Some tarnish on the crown as the series gets interesting

What do you think that one’s going to do to LeBron’s still-growing legacy?

Might not put it in the toilet but it at least gets it to the washroom door, no?

We were in stunned disbelief as the game unfolded because LeBron’s level of disengagement didn’t just materialize in the fourth quarter – when he had as many points as you did and twice as many turnovers as assists.

It was all night that he looked detached and uninvolved and except for that one gorgeous lob pass to Wade, he wasn’t as noticeable, nor as good, as Tyson Chandler and about on the level of, oh, let’s say Mike Miller.

Why?

No clue. The Mavs didn’t do anything different to him defensively, it wasn’t as if his teammate were ignoring him. It was something in his mind that made him disappear, not defer.

But don’t look for the stories tomorrow about him standing in a lonely gym for hours trying to find himself.

“You know, with these games, every other day, there's not much gym time you can have. You want to try to stay off your feet as much as possible.

“If I feel like I need to come to the gym and get some extra shots up, I will. Absolutely just to get my shot back going and my confidence with my shot going. If I feel I need to do that after practice, (Wednesday) night I will do that.”

-

Now, LeBron might not want to get into the gym and work and his shot but after watching the Heat in person now for some of the Philly series, three games in this series, I would offer this advice to the Heat for some extra work today:

Erik Spoelstra might want to get with his coaches and come up with some, you know, plays.

I don’t know that I’ve seen a team as good as Miami with such a limited offence. It’s really quite amazing.

-

Travelogue time and it might take People Of A Certain Age to get it all but I suspect there are a few of you out there.

As we leave the fancy-schmancy digs here in Dallas (well, a Renaissance on a highway service road with absolutely nothing around it, to tell the truth) we drive down the road and pass the Parkland Hospital.

And when Uncle Fred and I were on the road to dinner the other night, the path led directly pass the school book depository and Dealey Plaza and we thought about stopping and going to search for a shell casing or a few more frames of the Zapruder film.

No, there isn’t a lot to do Dallas, and it’s so spread out it’s difficult to even contemplate moving around too much, but the history is pretty cool and I’d rank it with the stuff in Washington – Holocaust Museum and Vietnam Memorial, in particular – as the most significant stuff I’ve seen on the beat.

-

There have been no clandestine meetings, as far I can discern, as the Raptors coaching search continues in inexorable march.

But I did hear around the arena last night that Bryan desperately wants this thing cleaned up by the June 23 draft so I’m guessing today will be spent trying to ferret out any snippet of news.

Wish me luck.

-

Know who might have had the best game of guys not named Nowitzki last night? Tyson Chandler.

Yeah, there were times early where he was getting hammered on the boards but he did end up with 13 points and 16 rebounds, played 43 minutes and anchored a very impressive zone defence.

The Mavs are never going to win the series if they don’t get that kind of play from him – and the 16 points from Marion sure didn’t hurt – but when you’re looking for unsung heroes of the win, Chandler has to top the list.

-

Okay, I liked the Geico pig commercial “wee, wee, wee, all the way home” the first kajillion times it was on.

Now? Not so much.

-

Let’s get this one out of the mail:

Q: Doug, is there anybody in particular on Brian’s staff that looks at the movement and availability of assistant coaches? Character searches for personality traits, coaching styles, coaching experience, coaching philosophies, etc.

I know the next head coach will make the bulk of the assistant coaching decisions, but it would seem to me that the search for assistant coaches is just as important. And would Jay have made the decision for Iavaroni last year and PJ this year?

As always, thanks

Steph R, Glencoe

A: The head coach is going to make the final call for sure because he’s going to have to spend seven days a week for about six months with the assistants and that’s a relationship that can’t be sour.

Now, there might be some input from Bryan in the form of, ‘hey, I always thought this guy was a good teacher and might work well with you, why don’t you meet him and see how it goes’ but if the coach is adamant that it won’t work, that guy won’t get a job.

Of course, I think head coaches are always going to listen closely to the guy who hired him and pay heed to his advice but if it’s an absolutely unworkable situation, it’s not going to happen.

-

Rick Carlisle is the epitome of closed-mouthedness (how’s that for a word?) but he’s also got some e-Harmony in him.

Story breaks mid-afternoon yesterday that J.J. Barea’s going to replace DeShawn Stevenson in the starting lineup for Dallas and the first question to Rick in the pre-game media session was about the change.

“I’m not going to confirm that. Although someone has put themselves out there with that projection, I can’t confirm that. I have an assistant video guy that would like a date with the T-Mobile 4G girl but that’s not going to happen for him either right now.

“My policy has been the same as long as I’ve been here – I release lineups 16 minutes before the game. I’ll continue to do that.”

-

I am a goof.

Early in the IGBT, I mentioned Blitzkrieg Bop and how they don’t play enough of it in arenas and I said it was The Clash.

Doh!

Ramones.

Idiot.

-

Chris Bosh might have had the line of the night.

Everyone’s going on about Dirk and his fever and you would have thought he was out there on one leg and blindfolded.

Yes, Dirk was sick. No, he didn’t cheat death.

And, no, the Heat players weren’t sitting on the bench marveling at what they were seeing.

“I've never been out there and somebody pointed and said, he's got a fever. You know what I'm saying?”

-

 

 

 

Comments

[Matt M]

The zone defense seems to give 'hero-ball' players some trouble. Kobe had some last year too, if I recall correctly, and actually needed his teammates to win that championship (god forbid!). Hopefully the trend continues and more teams become better at shutting down players whose primary skill is to dribble into a contested shot. Might be difficult to get players to commit to an team game on offense if the public continues to glorify 'hero-ball' and criticize players who actually pass during crunch time, but if it gets to the point where wins are on the line then I am reservedly hopeful. Basketball is much more fun to watch when all five players are involved in each and every play.
So much for my prediction of Miami in four. I'm glad this series is competitive. I would love to see Dirk avenge the bad loss the last time these two teams met in the championship series. It is always nice to see players shake loose lazy labels such as 'soft'. I think Dirk has done that quite admirably this year.

[Juan]

Doug
I missed most of the game except for the last 10 minutes or so, which were pretty compelling.
Something you likely didn't see that wasn't so compelling was a taped bit from the Heat's pregame huddle in the tunnel. It was supposed to be "spontaneous" and was LeBron attempting to motivate the team with something along the lines of "uh, ok the cameras are on so I have to say something inspirational, and uh, this is a, must-win game and, uh, our backs are against the wall so, uh, this is a must-win game". The rest of the team looked bored and embarrassed..

[David in Oakville]

I would have never guessed Rick Carlisle had a sense of humor.

In general, I don't think they play enough Ramones, anywhere, especially elevators.. but that is just me.

RAMONES! .... god rest their souls.

Am I wrong or does JKidd seem to be afraid to take a shot or drive the lane? In basketball parlance, I think JKidd has lost a whole flight of stairs.

[Jay Menard]

Doug,

Loved your article on Alpha Dog criticism, but I was wondering if there's a limit as to who can criticize whom? It's great for Wade to challenge James; Nowitzki to give constructive criticism of Kidd, but will these superstars have the same respect for a less-skilled player? James make accept advice from a finals' MVP, how would he react if Mario Chalmers pipes up? Does the "Rookies should be seen, not heard" culture still exist?

I love the idea of the grizzled veteran doling out sage advice, but is some hot-shot who has been treated like royalty all his athletic life, going to respect the words of someone like a one-dimensional player like a Reggie Evans, or do they simply say, "Whatever. You can't do one-tenth of the things I can. Why should I listen to you."

I imagine it's like all aspects of life. The good ones get it and respect advice; the know-it-all punks don't have that respect and lose out in the long run, but I'd love your thoughts/perspective on the matter.

[Rich]

Hey Doug, I read somewhere about the Raps and Minnesota discussing a trade of #2 pick and Johnny Flynn for #5 pick and Demar. Please tell me this is garbage

Blogger's note: You need to change your reading habits

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Morning Doug,
I'll take your observation about momentum not carrying over one game to the next in the playoffs a few steps further: There's been no momentum one quarter to the next in this series... barely one TV timeout to the next. All I know is, you really don't want to be missing any fourth quarters. They're off-the-charts crazy.
Good to hear the coaching news will likely hit within two weeks. Good luck in your guise as a ferret. Go get them headlines! Cheers.

[Lawrence]

Hey Scottie, remember that one game in the Finals when Mike only had 8 points...

[Dave in BG]

Doug:

Hint - I found shell casings on a stretcher in the hallway at Parkland. If you want to save time, look there first.
And if you and Uncle Fred have some time to kill, catch a flick at the Texas Theater. Be careful not to sit near "nervous looking" guys though....
But don't bother with the Carousel Club, I think it is closed.

Enjoy!

[AT]

Bosh had a good line but he really did not look good down the stretch... you could tell the nerves got to him in the 4th quarter but he was good and showed a lot of confidence in the first 3 quarters. Ball still "sticks" to him way too much...

Nice to see Chandler so fired up... poor guy could have been watching these games on TV he Colangelo had anything to do with it....

Doug, did you scratch your head a bit when they put Peja out there in the last minute of the game??? Sure he is a great scorer but in a bit of a cold streak, getting on the bench with no minutes????

Blogger's note: Not surprised at all, Heat were going to foul on the catch, you want your best FT shooters on the floor.

[Stephen]

I think this best sums up, in my mind at least, the difference between the Supposed King and the Real One, MJ.

Nobody outside of Miami watches LeBron to see him win. We all watch to see him fail, like last night. When MJ played, everyone watched to see him win, not fail.

[Pipit]

No need to over analyze what's happening to LeBron the past 2 games. Simply, he's playing with somebody whose better than him offensively. Not all players in a team will score more than 30 a game. Wade is offensively better but I won't be surprised that there will be a game wherein LeBron will dominate in the offensive end when Wade has an off night.

I'm very proud of what Bosh had done so far in the finals. Now, he's getting all the credit that he deserves. That is how you vindicate yourself to a city that scorned you after giving everything for 7 years. He just strongly proved to everybody how right he is to leave his former team who is years or even decades away to even compete for a finals berth. Same thing we can say about the Matrix.

[Lorie]

Hi Doug,
So you're in Dallas, mention the school book depository and thoughts wander to JFK. And speeches I remember him making. And then (inexplicably?) applying them to poor LeBron. So, I'm recalling Kennedy saying: "For of those to whom much is given, much is required." And he continued to identify four essential personal qualities: courage, judgement, integrity, dedication. And thinking a bit more, I wonder if LeBron's fear of failure is more than the courage it takes to succeed? Is he being "paralyzed" by remembrance of previous playoffs, specifically against Boston last year where he experienced surprising, impossible defeat? Now, I know nothing of LeBron's personal integrity, nor his dedication to the game and his team,(and his judgement, well, let's leave that one alone for now!) but I'm wondering about his courage. And as a wise woman said courage doesn't always roar (primally or otherwise); sometimes it's just a quiet little voice at the end of the day that vows to try again tomorrow. Hope LeBron starts to listen to a quiet inner voice and not only the roar - or jeers - of the crowd. Cheers! And good luck in the Steamy South - from the Surprisingly Steamy North!

[sam]

@Juan - I saw that LeBron bit last night and thought the same thing: a little forced. I thought the role of motivator was miscast. Shouldn't Wade have been the man? It was his team before LBJ and CB took thier talents to South Beach.
Unfortunately in big time TV sports the networks seem to choose the stars who they build up as the most compelling or popular - I suppose that's why we were all witness to the train wreck that was the "Decision".

The PGA is the worst offender though. For years the Golf coverage was so focused on Tiger Woods, that it made golf coverage hard to watch for me. It also painted a picture of Tiger that wasn't even close to who he really was. Since his fall from grace and personal issues came to light - the TV coverage seems a little lost -
The circus that surround the Heat seems to centre on LBJ and not so much on WADE and BOSH....I guess there are those that crave the limelight and adulation - and those who just want to play the game -

[joe]

Doug,

Thanks for the excellent points on LeBron. All the talent in the world but doesn't seem to have the passion when it counts. If it comes easy great, if not, he doesn't seem to want to go out and get it.

As for Chandler, would love to see him sign here with the Raps in the off-season. He'd be an excellent addition.

[Mike D.]

If you print the entire Bosh quote, does it say "I mean, it's not as if he got poked in the eye or something. That's a whole different level of heroism."?

Also, a highly localized poll of Irregulars reveals significant discontent that today's post didn't comment on the Raptors' Enes Kanter workouts/meetings. Any sage comments?

Blogger's note: None, really. Worked out, looked okay, likely not available at 5

[GM]

@Pipit, I haven't seen Bosh take a really difficult shot. He's just a really good, solid role player, not the kind of player who should get top dollar. When flanked by two guys who can take the brunt of the defensive schemes, he's really valuable. But to have him as your focal point, that's fraught with problems.

@Lorie, you're a spelling goddess so I'm curious about your use of 'judgement' over 'judgment'. I know the 'e' one is a valid variation, but the non-e one is standard. Is it a conscious decision to use the 'e'?

* I've always thought I'd love to go visit Dealey Plaza and all the other related sites. I guess that's the only reason I'd ever want to go to Dallas.

[Lorie]

@GM
Oh, yes. Very conscious on my part. I prefer to use the British English spelling. (Which I think is also visually preferable: the word, by its definition, is serious and sober, and I believe the "e" between the "g" and the "m" gives it some additional gravitas.) And while those in The Other London would have no issues with my "judgement", I understand in the US it's incorrect. But that bothers me not. It's another one of those US vs British spelling things (jewelry and jewellery; medieval and mediaeval; neighbor and neighbour; maneuver and manoeuvre) for which I will always side with the Brits. Cheers! And Pip-Pip!

[doug]

I find it interesting all this LeBron talk he is what he is, to me it just goes with his personna, like last year ripping off his Cav's jersey before he even left the floor after they were eliminated, if he is my so-called team leader then i say see you later, with the Heat it is no different...and also before the game there was much talk about Carlisle's "panic moves' in making changes to his starters, others roles etc, they seemed to work out fine, talk about being out-coached, Spoelstra is not a coach he is a facilitator, a babysitter...and to say Chandler had a solid game is not exactly true, he had a solid second half in the 1st half he played soft and the Heat were staying in the game only because of their dominance on the offensive boards...like i said before this series turns on Terry and Chalmbers whoever wins that battle dictates the games outcome...

[doug]

interesting quote from Steve Nash who i dare say knows his b-ball better then anyone and i mean anyone on this blog....for those with a aversion to anything European check this quote out...

“Dallas obviously has a great leader and scorer in Dirk but they really move the ball well. They play a little more like the European style than we’re accustomed to in the NBA. "

interesting....and why I stay away from any coaching decision talk as tell me what style of play do any of the candidates vying for the Raps job coach??/...a defensive coach or whatever is pure garbage talk there is more, far more to each coaches system or there should be...

[john]

I find it interesing that the Lebron lovers don't post much after a loss. Bosh is who he is. A very, very good role player on the team who will make the open shot or dunk when it is provided for him. They still don't double him till he puts the ball on the floor.

Doug, for all the things that you have been called on, spelling, names, hypotheticals, why so hard on yourself on the Ramones error? The worst is that I was always a huge fan, saw them 7 times in concert and didn't catch the error.

On another note, have you ever flown through Laguardia in NY? I have the over / under on when it was built at the Wright Brothers birthday. Which would you take?

Blogger's note: Too much time at LaGuardia; and I'll take before