Links To The Present: April 30th, 2010
2010-04-30
“At age 25, James becomes the second-youngest to win back-to-back MVPs. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was a couple of months younger when he won his back-to-back award in 1972. The others two win back-to-back are Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Abdul-Jabbar. Only Bird, Chamberlain and Russell ever won the award three years in a row.” [Brian Windhorst on LBJ MVP]
LeBron to receive the Maurice Podoloff trophy in NYC Akron.
“They played terrific defense against the Heat, especially in Boston, and did something no Celtics team has done in the past three years — win a playoff series in fewer than six games. That gave them time to prepare for Cleveland — not that there are really any surprises left — and, more important, to rest up. They’re going to need it.” [Peter May – ESPNBoston]
“It’s tougher because we’ve got to go there,” he said. “We’ve got to grind it out, go there first. But we have to make sure we go with the mentality of attack first. That’s how it is. You’ve got to go to the fight — bring it to them and attack their fortress. Bust their wall in with a wood tree and attack at night. That’s how it is.” [Glen Davis Watching Too Many Medieval Movies]
“His matchup with Antawn Jamison could be the most important of the series. The Cavaliers acquired Jamison to stretch the floor and force power forwards such as Garnett to guard the perimeter, making more driving space for LeBron James.” [Gary Washburn – Boston.com]
“And so it is only fitting that the next step in this run would pit the Cavs against the team that started it all. While some of the details may have changed (Cleveland now has the better record, both teams have managed to win on the other’s floor, and the Cavs are the favorite), the same script is in place. The main characters remain for Boston. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, and Kendrick Perkins are all starting for the Celtics, just as they were in 2008. LeBron, Delonte, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Anderson Varejao were a part of that 2008 Cavs team (Daniel Gibson was injured at the time), and you know they are chomping at the bit to try and exact some revenge.” [Colin Zvosec]
Looking for Chinks in the Cavs Armor
I always thought the idea of bulletin board material was ridiculous. Shouldn’t professionals being paid millions of dollars have enough incentive to play hard? Then again, LeBron has a history of “going off” after a fan/player/Bosh girlfriend harassed him.
Dwight Howard told to stop whining
Tweets To The Present: (follow me @tompestak)
“If the Rockets get Bosh over New York because they can sign and trade for Hill, I will laugh so much that I might die.” [NoamSchiller]
“With two series ending last night, Cavs-Celtics Game 1 locked in at 8 pm now.” [Brian Windhorst]
“More like relief that its over. Few fan bases more willingly shoot messengrs RT @Kevin_Mouritsen Spurs beat Mavs in 6. Vindication?” [John Hollinger]
I love how the headline on NBA.com is ‘High stakes for cavs, celtics.’
Like, no sh*t sherlock, its the second round of the god damn playoffs. Really, Journalists, I mean…
LBJ: Give us the gate key
G’BB’D: I have no gate key.
LBJ: Shaquille, tear his arms off.
G’BB’D: Oh you mean this gate key.
as opposed to a ceramic tree, duh
If that’s how he does it, I feel sorry for his girlfriend
“Bust their wall in with a wood tree”…what??
Jamario Moon = Ray Allen stopper.
I’m with you, Tom. I’ve always assumed that come big-games, there was no “extra motivation.” All of the talk in the Bulls series was stuff like, play with intensity, hustle, chip on your shoulder. I always think, how can you even tell? Maybe the Bulls just hit a lot shots. Remember how Mark Cameron said that the Cavs will give up the mid-range shot because it’s the least efficient shot in basketball? Maybe the Bulls just hit an inordinate number of those shots, because the Cavs concede that shot over layups and 3s. Same way about the Celtics and Lakers.… Read more »
I’m not sure how much evidence there is that it even exists. I only point to the LeBron examples because you can see on TV he goes into Video game mode after jawing with people. But who knows, maybe he does that every game we just don’t see it and he doesn’t refer to it. Example: i didn’t actually see him talking to the bulls bench when he said they were daring him to shoot jumpers.
I agree Tom. I never understood the whole bulletin board material thing. It’s the playoffs, you are getting paid way to much money to play a game, how are you not always hyped to the max? But, I guess it’s human nautre to let down no matter how much you get paid? I dunno.