Comments on: Notes from TNT’s Coverage of the NBA Playoffs – Saturday, May 30, 2009: The Leviathan Does it Like Shaq and Close Out LeBron and the Cavs http://thestartingfive.net/2009/05/31/notes-from-tnts-coverage-of-the-nba-playoffs-saturday-may-30-2009-the-leviathan-does-it-like-shaq-and-close-out-lebron-and-the-cavs/ Bangin’ and Scorin’ Every Trip Down the Floor Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:49:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mizzo http://thestartingfive.net/2009/05/31/notes-from-tnts-coverage-of-the-nba-playoffs-saturday-may-30-2009-the-leviathan-does-it-like-shaq-and-close-out-lebron-and-the-cavs/comment-page-1/#comment-26158 Mizzo Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:01:40 +0000 http://thestartingfive.net/?p=5785#comment-26158 Don't forget Turk. He has a Sacramento shoulder chip. Bruh. What have they won? Win a championship and then let's talk. I've already said this. I just want to see it happen. What's wrong with that? Don’t forget Turk. He has a Sacramento shoulder chip.

Bruh. What have they won? Win a championship and then let’s talk. I’ve already said this.

I just want to see it happen. What’s wrong with that?

]]> By: awb http://thestartingfive.net/2009/05/31/notes-from-tnts-coverage-of-the-nba-playoffs-saturday-may-30-2009-the-leviathan-does-it-like-shaq-and-close-out-lebron-and-the-cavs/comment-page-1/#comment-26157 awb Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:55:54 +0000 http://thestartingfive.net/?p=5785#comment-26157 I don't think the Lakers need Bynum to beat Orlando (it would certainly help though). The Cavs didn't need a dominant front line to get Howard in foul trouble and the Lakers front line is way better than the Cavs. I think the biggest issue for the Lakers is Lewis and maybe Pietrus. And the booty chatter is mostly coming from cats predicting the Lakers will lose. Just sayin'. I guess if folks predict it enough and it happens they can say "I told you so!" I don’t think the Lakers need Bynum to beat Orlando (it would certainly help though). The Cavs didn’t need a dominant front line to get Howard in foul trouble and the Lakers front line is way better than the Cavs. I think the biggest issue for the Lakers is Lewis and maybe Pietrus.

And the booty chatter is mostly coming from cats predicting the Lakers will lose. Just sayin’. I guess if folks predict it enough and it happens they can say “I told you so!”

]]> By: Mizzo http://thestartingfive.net/2009/05/31/notes-from-tnts-coverage-of-the-nba-playoffs-saturday-may-30-2009-the-leviathan-does-it-like-shaq-and-close-out-lebron-and-the-cavs/comment-page-1/#comment-26155 Mizzo Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:47:36 +0000 http://thestartingfive.net/?p=5785#comment-26155 kos just because the league is headed that way doesn't mean that a writer like myself has to agree with it. I'm more apt to have a compromise of sorts where a pg gets put on his ass early just to set a tone. The game becomes more gifted as a result in the waning moments. This is why I loved John Chaney so much. He always had an enforcer. The game now is a clown. Teams have no balance. I identify with Denver and Houston because they have the parts, but not the head. At least the potential is there for mental growth. It's about how each of us played or choose to watch the game. I understand that. To me the Lakers are like men wearing ear rings. Soft. My Pop would kick my ass to this day if he saw me rockin' a rock. kos just because the league is headed that way doesn’t mean that a writer like myself has to agree with it. I’m more apt to have a compromise of sorts where a pg gets put on his ass early just to set a tone. The game becomes more gifted as a result in the waning moments.

This is why I loved John Chaney so much. He always had an enforcer.

The game now is a clown. Teams have no balance. I identify with Denver and Houston because they have the parts, but not the head. At least the potential is there for mental growth. It’s about how each of us played or choose to watch the game. I understand that.

To me the Lakers are like men wearing ear rings. Soft. My Pop would kick my ass to this day if he saw me rockin’ a rock.

]]> By: TC http://thestartingfive.net/2009/05/31/notes-from-tnts-coverage-of-the-nba-playoffs-saturday-may-30-2009-the-leviathan-does-it-like-shaq-and-close-out-lebron-and-the-cavs/comment-page-1/#comment-26151 TC Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:59:30 +0000 http://thestartingfive.net/?p=5785#comment-26151 Mizzo - yeah the Lakers have been inconsistent. My statement on this - as goes Andrew, so go the Lakers. If Andrew Bynum is doing what he can do - altering shots, making cats think twice about comin' in the lane, even annoying Dwight Howard, this series could be over in 5. If not.....well.......yeah......Andrew played about 4 good defensive games vs. Denver. Like you said, Houston and Denver were more physical than the Lakers......it's disappointing as a Laker fan who likes physical basketball...but when you have as much talent as the Lakers, as Kenny said, sometimes you put it in cruise. Hopefully this will not happen now. I don't think it will. I've seen enough of #17 to know what he can do and I think he'll answer the bell. Mizzo – yeah the Lakers have been inconsistent. My statement on this – as goes Andrew, so go the Lakers. If Andrew Bynum is doing what he can do – altering shots, making cats think twice about comin’ in the lane, even annoying Dwight Howard, this series could be over in 5. If not…..well…….yeah……Andrew played about 4 good defensive games vs. Denver. Like you said, Houston and Denver were more physical than the Lakers……it’s disappointing as a Laker fan who likes physical basketball…but when you have as much talent as the Lakers, as Kenny said, sometimes you put it in cruise. Hopefully this will not happen now. I don’t think it will. I’ve seen enough of #17 to know what he can do and I think he’ll answer the bell.

]]> By: kos http://thestartingfive.net/2009/05/31/notes-from-tnts-coverage-of-the-nba-playoffs-saturday-may-30-2009-the-leviathan-does-it-like-shaq-and-close-out-lebron-and-the-cavs/comment-page-1/#comment-26150 kos Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:48:47 +0000 http://thestartingfive.net/?p=5785#comment-26150 awb - co-sign on the "softness". Also, toughness doesn't put the ball in the basket. I think everyone that posts here remembers the old 80's and 90's playoff series where you would see hard fouls. A drive to the basket would mean a hard foul that would today would draw a flagrant foul and a suspension. Those days are over and aren't going to return any time soon. Not under the New Stern Order, anyway. LeBron had a fabulous series against the Magic. However, ESPN, and all the pundits declaring him the best player in the game when he still doesn't have a consistent jump shot, is only an adequate one-on-one defender, can't post up Skip To My Lou consistently, and doesn't even want to take the game winning shot most of the time? He still has time to work on all of these things, but he's still not the "King" yet. I realize that ESPN has been on his nuts ever since he was in high school, but trying to gas the guy up before he's to where they think he should be isn't going to make it happen any sooner. awb -
co-sign on the “softness”. Also, toughness doesn’t put the ball in the basket.

I think everyone that posts here remembers the old 80′s and 90′s playoff series where you would see hard fouls. A drive to the basket would mean a hard foul that would today would draw a flagrant foul and a suspension. Those days are over and aren’t going to return any time soon. Not under the New Stern Order, anyway.

LeBron had a fabulous series against the Magic. However, ESPN, and all the pundits declaring him the best player in the game when he still doesn’t have a consistent jump shot, is only an adequate one-on-one defender, can’t post up Skip To My Lou consistently, and doesn’t even want to take the game winning shot most of the time? He still has time to work on all of these things, but he’s still not the “King” yet. I realize that ESPN has been on his nuts ever since he was in high school, but trying to gas the guy up before he’s to where they think he should be isn’t going to make it happen any sooner.

]]> By: Mizzo http://thestartingfive.net/2009/05/31/notes-from-tnts-coverage-of-the-nba-playoffs-saturday-may-30-2009-the-leviathan-does-it-like-shaq-and-close-out-lebron-and-the-cavs/comment-page-1/#comment-26149 Mizzo Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:48:37 +0000 http://thestartingfive.net/?p=5785#comment-26149 The Lakers have to win period. No more booty chatter. The Lakers have to win period. No more booty chatter.

]]> By: awb http://thestartingfive.net/2009/05/31/notes-from-tnts-coverage-of-the-nba-playoffs-saturday-may-30-2009-the-leviathan-does-it-like-shaq-and-close-out-lebron-and-the-cavs/comment-page-1/#comment-26145 awb Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:02:36 +0000 http://thestartingfive.net/?p=5785#comment-26145 Yes, the Lakers have the best player of this generation, but there were any number of people who said they would fail because of their perceived "softness". Again I reiterate that mental toughness is all they need because all they have been banged and the results are telling. It is amusing to witness this phenomena at the beginning of each round. I suppose they will lose this one in 6 also I'm with you with the King crowning stuff. It was really annoying to see ESPN crown LBJ even though he hadn't done anything yet. Cat still isn't a top notch defender and not that good of a post up player and they are giving him the throne. Yes, the Lakers have the best player of this generation, but there were any number of people who said they would fail because of their perceived “softness”. Again I reiterate that mental toughness is all they need because all they have been banged and the results are telling. It is amusing to witness this phenomena at the beginning of each round. I suppose they will lose this one in 6 also

I’m with you with the King crowning stuff. It was really annoying to see ESPN crown LBJ even though he hadn’t done anything yet. Cat still isn’t a top notch defender and not that good of a post up player and they are giving him the throne.

]]> By: Monday Morning Starting Five: The LeBron Is Only 24 Edition | The Starting Five http://thestartingfive.net/2009/05/31/notes-from-tnts-coverage-of-the-nba-playoffs-saturday-may-30-2009-the-leviathan-does-it-like-shaq-and-close-out-lebron-and-the-cavs/comment-page-1/#comment-26140 Monday Morning Starting Five: The LeBron Is Only 24 Edition | The Starting Five Mon, 01 Jun 2009 09:48:47 +0000 http://thestartingfive.net/?p=5785#comment-26140 [...] if (typeof(Flux) == 'object') Flux.Utils.WidgetsLoader.createWidget('a45a918b3fc6434585496010c8166bb5', {}); Flux.Utils.WidgetsLoader.createWidget( 'CommunityMenu2', {accessKey: 'edd3b859-248a-4076-99fe-f514e83c6a4b',textFont: 'Arial',textFontSize: '14px',normalBackgroundColor: '#000000',normalTextColor: '#FF870F',hoverBackgroundColor: '#000000',hoverTextColor: '#FFFFFF',borderStyle: 'solid',borderColor: '#000000'} ); « Notes from TNT’s Coverage of the NBA Playoffs - Saturday, May 30, 2009: The Leviathan Does it ... [...] [...] if (typeof(Flux) == ‘object’) Flux.Utils.WidgetsLoader.createWidget(‘a45a918b3fc6434585496010c8166bb5′, {}); Flux.Utils.WidgetsLoader.createWidget( ‘CommunityMenu2′, {accessKey: ‘edd3b859-248a-4076-99fe-f514e83c6a4b’,textFont: ‘Arial’,textFontSize: ’14px’,normalBackgroundColor: ‘#000000′,normalTextColor: ‘#FF870F’,hoverBackgroundColor: ‘#000000′,hoverTextColor: ‘#FFFFFF’,borderStyle: ‘solid’,borderColor: ‘#000000′} ); « Notes from TNT’s Coverage of the NBA Playoffs – Saturday, May 30, 2009: The Leviathan Does it … [...]

]]> By: Mizzo http://thestartingfive.net/2009/05/31/notes-from-tnts-coverage-of-the-nba-playoffs-saturday-may-30-2009-the-leviathan-does-it-like-shaq-and-close-out-lebron-and-the-cavs/comment-page-1/#comment-26134 Mizzo Mon, 01 Jun 2009 05:12:26 +0000 http://thestartingfive.net/?p=5785#comment-26134 Houston and Denver were Los Angeles Lakers inferior. Had nothing to do with toughness. Those two squads are still tougher and more physical than LA. Neither team had the second best player of our generation. Mental toughness is a different thing. Advantage LA. Soft will rear its Hollywood head this series bruh. I wanna see bangas. Straight NBA 80's flex. There's nothing of the sort left in the NBA...but there is the Leviathan. He will show you what I mean when one of these so called LA "centers" tries to get down get down. When you have 6'8" driving the lane almost unabated, your center will get in foul trouble, but despite Dwight sitting for minutes at a time, Orlando prevailed. I wanna see Shaq force from 7 foot centers, not this lanky 6'12" "versatility". Yes, the game is changing, but I hope Howard brings that cold rock stuff back. Knee caps and all that. Busted Dikembe lips and Van Gundy ankle grabbing ish. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nAPRpGW6Zc" rel="nofollow">Broad Street Bully</a> type stuff. You know what I mean. Cat's are breaking nails now and whining like chicks...some, not all ladies :) What am I supposed to teach my sons unless MEN start banging again? Don't answer that, but you know what the context is. Until the Lakers win the championship, they will be labeled soft. Straight up. Win the damn thing and I'll get on board. None of this paper champion bull ish. It's over for that. I'm so sick of everyone proclaiming ANYONE a King where there is no throne. Houston and Denver were Los Angeles Lakers inferior. Had nothing to do with toughness. Those two squads are still tougher and more physical than LA.

Neither team had the second best player of our generation.

Mental toughness is a different thing. Advantage LA.

Soft will rear its Hollywood head this series bruh. I wanna see bangas. Straight NBA 80′s flex. There’s nothing of the sort left in the NBA…but there is the Leviathan.

He will show you what I mean when one of these so called LA “centers” tries to get down get down.

When you have 6’8″ driving the lane almost unabated, your center will get in foul trouble, but despite Dwight sitting for minutes at a time, Orlando prevailed.

I wanna see Shaq force from 7 foot centers, not this lanky 6’12″ “versatility”. Yes, the game is changing, but I hope Howard brings that cold rock stuff back. Knee caps and all that. Busted Dikembe lips and Van Gundy ankle grabbing ish.

Broad Street Bully type stuff. You know what I mean. Cat’s are breaking nails now and whining like chicks…some, not all ladies :)

What am I supposed to teach my sons unless MEN start banging again?

Don’t answer that, but you know what the context is.

Until the Lakers win the championship, they will be labeled soft. Straight up.

Win the damn thing and I’ll get on board. None of this paper champion bull ish.

It’s over for that. I’m so sick of everyone proclaiming ANYONE a King where there is no throne.

]]> By: awb http://thestartingfive.net/2009/05/31/notes-from-tnts-coverage-of-the-nba-playoffs-saturday-may-30-2009-the-leviathan-does-it-like-shaq-and-close-out-lebron-and-the-cavs/comment-page-1/#comment-26133 awb Mon, 01 Jun 2009 03:40:14 +0000 http://thestartingfive.net/?p=5785#comment-26133 I thought people would recognize the "soft" lable as bogus after the Lakers have beaten two supposedly physically superior teams. Physicality is only worth anything if you are mentally tough to employ it and the Rockets and Nuggets proved they ain't there yet in that regard. Kenyon Martin couldn't physical himself the required height to deal with Gasol and nene fouled out three times. I'm still waiting on someone to define what soft or hard means in a basketball context because the so called tough teams keep losing The Cavs front line was definitely no match for Howard yet he still found himself in foul trouble almost throughout the whole series. No doubt Howard should be dominating but it very well might be another case of the lakers "softing" there way to another series win. I thought people would recognize the “soft” lable as bogus after the Lakers have beaten two supposedly physically superior teams. Physicality is only worth anything if you are mentally tough to employ it and the Rockets and Nuggets proved they ain’t there yet in that regard. Kenyon Martin couldn’t physical himself the required height to deal with Gasol and nene fouled out three times. I’m still waiting on someone to define what soft or hard means in a basketball context because the so called tough teams keep losing

The Cavs front line was definitely no match for Howard yet he still found himself in foul trouble almost throughout the whole series. No doubt Howard should be dominating but it very well might be another case of the lakers “softing” there way to another series win.

]]> By: Mizzo http://thestartingfive.net/2009/05/31/notes-from-tnts-coverage-of-the-nba-playoffs-saturday-may-30-2009-the-leviathan-does-it-like-shaq-and-close-out-lebron-and-the-cavs/comment-page-1/#comment-26129 Mizzo Sun, 31 May 2009 19:57:56 +0000 http://thestartingfive.net/?p=5785#comment-26129 The Lakers front line are no match for Dwight Howard. Denver would have provided a more daunting challenge because of their muscle (yes, the Lakers offer versatility and the triangle is a totally different animal). Until late in the Denver series, the Lakers front line has been relatively soft. If Bynum plays as he has, Dwight is gonna murder them down low. Remember, the fouls go both ways. The Lakers front line are no match for Dwight Howard. Denver would have provided a more daunting challenge because of their muscle (yes, the Lakers offer versatility and the triangle is a totally different animal). Until late in the Denver series, the Lakers front line has been relatively soft. If Bynum plays as he has, Dwight is gonna murder them down low. Remember, the fouls go both ways.

]]> By: King Lebron James http://thestartingfive.net/2009/05/31/notes-from-tnts-coverage-of-the-nba-playoffs-saturday-may-30-2009-the-leviathan-does-it-like-shaq-and-close-out-lebron-and-the-cavs/comment-page-1/#comment-26128 King Lebron James Sun, 31 May 2009 19:22:09 +0000 http://thestartingfive.net/?p=5785#comment-26128 Not my place to judge the man, just as it's not my place to judge anybody. Not my job. Lebron still a good guy who is the best player on earth. I look for the good in all these guys because if I look for the bad it's just reflection of that same negativity in me. Our words are a looking glass into our inner mental state. He had a moment where he didn't do the right thing and I'm sure that he will apologize. On to the series. Dwight dominant and pushing himself to the Top 3-4 status. It'll be a different look against LA. Two strong big men, one of which will put him to the test defensively with his fluid offensive moves. It should be a really good series as long as the Magic keep hitting from downtown. Not my place to judge the man, just as it’s not my place to judge anybody. Not my job.

Lebron still a good guy who is the best player on earth. I look for the good in all these guys because if I look for the bad it’s just reflection of that same negativity in me. Our words are a looking glass into our inner mental state.

He had a moment where he didn’t do the right thing and I’m sure that he will apologize.

On to the series. Dwight dominant and pushing himself to the Top 3-4 status. It’ll be a different look against LA. Two strong big men, one of which will put him to the test defensively with his fluid offensive moves.

It should be a really good series as long as the Magic keep hitting from downtown.

]]> By: awb http://thestartingfive.net/2009/05/31/notes-from-tnts-coverage-of-the-nba-playoffs-saturday-may-30-2009-the-leviathan-does-it-like-shaq-and-close-out-lebron-and-the-cavs/comment-page-1/#comment-26127 awb Sun, 31 May 2009 19:16:03 +0000 http://thestartingfive.net/?p=5785#comment-26127 Poor Barkley. He just can't get over his dislike of Kobe. However, the Magic do offer matchup problems for the Lakers, but the front line of the Lakers is pretty daunting also. While Howard is a beast, he spent most of the Cavs series in foul trouble and you better believe Gasol can get him in foul trouble the same way if the reffing is constitent in sucking. They can match the Magic in size and I expect Mbenga to be activated for this series Poor Barkley. He just can’t get over his dislike of Kobe.

However, the Magic do offer matchup problems for the Lakers, but the front line of the Lakers is pretty daunting also. While Howard is a beast, he spent most of the Cavs series in foul trouble and you better believe Gasol can get him in foul trouble the same way if the reffing is constitent in sucking. They can match the Magic in size and I expect Mbenga to be activated for this series

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