Where did all the dancing in Cleveland go? How about everybody mugging for their pretend cameras and acting like they're superstars? Remember LeBron and his butlers Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker brushing their faux lapels and canoodling with each other before games- what happened to all that? Is the Dancing With The Cavs era over in Cleveland?
Maybe Antawn Jamison is the Cavs' problem. He's put up decent regular season numbers for several teams during his career, but is a playoff disappointment when he finds his way there. In his one season with the Mavericks he earned 6th man of the year on the way to a 5 game playoff exit to the Kings as a five seed. In 2001 with Golden St., his most productive year ever, his team finished with a league worst 17 wins. Five ho hum years in Washington ended with Gilbert Arenas being kept despite bringing crime to the locker room, and team captain Jamison being shipped out. After last night's weak 9 point 6 rebound performance, maybe the Cavs need to go back to more Varejao who had more boards, assists and steals in half as many minutes.
Maybe Shaq is the problem. He did score 21 last night, but with only 4 rebounds. The Cavs were outrebounded 41-31 and their starting center only managed 4 boards in 26 minutes. His ancient backup Ilgauskas only added a paltry 3 more off the glass in 14 minutes. Shaq left Phoenix and the team improved dramatically. Now he's with Phoenix who may be underachieving to a 2nd round exit. Has he gone from The Big Aristotle to The Big Marbury? Is he now a guy who makes his team better on paper but really does more to hold them back with his increasing limitations?
Mike Brown isn't looking too much better. It becomes more and more clear that the Cavs will need another play besides "Give LeBron the ball for an ISO" and "LeBron, bring the ball up and call an ISO". Is it Brown's idea to give hard hustling Varejao's playoff minutes to softies like Jamison and Ilgauskas? Is it Brown who can't motivate anyone on the Cavs to play defense? 120 points in a home game 5 to the Celtics who are defense first in mentality?
Speaking of defense, the Celtics stifled LeBron to 14 points on 3-14 shooting. He was 0-4 from downtown. His only recourse was to crash the lane and count on the refs to make the call, but even David Stern can't orchestrate a fix when you're down by 15 and can't hit a jump shot. The Celtics shot 55% to the Cavs' 41%. Boston also kept fresh bigs in the mix and effectively used fouls to disrupt the Cavs' rhythm during their decisive 2nd quarter outburst. Even Shelden Williams got minutes and kept Shaq and Ilgauskas in check.
LeBron said he wanted to guard Rondo after the 6'1" guard gutted Boston on Sunday. Instead, Coach Brown kept him primarily on Paul Pierce who shredded him for 21 points, 11 boards and 7 assists with 2 steals and only 1 turnover, equalling or bettering LeBron in every category.
MVP, first team All-Defense, and a bust when his team needed him most.
Joakim Noah said, "What's so good about Cleveland?" After last night, I'm wondering what's so good about LeBron?
The Celtics are a game away from silencing doubters who had them in career coffins. Does LeBron have it in him to force a game 7 or is he already planning out the summer of free agency he's been dreaming about?
