BANNER FEB2010

Cavs, Fear, Girls

by Brian on April 16, 2009

in Books,Brad Radby,Bruce Willis,Cleveland Cavaliers,Girls,LeBron James,NBA,Twitter

I know I’m not supposed to care that the Cavs lost to Philly lasterday, giving up a chance at an historic 40-1 home record for the season, but I do.

As Coach Mike ran the bench into the ground – thereby defeating the purpose of “rest” to some extent – I couldn’t help but have my teen angst.

I don’t condone this “we don’t care if we lose blah cliche cliche cliche only about the championship cliche blah cliche cliche cliche cliche” talk.

I guarantee some of those guys do care about being on a team that did something only one other team in history has done.

(Including LeBron – one-upping Jordan in anything is a legacy/branding boon.)

Stop second guessing potential injuries and resting starters and just play the game.

Yes, I can just see the aftermath of a Game 7 Finals loss: LBJ sulking in the locker room, bemoaning the fact that if only he hadn’t played those extra 20 minutes back two months ago, he would’ve had that little bit of extra energy he needed to get through.

They’ll get so much rest in the first round, how would it have mattered? They’ll sweep DET (with large margins of victory), the time between games in the first round is spread so far that everyone always complains, and Hawks-Heat almost certainly goes seven games.

Sitting down in fear of mythical injuries is playing scared, and I just don’t “get” that. Plus, this just makes the whole thing complicated, because they really should’ve been 40-1, having essentially forfeited for their second loss. It’s like some kind of upside-down asterix on the whole thing.

(By the way, I think Chicago wanted to play Boston, hence their loss to TOR.)

There’s your hardcore NBA commentary. I have no idea how anyone else feels about this issue btw – please let me know.

Here’s a preview of the @ColleenBurns-centric NBA Playoff preview:

…and then totally give you a lap dance =)

See how great Twitter can be if you just allow it to happen?

The only thing that will get rid of my teen angst is if you go read about Brad Radby’s Yard Sale At Grandma’s, a super sensitive movie he made in 2001.

Meryl gets tired, and Bruce figures out what’s going on, especially because the doctor, who is Peter O’Toole, stops by and tells everyone about the Big C and how bad it’s coming after Meryl’s tummy. That’s when Laurence has a heart attack and gets adult diabetes, and Bruce gets a cramp in his shoulder.

I don’t want to say too much, but it’s one of those deeply cutting and personal stories about quirky families.

(Follow me on Twitter here.)
(Download the first 55 pages of my epic, pretentious, and stupid book, Prelude to a Super Airplane, here.)

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  • i cant even wrap my head around them not wanting to rock that game. love my phl boys though. can't wait for Magic/Sixers, I LOVE THIS GAME!!!

    and yes, a lap dance i will give you at that moment sir! ;o)
  • dave
    the celtics can beat the bulls pretty easily without KG. they blow

    and incidentally, they could beat the pistons without KG, pierce, rondo, doc rivers, or sneakers
  • Celtics without KG - potential contender
    Celtics without Doc - offsets loss of KG, instant contender
  • i feel like they would need sneakers, or at least boat shoes.

    and rawndo. they definitely would need raison rawndo.
  • KG's knee couldn't take not being a winner anymore like the rest of his body, so it folded and collapsed in guilt
  • damn.. it feels like my birthday has come twice this year!

    Thank you KG!
  • Zack
    Delonte West was mad that he didn't get to play the second half. Very weird decisions last night by MB. Why play DW and AV for only the first half? Isn't it disruptive to have guys doing things that they really shouldn't be doing in the playoffs for a game? (i.e. Sasha dribbling, Daniel bringing the ball up the court and setting up the offense, Lo Wright playing)
  • goathair
    Wholeheartedly agree the Bulls would rather play the Celtics than the Magic. Orlando is a terrible matchup for Chicago. (Basketball-wise and city-wise.)
  • I agree - the mythical fear of injuries and need for rest is absurd. I know basketball is tough and injuries happen and all of that, but this argument only holds water for the NFL, where guys are required to collide with each other with determined force 70 times a game. And, like you point out, the TV scheduling gods make it so that teams rarely play on consecutive nights. If you're incapable of recuperating with that kind of schedule, you probably don't have much of a chance of winning anyway. I expect my team's best players to WANT to play EVERY NIGHT, to be just as upset about the scheduling as we are. Look at the best post-season pitchers - they pitch on short rest ALL THE TIME. That's what I want. Jordan had that determination, Kobe does, too. Does LBJ? I don't know. We'll see.
  • His statements were the standard politically correct cliches but also made it absolutely clear this was Coach Mike's decision, and not his.

    And if they really want to claim this rest was so essential, playing the bench guys 3 times the minutes they normally do would leave them far more "damaged and weary" than playing LeBron half as many minutes as he normally does.
  • I can understand being upset with the old cliche driven reasons about rest, cause like you said, the playoffs take forever and its a stupid argument, especially when dealing with a 24 year old cyborg sent back from the future for the sole purpose of being awesome at basketball. However, I think sitting him completely, just out of fear of injury, isn't the worst plan in the world. Should he have some random injury, there goes your title hopes. Obviously its a minor chance, but in a game you dont really need it's one of those discretion is the better part of valor (cliche from out of nowhere snipe) type situations. Either way, the playoffs are shaping up to be awesome.
  • Yeah it's not like the end of the world, and the rest of the tea played really hard. It just really came off as stupid when the same line-up was in for like the entire second half.

    Sounds like Delonte West and Wally agree with me, so we are going to the hot tub club tonight to party.
  • Aint no party like a hot tub party cause a hot tub party dont stop
  • This is what I'm saying...if Jordan is in the same position 15 years ago, you think he lets Jackson tell him what to do? Maybe I think MJ is more of a domineering genius than he really is, and maybe I'm underestimating Phil, but I think if he wants to play, he plays, and he ALWAYS wants to play.
  • Yeah it's just the team's personality as put forth by the coach and LeBron functions within it - they're like "all for one, trust, together, dancing, etc".

    I'm sure there are others that know the dynamics better than me, but it seems to work for them.
  • We'll see...I like the Lakers this year.
  • Objectively I probably agree, unless LeBron is determined to go down low and get Gasol and Bynum in foul trouble. The Cavs interior D is a weakness.
  • Greg Odens tonsils
    ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!!?!!!!?!!??!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
  • so it sounds like KG is out for the entirety of the playoffs. kinda disappointing b/c they will have excuses
  • He was like "MYYYYYYYYY KNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE...!!!!" and that was in slow motion.
  • he probably bugged out his eyes and clapped really loudly trying to get in its face like jose calderon. it was just too much.
  • "…and then totally give you a lap dance =)"

    so much for family friendly... hypocrite.
  • Wait until you see it in context, but thanks for playing watchdog once again. I really do appreciate it.
  • I enjoy being omsbudsman.
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