My thoughts on the next series

I love Lebron James.  He is the greatest player of his generation.  

Yes he is a control freak just like every superstar that we know.

I do not see where he has done bad things.  His taking his talents to South Beach were rendered irrelevant when he returned home and was able to bring Cleveland a championship.

Now on to the matchups.

I would start Semi on Lebron and bring Morris off the bench.  Semi should play Lebron just like he did the freak.  Play him to drive.  James has shot below 30% from deep.

Al on Love should work but it may take Al away from the glass.

Rozier on Hill.  I like this matchup.  Hill has also been a poor shooter from deep.

Jaylen on JR Smith.  Jaylen is excellent on the perimeter and his length should bother Smith.

Tatum on Kover ..just check his quick trigger.  

These matchups favor Boston except for James. Morris on Green and Smart on anybody.

The Celtics will win this series

Larkin will be missed off Bench.  Baynes will bang with Thompson,

I too like Semi on LeBron with Morris as the 2nd fiddle.

Semi may start , but lets be honest Morris will probably be the guy guarding Lebron the most minutes each game.

if Semi can give us 12 solid minutes banging with LeBron all the better

Jaylen would be my third choice with maybe even Smart pestering the King a few minutes a game.

fact is the way we switch on defense it doesn't really mater much.

I originally started this thread with match ups only as a way for me to try to focus my thoughts better. The truth is we will have to guard LeBron as a team and hopefully he doesn't find many easy match ups too often with our switching defense.

LeBron has a very high BB IQ as most elite players do , so he will exploit any match up mistakes on our part.

I still say it may be best to use our youth and try to run the Cav's out of the building each game

mrkleen09 wrote:Swish, try not to get distracted here.  Lets get back to your original point

swish wrote:

Shamrock

 "Other than the fact that he has always played for major Celtics rivals, I don't get why so many disparage Lebron.
"

  My answer to your above question - is
Extreme partisanship towards one's favorite players or - a common sense lack of basketball  knowledge.

  swish

What does disliking an egotistical jerk like Lebron have to do with "lack of basketball knowledge"???

He is a jerk.  Period.  He not only abandoned his hometown team, he embarrassed them in a 60 minute TV spectacle.  Plus the examples I already showed, are MORE THAN ENOUGH reason to think he is an asshole and "disparage" him as Shamrock said.

If you think talent is more important than character, thats fine.  But the whole "the only reason you can dislike Lebron is that you dont understand basketball" argument is foolish.

I respect Lebron as a competitor.  I respect what he has done for kids in Akron.  But I dont have to like him, and that has nothing to do with my understanding of the sport.

   mrkleen

    Your certainly entitled to your opinion of James - I have no issue with it - but I do believe that there are some old timers out there that choose to berate Lebron simply because they will not except the reality that it's quite possible that Lebron is a better basketball player then Russell - and that's where a lack of basketball knowledge of the 50's - 60's comes into play. No proof - just an opinion.

 swish

In my book, LeBron is the best player in this era. Russell was the best in his era. Apples and oranges.

1960s
Chamberlain-Russell

1970s
Kareem- Dr J

1980s
Bird-Magic

1990s
Jordan- Olajuwon- Shaq

2000's
Kobe- Tim Duncan

2010's
LeBron- Durant- Steph


add others to the list in the closest decade they belong, like West and the big O in the 1960s, etc. stop comparing players form different eras, it cannot be done. Pick the best you feel and let them be the greatest of their time, they were.

kdp - thanks for bringing rational perspective back to this forum...

worcester wrote:In my book, LeBron is the best player in this era. Russell was the best in his era. Apples and oranges.

  Apples and oranges ? - Basketball and baseball - no,,,,,,Basketball and basketball - yes

 swish

You can forget about it. People are always going to compare players and eras. It happens in all sports and it happens in real life as well. I love it everytime one of these discussions pops up and hijacks a thread. I love seeing people get pissed off because they can't force their opinions down everyone's throats. I love it when people stand up to the bullies and give their opinions anyway. And keep the discussion going. We are never going to say that Bill Russell isn't the greatest of all time because he was. That would be like saying that Teddy Ballgame wasn't the greatest hitter of all time. But it's all good.

mrkleen09 wrote:

Shamrock1000 wrote:

Lebron is ridiculously good at basketball. Other than "The Decision", he has mostly carried himself with class and dignity, and even the decision was more a result of not understanding his impact on the region than a real character flaw. Other than the fact that he has always played for major Celtics rivals, I don't get why so many disparage Lebron.

Here are a couple of others.

#1 - He named HIMSELF the King.

#2 - Zero Humility or Self Reflection - all about the king.  Remember this gem?
"All the people that was rooting on me to fail, at the end of the day they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before they woke up today."

#3 - He disrespected Bill Russell TWICE

*Said catagorically he was one of the best 4 of all time - and would be on the mytical NBA Mount Rushmore.  Bill responded in kind

“Hey, thank you for leaving me off your Mount Rushmore. I’m glad you did. Basketball is a team game, it’s not for individual honors. I won back-to-back state championships in high school, back-to-back NCAA championships in college. I won an NBA championship my first year in the league, an NBA championship in my last year, and nine in between. That, Mr. James, is etched in stone.”

Second time, when he moved to Miami (after the Decision), he decided #23 should be retired and never worn again, out of respect for an all time great - Michael Jordan.  This idiot then selects #6 to wear - a number worn by the greatest winner in professional basketball history.  

Then after returning to Cleveland, guess what number wasnt sacred any more?  23.

What a clown.

Kleen, I appreciate your explanation. I don't necessarily agree, but you stated your reasons, which is more than most will do. I say I don't agree because nothing you listed tells me Lebron has any sort of serious character flaw. Regarding "The Decision", that was definitely a little tone deaf on Lebron's part, but he was still only a 25 year old kid who wanted to form a super team with his buddies. Doesn't seem like a mortal sin. Furthermore, as someone else pointed out, he tried to (and pretty much did) make ammends later when he returned to Cleveland and brought a championship. I thought his letter to Cleveland upon his return was quite good and self aware. Regarding annointing himself the king, I can't find any definitive proof that it he gave himself that moniker. Even if he did, it definitely doesn't really seem like such a big thing. Howard Stern crowned himself the king of all media (okay, maybe a bad example for some folks). The quote about people going back to their jobs - I think there is another way to look at it. He was still a young man who came from nothing learning to deal with the relentless glare of the spotlight. After losing a tough series and reading an ocean of negative press and comments, he lashed out in a moment's frustration. Seems entirely understandable to me. Honestly, there is also more than a little truth to what he was saying. Finally, regarding the Russell thing, Lebron grew up in a different era from a different part of the country. He is most certainly entitled to his own top 5. There are arguments for Russell, and there are arguments for other players. Just because he doesn't agree with your choice, he is a bad person to be hated? To me, all these supposed faults don't even remotely justify the intense vitriol thrown at the guy. He never choked his coach. He never cheated. He never bet on games. He never beat his wife. He never has been accused of rape. He never murdered anyone. He married and is still with his high school sweet heart. He always takes responsibility for his teams' performances. He takes a stand on social issues; you may not agree with his position, but hopefully you see the honor in taking a position on something you believe in, eg he never said "republicans buy sneakers too". Is the guy perfect - hell no. Does he have a huge ego - hell yes. But, considering the constant spotlight and the enormous pressure he has been put under since he was 18, I would say he has handled himself well. If what you enumerated are his greatest sins, then I would say he has handled himself very well.

Most importantly though, everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and I definitely appreciate that you gave an actual honest explanation. We just disagree on this one.

Adam Himmelsbach
Adam Himmelsbach @AdamHimmelsbach
about 3 hours ago
Brad Stevens said he spent a lot of time yesterday talking Cavs with Kyrie.



Marc D'Amico
Marc D'Amico @celtics
about 3 hours ago
“What more could you ask for?” Says Jaylen Brown. “I’m 21 years old and in the Conference Finals in back-to-back years.”


bob


.

Jon Gruden coaching Tampa Bay Bucs vs. Oakland Raiders in the SuperBowlcomes to mind...

bobheckler wrote:

Marc D'Amico
Marc D'Amico @celtics
about 3 hours ago
“What more could you ask for?” Says Jaylen Brown. “I’m 21 years old and in the Conference Finals in back-to-back years.”


bob


.

Hi,
I think he can ask for a ring in his 3rd year. Any objections...?

AK

None.

swish wrote:

   mrkleen

    Your certainly entitled to your opinion of James - I have no issue with it - but I do believe that there are some old timers out there that choose to berate Lebron simply because they will not except the reality that it's quite possible that Lebron is a better basketball player then Russell - and that's where a lack of basketball knowledge of the 50's - 60's comes into play.   No proof - just an opinion.

 swish

My feelings about Lebron being a jerk have zero to do with his basketball talent.

BUT, whether he is better than Bill Russell or not, does not excuse his ignorance of history and his unchecked ego. THAT IS WHY I DONT LIKE HIM.

You didnt hear Kobe insulting the greats of the past.
You didnt hear Tim Duncan insulting the greats of the past.
You dont hear Dirk insulting the greats of the past.
No need to excuse LeBron because he is a great player. All of those guys above were also great.

What a great year to be green! With the Russell vs. Lebron comments, I see we betray our advanced ages. I grew up with a copy of Go Up For Glory on my nightstand, but I care less about the memories than what happens tomorrow. This is a special team with a fighting chance to win it all. The key to Cleveland is containing the king without double-teaming, which is why I hope Semi starts and guards him very physically. When Semi gets into foul trouble and late in the game, I can see Morris being the primary defender and here's hoping Morris finds his shot without missing the first 8. Another reason to start Semi is to spare others many minutes of the same tough assignment, conserving our depleted reserves.
Also, Brad may be able to insert Baynes and maybe Monroe at times to dominate inside, knowing they have 6 fouls apiece. With two J's, scary Terry, Al neutralizing Love, and Smart the X factor - if the C's win the first two, here's a bet we go to the finals. Hawk

https://www.masslive.com/expo/erry-2018/05/889dd48c0e319/boston_celtics_vs_cleveland_ca.html



Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, matchups, and a series pick



By Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com | Posted May 12, 2018 at 09:04 AM





Elise Amendola/AP Photo



We were always supposed to end up back here.

The Boston Celtics always felt destined to face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs at some point, even after Gordon Hayward went down with his injury five minutes into the season, and maybe even after Kyrie Irving was ruled out for the year after his knee surgery late in the season. LeBron James always loomed. He always looms. Now, the Celtics have a chance to take him down once again.

James simultaneously has never felt more vulnerable and more impenetrable. The Cavaliers' team was gutted by the loss of Irving over the summer, but they still have James and they still have plenty of shooters surrounding him. The Celtics, meanwhile, have a more versatile team than last year, but they also have 10 healthy players at this point.

Here's how this matchup might break down by position with X Factors and a pick at the end.



AP Photo


How They Got Here

The Celtics

Defeated the Bucks in 7 -- Boston edged Giannis Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee, holding serve at home and getting big defensive performances against the Bucks star.

Defeated the 76ers in 5 -- The Celtics won Games 1 and 2 at home and stole Game 3 on the road, completing the gentleman's sweep in Boston.


The Cavaliers

Defeated the Pacers in 7 -- The Cavaliers looked rocky and could have bowed out, but instead James dragged them to the finish line.

Defeated the Raptors in 4 -- After dragging their feet all season, the Cavaliers look like a juggernaut again.

The lesson here might be that both teams needed a round to hit their groove, but both teams did.


POINT GUARDS



Charles Krupa/AP Photo


POINT GUARDS

Boston Celtics: Terry Rozier, Marcus Smart

Without Shane Larkin, the Celtics depth takes a major hit.

But Rozier has morphed into a young stud, complete with impressive handles, explosive athleticism and a reliable jumper both off the catch and off the dribble. Smart is a secondary ball-handler who also shares the court with Rozier at times and plays important late-game minutes.


Tony Dejak/AP Photo

Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James, Jordan Clarkson, George Hill

More than any other year, the Cavaliers have committed to simply having LeBron James handle the ball. Given that he's the best dribbler and passer on the floor at any given time, that's probably not the worst idea.


Charles Krupa/AP Photo

Advantage: Cavaliers

Rozier has been excellent and Smart is an attack dog, but LeBron James is LeBron James.



Michael Dwyer/AP Photo


OFF-BALL GUARDS

Boston Celtics: Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart

Prior to the season, some wondered how Brown would fit on the team, but the Celtics have largely used him as an enormous, athletic two-guard rather than a small-ball forward. He lends switchability and defense, along with his suddenly super reliable 3-point shooting and scoring off the bounce.

Smart is better used as a secondary facilitator than an off-ball threat given his shooting problems, but he makes big plays in both roles.


Darron Cummings/AP Photo

Cleveland Cavaliers: J.R. Smith, Rodney Hood, George Hill.

Smith is the big problem here, even though his defense slipped this year. His shooting provides valuable spacing around James, and he has earned James' trust -- a valuable attribute on this team.

Hood could be valuable as well, as long as he enters the game when he's asked.


Matt Slocum/AP Photo

Advantage: Celtics

Smith is a good option, but Brown has looked more and more like a future two-way star this year, and his hamstring injury seems to be clearing up (more on that later). The Celtics will likely need this to be a big win to have a chance in the series.



Elise Amendola/AP Photo


WINGS

Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown.

At this point, there's not much else you can say about Jayson Tatum. He's a future star, a versatile wing developing before our eyes into a 20-point-per-game threat only a couple of months after his 20th birthday. Against the 76ers, the Celtics sought out matchups for Tatum consistently that he could exploit on the offensive end, turning him into the team's go-to weapon.

The Celtics use a lot of other players at this position, but we will cover them in a different category. For pure wings, Tatum and Brown are the two main options, and they are both excellent.


Tony Dejak/AP Photo

Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyle Korver, Cedi Osman

Osman plays very hard and runs the floor, while Kyle Korver is as dangerous -- if not more dangerous -- a 3-point shooting threat as J.J. Redick, who the Celtics just faced. Neither should be underestimated, but both can be limited with attention to detail.




Rick Bowmer/AP Photo

Advantage: Celtics

Tatum should be able to score efficiently against this Cavaliers team, assuming the Celtics can set him up right. Brown will wear a few different hats, but he should be in a good position as well.

How the Celtics go about defending Korver will be interesting. Clearly, they can't help off him, but James is more dangerous than Ben Simmons, and Boston won't have many 1-on-1 options defensively.

Again: The Celtics need this matchup to be a big win to have a chance.



Charles Krupa/AP Photo


TWEENER FORWARDS

Boston Celtics: Marcus Morris, Semi Ojeleye, Al Horford (sort of)

Boston's ability to play a lot of big players without losing any of its switching has been one of its defining traits in the postseason. That's why the addition of Marcus Morris was so important in the offseason -- and why dealing Avery Bradley, who was an undersized two, for him was such an unbelievable steal -- and why drafting Semi Ojeleye at No. 37 was an absolute no-brainer.

The Celtics will have to throw all of these guys at LeBron James, which still won't be enough to stop him. All they can do is build a wall of 6-foot-7 to 6-foot-10 bodies in his way and hope he trips over it every once in a while.



Michael Dwyer/AP Photo

Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James, Jeff Green, Larry Nance, Cedi Osman

The Cavaliers have a lot of big, versatile bodies too, but most importantly, James is the NBA's ultimate tweener forward. Little else needs to be said here -- he will have to shoulder a heavy load, and no one in recent NBA history is better suited to do so.


Michael Dwyer/AP Photo

Advantage: Cavaliers

With apologies to Marcus Morris, this one is pretty obvious.


AP Photo


BIGS

Boston Celtics: Al Horford, Aron Baynes

Horford has been the Celtics' best player through two rounds, leading the defensive charge against Ben Simmons, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid while also facilitating and attacking mismatches in the post. The Cavaliers have historically been one of his toughest matchups, but -- once again -- this year's team looks a whole lot different than teams in years past.

If the Celtics need a big body to counteract other big bodies (basically, just Tristan Thompson) they can also give Baynes some real minutes. He has proven himself to be an excellent defensive option, and he's even launching 3-pointers now. 2018 is a weird year.




Tony Dejak/AP Photo

Cleveland Cavaliers Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson

The version of Cleveland's bigs that shows up might decide the series. If the Cavaliers get All-Star Kevin Love and dominant Tristan Thompson -- who tortures Al Horford on the glass and bullies the Celtics relentlessly -- we might not be here long. If the combination of mismatches, length surrounding Horford, and Baynes' strength play in Boston's favor, things might get more interesting.


Elise Amendola/AP Photo

Advantage: Celtics

This is a risky pick, but the Cavaliers haven't exactly inspired confidence this season. Meanwhile, Horford has help around him better equipped to make a difference, and Baynes has proven himself to be very valuable all year.

Al Horford is an All-Star, and he's shown why throughout the playoffs. The guess here is he continues.



Tony Dejak/AP Photo


X-Factors

Before we get to the pick, let's take a quick look at a couple of big questions that could define the series.


Charles Krupa/AP Photo

Can the Celtics defend LeBron James 1-on-1?

Easy answer: No.

Nuanced answer: No, but maybe they can a little better than last year?

Last year, Boston's two go-to options to defend James were Brown (who can't defend him at all yet) and Jae Crowder (who James ran circles around).

LeBron is going to have major advantages over whoever guards him, given that he has major advantages over every basketball player that has walked the earth. But Boston's ability to throw Ojeleye, Morris, Tatum, Brown and Horford at him in addition to Aron Baynes and (of course) Marcus Smart could mean the Celtics can give him a little more grief than previous years.


Rick Scuteri/AP Photo

How will the Celtics defend the Love/Korver action?

ESPN's Zach Lowe had a great breakdown of Kyle Korver and Kevin Love, who have developed a deadly little two-man game that sank the Raptors in the first round (without giving away too much of what he wrote, there's a lot of screening off to the side of the play that Toronto struggled to do anything against). Pacers coach Nate McMillan said there "really isn't anything you can plan for. They just kind of play random basketball."

But one reason that play worked so well was the Raptors' lack of similar size in their own players. If, for example, the Celtics have Jaylen Brown covering Kyle Korver and Al Horford covering Kevin Love, they won't be completely cooked if they have to switch those two. That might be important in this series.



Charles Krupa/AP Photo

Can the Celtics continue to get Jayson Tatum good switches?

The Celtics beat the Sixers offensively by getting Tatum matched up against J.J. Redick, Marco Belinelli, Dario Saric and others. Facing mismatches, Tatum frequently just put his head down and got to the rim for his stretchy layups off the bounce.

The Cavaliers will have mismatches for Tatum, if they switch. The Celtics will need to exploit that repeatedly.



Charles Krupa/AP Photo


How healthy is Jaylen Brown?

Jaylen Brown told reporters at practice on Friday that he is feeling considerably better and he expects his minutes restriction to be lifted. He may still be playing "smart" as he put it, ensuring he doesn't try to do too much on his still-healing leg, but his situation sounds considerably more positive than it did a week ago.


Michael Dwyer/AP Photo


THE PICK: Cavaliers in 7

This is one of the hardest series' to predict in recent memory for a lot of reasons.

1) The Cavaliers aren't that good this season. Cracks have really started to show, particularly in their defense, and they are more reliant on LeBron James than ever.

2) The Celtics have wildly overachieved compared to expectations, but it's not exactly clear how much (if at all) they are overachieving given their own talent level. These guys are GOOD.

3) The Celtics are very young, and young teams are hard to predict.

4) LeBron loves playing in Boston. He relishes the hate and thoroughly enjoys breaking hearts.

So our pick? No outcome would shock us, except maybe an easy Celtics win. Boston plays hard, and they could conceivably squeeze this out. The Cavaliers could be somewhat untouchable right now, especially facing a Celtics team missing key players.

But the pick here is Cavs in seven. Ordinarily, picking a team to win a Game 7 on the road is foolish, but this is LeBron James. If this series does go to a decisive final game, having him -- no matter where you are playing -- is an advantage massive enough to cancel out all others.

So a soft Cavs in seven, but it's going to be an entertaining, unpredictable series. Here we go.


bob
MY NOTE:  Last year we couldn't keep Tristan Thompson off the boards.  He had 16 offensive rebounds against us in the playoffs out of a total of 36 rebounds.  That is a ridiculously high offensive rebound rate.  That's because Al had to go out to the arc to guard Love and Amir Johnson tried to box out Thompson under the boards and he couldn't do it.  I have more confidence in Baynes to put a body on Thompson and keep it on him.  Thompson isn't going to bully Baynes.

Also, we had IT and Bradley as our starting guards, and IT was injured (only played 2 games and the 2nd one he was completely ineffective.  He was shut down for the rest of the playoffs after that game).  Now we have Rozier, who is bigger and a MUCH better defender and rebounder than IT, and Jaylen Brown.  Jaylen might not be as good a defender as Bradley overall, yet, but he is MUCH bigger and stronger.  When Cleveland goes with 6'6" JR Smith or 6'5" Jordan Clarkson at guard, Jaylen Brown is bigger than either of them.  If they want to go big and have Clarkson/Smith and Korver as their back court, with LeBron doing the point forward duties, we can have Brown, Tatum and Morris.  I am not expecting much of Morris on LeBron, I really wouldn't have much faith in anybody, truthfully, but if he can just keep LeBron human then we have advantages on the other two matchups.

And last, but certainly not least, we have Brad Stevens with another year of NBA playoff coaching experience. It's hard to remember this is only his 5th year, only his 2nd with a team that actually has the talent to go deep into the playoffs.


.

mrkleen09 wrote:

swish wrote:  

   mrkleen

    Your certainly entitled to your opinion of James - I have no issue with it - but I do believe that there are some old timers out there that choose to berate Lebron simply because they will not except the reality that it's quite possible that Lebron is a better basketball player then Russell - and that's where a lack of basketball knowledge of the 50's - 60's comes into play.   No proof - just an opinion.

 swish

My feelings about Lebron being a jerk have zero to do with his basketball talent.

BUT, whether he is better than Bill Russell or not, does not excuse his ignorance of history and his unchecked ego.  THAT IS WHY I DONT LIKE HIM.

You didnt hear Kobe insulting the greats of the past.  
You didnt hear Tim Duncan insulting the greats of the past.
You dont hear Dirk insulting the greats of the past.
No need to excuse LeBron because he is a great player.  All of those guys above were also great.

mrkleen

Your fully entitled to judge Lebron in any fashion that you choose - but like I pointed out earlier, my concern is with those that I feel do not fully understand the huge difference in the level of play that has taken place over the last 70 years - That's where BASKETBALL KNOWLEDGE of the 50's -60's is quite handy.

swish

If the Celts win Game 1 I think they can beat the Cavs.

Maintaining home court advantage is a must because the Celts play better when they're at home in this year's playoffs.

http://www.sportingnews.com/au/nba-au/news/history-suggests-marcus-morris-could-challenge-lebron-in-ecf/8syn8ct7nusozji6vid865g8


History suggests Marcus Morris could challenge LeBron in Eastern Conference

Taylor C. Snow
Published on May. 12, 2018

The Cleveland Cavaliers cruised through last season’s Eastern Conference Finals matchup against the Boston Celtics in just five games. But that was before Marcus Morris entered the equation.

MORE: Celtics vs. Cavs: Preview, predictions for big Eastern Conference rematch

As one of the most well-documented challengers of LeBron James, the presence of Morris in the upcoming ECF rematch could make a tremendous difference in how the series plays out for Boston.

During his last 11 regular season and playoff games against a Morris team, James has averaged 21.1 points per game while shooting just 16.3 percent from 3-point range. Even more remarkable is the fact that James did not reach 30 points during any of those matchups, which is a feat he seemingly accomplishes every game nowadays.



Could it simply be a coincidence? The numbers suggest otherwise.

Two seasons ago, Morris was statistically the top defender of James in the entire NBA, according to Bleacher Report’s Tom Haberstroh. The veteran forward allowed just 20.5 points per 100 possessions when defending James that season, which was far below James’ average of 36.5 points per 100 possessions.

Morris’ success against James continued into the 2016 postseason, as he helped the Detroit Pistons limit the All-NBA forward to just 22.8 PPG during the first round – his lowest scoring average in a series since the 2011 NBA Finals.

That all begs the question: What advantage does Morris possess that others do not when it comes to guarding James?

“My size,” he told Celtics.com Friday afternoon following Celtics practice in Waltham, Massachusetts. “I’m 6-9, 240. I think that’s the perfect size to guard a guy like that who’s probably like 6-9, 260. So just having the height, the length and having the power, too, that all helps.”

But there are a number of players who have height, length and power in this league, so there must be something else that allows him to stand apart. Right?

“It’s his mindset,” answered teammate Jaylen Brown. “He’s tough, especially when he knows that he has other guys behind him that have his back. I think he’s going to thrive (in this series).”



Morris has already proven to Brown and the rest of his teammates this season that he can handle the matchup against James. During their last matchup on Feb. 11, Morris guarded James on 30 possessions (more than twice as many as any other Celtic defender) and surrendered just 13 points on 36.4 percent shooting from the field.

Such success, however, doesn’t come naturally. Morris says he does a substantial amount of research on James’ constantly-evolving game before each matchup, and that helps him game plan how to slow James down.

“He’s obviously not like any other player,” said Morris. “So, I watch an extensive amount of film just to see what I can take away and to see what shots could be his toughest shots. The main thing is not giving up easy layups and limiting his transition baskets.”

While Morris expects to have a heavy workload against James, coach Brad Stevens is adamant about approaching the matchup as a unit. The reality that the coach pointed out is that no individual can stop LeBron on his own. So, Morris will need all of the help he can get.

“It’s totally a collective effort,” Stevens said. “Marcus is big, strong, competitive guy, but you have to guard LeBron as a team.”

With that being said, there are plenty of shooters around James that need attention as well, so there will surely be some one-on-one matchups to be had against him.

When it comes to that, it won’t be easy to dethrone The King. However, history has shown time and time again that Morris has both the skill set and the mindset to get it done.

I will bite here, even though I said I was done with this topic. Swish and I will NEVER agree on the value of Bill Russell now or years before.

Why people dislike LeBron? He is an ego maniac who will not give one bit of credit to any of his fellow players. He wants the accolades all for himself. There is something to be said about a 265 pd player who gets tapped, falls to the ground like he is a wounded animal, and whines all the way down the court. Dislike him? NO, I hate him. He is a prima donna, with alot of talent. You will NEVER change my mind about that.

There are many players on other teams that I admire alot. I say so during Game On threads BobH can attest to that. So it has nothing to do with looking at the world through Green Glasses. It is respect,and I do not respect him

bob


.

RosalieTCeltics wrote:I will bite here, even though I said I was done with this topic. Swish and I will NEVER agree on the value of Bill Russell now or years before.  

Why people dislike LeBron? He is an ego maniac who will not give one bit of credit to any of his fellow players. He wants the accolades all for himself. There is something to be said about a 265 pd player who gets tapped, falls to the ground like he is a wounded animal, and whines all the way down the court.  Dislike him? NO, I hate him. He is a prima donna, with alot of talent. You will NEVER change my mind about that.

There are many players on other teams that I admire alot. I say so during Game On threads BobH can attest to that.  So it has nothing to do with looking at the world through Green Glasses.  It is respect,and I do not respect him

Rosie

Glad to see that you still take a big interest in the occasional greatest ever issue. Your admiration for Russell is well deserved - as well as your disdain for James can also be understandable. Perhaps someday, in your free time, you will go into a little more detail as to why you consider Russell to be the greatest basketball player of all time - a player, who based on his career back in the 50's-60's, would excel in any generation with the same degree of success that he enjoyed back then. I guess Rosie that I'm just not caught up in the good old days routine that many seniors like to reminisce about. I'll give you this - Best of his generation - debatable but plausible

swish