<Games 2 and 3 of the Finals>
Let’s admit that. No matter how many games it will win in the rest of the Finals, Cavs just simply cannot beat the Spurs and win the NBA champions this year. David Stern should immediately suspend the Finals (just like MTR suspends the operation of 360 cable car indefinitely) and give the trophy to Spurs directly. Go NOW, there is simply no excuse for any hestiation.
I think this pretty much summarises the 2007 NBA Finals. I think if you look at the rating reports, the NBA fans know at the outset that Cavs is not gonna win. (Please read the report in “Rating of NBA Finals” : http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2007/news/story?id=2902227)
You know what? If 溏心風暴 is shown in the States at the same time as this year’s finals, I bet 細契 will become the superstar in Los Vegas this summer. Over 90% of the people won’t realise NBA is having finals.
If you are not convinced that Spurs will win, just take a quick look on video at the top right corner of the following links :
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-070610
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-070612
You know, EPSN commentators always remind us that it’s 1 versus 5 in the Cavs-Spurs series and the Spurs is the better TEAM to win (both of which are true). Some people say Duncan so far is the MVP. Oh, i don’t care. If the Finals end now (which it should), Parker will get it. By the way, my beloved Bill Simmons of ESPN will predict Spurs win 4 :1 :
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/070607
And Cavs should stop planning how to win 1 or 2 games. LBJ should boycott playing the Finals. They should sit together and pitch who they can get from the trade market this summer. From EPSN’s 2007 Free agent list (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2654216) and without considering salary cap (i always have problems with numbers), I hereby suggest the Cavs selecting the better supporting cast for LBJ. Sorry, there should be no base for comparison at all, since LBJ has no supporting cast, strictly speaking. There isn’t any “better” if you have none in the first place.
First, Cavs should replace coach Mike Brown. I think everyone has ever watched Cavs playing must agree. There are few coaches in NBA than whom I strongly believe I will be a better one. Mike is just one of them. Unless Cavs could replace Mike, every additional supporting cast in Cavs will degenerate to the 2007-Final version Larry Hughes.
Second, replace Mike Brown.
Third, in case you have any doubt on my allegation on Hughes, here is Hughes’s statistics for this Final :
| 2006-07 Playoffs | FG | 3PT | FT | Rebounds | Misc | |||||||||||||
| G | GS | MIN | FGM-A | FG% | 3PM-A | 3P% | FTM-A | FT% | OFF | DEF | TOT | STL | BLK | TO | PF | AST | PTS | |
| vs. SA | 2 | - | 21.5 | 1-10 | 10.000 | 0-2 | .000 | 0-0 | .000 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 2.5 | .50 | .00 | 1.00 | 1.50 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
If it wasn’t official records, I won’t believe this is someone with 10% Field Goal, more turnover (1.5) than points (1.0) or assist (1.0), with a payroll of US$13 million. This is the nice thing about capitalism. If the name is hidden, I will guest this is Detroit’s Darko Milicic or Bobcat’s Morrison (he is not even that bad). Yes, Larry is injured, but who doesn’t in NBA?
I saw another NBA fan in MSN a couple of days ago. We talked about how boring Spurs is (and sucking Cavs is). We then came up with Larry Hughes. My friend kidded that if we were 6 foot tall, we probably won’t score only 2 points in a game (which Larry did in Game 2). There cannot be anything more insulting than such allegation.
And you know what? When Larry didn’t play in Game 3, the Cavs JUST lost by 3 points.
I am not sure. But it seems that a trade between Hughes and S. Marbury is not impossible. First, adding Hughes to the Knick’s lineup could reduce Knick’s possibility of getting into playoff (that’s exactly what I Thomas wants). Second, Marbury has much stronger scoring ability than Hughes, which to many teams (including Knicks) is a tragedy but to the scoring-drought Cavs, it could be a potential weapon. Third, if you are paying US$13M for someone contributing 1 point in a basketball game (we are not soccer!), you don’t mind paying an extra US$4M who could possibly score more (Marbury’s salary is about US$17M). This brings us a better (thought not satisfactory) point guard who can contribute 17-22 ppt per game.
Fourth, using Gooden and Varejao or Ilgauskas (if anyone can dictate his name, pls let me know) and anything in Cavs not named LBJ and Gibson for K Garnett. Maybe a package of Gooden with sign and trade of Varejao is fair enough. Anyway, Gooden is only 25 (i thought he is 28 something). The nice thing about this trade is we can bring Marbury and Garnett together again. I am not sure what their relationship was about when Marbury left Wolves, but i think, as many people did, relationship can be rebuilt.
In case the Marbury- Garnett Trade does not materialise, Cavs should have the money and talent to lure either R. Lewis (free agent) or Mike Bibby (Early Terminate). Playing with LBJ brings you something more than monetary return. There is pretty good chance that Cavs can get either or even both. But first they have to deal with Ilgauskas’ salary ($9M) and that for Hughes as well. Desmond Mason is also a free agent… who i think is comparable to R. Lewis.
Fifth, waive Damon Jones. Tell him to play in CNBA. Waive Snow and Marshall as well.
Sixth, attempt to sign the following guys : Luke Walton / Chucky Atkins / Jason Kapano (3 point shooting is okay); Steven Blake (traditional pass-first point guard); Kurt Thomas/ Jamal Magloire (low post defender).
So if Cavs have LBJ, Lewis, Bibby, Gooden, Magloire; with Varejao, Gibson, and a centre, such a 8-man rotation should be unbeatable, at least in the East for fifty years. This is well beyond the life of Hong Kong’s 1 country-2 system.
