Tough luck Heat

101-97 Bulls.

I was actually starting to get a little uncomfortable after the Celtics couldn't pull it off and do what the Bulls just did. I pains me to say it, but I'm glad the Laker Streak is still alive.

DBROWN,

I am glad also. The Celtics / Lakers go so far back and although there is no love loss between the two teams, there is respect. I do believe there is a an invisible bond that links these two teams. If they are not battling one another and beating their brains in, I believe they do pull for one another.

For one thing I do not respect Miami, their organization, their President, their coach and their thug players........so no matter what achievements they rack up, they will never achieve the greatness of the Celtics or the Lakers!

112288

You guys know I haven't been much of a LeBron fan or Heat fan over recent years, but I've come to understand lately life is too short to despise specific players and/or teams. LeBron has matured, is an incredible player in the NBA and is an obstacle to our success right now. It makes our game very interesting with him in the league and how we plan to attack and triumph over everything Heat. The league wouldn't be as colorful without Lebron and the Heat.

They just have come up with a different way of winning championships that's not the Celtic way but nonetheless a way to win championships. More power to them and hopefully much more power to us to devise a way to knock them off!

Miami played from behind one too many times.

It will be interesting to see if they suffer a letdown and lose a couple of games in the next week. That seems all too common after such a long streak.

To: 112288 and dbrown-

I agree with both of you. I have no respect for how the Heat conduct business. The way they do it is corrupt and undermines the fabric of sport. It reflects the downward spiral of the United States as a country.

MD!

Fuck the Heat

MDCelticsFan wrote:To: 112288 and dbrown-

I agree with both of you. I have no respect for how the Heat conduct business. The way they do it is corrupt and undermines the fabric of sport. It reflects the downward spiral of the United States as a country.

MD!

How is what Miami has done corrupt and undermines the fabric of sport?

Lebron should stop whining, you just lost to a team without their starting center and best player has been out the whole year. I get he doesn't understand the law of the jungle what comes around goes around. Where was he when his own teammate wrestled someone to the ground and breaks their arm and breaks someone elses nose? Were those basketball plays?

Lebron rarely complains about referees or lack of calls.
If he wants to complain about one game so be it, it's not a big deal.
I doubt you will hear him complain again for the rest of the regular season.

I too have come to respect queeniebronbron more than I once did. but let's not get ahead of ourselves. he's only one one championship. hopefully he never wins another. I could care less about the miami warm as a franchise. The Lakers are another matter. I've never liked them. As many times as the C's and L's have played it wasn't really a rivalry until the Legend started losing to them. When Az has beachfront property we will never hear about those guys again.

tjmakz wrote:Lebron rarely complains about referees or lack of calls.
If he wants to complain about one game so be it, it's not a big deal.
I doubt you will hear him complain again for the rest of the regular season.

Lebron went TWO WEEKS without being called for a foul back in December and has never fouled out of a game in his career. You dont hear him complain much - because he plays by a different set of rules.

Mrkleen09,
Actually, LJ has fouled out of a game before. Last time it happened was in last year's ECF. Before that he's fouled out in 2008.
No wonder he doesn't complain much about refs and bad calls.

AK

Lebron rarely fouls on defense because people don't take the ball at him.
They settle for jump shots.
He is a phenomenal one on one defender.
He has tremendous strength, athleticism and body control.

sinus007 wrote:Mrkleen09,
Actually, LJ has fouled out of a game before. Last time it happened was in last year's ECF. Before that he's fouled out in 2008.
No wonder he doesn't complain much about refs and bad calls.

AK

Sorry....twice in 9 years.

tjmakz wrote:Lebron rarely fouls on defense because people don't take the ball at him.
They settle for jump shots.
He is a phenomenal one on one defender.
He has tremendous strength, athleticism and body control.

Scottie Pippen averaged 2.8 fouls per game.
Micheal Cooper averaged 2.7
Gary Payton averaged 2.4
John Havlicek averaged 2.6
Bill Russell averaged 2.7
Tim Duncan averages 2.5

Lebron averages 1.8

Are you telling us that Lebron is a better defender than those guys, the best defenders in NBA history? Give me a break.

mrkleen09 wrote:

tjmakz wrote:Lebron rarely fouls on defense because people don't take the ball at him.
They settle for jump shots.
He is a phenomenal one on one defender.
He has tremendous strength, athleticism and body control.

Scottie Pippen averaged 2.8 fouls per game.
Micheal Cooper averaged 2.7
Gary Payton averaged 2.4
John Havlicek averaged 2.6
Bill Russell averaged 2.7
Tim Duncan averages 2.5

Lebron averages 1.8


Are you telling us that Lebron is a better defender than those guys, the best defenders in NBA history? Give me a break.

I am saying that people don't take the ball at Lebron.
Who challenges him?

Do you think that Garnett doesn't get away with a push off on almost every screen he sets?

Do you think Pierce doesn't travel when he gets the ball near the 3 point line and starts to make a move?

Do you think that Kobe doesn't often get the benefit of the doubt like he did at the end of the game last night?

Lebron plays by the same rules as those guys and other stars play by.

Those numbers dont lie TJ.

The best defenders in the history of the NBA were all called for more fouls per game that the King.

So you either think that Lebron is the best defender in history - or you think he gets the benefit of the doubt. Which is it?

mrkleen09 wrote:Those numbers dont lie TJ.

The best defenders in the history of the NBA were all called for more fouls per game that the King.

So you either think that Lebron is the best defender in history - or you think he gets the benefit of the doubt. Which is it?

You can't make an analysis or draw any conclusions about how good a defensive player is by the amount of fouls they commit per game.

Those numbers are like looking at field goal percentage.
Since Artis Gilmore and Shaq shot a very high percentage over their careers, were they great shooters?

I do think Lebron is an all-time great defensive player.
This should be the 5th year in a row that Lebron is on the 1st Team All-defensive team.

TJ,
Since you mentioned Kobe defending Lebron. Also, being a Lakers fan.
Why do you think many Celtics fans respect KB and don't respect LJ?

AK

Michael Jordan was bigger superstar and a better defensive player than Lebron and averaged more fouls per game.

Every winner of the NBA Defensive Player of the year award - from Centers to PG - ALL AVERAGED MORE fouls per game than Lebron.

That is Gary Payton, Dwight Howard, David Robinson, Ron Artest, Dennis Rodman, Sidney Moncrief, Alonzo Mourning, even 4 time defensive player of the year winners Ben Wallace and Dikembe Mutombo, averaged more fouls per game than Lebron

Lebron is a great player and a great athlete - but he clearly gets the benefit of less calls and more leeway than anyone in the NBA. it isnt even close.

sinus007 wrote:TJ,
Since you mentioned Kobe defending Lebron. Also, being a Lakers fan.
Why do you think many Celtics fans respect KB and don't respect LJ?

AK

I don't know if that is true that many Celtics fans respect KB and don't respect LJ.
I would only be guessing if that were true.
I think part of the hatred for LeBron by Boston fans is that he and his team are at the top of the mountain right now, where Kobe and his team aren't.
I think it is a little bit like the Yankees and Red Sox over the years.
When they were both serious contenders, the hatred was at its pinnacle.
This year with the Yankees and Red Sox probably struggling around the .500 mark, there is not going to be a lot of real hatred for the other team.

I think Kobe has respect by many people, not for the person he is, but for the competitor he is.
All he wants to do is win.
LeBron might not have the same fire in him that Kobe has but LeBron makes sacrifices too for the benefit of his team and to help his team win.

mrkleen09 wrote:Michael Jordan was bigger superstar and a better defensive player than Lebron and averaged more fouls per game.

Every winner of the NBA Defensive Player of the year award - from Centers to PG - ALL AVERAGED MORE fouls per game than Lebron.

That is Gary Payton, Dwight Howard, David Robinson, Ron Artest, Dennis Rodman, Sidney Moncrief, Alonzo Mourning, even 4 time defensive player of the year winners Ben Wallace and Dikembe Mutombo, averaged more fouls per game than Lebron

Lebron is a great player and a great athlete - but he clearly gets the benefit of less calls and more leeway than anyone in the NBA. it isnt even close.

Michael Jordan didn't get superstar calls?

There is still no way to compare the amount of foul calls against a player to either how good of a defensive player they are or if they get superstar treatment from the referees.

Kobe averages 2.6 fouls per game.
Are you going to tell me that LeBron because he averages less fouls per game, gets better treatment from the referees?

Again, watch a HEAT game closely and you will see that virtually no player takes the ball to Lebron to try to initiate contact.

tjmakz wrote:Are you going to tell me that LeBron because he averages less fouls per game, gets better treatment from the referees?

Kobe gets as many if not more calls FOR him as Lebron. But on the defensive end, it isnt even close. Lebron is the poster child for Absurdly preferential treatment.

Someone that defends well and plays 40+ minutes a game should be in foul trouble more often than once every 4 years. Sorry.