khandor’s sports blog

And, so, it begins …

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Bryan bashes Bosh

Colangelo intoned that Bosh took a long time to return from injury even though he had been medically cleared and that he started thinking ahead to his future to the detriment of the Raptors.

“Despite limited swelling and any excessive damage on an MRI, he felt like he needed to sit for six more games … I’m not even questioning Chris’ injury. I’m telling you he was cleared to play subject to tolerance on his part, and the tolerance just apparently wasn’t there and he chose not to play,” Colangelo said.

“The fact that our season was spiralling downward and we were hoping he’d come back sooner and we were also dealing with a few other things at that point … we were really struggling there.”

Colangelo went on to elaborate:

“Whether he was mentally checked out or just wasn’t quite into it down the stretch, he wasn’t the same guy. I think everybody saw that, but no one wanted to acknowledge it.”

“At the same time, I never felt we were quite in the game (in terms of signing Bosh to a new contract). There was too much out there, too much built up for him to take an easy out here, and he decided to do that.”

Colangelo also said Bosh was hard to build around.

“We tried in vain to put pieces around Chris. Different pieces, different styles. It didn’t work out.”

“No matter what type of player we brought in, it didn’t seem to have the right mix with him as that centrepiece.”

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When Cavaliers owner, Daniel Gilbert, published his now infamous open letter to the team’s fans, in which he took parting shots at the player his organization had reportedly been trying to sign to a maximum contract extension just hours before … what it did was seal the team’s fate in the eyes of other free agents across the NBA, as a poor excuse of the franchise that does not have the level of class required to become a champion in the no-too-distant future.

Despite winning the hearts of a certain segment of the team’s fanbase … i.e. Cavs fans back owner on LeBron letter … future high profile free agents will not be signing on with the franchise in Cleveland, as long as Daniel Gilbert is the owner.

Period.

Well …

Based on the immature way in which Bryan Colangelo has now gone about attacking the character and ability of Chris Bosh, i.e. the best player the Raptors have had since the days of Vince Carter, you can now put the Dinos in a similar category, as long as he is the GM of their team.

When a team’s GM makes utterly ridiculous public statements of this nature, after-the-fact, about a player like Chris Bosh, it sets the franchise back immeasureably, in the eyes of the other first-class players and coaches in the NBA.

The fact is …

Bryan Colangelo is the one who – is taking the easy way out, in this instance, and – has failed to do ‘his job’ properly, since being put in full control of the Toronto Raptors 4.5 seasons ago, and blaming anyone else for the decidedly mediocre results which the team has put forth over this span of time is tangible proof that he should not be considered as one of the best General Managers in the NBA.

None of the best GM’s in the history of this league would have made the P.R. mistake of issuing statements of this type concerning the character and ability of a player who his team was attempting to sign to a maximum contract extension.

Not a single one.

In sharp contrast, what a superior “master craftsman” actually does … in a position of Organizational Leadership … is simply get the job done right with the tools at his disposal.

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PS. As was first said in this space many moons ago … whoever has been “advising” Bryan Colangelo to act the way he has – in terms of his public relations skills - during the course of his tenure in Toronto, should be fired.

Related:

Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo slams Chris Bosh

Instead of listening to a plethora of so-called ‘experts’ espouse their interpretation of the actions by LeBron James, you would be much better off reading the thoughts of a former NBA player who was once “black-balled” out of the association because of his “activistism”:

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Chet Walker on LeBron James

”Gilbert’s an idiot, and you can quote me,” Walker said. ”I’m retired, 70 years old and can’t nobody bother me for speaking my mind. Who’s going to want to come play for Cleveland now that LeBron is gone? But I can see players wanting to come play with LeBron, Wade and Bosh because they’ll have a great chance to win a ring.

”Gilbert ought to be grateful, if anything, because for seven years LeBron was the team’s cash cow. He made a lot of money for the team and for the city. I can see how Gilbert can be hurt and disappointed. But I don’t like the way he and so many other people in the media and elsewhere are ripping LeBron. This kid is the victim of a high-tech lynching. You wouldn’t believe the hate I’m hearing on talk radio out here in Los Angeles. I’m really [ticked] off.

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Kudos to Mr. Walker for speaking his mind.

Against almost all the odds … with disparate sirens calling the names of each of his respective targets to other destinations across the league - i.e. to New York, Chicago, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Toronto, Dallas, Houston and Cleveland - Pat Riley, architect of the Miami Heat, has now pulled off one of the all-time great managerial “plays” in the annals of the NBA by retaining and, then, acquiring the services of …

not just one,

not just two,

but,

in fact … 

three of the very best players in the league:

Dwyane Wade, OG, 6-4, 220
2003, No. 5 [overall] Draft Pick
2006, NBA Finals MVP
2006, NBA Champions [Miami Heat]
2008, USA Men’s National “Redeem” Team, Gold Medal Winner 
6-time NBA All-Star

Chris Bosh, C/PF
2003, No. 4 [overall] Draft Pick
2008, USA Men’s National “Redeem” Team, Gold Medal Winner 
5-time NBA All-Star

LeBron James, SF, 6-8, 260
2003, No. 1 [overall] Draft Pick
2008, USA Men’s National “Redeem” Team, Gold Medal Winner
2009, NBA MVP
2010, NBA MVP 
6-time NBA All-Star

to form the foundation of his TEAM, in Miami, for the next decade.

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A terrific biblical quotation reads like this:

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Corinthians 1:1-13

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For those who can truly appreciate what goes into the building of a championship-winning organization …

It is going to be a great deal of fun to watch how this construction occurs, in South Beach, over the next few years:

given some of the other top teams in the NBA at the moment [e.g. the Lakers, Celtics, Magic, Jazz, Blazers, Thunder, Bulls, Hawks, etc.

For those who would choose to vilify others for the choices which they make in life, in pursuit of happiness, fulfilment, and the realization of their personal objectives ... hopefully, they too will take a step back, gain some badly needed perspective:

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We Are All Witnesses

Last Saturday, me and a few friends of mine went on a hike. We were led to believe it would be a three-hour day hike, but we ended spending nearly all day climbing up a freaking mountain. It was miserable. At some point during the hike/climb, I realized that a goal-oriented view of hiking makes very little sense. Was the moment I was working for the moment I got to the top of the mountain, only to realize I was now going to have to scramble down this freaking thing? Was it the moment we got to the car, too exhausted to do anything but drive to the nearest gas station, buy a bunch of Gatorade, and drink it in silence? Was it when we got home and finally got to shower? Which one of those moments was supposed to make the whole miserable experience worthwhile? Was it when we could tell very unimpressed people that we climbed a relatively small peak?

The answer, of course, is none of them. If you don’t enjoy the process of hiking/climbing mountains, there is no way to justify the activity. Professional cyclists often talk about how the love of suffering itself is something all good cyclists must have on one level or another. More and more, I feel the same way about being a sports fan. If you’re waiting for that one game, one moment, one play, one championship, three championships, that will make all that suffering go away and let you feel nothing but warm inside when you think about your favorite players and teams, I suggest taking up quilting. To be a die-hard fan is to suffer. You just have to enjoy the little victories that you find while you’re suffering.

Maybe you believe that all the great things LeBron James did in the last seven years were just a dress rehearsal for the moments when he ultimately failed to deliver. Maybe you believe that all the good things you thought about LeBron over the years were revealed to be the products of deceit when LeBron started acting like a jackass who believed himself to be bigger than the game this summer. I suppose those are valid viewpoints. They do not happen to be my own.

For the first two years of his career, LeBron James was perhaps the most exciting prospect the game has ever known. For the next three years of his career, LeBron was an underaged MVP candidate who gave the Cavs a fighting chance at a championship. For the last two years, LeBron has been a dominant individual force who turned the Cavs into true championship contenders. For the last seven years, Cleveland basketball has been something to feel good about. When you think about it, that’s something.

If LeBron does decide to stay tomorrow, it will still never be the same as it was before; LeBron is no longer the golden child, and the Cavs won’t have the buzz around them that they once did. If he does leave, it will be one of the lowest moments in the history of one of the most tormented American sports cities. Either way, an era will officially end tomorrow.

The seven seasons that made up the (1st act of?) the LeBron Era in Cleveland ultimately ended in disappointment, failure, heartbreak, misery, doubt, bitterness, and plenty of suffering for everyone who lived and died with LeBron and the team he led. Personally, I wouldn’t trade those seven years of watching LeBron play for anything in the world.

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and then continue to live their own life to the best of their ability, in a positive and constructive way, while trying to help others achieve their dreams.

"Life is fast; and, things happen quickly."
- Derek Fisher

For men like Micky Arison, Pat Riley, Erik Spoelstra, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and [now] LeBron James, it truly is never about “the money” but, rather:

1. Finding;

2. Developing; and, then, 

3. Making a full commitment to, “The Winner Within,” arm-in-arm with a band of like-minded brothers having The Right Stuff that champions are made of.

Kudos to each one for being willing to try to make this happen TOGETHER … against all-comers.

PS. To the other serious “players”, in the NBA: The stakes have just been raised!

PPS. To those with feint hearts, and/or a general lack of commitment: Best you think about completely getting out of the game. 

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Related:

If LeBron James truly cares most about [i] his legacy … as an all-time great NBA player … and [ii] the ability of the team for which he plays to win the league championship … which is precisely what will eventually cement his legacy, one way or the other … then the writing is now on the wall for him:

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Cavaliers hire Byron Scott

The Cavaliers hired the former New Orleans coach on Thursday, finalizing a reported four-year contract on the same day superstar officially became a free agent and heard offers from other teams hoping to lure him away from Cleveland. Scott, who twice led New Jersey to the NBA finals and won three titles as a player, will be introduced by the Cavs at a news conference on Friday at Clinic Courts.

“This is a great job and an impressive organization and I am very happy to be a part of it,” Scott said in a statement released by the Cavs. “Everything about it just felt like a really good fit for both me and the team. I am anxious to get going and to build on the success the Cavaliers have experienced in recent years.”

Scott’s hiring came after a strange series of events. At one point, it appeared the Cavaliers were nearing a deal with Los Angeles Lakers assistant Brian Shaw before the team returned to negotiations with Scott on Wedneday. The sides then negotiated through the night before the 49-year-old accepted the job, an agreement his agent Brian McInerney confirmed to the AP early Thursday.

“Byron’s combination of high-level success and depth of experience, both as a head coach and as a player, is a tremendous asset for our organization,” Cavs general manager Chris Grant said. “He is a strong leader with a proven track record of winning in both the regular season and the playoffs. We’re excited for coach Scott to get started.”

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Since being prematurely eliminated from the playoffs this spring, the Cavaliers have now done 3 things:

1. Dismissed Mike Brown;

2. Changed their General Manager;

and,

3. Secured the services of a highly experienced and successful Head Coach;

all of which indicates that owner Daniel Gilbert has finally learned some very tough lessons about how to operate a first-class franchise in the NBA:

* The most important person in the chain of command for a legitimate NBA title contender is …

the owner, who must be fully committed to winning the championship;

* The second most important person is …

the General Manager, who must share a similar vision with the owner – and, if a team does not have the right one, then, it is simply wasting its organizational resources;

* The third most important person is …

the right Head Coach, who must know precisely what it takes to get the job done - and, unless a team has an elite practicioner at the helm the on-court product will repeatedly under-perform, as a rudderless ship, regardless who the superstar and supporting star players might be;

and,

* The fourth most important person is …

the superstar player, who – operating in the heart of the line-up – must perform on the court, as if winning-it-all is the most important thing to him in the entire world.

Despite their upset loss to the Celtics, in the 2nd Round of this year’s Playoffs …

A re-constituted version of the Cavaliers looks something like this:

could actually present LeBron James with his best chance to win the NBA Championship next season … short of teaming up with Dr. Jerry Buss, Mitch Kupchak, Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol for the Lakers, of course … provided Cleveland can adequately fill their 3 “open” spots with suitable replacements for Shaquille O’Neal, Delonte West and Sebastian Telfair, via free agency.

If you consider the primary options on the table, right now, for The Global Icon:

how bad do the Cavaliers … with a head coach like Byron Scott on board … really look, if James can then go out and help them to recruit the best 3 players possible, to play with him in Cleveland? 

Related:

Cavs introduce Byron Scott as Clips talk to James

3 weeks ago …

You were told in this space that the proper way for the Los Angeles Lakers to solve their problems this season would be to use Kobe Bean Bryant in a specific role:

Solving the Lakers’ problems with the Spurs, Apr 6 2010

Last week …

You were told in this space that the outcome of a playoff series can sometimes be determined by the ability of a team to make the correct game-to-game … and, THEN, in-game … adjustments, based on what its opponent’s specific strengths and weaknesses are and the best possible use of its own personnel:

Making the correct game-to-game adjustments can be THE difference between Winning and Losing in the Playoffs, Apr 23 2010

So much of what can be found on-line today concerning supposedly sound “basketball analysis” is little more than gobbledygook put forth by statistical gurus without a proper understanding of, 

“How the NBA game actually works.”

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Oklahoma City Thunder 87
LOS ANGELES LAKERS 111
Complete Series Info

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The fact is …

1. Sample sizes are rendered virtually meaningless;

2. League-wide averages are rendered virtually meaningless; and,

3. Creating and minimizing individual mis-matches against the best teams in the league – and a particular opponent of high calibre – are absolutely crucial;

 … when it comes to determining accurately which teams, coaches and, therefore, players will advance in the playoffs, or not.

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During the pre-season …

You were told in this space that the 2009-2010 NBA championship would, in all likelihood, be won by 1 of the following 5 teams:

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Orlando Magic
Cleveland Cavaliers
Boston Celtics [i.e. depending upon the recovery of Kevin Garnett from injury]

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Los Angeles Lakers
San Antonio Spurs

Nothing which has happened since that time has fundamentally changed that perception. 

Right now …

The 4 best teams in the Eastern Conference are the Cleveland Cavaliers [4-1], Orlando Magic [4-0], Boston Celtics [4-1] and Atlanta Hawks [2-2].

The 4 best teams in the Western Conference are the Los Angeles Lakers [3-2], San Antonio Spurs [3-2], Utah Jazz [3-1] and Phoenix Suns [3-2].

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Barring any further major injuries …

This year’s NBA champions will, in all likelihood, be 1 of the following 3 teams:

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson [and Mitch Kupchak and Dr. Jerry Buss]
Orlando Magic, Stan Van Gundy [and Otis Smith and Richard DeVos]
San Antonio Spurs, Gregg Popovich [and RC Buford and Peter Holt]

… none of which happens to be the Cleveland Cavaliers with Mike Brown [and Danny Ferry and Daniel Gilbert].

Basketball is the ultimate TEAM Sport … with each player on the court having to be able to function adequately on Offense, on Defense, and in terms of Rebounding, in conjunction with the sound strategic and tactical decision-making skills of an elite level head coach, general manager and owner.

Those who think that basketball can be properly understood by examining the statistical norms, averages, outliers, etc., associated with representative “sample sizes”, “numerical formulas”, and all manner of “efficiency ratings,” are simply wasting their [and your] time.

Basketball is a game of:

I. Acumen;

and,

II. Inches;

… the most important of which are the “approximately 6″ located between the ears of a team’s owner, general manager, head coach and 8-9 regular rotation players.

Related:

Kobe Bryant, Closer to the ground

Every Move Must Have A Purpose