In a statement that should rankle all Toronto Raptors players and fans alike, LeBron James admitted it was Chicago who they wanted to face in the first round.
The mystery of why Cleveland was playing their starters in a meaningless game against Toronto after they had secured first place overall and then sat King James while hoisting numerous uncalled for threes against Chicago in the next game seems all the more clear.
The Cavaliers picked their first round opponent.
“We knew this team would push us,” James said. “That’s not taking anything away from Toronto, but with Bosh being out for the rest of the season and all those injuries, it just didn’t seem like they even wanted to make the playoffs at the end of the season. So it probably would’ve ended up in that same way if we had played Toronto like it was last year.”
Source: ESPN
What hurts Raptors fans all the more was Bosh was knocked out for the season during that game in Cleveland and later it was the Cavaliers who put all their starters back into that meaningless game during the fourth quarter as the Raptors closed the gap to ensure a Toronto loss.
It wouldn’t have mattered if the Cavaliers had beaten the Bulls two nights later as a Bulls loss would have effectively put them out of the race. But Cleveland gave the Bulls every opportunity to win that game and even at that, the Bulls barely managed to pull it off.
The Cavaliers must have been very pleased with that turn of events.
Of course what James wasn’t saying was that the Chris Boshless Raptors had taken the Cavaliers to overtime in Toronto a month earlier and the Raptors beat the Cavaliers in their home opener.
Despite James bravado, the Raptors were a bad match up for Shaq in the first round. A team that plays pick and roll offensive and stretches big men out to the three-point line was not what the Cavaliers wanted to face in round one.
And in four games against Toronto this season, King James had shot over 5% below his season average and scored 3 points per game less.
No one could make a convincing argument that Toronto would have fared any better against Cleveland in the end. But James argument that Chicago was going to give them a better series isn’t supported by the facts.
Of course securing first place overall with over a week to go in the schedule does give a team the opportunity to play with their opponents playoff futures.
And Toronto was still in control of their playoff destiny after the game in Cleveland. The loss to the Cavaliers merely kept the door open for the Bulls.
But, Raptors fans should still be steaming in the big smoke.
What can I say, the US hates Canada!
We want more, CB4!
Sorry bro but I’m not buying this at all. Your logic doesn’t add up when you consider that Lebron’s two main reasons for arguing that Toronto wouldn’t give the Cavs much of a test both took place either after or during Lebron deciding to take part in their late season game vs the Raps.
Firstly, Lebron had already decided he would play against Toronto in the same game that Bosh ended up getting hurt in. As for the Cavs putting their starters back into the game when Toronto closed the gap in the fourth quarter? Well if you had watched any Cavs games over the course of the regular season you would know that they almost always do that at home. They toy with their inerfior opponents and rest their key players as much as possible and only use them late in games when they absolutely need to. So that strategy isn’t simply isolated to that one game against the Raptors.
Lebron’s other comment was that the Raptors played horribly against the Bulls in the third to last game of the season. This game also took place after both the Cavs game vs the Raptors where LBJ did play as well as the Cavs game vs the Bulls when he didn’t play. So the Cavs had no control over that.
Now I have as hard a time as anyone believing that the Cavs actually wanted to play the Bulls because they thought the series would be more challenging and I’ll admit that Lebron’s comments in that press conference were a little odd. But I really don’t think the Cavs strategically benched anyone in order to help determine their first round opponent. I simply think their coaching staff had it planned out for a while that they were going to rest Lebron for a set number of games heading into the playoffs regardless of who they played down the stretch.
At the end of the day, do you really think the Cavs were the least bit concerned with loosing to either the Raptors or Bulls in the first round enough to conspire against either one of them anyway?
LBJ didn’t know the Raptors would play horribly against the Bulls when the Cavs played that last game against Toronto – the game had not happened yet – even LeBron can’t see the future.
And Yes LBJ was playing in that last game against Toronto – the day after Mike Brown said he was going to rest his starters because they had clinched #1. Only in the game against Toronto did Brown go all out to win after clinching the #1 seed.
And if you watched the Cavs play Toronto this year, they couldn’t toy with them – they either played their best guys or lost. All the games were close – except for the Raptors home opener when the Cavs got beat and Shaq and the rest of the Cavs bigs looked lost. The Raptors were just a bad match-up in style for the Cavs with the 3-pt shooting big men giving the Cavs bigs fits.
And in reality that is what the Cavs have to overcome when they face Orlando in the ECF – and Orlando is a lot better at it than the Raps.
Cavs wanted the Bulls because they were the easy touch – not because they were much of a challenge.
Sure the Cavs would beat any team below 4th in a 1st round match-up – but they may pay for choosing to face the offensively inept Bulls when they face the Magic.
And helping the Bulls make the playoffs and then admitting to it crosses the line.
While we are at it, what annoyed me even more was that annoying Lakers fan who in the last game against the Lakers got up to catch the ball before it was out. The game was close and this one possession would have changed the outcome of the game and the fight for 8th. Compared to that the Cavs’ strategy is minor if you ask me.
On another note: nice touch to your banner with CB4 being in the process of leaving. Could I suggest you re-take the picture with Hedo looking a bit “less energetic and active”. That would make the picture almost real life.
Well Hedo does tend to smile and look energetic at inopportune moments. lol
Thanks.
This could also be for CB4′s benefit. King James is staying in Cleveland, and what better way to entice a free agent than a promise of chasing a ring with a team that is almost guaranteed to see the Finals in Stern’s NBA?
Can you see Cleveland asking for Bosh in exchange for Varejao, Jamison, Telfair and a low 1st round pick?
I could see them asking – there will be lots of deals tossed in the Raptors direction.
But what I’d want from the Cavs is Varejao and Hickson, plus West (expiring deal), and Telfair (expiring deal) plus next year’s 1st round pick and cash.
And if the Cavs want some depth back, Raps include Wright in the S&T – replaces West for the Cavs
Tough to see this being the best offer sent the Raps way though.
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I went to the cavs game the other day. It was awesome. I think they will win this year. Lebron will win the mvp for the 2nd time
LBJ is an amazing player.
Might be able to carry the Cavs all the way this time.
You are right and most of the others are wrong. There is no way the league should have allowed the Cavs to play their starters against the Raps and not against the Bulls when both teams were fighting for the same playoff spot. That leaves a bad taste in my mouth!
LBJ is a goof and I hope one day he gets Steve Sax syndrome (LA Dodgers SS / 2B who lost the ability to throw to first base). But by then he will be a trillionaire and able to buy up small cities and towns. Let’s hope he doesn’t use that same philosophy a King and Grand Poobah that he does playing a sport for a living.
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