2010 NBA Playoffs

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

It's true.

[bobbob1313]

Mark your calendars for whenever Miami goes to Cleveland. They're gonna have to play that game in an empty arena.

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

I wonder what Cleveland is going to do with its cap space. There are a lot of teams that will have a hard time using their space without giving out bad contracts.

[bobbob1313]

It's going to be funny watching owners try to explain the contracts from this offseason during next year's CBA negotiating sessions.

[Moss]

It's not clear to me that they win one either, but it's hard to argue that the Heat aren't at least favorites to win the East with those three. Like I said to bobbob, the Cavs won 66 games last year with just one of those three.

 

I agree, the Heat are now the team to beat in the East and maybe the league. There is going to be speculation about ego and whether they can play together but the same things were said about the Celtics and they delivered.

 

Bottom Line: How does any team defend Lebron, Bosh, and Wade with only 5 guys?

[bobbob1313]

Right now, they've got 7 players on the roster. 3 of them are rookies, so there's your 10, 11, and 12 players. Mike miller is, reportedly, a done deal at 5/30.

 

So they need 4 guys at the minimum. I could see Ilgauskus coming to play center, but they'd need another defensive minded big guy.

 

I'm not too worried about the team. You really only need to be able to go 8 deep in the NBA.

 

I'm excited, it should be fine. Depth is a bit worrisome, sure. But you can get some ring chasers.

[MattZ]

I thought that this was a joke, but the link is to the Cavs official site. An open letter to Cavs fans from their owner.

 

http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/gilbert_letter_100708.html

 

Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;

 

As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.

 

This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his "decision" unlike anything ever "witnessed" in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.

 

Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.

 

The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.

 

There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.

 

You simply don't deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.

 

You have given so much and deserve so much more.

 

In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:

 

"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE"

 

You can take it to the bank.

 

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our "motivation" to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.

 

Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.

 

Sorry, but that's simply not how it works.

 

This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown "chosen one" sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And "who" we would want them to grow-up to become.

 

But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called "curse" on Cleveland, Ohio.

 

The self-declared former "King" will be taking the "curse" with him down south. And until he does "right" by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.

 

Just watch.

 

Sleep well, Cleveland.

 

Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day....

 

I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:

 

DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue....

 

 

 

Dan Gilbert

Majority Owner

Cleveland Cavaliers

[bobbob1313]

I want LeBron to release a statement on the Heat website that just says "You mad."

[MattZ]

I want LeBron to release a statement on the Heat website that just says "You mad."

 

He had a contract, he fulfilled all his obligations, and then went to another team. Where's the bad example for the kids? Seems like this letter is the bad example for the kids.

[Lammycat]

Favorite headline about this ridiculousness:

Millions Watch Rich Guy Get New Job « Borowitz Report; Wealthy Man’s Giant Payday Draws Huge Audience

[bobbob1313]

He had a contract, he fulfilled all his obligations, and then went to another team. Where's the bad example for the kids? Seems like this letter is the bad example for the kids.

 

Who uses Comic Sans MS anymore? What is this, an AIM conversation from 2002?

 

I'll agree that the process was narcissistic and egotistical and pretty disgusting (I personally blame it for keeping me up until 2 am with a stomach ache), but all of the other crap goes too far.

 

He's pissed because his franchise just lost 40% of it's value, and that's fine, but don't talk about loyalty in professional sports when you're trading your players left and right for this guy. Dan Gilbert has loyalty to one thing, his checkbook. Anything that makes his checkbook look better, he is a fan of. You know he would trade every single person on that team for LeBron right now. Where's the loyalty in that?

 

Loyalty in professional sports is overrated.

[MattZ]

Who uses Comic Sans MS anymore? What is this, an AIM conversation from 2002?

 

Classic. You're ok with me, Mr NYC Hater.

[Oil Can Boyd]

Who uses Comic Sans MS anymore? What is this, an AIM conversation from 2002?

He also overdoes it with the quotation marks ...

[bobbob1313]

Classic. You're ok with me, Mr NYC Hater.

 

From the ages of 8-12, I was probably a bigger NBA fan than MLB fan, to be honest, and during that time, the Knicks (from my point of view) were just so fucking evil. You have to understand, my formative years were spent watching Charles Oakley and PJ Brown fighting on the court, with Jeff Van Gundy attached to Alonzo Mourning's leg like an angry poodle. The first NBA game I ever went to was a Knicks-Heat first round game in the last year of the Miami Arena, and the Knicks won by twenty.

 

Nobody made 10 year old Bobbob more angry than Larry Johnson. I've never (and likely will never, since I'm much more rational about sports now) hated any athlete like I hated Larry Johnson.

 

It's a shock I'm still a fan of basketball after being raised on those brutally ugly Knick-Heat series.

 

Also, someone really needs to get Gilbert and LeBron together to work out terms for this Championship garauntee.

[MattZ]

From the ages of 8-12, I was probably a bigger NBA fan than MLB fan, to be honest, and during that time, the Knicks (from my point of view) were just so fucking evil. You have to understand, my formative years were spent watching Charles Oakley and PJ Brown fighting on the court, with Jeff Van Gundy attached to Alonzo Mourning's leg like an angry poodle. The first NBA game I ever went to was a Knicks-Heat first round game in the last year of the Miami Arena, and the Knicks won by twenty.

 

Nobody made 10 year old Bobbob more angry than Larry Johnson. I've never (and likely will never, since I'm much more rational about sports now) hated any athlete like I hated Larry Johnson.

 

It's a shock I'm still a fan of basketball after being raised on those brutally ugly Knick-Heat series.

 

Well, I am a little bit older than you so I wasnt 10 for that series, but don't forget (not that you did) that Pat Riley faxed his resignation to the Knicks and went to coach the Heat. And I wouldn't call Hardaway/Brown/Mourning any more likeable than Oakley/Mason/LJ. And yes, Van Gundy was a poodle, but he was trying (lamely) to break up a fight that PJ Brown started.

[MattZ]

"He quit," Gilbert said. "Not just in Game 5, but in Games 2, 4 and 6. Watch the tape. The Boston series was unlike anything in the history of sports for a superstar."

[bobbob1313]

Oh, I wouldn't dare try to defend the Heat if all of that stuff happened now. But as a 10 year old, the Knicks were the bad guys who picked all of the fights and were responsible for everything that went down.

 

Basically, I approached sports when I was 10 like Dan Gilbert does now.

 

"He quit," Gilbert said. "Not just in Game 5, but in Games 2, 4 and 6. Watch the tape. The Boston series was unlike anything in the history of sports for a superstar."

 

In LeBron's defense, apparently the whole team tried to hide from him the fact that Delonte West was boning his mama.

[Guest Jules]

 

Boozer is not better than Bosh. If you want to argue that the salary difference makes up for it that's one thing, but no. Chris Bosh is a better player than Boozer.

I didn't say Boozer was better than Bosh. I said I'm glad we got Boozer i/o Bosh.

[bobbob1313]

I didn't say Boozer was better than Bosh. I said I'm glad we got Boozer i/o Bosh.

 

Boozer is 3 years older with a pretty bad injury history, and the difference in their salaries likely isn't going to be that big.

 

Bosh at 31 at 18 mil a year is likely a much better value than Boozer at 34 at 16 mil a year. That's how old they will be at the end of their contracts.

[Guest Jules]

I just don't like him. Never have.

[bobbob1313]

I have low standards as a sports fan. I would root for Glenn Beck if he could give me 25 solid minutes per game at the 4.

[Guest Jules]

valid point, bobbob

 

 

[u2roolz]

With all of this hoopla I think people missed out on the new LeBron James iPhone being released today.

It can only be set to vibrate because it doesn't have any rings.

[borracho]

i like my guy best, kevin durant.

[Moss]

I actually think Melo is going to resign with Denver for 3 years but I'm sure New York can be pretty enticing, wish he would hurry up and make up his mind. They need to dump Nene and get on with making some deals.