I like Lebron James. Everybody wonders what would happen if Len Bias was alive? Well, you are looking at him. 6'8 and weighs 270 with ability off the charts. Everyone wants to destroy him because of the expectation of a championship and his bailing out on Cleveland. Hell, if you had a mother like his and you found her with, well ..... I felt cheated when Len died and everybody in public put the blame on Len. Now, this same public is doing the same thing to LeBron who has played to his potential and his money.
I don't care if he chokes in championships for the rest of his career. He doesn't cheat himself or the game. Skip Bayless needs to shut-up and me, the fan. Yes, I screamed for him taking outside shots and missing them early in the shot-clock. But I cheered when he made them against the Bulls. Give Rick Carlisle credit for the Mavs toughness; something Joe Dumars doubted when Carlisle coached the Pistons and lost in the conference finals to the New Jersey Nets in 2003. Now, with Rick, my issue is him talking about old-school team basketball bull. If you do look back, the game has always had stars that failed to win. Including him.
The 1969 Lakers with Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, and Wilt Chamberlain. Jerry West got hurt and tried to play game 6 when he should have rested. Elgin didn't show up (he went to 7 Finals but wasn't the same after his knee injury in 1965), and Wilt clashed with Butch Van Breda Kolff and injured his knee in the last 7 minutes of Game 7. The 1975 Washington Bullets with Wes Unseld, Elvin Hayes, and Kevin Porter. They were supposed to sweep the Golden State Warriors but they got swept. The Bullets got outplayed and outcoached. Rick Barry and his 12 bench buddies wore out the starting 5 of the Bullets. Phil Smith, Clifford Ray, Butch Beard, Jeff Mullins, Derek Dickey, Bill Bridges, and Jamal Wilkes (Keith then). Finally, you had the 1977 Philadelphia 76ers. Dr. J, World B. Free, George McGinnis, and Doug Collins. They lost to "team" Portland with Bill Walton's feet holding up long enough. You can blame the Sixers coaching of Gene Shue, lack of ball movement on offense, and Darryl Dawkins accidentally punching out Doug Collins during a fight in Game 2. After leading the series 2-0, Doug stunk especially in the clutch, World B. was hurt and George McGinnis disappeared. But Dr. J. scored 40 in a losing cause in Game 6 and made tough baskets as well as steals to bring cut the lead the two after Portland built a big lead. They had a chance to tie but George missed an open shot.
I don't know what Carlisle is talking about. You look at all those team that beat the stars, they didn't win the next year. Russell retired and Havlicek didn't like being the man, Barry didn't show up for Game in 7 in '76, and Bill Walton hurt his foot in the 78 playoffs, gone for good. But look at the Lakers, they won in 72 (minus Baylor) and went to another final in 73. The Bullets won in 1978 minus Porter, different coach, Dick Motta and a free agent in Bobby Dandridge. Like the Lakers, they went to another finals in 1979. Finally, the Sixers, let go of McGinnis, Shue, Dawkins and Free. Doug Collins retired due to injuries. But they went to Finals in 1980, 1982, and winning in 1983. My question is what did those so-called "old fashion teams" do. Boston had to get Dave Cowens and Larry Bird to win championships and had to wait 18 years before winning one with the stars of Garnett, Allen, and Pierce. Portland hasn't won past the first round and the Golden State Warriors are just happy to get to the playoffs.
In short, stars may not get you championship but you need them to contend for one, consistently. Nowitzki is one but putting pressure on one player maybe a bit too much to go to another final much less winning it. Give LeBron a chance. He will make the adjustments or will tell management to do so just like Elvin Hayes, Dr. J, and Wilt Chamberlain did. Joe Dumars did that by getting Rasheed Wallace in 2004 for coach Larry Brown who got rid of Rick Carlisle, the year before. "Star Carlisle?"
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