I think I will take orlando in 5 to win it all. The lakers are too over confident.

jaimestarr79 said:

Phil Jackson won't allow over confidence.

Cavs need a new coach.

24 turnovers for the Cavs? WTF???

uPtoWnNY said:

9 from LeBrick.

The Cavs played better yesterday and LeBron got a triple double, but I still think he could have took over the game and tied the series 3-3 but in the end the Celtics got the win. Right now the Eastern conference finals are abit too close to call. I think the Magic could win game 1 as they've had a longer rest but the Celtics have been a very good team recently and beat arguably the team who most would have thought could have made the NBA Finals (Cleveland). If the Celtics play the way they did in game 5 & 6 then the Magic/Celtics could go 7 games. I was also watching NBA Fastbreak and they were discussing LBJ's future, one of the teams that Avery Johnson mentioned was the Nets which is a possibility now since they're owned by a billionaire. The Bulls & Knicks were mentioned also, along with LeBron signing again with the Cavs. Chicago have Rose & Noah, Knicks have T-Mac & Lee whilst the Nets have a potentially good young team with Devin Harris, Brook Lopez et al. I would think from the 3 teams mentioned, the Bulls have more potential though, so unless Cleveland bring in a few more impact players and offer him the right deal, I think LBJ could be going to Chicago. Unless the Nets sign him to a huge deal and they sign another another top free agent too like Bosh or D-Wade.
[Edited 5/14/10 3:28am]

I'm not sure I'd want LeBron James on my team. He's a great talent, no doubt, but there is no way anyone can make the case that he comes through in big games.

Because he doesn't.

So as a fan, I'd just as soon not have him. If I was an owner I might feel differently, since he can certainly sell tickets.

But he's not looking like a champion at this point.

RodeoSchro said:

Really? I'm blaming this one on the coach. His sets are designed 2 LOSE.

Graycap23 said:

You might be right but Brown's record in playoff series is 4-0, 4-0, 2-4, 4-1, 2-4. And he was Coach of the Year last year. Not to mention the Cavs have had the best regular-season record the last two years.

James might be a champion one day but right now I'm not calling that a certainty.

Graycap23 said:

He's definitely on thin ice.

uPtoWnNY said:

His coaching is really bad. Putting the entire offense on Lebron or anyone else is receipe 4 diaster. Simple as that. U win as a TEAM.....u lose as a TEAM.

Graycap23 said:

The Bulls rumors are heating up. I hear a sign and trade with Luol Deng to clear cap space, sign Bosh, then LeBron.

uPtoWnNY said:

this is not going 2 happen. Sounds just like the Kobe stuff from a few years ago. The Bulls are NOT competent enough 2 pull that off.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

LOL.

And a big LOL @ him losing. Just like Kobe, dude thinks he's better than Jordan. Well, apparently NOT. Conceited or not, Jordan was a team player most of the time, which allowed the Bulls to consistently sweep out the competition. James plays for himself, which is why he lost. Ha ha.

WaterInYourBath said:

It also hurts LeBron that, so far, the Cavs don't have that secondary player on Scottie Pippen's level.

uPtoWnNY said:

The Cavs has a decent roster. They are lacking real coaching.

Woodson is out in Atlanta, Mike Brown is being "evaluated".

uPtoWnNY said:

I hope Woodside does NOT land in Chicago. If so.....kill me now.

Graycap23 said:

It's decent but no one on Pippen's level and you need that to win championships. Kobe has Gasol, Odom & Artest. Pierce has Garnett, Allen and a sick point guard in Rondo.

uPtoWnNY said:

Pippen level players don't grow on trees.

Philly is interviewing everybody and their father for the
head coaching position. I hope they hire a good coach that
can turn it around. Eddie Jordan was a bad fit for the team
from the get go with that Princeton offense.

Graycap23 said:

I know, but if LeBron stays in Cleveland, the front office has to find someone close to that level. Otherwise it'll be the same shit next season.

I picked Cleveland over either Denver or Dallas, so I was waaaaay off.

Graycap23 said:

I agree about the roster, as along with LBJ they've got Mo Williams, Jamison, Moon, Varejao, West, Z and Shaq too, amongst others. Mike Brown is a good coach, the Cavs had the best regular season record, however, maybe they need a coach with more playoff experience and someone who can get the best out of LeBron and the other guys. If James does stay, they'll need to bring in a guy to take some of the pressure of him. There's some big names who'll be free agents in the summer, although I'm guessing some guys could resign with their current teams (like Dirk with the Mavs, Stoudamire with the Suns etc.) However, maybe if they can find the cap space for D-Wade, they could bring him into the mix with LeBron. Carlos Boozer would be an OK signing too as would Joe Johnson from the Hawks. They're not big name free agents but they might make a difference to the Cavs. According to the article I've linked too, Paul Pierce & Ray Allen will be free agents also, although I'm thinking the Celtics will resign them both. Saying that, if it was possible, New Jersey could in theory release most of their current team and sign a whole lot of free agents, although they'd have to keep under there cap space and maybe trade their number one draft pick away too to do something like that.

Graycap23 said:

Apparently they do, remember that thread on Pippen not being that great, lol.

uPtoWnNY said:

Yeah, you are right about that. Pippen was a VERY important player for Jordan. But still, James should use the good players that he has in a better way, instead of "runnin' and gunnin" by himself all the time. That may be the coach's fault like Graycap says, but LeBron is that type of self-centered player anyway.

Cleveland losing fast shows me a few things that COULD happen.

Either:

1.) As I believe, LeBron would LEAVE Cleveland.
2.) Mike Brown would be replaced.
3.) LeBron needs to do a better job making his team unstoppable, they're basically running and seeing "King James" score either easy hits or bricks.
[Edited 5/14/10 20:50pm]

Mike Brown has to go. We need a coach who knows what the hell he's doing, we have the talent, we just don't have a good coach.

WaterInYourBath said:

Being a Knicks fan, I have nothing but hate for any Bull. But I always acknowledge greatness when I see it. Once Scottie matured, he became the perfect compliment to Jordan. Did everything Micael needed him to do, especially on the defensive end. He played some hellafied D on Magic in the '91 Finals. In '93-'94 without Jordan, the Bulls won 57 games and would have gone to the Finals if not for Hue Hollins. Anyone who doesn't think Pippen is a HOFamer is not paying attention. LeBron needs a wingman like that.

Would the Cavs do a better job with a Poppovich, a Pat Riley or a Larry Brown? No doubt.