Fear The Sword: FanPosts

Season of Extremes

2008-12-17T22:25:10Z

It has been a crazy start to the NBA season as there are some elite teams that have gotten off to tremendous record-breaking starts and many others that have axed their head coach already. The season is young, but it has a lot of promise ahead and we are bound to see more changes as the year goes on. Will someone get to the magic number of 72?

The NBA has 3 teams being mentioned at making a run at the tremendous regular season win record held by the 95-96 Bulls, when they went 72-10. The favorite to keep up their impressive red-hot start is the defending champion Boston Celtics. At 23-2 Boston is exactly where the Chicago Bulls were after their first 25 games, and have won 15 straight, with a threat to lose really not in sight till a Christmas match up with the next team attempting to make a run for this record, the Los Angeles Lakers. The LA Lakers have not had a hangover following their loss in the finals last year. Their 21-3 start has everyone forecasting a rematch in the finals with the Boston Celtics. The third team in the spotlight for a run at the Bulls historic record is the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James. They are 20-4 and finally have a supporting cast to Lebron’s liking.

But just to keep everyone honest it is a little early to talk about all this record breaking, making history stuff. A complete season is a very long haul and has many obstacles and problems to deal with along the way. The age on the Boston Celtics can become a factor later in the season. And you never know when injuries can hit. Just the other night Paul Pierce received a knock to the knee, all it takes is one unlucky break and a player can be gone for a while, the Boston area knows all about this (Tom Brady). The Cavs also have hit a little injury bug too, which can cost them a few games here and there as they already dropped one to Atlanta recently. The LA Lakers seem to take a night off every now and then, evidence getting beat by the Kings and squeaking out a two-point win vs. the Knicks at home last night.

In my opinion, I don’t think any of these three teams will break MJ and the Bulls great 72 win record season. I feel the head to head games will split between these 3 teams and eventually each team will hit a skid that will push them to beyond the 10-loss plateau. The Boston Celtics can make a run at it because they seem to never take a game off. They are always going full tilt and they have the work rate of champions. They will fail because of age and a slight late season let down. The Cleveland Cavs have a shot with LeBron playing at his best, and rumors swirling about the acquisition of Shaun Marion. But I think injuries and west coast trips will doom their attempt. The LA Lakers have the roster to get it done, but the habit of taking nights off and the tough western conference schedule will prevent them from doing it too.

On the other side of the extreme six NBA coaches have already gotten fired. This is two times more pink slipped coaches then ever, before Christmas. Eddie Jordan of the Washington Wizards, Reggie Theus of the Sacramento Kings, Sam Mitchell of the Toronto Raptors, Randy Wittman of the Minnesota T Wolves, PJ Carlesimo Oklahoma City Thunder, and Maurice Cheeks from the Philadelphia 76ers all got the bad news already this season. These firings show the lack of patience teams are having with their staffs and the high expectations of teams league wide.

Putting these two extremes together makes sense to me as there are some awful teams out there in the watered down NBA, and a few powerhouses that are taking complete advantage of this. If the Bull’s record is somehow broken this year by one of these 3 teams, yes it will be a great accomplishment that will go down in history, but in no way will I be able to admit that this team is better then the 95-96 Chicago Bulls. The league’s talent is definitely not at a high, contrary to what fans think, and if you ask me it is due to the youth in the league and their progression that is being made in the NBA instead of the College game.

P.S. In a less publicized start from the NHL, (National Hockey League, for everyone who has forgot), the San Jose Sharks have jumped out to a swarming start collecting a record 52 points in their first 30 games played. This is the hottest start since the 1929-1930 Boston Bruins. They have tore through the beginning of their schedule like I have never seen before. The goaltending duo of Nabokov and Boucher and the scoring and playmaking of Marleau have the Sharks favorites to get to the finals in the Western Conference.

Peter Lomuscio

Un-Royal Behavior

2008-12-05T18:42:32Z

It was only a matter of time till someone stepped up and said something about the recent LeBron James free agency auction that has been going on. And to no surprise that someone was TNT’s Charles Barkley. Its good to know that I wasn’t the only sports fan out there getting tired of the day by day LeBron sweepstakes, that were being discussed nearly 2 years ahead of time. I could only imagine how I would feel if I were a Cleveland fan.

In a time where we hear about tampering more then ever, and we have actually seen teams penalized for such a crime, this has to be the worst example of this from a players standpoint. LeBron has done nothing to quiet down these rampant rumors of his future move to the New York Knicks. When MJ was on display at Madison Square Garden he used it to prove himself on the biggest stage and to stick it in New York’s face. LeBron on the other hand just uses it to develop a second city to hand him a check. I am just sick and tired of hearing any comparison of these two players. It has to end now. It even bothers me to hear that some think LeBron is better then Kobe Bryant. Kobe is clearly the most complete player in the NBA. Yes, LeBron might excite the fans with his highlight dunks and his knifing to the hoop, but when defended properly in my opinion he is stopped. Besides the one occasion vs. Detroit in the playoffs, this guy hasn’t proven that he can knock down that big jump shot time after time when it counts. But that discussion is for another time. Getting back on the subject, from his new, “Big Apple” sneakers to his Yankee hat wearing, I don’t know how you Cleveland guys handle this. Year after year I have to hear how he doesn’t have the players around him. Then every preseason I hear how this is finally the year he has help, and then when the seasons over where does all the blame go again, but on his supporting cast of course. Don’t get me wrong LeBron is a great player, and I respect him on the court as much as the next guy, but when’s enough, enough. Even I picked LeBron and the Cavs to make the finals this year, and after a 15-3 start, all he wants to be involved in are talks of joining the Knicks two years from now? Couldn’t LeBron stepped up like a man and a true leader and say, “ look guys it’s the 2008 season, we are looking great so far, and I’m doing all I can for us to win it all for the city of Cleveland.” Boom, that would have shut the rumors down instantly. Yes, NY would still be confident of signing him but maybe these talks would come up at the end of the year, instead of in the beginning of a championship run. But this was way to difficult for LeBron.

We know what wasn’t difficult for Lebron and that was responding to these Charles Barkley quotes, “If I was LeBron James, I would shut the hell up,” “I’m a big LeBron fan. He’s a stud. You got to give him his props. I’m getting so annoyed he’s talking about what he’s going to do in two years. I think it’s disrespectful to the game. I think it’s disrespectful to the Cavaliers.” And how would the so-called face of the NBA respond to this little criticism by Sir Charles? “He’s stupid,” That was LeBron’s mature reaction and response to his criticizer, spoken like a true King if you ask me. There was definitely a better way he could have responded to this situation, but he obviously decided to take the high road. And its time like these that really get me mad when I see him wearing the number 23 and hear people speak of him as a Jordan caliber player in the league.

Peter Lomuscio

LeBron's day in NY: ESPN and the rest of the NY media machine are firing on all cylinders + POLL

2008-11-26T01:51:06Z

Just to preface everything, this is the first time I've used pictures and videos in a fanpost. So please bear with me if it's not presented in the most organized fashion, I'm still learning.

The media is really buzzing with stories of LeBron heading to NY today. These are the sotries that I found most intriguing. I think the ESPN article from Chris Broussard was the best piece written on LeBron's future since the big trades on Friday. The shoes show an obvious infatuating LeBron has with NY. And it's nice to see LeBron actually talk a little about the situation in the video, although he does do a good job of dodging most of the questions.

Anyway, let me know what you think about the topic. It's obviously becoming a huge story not only for Cleveland and NY, but the entire league.

Chris Broussard - ESPN The Magazine:LeBron leaving Cleveland? 'It's not a foregone conclusion'

Here are a few of the main points from the article:

I've had several conversations with LeBron about his future, and I can tell you that anyone who says he's definitely leaving Cleveland doesn't know what he's talking about.

"It's not a foregone conclusion that he's leaving,'' a person close to LeBron said. "It's premature to make that assumption.''

Money probably won't play much of a role in LeBron's decision because he'll obviously be filthy rich no matter where he goes. Cleveland can pay him the most, roughly $133 million over six years, while everyone else can offer about $102 mil over five. And contrary to popular opinion, LeBron does not get more money from Nike if he plays in New York. That clause in his contract expired after his rookie season.

LeBron knows he's not competing against only Kobe, Dwyane Wade, Boston's big three and the rest of the league's stars; he's got to approach Jordan. That obviously takes plenty of titles. One, two and maybe even three, won't do. So, in 2010, what team is going to give him the best chance to win ring after ring after ring?

But Jordan didn't just win championships. He built a dynasty from scratch. That's the mentality LeBron was raised with by his coaches in Akron -- that you have to build something to have a legacy.

"He's obsessed with living in New York,'' another friend told me recently.

LeBron is a fashion plate, and what better place to show off your wares than New York. He clearly likes the limelight and the Hollywood scene, so playing in front of the Garden's famous actors, actresses, athletes, rappers, et al would undoubtedly appeal to him. Also, some of the people around LeBron would rather see him in New York, where they believe he's more marketable, than in Cleveland.

Speaking of fashion, check out the new shoe Lebron made to commemorate what the guys on PTI refferd to as Lebron's "favorite city."

Nike Zoom LeBron 6 "Big Apple"

In tomorrow’s game, LeBron will take the court in this exclusive colorway of his latest sneaker called the Nike Zoom LeBron 6 "Big Apple". Obviously, the colorway receives its inspiration from New York City’s nickname. The upper is covered in "candy apple" red perforated leather and patent leather accents. This sneaker is complimented with a uniquely speckled midsole as well.

via images.nicekicks.com

Personaly, that shoe reminds me of Scottie Pippen's Cinderella slippers in the 1994 All-Star game.

via www.nba.com

And don't forgot about the previous shoe he released before a game in MSG

Yankees Edition Nike Zoom Lebron 5

King James conquered the Knicks last March when he came to the Garden and put up 50 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds while wearing the NY themed Nike Zoom Lebron 5 "Yankees."

via images.nicekicks.com

And then we have some video courtesy of ESPN

Lebon chatting with screaming Stephen about his expectations for the Cavs and where he might end up after the summer of 2010.

Here's a Rachel Nichols report about the warm welcome LeBron is expected to recieve in the MSG.

And just for the heck of it, let it be known that I most definitely "Chalked" before creating this fanpost.

Poll

Where do you think Lebron will end up after the summer of 2010?

Lebron will stay with the Cavs

33 votes

Lebron will end up with the Knicks

7 votes

Not sure where he'll end up, but it won't be with the Cavs

8 votes

It's almost two years away, let's wait to see what the Cavs will do to make Lebron happy

25 votes

73 votes | Poll has closed

Free Agency Possibilities

2008-11-14T17:35:30Z

Yes, yes .. I know the season just started but I saw this article on ESPN detailing the FAs for 2009 and 2010 seasons

Looks like a lot of possibilities out there in both seasons. According to HoopsHype, here are the $$ we have aligned for those years:

2009 - $71.1M for 10 players. But that includes Z's $11.5M, Andy's $6.2M player options and Jawad Williams. I fully expect Andy to opt out for his big payday. Question is, with his marked improvement this year, do we attempt to sign him? He really fills a role on this team, but if he wants $12M or more per year, is he really worth it?

But let's assume Andy is gone, we really need another inside presence. I think Z will stick for next season as long as he's healthy. But with Andy gone, we'll need a big body down low with Ben and JJ. That also leaves us only 8 players. We'll need to sign 7 more (that includes the 2-3 draft picks).

In 2010 is where it gets tricky. We have $35M allottted for 5 guys (LeBron, Mo, Delonte, Boobie and JJ). Of course LeBron is going to opt out, so that drops it to $18M for 4 guys, plus whoever we sign this offseason of course (or in-season trades)

Out of the guys in the ESPN article, of course I'd love Bosh, but Toronto would be silly not to offer him the same max deal we're gonna give LeBron. Other big guys for 2009 could be Powe (Restricted), Rasheed (yikes!), Artest, Odom, Marion, Joe Smith (probably going to retire), Udoka, Korver, Okur, Boozer (not again).

I don't think Ferry would make a huge splash this offseason but I'd be interested in an Okur, Udoka type to take Z's spot eventually.

As for 2010, names include (not just big guys), Joe Johnson, Pierce, Nowitski, Amir Johnson, Scola (Restricted), McGrady, Yao, Camby, Wade, Haslem, Jefferson, Redd, Chandler, Amare, Aldridge (Restricted), Ginobli, Oberto, Bosh. I'd expect most of those big names to get theose max contracts we'll be giving LeBron, but it is fun to dream.

This is why it soooo important Ferry drafy well these next two offseasons. Yes, we can sign a big name besides LeBron, but I just don't expect too many "superstars" leaving.

NBA Blogger Season Preview - Pacific Division

2008-11-04T12:40:00Z

Golden St. Warriors
Rob Mahoney: Upside and Motor

LA Clippers
ClipperSteve: Clips Nation

LA Lakers
Kurt: Forum Blue & Gold
Josh Tucker: Respect Kobe
Trevor Smith: HoopsAddict

Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Stan: Bright Side of the Sun

Sacramento Kings
Tom Ziller: Sactown Royalty

Also see links to all the previews at CelticsBlog.com

2008/09 Predictions -- Leave Them Here!

2008-10-27T12:56:13Z

The NBA Season is just one day away. No better time than now to give your predictions for the upcoming season. I'll give you the format, along with my predictions, below to use. Place your thoughts in the comments and we'll take a look at this after the season is over. Anyone is welcome to participate, even if youa re a fan of another team!

Division Winners

Atlantic -- Boston
Central -- Cleveland
Southeast -- Orlando

Northwest -- Utah
Pacific -- LA Lakers
Southwest -- New Orleans

Eastern Conference Champion -- Cleveland Cavaliers
Western Conference Champion -- New Orleans Hornets

MVP -- LeBron James
DPOY -- Kevin Garnett
ROY -- Michael Beasley
6th Man -- Lamar Odom

2008/09 NBA Champions -- Cleveland Cavaliers

Cavs vs Raptors - Thoughts

2008-10-08T14:30:22Z

- Zydrunas Ilgaukas looked very good tonight, scoring 16 points on 8-for-12 shooting while snagging six rebounds and dishing off two assists. He also played some solid post defense on Jermaine O'Neal.

- LeBron played just over 8 minutes, missing the three shots he took and dishing out two assists, one of which turned into a nice And One to Anderson Varejao. Expect many similar outings this preseason, but I wonder if he'll bring a little more to those two matchups with the Celtics.

- Give the first round of the shooting guard competition to Sasha Pavlovic by a nose over Wally Szczerbiak, with Daniel Gibson coming in at a distant third. Pavlovic scored the first basket of the game on a nice little jumper, and ended up with 5 points, 4 assists, a block and and steal. Wally finished with 7 points, and made another nice 12-footer off the curl that seems to be his best shot in the Cavalier offense, but he seems to be better suited as a scorer off the bench. But things can change significantly over the next 20 days.

- The most disappointing performance of the night belonged to Daniel Gibson. Gibson finished with 12 points, but did so on 4-of-13 shooting, including just 2-of-11 inside the 3-point arc. There's no doubt that Gibson is a deadly spot-up shooter, but his ballhandling was miserable tonight, and he forced a number of tough shots off the dribble. The box score says he had 3 assists, but on the whole he did very little to create opportunities for his teammates. The Cavs did very well in bringing Delonte West back, because right now Gibson is not going to work as a backup point guard.

- Mo Williams was fine in his Cavalier debut, but was prone to overhandling the ball at the top of the circle. He did make a couple of nice shots, but he didn't get to the rim as much as I would have liked. Obviously he is still learning the offensive schemes, but his real value to this team will be his ability to create easier shots for his teammates.

- J.J. Hickson had a decent debut, with 7 points and 4 boards, but there's really no way to judge his progression at this early point. He has a lot to learn out there, and looked lost on a number of occasions. I'll say it again, if he's going to get minutes early in the season, he's going to have to learn Mike Brown's defensive schemes quickly. Hickson did have one very nice up-and-under move for a basket and a foul, and came up with a steal and a thunderous dunk on a breakaway. His free throws seemed to have a very high arc.

- Tarence Kinsey got nearly all of LeBron's leftover minutes, but did little to distinguish himself, going 2-for-8 for 6 points. Szczerbiak and Pavlovic were not on the court together, which would imply that Kinsey will is the prime candidate to be LeBron's backup at small forward.

- The Q apparently doesn't have the capacity to handle Darnell Jackson's number, as he was listed as 0, instead of his jersey number, which is 00.

- As for the Raptors, they really found their groove in the 3rd Quarter, turning an 8-point halftime deficeit into a 5-point lead at the start of the 4th Quarter. The Raptors are really starting to look like a European team, getting into the lane and kicking the ball out for mid-range jumpers, and they were easily able to exploit the guys at the end of the bench who are still learning the defensive system. The Raptors shot 52% from the field for the game.

- The 08-09 Cavalier Girls made their debut last night, with two performances between quarters. They also spent time during the game in the aisles around the arena, including a trip to the upper deck in the second half. I like the idea, but they were in the stairway aisles, and that could be problematic when there are more than 4000 people at the Q. This was just a test run, but the girls definitely got attention in the stands, with a number of fans stopping by for pictures (this blogger excluded).

Go Cavs. Great to see the team back in uniform.

Mike C.

www.CavsHQ.com

Posting and Toasting Gets Inside Access To Knicks Camp

2008-10-01T12:25:57Z

Our friends over at Posting and Toasting have been invited to Knicks camp this week out at Skidmore College. Obviously, for those of us in the Blog world, this is great news and a sign that the Knicks are ready to distance themselves from the embarrassment that was the Isiah Thomas era.

You can follow P&T's reports HERE!

LeBron James Inducted Into Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame

2008-09-19T18:03:00Z

LeBron James, as well as his teammates from Akron SVSM were among those indcuted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame. Also inductees included Cavaliers broadcaster Joe Tait and former Buckeye/current Buck Michael Redd.

You can learn more at the Museum's website.

It hasn't been updated in awhile, but I'm sure they will get info about the newest members up there soon!

Any news on Windhorst?

2008-09-11T20:39:07Z

Other than the Mo Williams transaction, I haven't heard/seen anything from Windhorst. Anyone know how he is doing?

On a related note, is Branson Wright going to be covering the Cavs for the PD this year?

My FanPost must be 75 words long. Prior to typing this, my FanPost was only 38 words long. Thanks to my fine public school system education, this means I need more words. In an effort to increase my word count, I have added this time wasting piece of fluff.