(1) Cavaliers Vs. (4) Celtics

[Andrew]

Agreed. He had his aggressive moments in Game 6 but they were basically all in the first half. Games 5 and 6 were not LeBron at his best.

[rise]

Crap.
Lebron's going to be pissed in the near future.

At himself.

[Sauru]

Something was up with LeBron in this series. Maybe it was his injury, I don't know. Even the great ones stumble at times in the playoffs, but LeBron didn't go down swinging.

lebron was obviously feeling the enormous weight of inevitability.



and yes andrew you could say that. i play a weekly poker game and 2 of the players are from ohio both skipped this fridays game

[NovU]

Hearing the rumour of West sleeping with James's mother, if this is anything close to be true, this could have been the factor that killed chemistry within the team. Well... also the chance of Lebron staying.

[Andrew]

No one else seems to be picking up the story though, so I have my doubts.

[Riot]

What Lebron needs is a hall of fame coach who is going to get in his ear and show him how to play championship basketball. I know Phil Jackson is a free agent after this year but I can't see him leaving the Lakers with his girlfriend Jeannie and all. What about Larry Brown? I heard rumors about him uncertain if he will return to the Bobcats or not. I just don't see a guy like Mike Brown or some average Joe coach being able to come in and get Lebron's attention. He needs someone who is higher on the food chain than him and there aren't many people who are. If Cleveland is smart they would open their wallets up and try to get their hands on Jackson or Brown.

[benji]

LeBron revolted against Paul Silas, which is why Mike Brown was hired since he'd do whatever LeBron said. The problem is Mike Brown couldn't be counted on to save the team. The Cavaliers needed a more inventive coach who still went along with his star most of the time, like a Flip Saunders.

Larry Brown would be the worst thing for LeBron. Brown, like his namesake Hubie, has the ability to push a team in one season, but after that it goes drastically downhill as his players hate him.

[NovU]

Sounds like Spoeltra is the perfect man for Lebron.

[Jackal]

Phil Jackson said that if he returned to coaching it would be to the Lakers only, it was asked when Chicago got their opening.

So yeah...that's not happening. Lebron is always welcome to come play for him in LA though.

[Sauru]

a good coach could bring this exact cleveland team a championship. this team is good enough they are just very poorly coached and they ran into a renewed celtics team. if lebron cant handle playing for a actual coach and not some idiot who just says yes to his superstar then he might never got a ring

[Riot]

LeBron revolted against Paul Silas, which is why Mike Brown was hired since he'd do whatever LeBron said. The problem is Mike Brown couldn't be counted on to save the team. The Cavaliers needed a more inventive coach who still went along with his star most of the time, like a Flip Saunders.

Larry Brown would be the worst thing for LeBron. Brown, like his namesake Hubie, has the ability to push a team in one season, but after that it goes drastically downhill as his players hate him.

Paul Silas is a good coach but he isn't on the level of Phil Jackson or even Larry Brown. Lebron needs a coach that can say to him, "Sit down and shut up and listen to me. I got my rings I don't need you, you need me." There are only a handful of coaches who can say that.

[Andrew]

But that's the question, is there any coach who could feasibly do that and have LeBron respond positively to it?

[dare]

Byron Scott, Flip Saunders, Red Auerbach (RIP)

[Sauru]

But that's the question, is there any coach who could feasibly do that and have LeBron respond positively to it?

that depends on his character to be honest. if he can realize that he is not the end all of the basketball world and he will never ever ever win a ring without a well coached team behind him then he can take that kind of talk. however i see lebron as a player who feels he is bigger than the team he is playing for and that is why he keeps falling flat on his ass

[rise]

But that's the question, is there any coach who could feasibly do that and have LeBron respond positively to it?

that depends on his character to be honest. if he can realize that he is not the end all of the basketball world and he will never ever ever win a ring without a well coached team behind him then he can take that kind of talk. however i see lebron as a player who feels he is bigger than the team he is playing for and that is why he keeps falling flat on his ass

Exactly.

[Jeffx]

But that's the question, is there any coach who could feasibly do that and have LeBron respond positively to it?

The one coach who would have been perfect for LeBron was the late Chuck Daly. Look at the egos he dealt with in Detroit. Phil Jackson is good at managing egos too. While Larry Brown is a HOF coach, his abrasiveness and whining rubs veterans the wrong way. He's perfect for a young team that needs to be taught. Larry likes to break players down and mold them in his image, especially his point guards. If the superstar doesn't buy into the coache's system, the coach is finished(see Paul Westhead in LA, Bill Fitch in Boston, Don Nelson in NY).

And I disagree with LeBron - his legacy IS being written now. Fans want to see how he'll respond. Will he come back with a vengeance like Magic, Larry, Michael & Kobe did afte bad playoff losses?

Magic said it best - he wanted to see LeBron take that game over, be more assertive(Like Magic did in Game 6 of the '80 Finals)

[Andrew]

Spot on, Jeffx.

that depends on his character to be honest. if he can realize that he is not the end all of the basketball world and he will never ever ever win a ring without a well coached team behind him then he can take that kind of talk. however i see lebron as a player who feels he is bigger than the team he is playing for and that is why he keeps falling flat on his ass

Oh, of course. I believe it's one of those character traits that can be overcome by adversity and having to deal with disappointing losses in the postseason though. Some players are never going to get it no matter because that's just the way we human beings are at times, but hopefully for LeBron's sake, it clicks. Easier said than done with an entourage of yes men.