LeBron to NY? Now that is an easy decision.

by Jack Maidment

As you might expect, there is a lot of conjecture surrounding LeBron James and the choice he will make this coming summer.

Stay or go. That is the question.

From what you read and what you here there are apparently only two options: remain in Cleveland or head to New York.

Fair enough. I am in agreement with almost everybody else in thinking these are the only two realistic and viable options, barring some sort of mythical agreement between Wade, Bosh and James to take less money and start a super team someplace.

Ian O’Connor wrote a piece for ESPN this past week in which he suggests that LeBron simply must go and play for the Knicks because, according to Mr O’Connor New York is much better than every where else.

Or something along those lines.

Apparently winning a championship in NY City is more of a big deal than anywhere else.

Ok.

I’m going to disagree with that.

And here is why.

Imagine you are the captain of the English football team and through some freak occurrence you end up winning the World Cup in South Africa.

But the team you are playing for isn’t your homeland but Brazil, or Italy, a country to which you have little affinity.

Would lifting the World Cup be special?

Of course.

But how much better would it be lifting it while representing the country, the people and the communities that run through your veins and make up who you are?

Is the same not transposable to LeBron?

He is after all a young man born and raised in the state of Ohio.

The city he calls his own, Akron, is a matter of minutes from the arena he plays every other night.

Anyone who has seen More Than a Game will know just how much the area means to LeBron.

And yet, all of this seems to be superseded in the minds of writers when they have anything to say on the matter.

Its all about New York being the biggest market and how great Knicks’ fans are and how much fun LeBron would have in the city.

Some of that may be true.

But he already plays for his hometown team and the admiration Cleveland Cavalier fans show him can not be matched anywhere.

Go to New York and he will be loved but not in the same way.

He will be a mercenary waging war for a team and a city with which he has no bond, no connection, except for a liking for one of the baseball teams.

You can forget your bigger market, your smaller amount of money, your great fans, your ‘unsurpassable’ victory parades and everything else that goes with The Big Apple.

All of that pales into insignificance with bringing a title to the place you hold dearest.

Some things cannot be bought.

He will stay.

Jamison move makes LeBron’s Cavs Big. And Favourites.

Jamison adds size and scoring

by Jack Maidment

The past three years in the NBA have taught us one thing more than any other: the cold war didn’t die, it just moved.

The arms race that characterised the battle for supremacy between the USA and the Soviet Union has re-emerged only this team its basketball teams that are stockpiling weapons.

Unless you’re poor that is.

In which case you are probably one of teams that is allowing this whole process of one-up-man-ship to happen.

For if there were no teams looking to shed salary so that they can try and fail to sign LeBron James there would be no opportunity for the ‘haves’ to pillage the ‘have-nots’.

Case in point, Antawn Jamison to Cleveland on deadline day.

A continually combusting Washington Wizards pulled the trigger on a trade in which they will receive next to nothing with one of the pieces supposedly heading to the capital, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, undoubtedly returning to the Cavs once the mandatory 30 day period has elapsed.

(Ironically, the Wiz have traded the two of their big three that didn’t cause them any problems. Gilbert Arenas, AKA the man no-one wants to play with remains. The Wiz: The Next Knicks. Have you seen his contract?)

So the Cavs gain a former All-Star and one of the most underrated scorers in the League for a bag of chips.

Scoring and versatility at the 4 was something that the Cavs were lacking and Jamison certainly fills the hole.

The trade leaves Cleevland with a wealth of front court options, with the potential to field LeBron at point-forward, Jamison at scoring guard and a front 3 of Big Z, Shauille O’Neal and Anderson Varejao.

The Lakers are no longer the biggest team in the League.

If the two meet in the Finals there will never have been two bigger teams physically squaring off in the history of the game.

So where does this move for Jamison (and Sebastian Telfair who was also thrown in) put the Cavaliers?

It was the last throw of the dice for Danny Ferry, Cavs GM, who has done everything possible to try and surround LeBron James with the best team possible.

He sure isn’t making LeBron’s decision in the upcoming off season any easier.

The Cavs are certainly a lot bigger now and much more dangerous in a half court set with Jamison able to stretch the floor.

Defensively they are now more of handful with the largest interior of any team in the League.

They have size, bulk, shot blocking, physicality and athleticism.

Will they win the East?

Yes.

Will they win the Finals?

It is on that question that the future of the League could depend.

Win and LeBron almost certainly stays for the next 5 years.

Lose, again, and he will have all the reasons he needs to go after a fresh start.

I say he wins.

And he stays.

LeBron James is not Chad Ochocinco. Nor is he Magic, Larry or Michael.

by Jack Maidment

Whenever Chad Ochocinco scores a touchdown for the Bengals you can be sure that the innovative and sometimes outrageous celebration will follow.

For the most part his antics are well received, annoying to some, but widely acknowledged as entertaining.

When he pulled a dollar bill out of his sock to hand to a official after his TD catch, tongue firmly in cheek, he was not seen as rude or controversial, but cheeky and funny.

So why are LeBron James’ actions different?

Why has his gesturing and posturing riled up so many people, coaches and Hall of Famers included?

The major difference between the two is that Ochocinco’s moments of celebratory creativity are diluted by the goings on in the NFL.

This is largely because American Football is not dominated by a handful of personalities the way that the NBA is.

The emphasis in basketball falls on the superstar; in football it is about the team.

The difference is huge.

Consider this.

If Ray Lewis criticizes the Baltimore Ravens he can expect his words to make the back pages in the Maryland area but the likelihood of his notoriety extending league wide are virtually non-existent.

Stories about individuals rarely displace the dominant discourse of the NFL’s media coverage: the headlines are reserved for team’s and their respective performances.

In contrast, an outburst by one of the NBA’s superstars warrants the dedicated attentions of every major news outlet and basketball columnist.

Just look at how the media reacted to Kobe Bryant’s impromptu video a few years ago when he attacked the Lakers’ front office for not providing him with, shall we say, more capable team mates.

Front pages and headlines countrywide.

The preeminence and elevated status of the few in the NBA ensures that when a Kobe, Dwyane or LeBron do anything of even mild interest the story is guaranteed to blow up.

Ochocinco is one of a whole host of high profile players in the NFL and in terms of annoying people it would seem that there is safety in numbers. Hell, even if he annoys you his limited exposure means he can be ignored.

This is why LeBron has got underneath people’s skin: his dancing and french fry eating do nothing but undermine his elevated status and you can’t get away from him.

His behavior comes across as arrogant and petulant because it is such a departure from the actions of his predecessors.

Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, Bob Cousy, Michael Jordan, all were ultimatel characterized by class.

They were all aware of how good they were but their performances were enough.

Simply, the great players don’t act like that.

His game does enough talking, so why seek more attention?

To do so will win few friends.

It will be interesting to see if the gesticulating remains when the Celtics or Lakers appear on the same floor as the Cleveland Cavaliers.

For a player of LeBron’s ability the game should be about winning and winning only.

Needless antics on the court only damage his reputation and potentially his legacy.

Why do it?

Cleveland Cavaliers re-sign Anderson Varejao. For $50 Million.

"I know! I can't believe it either."

by Jack Maidment

8.6 points per game coupled with 7.2 rebounds. Not exactly stellar numbers you will say. Not enough to warrant any major amount of noise. Steady numbers surely deserving of steady money.

I’m not sure if I just transferred from a parallel universe where the world is indeed in the midst of economic turmoil to one where the cash fairy has visited a large number of NBA teams, but Anderson Varejao, the owner of those middle of the road numbers, has just agreed to a 6 year, $50 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

People may say that players like Varejao bring more to the table than points and rebounds, but all the little things he may do on the court, all the hustle and floppy hair surely do not combine to warrant $50 million?

$50 million. I’m pretty sure that right now Danny Ferry is taking a polygraph test downtown.

“Are you Steve Kerr in disguise?” asks the cop. Ferry looks nervous.

The laws that once governed the distribution of green in the NBA appear to have been broken.

Varejao will be rubbing his hands with glee as he anticipates his $8 million a year pay packet while Allen Iverson, a modern great who still has gas in the tank, mulls over a $5 million deal to play off the bench in a Grizzlie uniform.

Aint that some ish.

NBA Free Agency: Boozer stays in Utah. Cleveland eyeing Charlie V, want Chris Bosh next year?

 

by Jack Maidment

What is the single most important driving force behind a pro-athlete’s career?

In years past the answer would have been success and the pursuit thereof, but in an economy which rewards so richly, money has become the dominating factor in just about every sportsman’s decision making process.

Am I going to get mine? That is the question that players around the NBA are continually asking themselves, especially those who are situated firmly in the shop window: 2009’s free agents.

The date is 1^st July and teams can begin wooing the players who they believe can make a difference.

However, the current economic climate has placed huge restrictions on players looking for a new deal with only a handful having at least some of the money to throw at these players, especially the premier talents.

The likes of Shawn Marion and Carlos Boozer would ordinarily be demanding a close to if not max type contract. Big time money for supposedly big time players.

The fact is that team’s are far more reluctant to commit to huge contracts when the margin for error is so small: if a team commits to you for $15 million plus a year and you don’t deliver, that franchise is in an inescapable hole.

The only teams with definite money to spend are the Memphis Grizzlies, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Detroit Pistons.

Regardless of the desirability of two of these locations, both Memphis and Oklahoma will in all likliehood not be flashing cash this year: they both have young cores who just need to grow together.

That leaves the Pistons who could sign two big contracts this off season, but given their isolation as a team with money, they will certainly not be held to ransom by greedy free agents.

Cue Carlos Boozer’s decision to use his player option and stay in Utah. The same Carlos Boozer who around Christmas time would tell anypone who would listen that he was definitely, definitely, definitely opting out to go in search of the max contract that he believes he deserves.

The realisation that the money is simply not their to be had, Boozer will be in a Jazz uniform next year along with Mehmet Okur, his team mate who also was looking elsewhere for more money.

Of all the upper echelon free agents, the money shortage is a major problem, maybe even forcing some of them to accept a mid level exception for a year in the hope that the economy picks up in time for next year’s free agent bonanza.

In contrast, the role players looking for new contracts should do relatively well despite the economy.

Player’s like Trevor Ariza are especially attractive to team’s looking to get over the hump. Lock down defense and 3 point shooting.

It is hardly surprising then that Cleveland Cavalier Anderson Varejao has decided to opt out and test the free agency waters. His energy and tenacity should leave him with plenty of potential suitors to choose from.

It will be interesting to see where Charlie Villanueva ends up after the Milwaukee Bucks decided not to offer him anything at all. His post scoring is allegedly coveted by the Cavaliers, a team with enough money to spend to keep LeBron James happy.

What sort of contract he will command remains to be seen, especially with the alleged rumor that Cleveland wants Chris Bosh next year. If Charlie V takes the mid level the Cavaliers will be financially ok with a substantially improved team and the guarantee that they will have the money to spend in 12 months time.

Money. When did winning become not enough?

Cleveland Cavaliers Acquire Shaquille O’Neal From Phoenix Suns

by Jack Maidment

The ‘Fire Steve Kerr’ lobby just got a lot more ammunition as the Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired Shaquille O’Neal for the NBA equivalent of a Mars bar and a packet of crisps.

The move which sees Ben Wallace, who is likely retiring, and Sasha Pavlovic, heading to Arizona accompanied by a low second round pick and a reported $500,000.

For the Cavaliers this trade represents a bolstering of their frontcourt, a presence inside and a 2^nd/3^rd option for LeBron James to dump the ball to when the time is right.

Last season showed that given the right amount of rest The Most Dominant Ever can still embarrass just about any other center in the League, putting up numbers reminiscent of Shaq 6 years ago.

Meanwhile, the Suns are officially in meltdown, dismantling the team that took them close but no cigar. The departure of Shaq could well leave the door open for Steve Nash to pack up his bags as he searches out a contender for his chance at a ring.

The Cavs will hope that the $20 million Shaq is owed this coming season will be enough to push the franchise over the hump.

NBA Conference Finals: No Answer For Dwight Howard Leaves Cleveland Cavaliers In A Big, Big Hole

by Jack Maidment

The coach of Florida Tech recently described Dwight Howard as the most formidable post player in the NBA and the strength of last night’s performance from the Orlando Magic’s All-Star Center absolutely vindicated the statement.

One of the criticisms of Howard is that his team cannot dump the ball inside when it really matters because his moves down low are far from polished and epitomise the word raw.

Yet, through sheer power and physicality, Howard dominated the overtime period that put the Magic up 3-1 against a Cleveland Cavaliers team that appeared tetchy and over reliant on too few players.

The frustration of losing to a team which were not supposed to cause this many problems to the team with the regular season’s best record was characterised by the facial expressions of LeBron James in the 4^th quarter.

Manifest in numerous turnovers down the stretch, LeBron was constantly pulling faces that hinted toward his dissatisfaction with his team mates.

Such annoyance was hardly unfounded since only Delonte West turned up down the stretch, executing in the low post, keeping the Cavs in it.

However, regardless of his teammates, LeBron did not play well and the Cavaliers did not deserve the win. The game should have ended in regulation but for a foul that only LeBron can coax out of officials.

Driving the lane on the last possession of the 4^th, he expected Mickeal Pietrus to stop him, but his lean in found no marker and James fell to the floor. Pietrus was called for the foul and the King of Akron nailed the two free throws to tie the game after a ridiculous Rashard Lewis 3 had given the Magic a deserved lead.

The entire game had been punctuated by Rafer Alston’s hot hand so it was with surprise that the Magic went to Howard consecutively in OT. And damn he delivered.

He bullied Anderson Varejao into fouling out and then proceeded to attack Zydraunus Ilgauskus who had no answer. Three straight dunks and a few free throws and the Cavaliers were left chasing the game.

Mo Williams, who was mediocre from the field but outstanding at getting to the line, may well be regretting his guaranteed victory trash talk now that his team head back to Cleveland in a 3-1 hole, a defecit that has only been overturned 8 times before.

It is perhaps worth highlighting the officiating of this game in the sense that the consistency from those in charge was simply horrible. Worst of all was the technical called on Dwight.

He made a basket despite Varejao grabbing him around the neck and roared with excitement after getting the and-1 opportunity. Apparently that constitutes a T.

Combined with LeBron’s phantom foul which was plain embarrassing and a no call on another Varejao wrestling match on Howard’s lob attempt that would have won the game, the refs were just awful.

Luckily the best team won regardless of dodgy decisions and the Magic will march into Cleveland with the Finals firmly in their sights.

Anything other than a team response from the Cavaliers will result in another loss and a series defeat on their home floor.

Even if their team spirit returns, the Cavs will still have no answer fro Howard who holds the fate of his team in his hands.

It is time for the Cleveland Cavaliers to go big, or go home.  

 

NBA Playoffs 2009 Eastern Conference Finals: LeBron Needs Help, Evens Series Regardless

by Jack Maidment

For the most part, 1 second in sports can last an eternity and its repercussions can last even longer. Just ask LeBron James who last night hit a game winning, buzzer beating 3 pointer with 1 tick left on the clock to tie the Eastern Conference finals at one game all.

Where has LeBron's team gone?

Despite a dominant first half performance by the Cavaliers, the Orlando Magic clawed their way back into the game, recovering from numerous double digit leads to swapping leads in the 4^th.

Regardless of 3 quarters of relative dominance, the Cavs were staring at a 2-0 hole which would have made their task to progress nigh on impossible.

It is in moments like those that you need your superstars to come and play.

One did, one did not.

Mo Williams may have talked trash yesterday, belittling the Magic, but the fact remains that he may as well have stayed home last night. His first shot of the night was an air ball; a microcosm of his series if ever there was one.

Fortunately Mo can call LeBron James his team mate and he and the rest of Cleveland clung on to the bottom of the King’s cloak and prayed that he could get it done.

Charles Barkley’s assertion that the Magic would win this series has begun to look like the best prediction in the history of sports as Orlando exhibits a balanced offense and a stifling defense.

Balanced the Cavaliers were not: it was either going to take a James’ superhuman effort or they would head to Florida in big trouble.

As it is, LeBron came up huge and the series is absolutely alive.

However, the memory of the Cavliers’ previous eight games has been erased as they are considerably flattered by the even series.

If it is only LeBron James who turns up to play in Orlando the the Cavs will not even get close to the Magic. One man can only do so much, even when you are the King.

It would seem that the rest of his team mates have become petrified by the sight of an opposition that can actually play with them. Cleveland rabbits to Orlando’s team bus headlights.

Orlando are too big, too strong and too talented to grant any concessions to a team that has floundered under their status as conference favourites.

Big Z looks old. Ben Wallace appears half the player he was 2 years ago. Delonte West apparently has shrunk in the fact of responsibility, bricking the open looks that he has made all season.

The most emphasis on the Cav’s shaky play has to be attributed to Mo Williams who quite simply has to earn his All-Star contract.

The Playoffs are where it counts. Nobody cares how good you were in the regular season.

In Game 2, when all of the marbles were all on the line, LeBron stepped up and did his thing, dragging his petrified franchise to the win.

He needs help. True.

Whether or not he gets it? That much we will find out.

NBA Playoffs 2009: Cleveland Cavaliers Handle Hawks With Ease

by Jack Maidment

The word best used to describe the Cleveland Cavalier’s Playoff performance thus far? Ease.

After completing their sweep of the Atlanta Hawks last night, LeBron and co have become the first team since the Miami Heat many moons ago to dispatch their first and second round opponents in the absolute minimum of 8 combined games.

Some of the games may have been close at times but the outcome for each one rarely looked in doubt.

The Detroit Retaliation that was predicted my many never happened. Instead of the dormant talent and experience rising up in the face of the challenge, it preferred to stay sleeping, confining the Pistons to an embarrassing first round exit.

The Atlanta Hawks couldn’t be much more different than the Pistons. They are young and are clearly progressing, yet the outcome was the same: getting past the Miami Heat in the 1^st was an entirely different proposition to facing LeBron in the Conference Semis.

If you look up ‘stroll’ in the dictionary there is likely a picture of Detroit and Atlanta united by their collective trouncing. Yep, they were trounced.

Despite the fact that the Cavs would have you believe that they have worked hard against tough opposition to get this far, the reality is that they could not have made it look much easier.

Difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week, right?

The very best make the game look easy. Effortless. Jay-Z, Alex Ovechkin, Barack Obama, Lionel Messi. We know that what they are doing is difficult, sometimes impossible, but their success is rarely doubted.

However, the Cavaliers are not at the top yet, and they know it. As the top seed, their route to the Conference Finals has been as stress free as possible. Atlanta and Detroit are not the Boston Celtics or the Orlando Magic. At all.

For LeBron, the playoffs really start now. Against teams that have the ability to take you to the last possession every game, no matter where it is being played.

The ease of progression has led Cleveland to constantly defend its preparation going into the Conference Finals and also The Finals themselves. Playing mediocre teams can hardly get you ready for battling the Celtics or the Los Angeles Lakers, can it?

They say rest is the bonus that every team would prefer over hard fought 7 game series. They say that they will be ready.

They probably will be, but there can be little doubt that the Cavs will find it difficult to come out firing like the winner of the other Semi which will go at least 6, probably 7.

Rhythm is important in all things. Finding the groove. The Cavs will have to find theirs real fast in the Conference Finals. 

Do the Cavaliers have ‘it’ on tap? We will soon find out. 

NBA Playoffs Conference Semi Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers Too Much For Atlanta Hawks?

It seems like the epic nature of the Chicago/Boston first rounder has made it difficult to even contemplate the other match ups that have taken place.

But that is over, the Bulls have gone, and the Conference Semi Finals are upon us. All 4 are intriguing and difficult to call with any degree of certainty given the way that most teams have decided to play either really good or really bad on any given night.

The only team who hasn’t experienced any worrying fluctuations in form are the Cleveland Cavaliers. They have been solid.

The biggest worry for LeBron and Co was that they took their foot off the pedal when they were up 20 in a series against Detroit that they won 4 to zero.

It almost felt that LeBron felt the need to fake annoyance because everything had gone so well: ‘Those other teams have problems right? Maybe we need some too… Hey! We only won by 20. That is not good enough Cleveland!’

If that is their only worry, they have to be pretty confident going into a series against the least fancied of any of the Semi Final occupants.

The Atlanta Hawks may have just dispatched the Wade-reliant Miami Heat in 7 ‘schizophrenic’ games but in Cleveland they face a team who have just destroyed and stamped all over a Detroit Pistons team who, on paper, were not far removed from the team that had challenged for all the marbles the last 6 years.

4 games. Cleveland has had enough time off to go fishing with Detroit AND come back in time to play the Hawks.

Despite the fact that this series has been written off already as a Cavaliers white wash, Atlanta has a lot more going for them than people are crediting.

For example, there is no other team in the League which is better equipped to deal with LeBron James than the Hawks who are as long and as athletic as is necessary to have a chance against King James.

Josh Smith may not have the measured and polished jump shot game of LeBron, but he is his equal athletically. The Hawks will be safe in the knowledge that they have a guy on their team who can run and jump with the Best in the Game.

It is also worth looking at the Atlanta front court which is one of the most slept on in the NBA. The tandem of Al Horford and Zaza Pachulia is mobile and long, giving the Hawks an imposing paint presence to combat Zydrunas Ilgauskus and Anderson Varejao down low.

One of the keys to this series will be how the Hawks deal with the Cavalier backcourt pairing of Delonte West and Mo Williams.

Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson have the size and athleticism to tie up Cleveland’s guards and if they can successfully put pressure on them the Cavs will starve offensively.

Joe Johnson should be able to take a nervy Mo Williams out of the game with his mix of size and speed.  

The major problem for Atlanta is that they cannot rely on their bench the way that Cleveland can. Ben Wallace, Boobie Gibson, Wally Szczerbiak, Pavlovic, Joe Smith. All guys that can be brought into the game when the starters need some rest.

The burden will rest solely on the Atlanta Hawks starting 5 to do anything in this series, making fatigue a real issue.

Regardless of the magic that has been sprinkled this post season, barring a miracle, the Cavaliers will beat the Hawks. Cleveland are just too deep and they have the King.

But. It wont be the blow out that has been predicted.

Cavs in 6.