winning the first two, losing the next three, then securing the last couple of games to advance. However, the bad news for the Pistons is that the Cavs are a better unit than last season and sorry to be a Captain Obvious here, LeBron is playing out of his skin! Detroit has no answers for King James right now.

Want a not-so-bold-prediction? The Cavs will take Game 6 and meet the Spurs in the Finals. Want another crazy reading of the future? Cleveland will beat San Antonio too. You can lock that in your memory banks my dear readers.

Today’s video is a highlight reel of LeBron’s Game 5 performance. All hail King James! Word.



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Does LeBron James Have What it Takes?

May 27th 2007 23:51
Down to 2-0 to the Detroit Pistons, questions surrounding LeBron Jame's ability to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to the promise land are starting to surface and becoming the talk of the NBA playoffs. No question LeBron is talented, but he can't seem to close when it comes down to crutch time. The Cavs lost again Thursday night by exactly the same score as game one, 76-79. LeBron had a somewhat of a better game scoring 19 points and dishing out 7 assists, but still the same result. James had some help with Anderson Varejao putting up 14 points and 14 boards, but it wasn't enough.

AP Photo/ Paul Sancya



The Pistons didn't have the best offensive performance, but got the job done. Rasheed Wallace showed up once again with 16 points, 11 rebounds and an amazing turn around jumper on LeBron which helped clinch the win. Tayshaun Prince on the other hand was a disappointment, shooting 0-8 and scoring only one point.

If LeBron wants to win championships like the players that he has been compared to, (Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson) he better figure out how to put the nail in the coffin and beat a quality team like the Pistons in the playoffs. It's time to step up and show how good he really can be.


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LeBron James Tries to be the Hero but Fails.

May 25th 2007 08:03
Shoot or pass? That seems to be the question LeBron James must constantly ask himself when the game is on the line and whatever he chooses hasn’t worked thus far. In Game 1 driving down the lane with a possible game winning shot available the King was a pauper when he made the smart basketball decision to pass to an open Donyell Marshall for the three which missed, instead of taking it upon himself to be the superhero. Needless, to say the critics had a field day stating that a player of James’ calibre should be making the big time plays, rather than designating the responsibility.

In Game 2 with the result up in the air LeBron had another chance at redemption, Bron-Bron with 7.9 seconds left in the contest drove the lane once again and missed a spinning shot. Larry Hughes grabbed the rebound, missed another attempt and Anderson Varejao‘s tip in also failed to hit the spot – game over, Detroit 79-76.

Cleveland coach Mike Brown after Bron-Bron’s failed game breaking shot attempt argued that the King should have had a foul called on him, but instead it was coach that copped a technical.

Poor James can’t get a trip to the foul like to save his life, let alone the skin of his team. In Game 1 LeBron didn’t make one single free throw attempt prompting more discussion that
LeBron James misses shot in Game 2.
LeBron James puts on a sad face after his game winning attempt failed. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
James should have been more aggressive and not gone ‘Dirk Nowitzki’ in the basketball series.

Bron-Bron was much more forceful today after scoring a lowly 10 points in the opening game. James demanded the ball down the stretch on the way to scoring 19 points, dishing off seven dimes and snatching six rebounds. Oh, one last thing – he also had six turnovers as well.

Wow, with all this talk about James one would assume that it should be the winners that should get all the words written up about them rather than the one individual on the losing squad.

Well, let’s talk about Detroit which had no standout performers but instead were balanced with both Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton scoring 13 points apiece, Rasheed Wallace added another 16 and Jason Maxiel notching up a playoff high with 15. Let’s not forget that bar Lindsey Hunter every Pistons player that got court time managed to score at least one point in the game.

The Cavs can take solace in the fact that last year the Pistons won the first two games in their playoff match-up, then Cleveland responded by winning the next three games and only getting bounced in Game 7 on the road.

This series is still very much up for grabs.

Game 3 is in Cleveland, but for now it’s all Detroit rock city!

Today’s video is of LeBron who ironically enough talks about his clutch abilities when the game is on the line.



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The San Antonio Spurs and Cleveland Cavaliers Win Through to the Conference Finals.

May 19th 2007 11:45
Well, they call Robert Horry ‘Big Shot Rob’ due to the fact that throughout his career he has
Manu Ginobili.
It's Manu-mania in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
made massive shots during clutch moments in the playoffs – you can now add another moniker to the pile – ‘Cheap Shot Rob’. Robert Horry’s thug hit on Steve Nash in Game 4 may have ultimately cost the Suns a series victory, succumbing to the Spurs today, 114-106.

San Antonio now move onto the Western Conference Finals where they are sure to be raging favourites to take the whole shebang after disposing off a full strength Phoenix squad after the inane suspensions of Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw. Manu Ginobili was on fire today scoring 33 points and grabbing a career-high 11 boards, whilst his always dependable superstar teammate, Tim Duncan came up big as well with 24 points, 13 rebounds and nine blocked shots – one off from a playoff record.

Amare, fresh off his suspension was just sublime, dropping 38 points, with 15 coming in the final quarter alone. Stevie Wonder was quiet for most of the game but a furious last run from the Suns almost saw them steal another victory. Sadly, for neutral basketball fans the world over Phoenix are out and will have to wait for the next season.

The vicious hit on Nash from Cheap Shot Rob may have turned the series on its head because who would have known what may have been? Steve Nash believes the outcome could have been different if certain events never transpired; “We'll never know. What can I say? Part of me wants to be a sportsman and give them credit. They beat us," Nash said. "At the same time I can't really answer that question because I don't know what the outcome
Vince Carter and LeBron James.
Pick the winner out of these two. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
might have been.” (White, AP, 2007)

Stevie Wonder shouldn’t fret because he once again showed not only in this series, but throughout the season, that he is one badass guy. Whenever the Suns seemed to be down, Nash would grit his teeth and get down to beeswax – he really is one clutch mofo.

Let’s give credit to Manu Ginobili though who has reinvigorated his career with some great games during this series. San Antonio now faces a tough Utah team for a place in the Finals.

LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers eliminated a hopeless New Jersey Nets team today in their Game 6 battle winning, 88-72.

Cleveland need not have worried about beating the Nets because their opponents imploded on themselves, with Vince Carter again showing the world he is lacking that certain something that would turn him into a winner. Dirk Nowitzki may get derided for the lack of big game capabilities, but he has a history of some massive performances – the same cannot be said of Vinsanity. Yes, he is outrageously athletic but that’s about all you can say.

Never mind, LeBron and Co. will now face a stern test against a battle hardened Pistons squad, instead of a horrible Nets team.

Even with Bron-Bron sitting for long stretches of the game due to foul trouble, New Jersey couldn’t find their ‘A’ games to overcome. That’s how bad New Jersey has been.

Ugh, no more, because writing about the performances of VC is just infuriating right now.

Today’s video is of the actual hit made by Horry. Make up your own mind if this was Cheap Shot Rob’s biggest shot ever in a playoff game.


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Steve Nash and the Suns Are Bloodied and Bruised in Game 1 Literally and Metaphorically.

May 7th 2007 13:30
Steve Nash was bleeding so profusely in Game 1 against the San Antonio Spurs that you’d think that he was the one that faced Floyd Mayweather on Sunday rather than Oscar De La Hoya. Stevie Wonder ran into Tony Parker and copped a cut on his nose that wouldn’t stop bleeding. Unfortunately, for Nash and the Suns he missed the end of the contest which ultimately proved to be the difference with the Spurs skipping away with the first game, 111-106.

The formerly floppy haired Canadian had to have six stitches on his face which makes him look badass but is little consolation in the grand scheme of things.

This was a wildly entertaining game with some grand up and down basketball, with Tim Duncan absolutely dominating for the Spurs with 33 points and 16 rebounds, while his little sidekick in Tony Parker also had a kickass game with 32 points.
Steve Nash has a bloody nose.
Steve Nash definitely has had better days. (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)


Stevie Wonder also had a superb game with 31 points but missed out on the last seconds of the contest due to the cut which proved to be deadly for the Suns because the Spurs pulled away. Drats!

Moving to the East, LeBron James and the Cavs also came away with an opening game win against the New Jersey Nets, 81-77.

King James may have suffered from a bad case of the sniffles but it didn’t stop his team from playing awesome team defence and generally making life miserable for the Nets when they tried to score. Bron-Bron had 21, while his wingman Larry Hughes added an additional 17 to see their team through.

This game was close with the Nets almost coming away with a last gasp win but King James showed some clutch skills towards the end and hit a key basket to give his squad some breathing room.

Cleveland was so effective on the defensive end that Jason Kidd who averaged a triple-double in the first round was only held to seven points.

Could this be LeBron’s time to shine? Only time will tell!

Today’s video is of King James doing his thing in being the coolest mofo on the basketball court. This is actually a very funny video. Enjoy.



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Posted By: Stanley - Category: The Playoffs, Lebron James
   




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