Who’s Going to Help LeBron?
LeBron James (photo. Mannion)You think LeBron James is watching these NBA Finals? ‘Bron was in this same position a year ago (closer to where the Lakers stand than the Celtics), and despite the fact that he’s better than everyone on the ’08 Eastern Conference champs, he’s sitting at home right now because his team’s front office has failed him in regards to getting a legit supporting cast. So what are the Cavs gonna do this summer to fix that? One rumor coming out of Cleveland says the team is interested in trading for T.J. Ford, who’s pretty much a lock to leave Toronto: he doesn’t want to be a backup and the Raptors are about to hand Jose Calderon a fat chunk of cash and the starting job along with it … Another name tied to the Cavs in trade rumors has been Jermaine O’Neal. Would the Cavs be a better team if they could unload some of their albatross contracts and pick up J.O.? Obviously. But according to Cleveland’s News-Herald, one “league source” said it would be a horrible move for the Cavs. “He’s not the guy that’s advertised,” the source said. “He’d be the worst guy for LeBron. He’s a black hole. He never passes out of double teams. It would limit what LeBron can do. It would be a disaster.” … If Cleveland is in the market for a 6-7 point guard with maybe the biggest high-risk/high-reward factor in the League, Shaun Livingston may be available. Assuming his knee is strong enough to be cleared for Opening Night ’08, would you want Shaun Livingston on your team? … And of course if none of those moves work out, the Cavs did extend a summer-league invite to Wayne Simien, so they’ve got nothing to worry about … After the whole Doug Collins thing fell through, the Bulls apparently decided to go the complete opposite direction, having reportedly hired a guy with zero NBA head coaching experience: Vinny Del Negro. Beating out finalists Chuck Person and Dwane Casey, Del Negro comes to Chicago from his assistant GM position with the Suns. All we know now is that something really funny or really dramatic needs to happen with this team so Luke Wilson can play Vinny in the movie. We could see Jake Gyllenhaal playing Kirk Hinrich, but who would play Joakim Noah? … While everyone is still talking about the officiating from Sunday’s Celtics/Lakers game, let’s instead focus on the fact that the Lakers waited 40 minutes too long before they stopped playing soft. One of the primary offenders? Lamar Odom. He was pretty terrible all game long, and whereas he got benched for the last few minutes of Game 1, Odom didn’t play the entire fourth quarter of Game 2. “Lamar got confused out there,” Phil Jackson said in his post-game press conference. “Situations that got him into foul trouble and little offensive sequences that, rather than just taking a shot or making the right play, he looked like he was a confused player out there at times. We’ll try and get that straightened out.” That’s not what you want to hear about your third-best player when you’re already staring at an 0-2 Finals deficit … But who takes the blame for the Celtics blowing their big 24-point lead in the fourth quarter? Doc Rivers is always a popular choice — he’s been getting scape-goated ever since he took over in Boston — but Mike Fratello (who used to coach Rivers when he played for the Hawks) told the Boston Globe that Doc gets too much hate thrown his way. “Ridiculous,” Fratello said to the idea that Doc is a “feel” coach and not a strategist. “Doc is one of the best in the League at devising plays in the final seconds of a close game. He has an excellent X-and-O background. But that’s what happens today. There’s so much media, so many blogs, so many opinions, that one person labels you something and it sticks, and there’s nothing you can do.” … One of the Dime crew who was at Game 2 swears a significant part of the blown lead falls on Doc because he didn’t take Leon Powe out of the game at a time when the Boston fans could have given Powe a standing ovation. It brought up the argument in the office yesterday: How much impact do fans really have on ballplayers? … For what it’s worth, Paul Pierce did say the C’s fans gave him a boost during the game and helped him forget about his injured knee. “I didn’t really think about the injury,” Pierce said. “You hear the crowd, the adrenaline is going. I didn’t think about it. I just went out and played.” … Last week we did the ’96 NBA Draft Do-Over, where Kobe went #1 overall over Allen Iverson, Steve Nash and the rest of that illustrious class. Yesterday we looked at the ’95 Draft, headlined by Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse. Who would go #1 if teams had a chance to do it all over again? And would Big Country REALLY still go in the Lottery? … We’re out like The Rifleman
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June 10th, 2008 at 12:16 am
knoc says:
If celts can steal one away from home its a wrap for odom and the lakeshow.
June 10th, 2008 at 12:44 am
givemedanumba says:
first?
June 10th, 2008 at 12:55 am
Duke says:
Can you guys imagine Kobe if the Lakers got swept? I wonder who he would throw under the bus this time?
June 10th, 2008 at 12:58 am
fallinup says:
L.A. wins the next 1.
Boston wins the one after.
L.A. fights off elimination and wins another.
Boston wins, close out L.A. Game 6, baby.
Actor to play Joakim Noah??? Marty Feldman.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m38/beezybiscuit/MartyFeldman.jpg
June 10th, 2008 at 1:38 am
MoxWestCoastRep says:
Paul Pierce didnt think about the injury because there WAS No injury. Faker.
I heard PP might sign with Man U nxt season…
Who cares what player the Cavs get- LBJ is going to play for Jigga in 2 yrs.
No Chance Boston wins in LA.
Lakers in 7!
June 10th, 2008 at 2:14 am
the n@gg@you love to hate says:
Yeah LeBron is gone in 2010 enjoy Cleveland Bandwagoners
@fallinup- Yeah I got money on Boston in Six and Paul P. as MVP On SportsBetting.com make me rich bitch!!
@MoxWestCoastRep- Man you already know you ain’t winning nothing you know it and I know it(lol)
@givemedanumba- Manye get that gay ass dick in the booty ass rainbow fucking fruit loop troop shit out of here!! This DimeMag not homo for hire!!! put the south in ya mouth!!(RIP PIMP C)
June 10th, 2008 at 2:41 am
Lamar Odom says:
*Singing*
I was going to run the triangle, but then I got high
oooo .. oooo
I was going to run the fast break, but then I got high
oooo .. oooo
We’re down 0-2 the the celts, and I know why
WHY
Because I got high, because I got high, because I got high !!
June 10th, 2008 at 3:37 am
sans says:
I would love to see the Cavs grab Villanueva from Boston, or Bobby Simmons. No one will take Livingston until he can run in front of people. And Bron won’t leave the MAX contract that the Cavs offer him, although he might sign a new deal and whine his way into a trade like everybody else. Oh, and the Melo to Detroit deal would be hilarious. Darko’s the only stain on gentleman joe’s blue sport coat. Anybody think Serge Ibaka might be the Darko of this draft? Personally, I think it’s gumby OJ who will flop the hardest.
June 10th, 2008 at 4:46 am
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
No mention of Gilbert Arenas opting out of his contract?
June 10th, 2008 at 4:47 am
Jack Nicholson says:
You want The Truth???
L.A. CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!!!!!
Celts by 7 tonight
June 10th, 2008 at 4:59 am
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
Also nobody has really talked about Mike Beasley measuring 6’7″ at the combine. Is he still the number one pick?
June 10th, 2008 at 6:11 am
jz_smoove says:
Lakers in 7? HAHAHAHHAHAHA
June 10th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Celts Fan says:
Sans, biggest bust of the Draft will be Brook Lopez. He will never live up to the top 5 (potentially top 3) choice he’ll be.
Spliff, people have been talking aobut it, but Beasley comes to 6’8″ in shoes – 6’7″ was a barefoot measurement – and has a short neck with long arms, so he plays more like he’s 6’10″ supposedly (Dwight Howard’s a perfect example of that. He’s really only 6’9″ barefoot but people would swear he’s 7 ft. tall.)
June 10th, 2008 at 8:47 am
eric says:
I am surprised (and annoyed) to see how people change their mindset in a heartbeat when predicting the outcome of a series.Before the first 2 games everyone had the celts lose the series. And now its the celts win in 6. Even heard the word sweep on many occasions. At least people start to realise how the lakers are overrated (inconsistent LO, useless rad,…). And all those espn analysts who look like fools now…. Whereas every laker outside of kobe believes they can’t reasonnably win 3 games in a row, they will have another shot at the title and their window is still open, kg and co know the time is now and will be happy if they steal at least one game in LA Celts just want it more
June 10th, 2008 at 9:22 am
GEE...They said a country boy came through and then changed the game says:
I think I am going to say the regular season thus far was better than the playoffs.
I think the regular season gave everyone, including myself, a false sense that all games would be as dramatic as the season itself was.
So far this playoffs, not a lot of scoring in 40′s and 50′s.
No fights.
Plenty of bad flopping and missed calls or wrong calls.
Rival teams not as heated as they should be with each other.
Lot of excuses for losing.
Granted you did have the LeBron is overrated deal, Paul’s fake-real injury and a couple of other things. Still just hasn’t been what I thought it would be.
I am really hoping it will go 7 for the final. Something big just needs to happen. I just feel like something is or has been missing from the playoffs this year.
What would be the best playoffs ever? I don’t know, have to dwell on it a minute.
Anyway aside from draft, drama and all. I just want 7 games out this series.
June 10th, 2008 at 9:38 am
rodnets says:
Celtics sweep, Kobe weeps.
Actor to play Noah? Will Smith (shaved of course).
Vinnie Del Negro will not last a couple of months with that team. You need a proven guy, Chicago management sucks!
June 10th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Logan Light says:
What’s up with the rumors of Michael Redd going to Cleavland? And I still think that Baron would be a sick compliment to LeBron… really though, he needs a point who can create his own shot and provide offense to actually get LeBron EASY shots – holy crap, can you imagine if that happened? That just hit me… if Bron is catching the lob off of a screen and roll and getting easy buckets, what kind of D is he going to put up? Eww.
Wally is gone for sure by the way.
Lamar kind of spaces out every now and then… but that’s what you should expect out of your 3rd option right? If he didn’t have those moments he would have been the man years ago. It’s what makes LO, LO.
LL
June 10th, 2008 at 10:30 am
word says:
celtics better not let the lakers go up 3 games.. i hope celts in 7.
June 10th, 2008 at 10:40 am
DaPro says:
If the Bulls play anything like thier coach Vinny D then,
They’ll be great at home and suck on the road
For those of you who don’t know he was notorious for that, averaging close to 15 or so a game at home for the Spurs and 6 on the road
LA takes Game 3 riding on the momentum of the fans, Boston wins Game 4, LA gets Game 5, Boston closes in 6
June 10th, 2008 at 10:42 am
JDish says:
“Luke Wilson can play Vinny in the movie. We could see Jake Gyllenhaal playing Kirk Hinrich”, but who would play Joakim Noah…?
The guy is one of a kind, a character like no other, no actor can duplicate what Joakim is like.
But just for kicks, is Sinbad still around?
June 10th, 2008 at 10:44 am
JDish says:
Wait, wait, if Sinbad is still around, is he even in shape…? I think he is not…
June 10th, 2008 at 10:45 am
DaPro says:
An actress would have to play Noah
I’m thinking Cate Blanchett
http://www.actressarchives.com/cate/
June 10th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Austin Burton says:
@Logan — It’s the Finals. I don’t think it’s too much to ask for someone you’re paying $13 million to focus for 7 games.
June 10th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Austin Burton says:
Good call on Sinbad. Even though he’s like 45-50 years old, he is pretty tall. I think he’s like 6-5, which is giant for an actor. And he played college ball, I heard.
June 10th, 2008 at 10:58 am
DJ Go Go Gomez says:
Agent 0 ends up in Cleveland on a Mid-level deal cuz Washington doesn’t give him the max.
June 10th, 2008 at 11:10 am
word says:
damn Doug Collins fucked everything up, he would’ve been a good coach I think but I’m curious to see how Vinny does. I’m more curious to see what trades they make, they should try to get TJ Ford.
June 10th, 2008 at 11:23 am
JDish says:
Sinbad played in college. So he would be a good fit to play Joakim Noah in some future movie.
On the Lebron issue, I’m sick of watching Bron play all by himself. I mean the rest of the Cavs are just plain role players, with all do respect. The Cavs need to make a trade and at least bringing in TJ Ford is good…to start with.
The bottom line: get Lebron some help, some REAL help.
June 10th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Goldman says:
Doug Collins already worked for the fucked up Bulls Management. That’s why he’s not interested.
June 10th, 2008 at 11:33 am
shake&bake says:
I don’t know that TJ Ford is the type of player who can put the Cavs over the top. Baron Davis is much more of a difference maker.
June 10th, 2008 at 11:55 am
for real says:
We used to call him Vinny El Negro ’cause he had no D. At all. All Vinny did in S.A. was screw up every fast break he ever tried to run and occasionally hit rhythm jumpers from the wings.
Chicago is going to be horrible this year.
June 10th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Chuck...Haters come in all fashions and forms so bear arms says:
I like the Baron idea, better than Jermaine O’neal and Micheal Redd, and the Cavs BETTER NOT go for Gilbert Arenas and his bum knee!
T.J. Ford, HECK NO! NOT what the cavs need. They really just need some MAJOR roster reconstruction. All I would keep from that bunch is big z, bron, west, gibson, povlovich and that’s it. The rest, scrap em!!
June 10th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
doc says:
Gee what Lebron overated deal?I see people saying get the man some help and everyday some random second banana getting thrown up on the board to help him out.The man took 4 bums to the chip last year and lost to the team with 3 potential HOFers in 7.If you say thats overated you mines will just say I hate the kid Lebron because thats really what it is.All I know is Kobe better at least go 7 with all these dickriders he got in here.They was talking that Lebron a bum shit when he lost in 7 with 45 in the deciding game.And talking about how Kobe cant go out like that.I hope yall right JUST FOR THIS Year.He better go take these home games if he the best.No excuses.Punch one down on KG head and get the hometown hype.I seen it done before.All I know is Lebron LO and Pau would have the house money in this series so if Kobe cant get it done what can the Kobe diehards say next?
June 10th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
GEE...They said a country boy came through and then changed the game says:
doc I wasn’t saying LeBron is overrated myself. I was saying that was part of the little bit of drama in the playoffs this year. That whole DeShawn thing where, and I think it was before playoffs, he called dude overrated but in the playoffs Jay-Z made a wack response or diss tract to big up his dude LeBron.
So naw no hate there. I most def. agree dude needs some help.
Now as far as LeBron doing more with LO and Pau I have to think it would be the same. Mind you LeBron has had off games and also there have been games where he has fallen short too.
I think LeBron and Lo and Pau would still be down 0-2. But naw doc dude ain’t overrated.
June 10th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
doc says:
I got you Gee but Lebron,Pau,and LO would kill Beantown.You can say they cant all you want but I bet you none of them Beantown fans want to see that.See the diff between Kobe and Bron where I like Bron has nothing to do with skill.Kobe got that thing where he will just clown his teamates in front of everybody on TV if they fuck up.He puts his team in a funk and they go into that cant fuck up so Kobe dont scream me shell.And being a player myself I know that will hurt more than help.His team wins and the cameras are all on him.If I played with him there would be some resentment not because his game but how he talk to his teamates like I know Im better than you.Mike came at players but the most crazy stuff is always some practice shit.Behind closed doors.Thats how a real leader does it.Bron got more right than anybody to be showing up them jokers they call players on his team but when has he showed them up on the court.Any of the great ones really?Who acts like Kobe during timeouts or on the sidelines that was great?
June 10th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
rell says:
Lebron might not have done it more than Kobe, but Lebron those do it. I heard he showed up Drew Gooden on several occasions and that might be the reason Gooden isn’t there anymore. Bill Simmons mentioned the Drew Gooden incident in his article once before. That is probably the reason Gooden told Deshawn about the comments Lebron made about him and the Wizards.
I have a question for the board. If the team you root for in any sports make it to the ‘ship, do you like to see a good game or series. Personally, I want my team to blow the other team out. I don’t want to see a good game. I don’t enjoy a close game if my team is playing. I was enjoying the Celtics game Sunday night until the last 7 minutes in the game. I only want to see a good game/series if I don’t care who wins.
June 10th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
for real says:
what’s with ABC’s F’ed up sound?
Same ish last game – that ish fades in and out.
June 10th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
godfreyallstar says:
beasley was 6-7 without shoes, 6-8 and change with shoes