They say the truth shall set you free. In the case of the Boston Celtics Paul Pierce known as "the truth" set his teamates free to continue to persue an NBA championship. Pierce was unstoppable draining shots from every spot on the court. He would not be denied what he has worked 6 hard years to get back to. Peirce finished this game with 41 points with 5 assist shooting 13 for 23 from the floor but knocked down 4 of 6 three pointers.
It seemed as if Boston would run away with this game after watching the first half. LeBron however would have none of that and brought his Cav's to within 1 in the forth. However it was not to be as the Celtics would never trail in this game and go on to win and move on to face the Detroit Pistons Tuesday.
Pierce worked hard throughout this whole game, even coming up with a loose ball when Ilgauskas and Posey went up for a jump ball that was tipped towards LeBron. Garnett was Pretty quiet for the most part only scoring 13 points and 13 boards. Also Ray Allen was no help again today as he's been this whole series. He had only 4 points 1 assist. Going 0-2 from the three point arch. If Boston is to hope to beat the Pistons Allen will have to do more than what he has this semi-final round. Rajon Rondo played very good ball once again and Eddie House and Vet. P.J. Brown gave the Celtics some good bench production when they needed it.
As for the Cavaliers it's time to think about the imediate future. Let's face it he has no supporting cast at all. The only reason this game was even close was because he took charge of his team. Mike Brown is the biggest issue I think facing the Cav's he isn't a good coach at all in my opinion. Maybe an assistant job is best suited for him.
Delonte West though he was the only other player to garner some descent points for the Cav's this game, he was reckless at times. A few times during the game when he drove to the basket he would try and pass the ball in traffic. He should have just went up with shots to try and draw fouls.
Big Z as that's what Cav's fans call him is just pure garbage! There is no other way to describe him, so I'll leave it at that. Ben Wallace is another player that the Cav's may just want to get rid of. He provided much of nothing but 4 rebounds and 3 points. Now he did at times frustrate Garnett on the defensive side but that's it. It'll be a long summer for the Cav's but one that they need to reflect on what went wrong and how do they fix it all.
Cleveland can't continue to allow James to be it's only player carrying this team. Come 2010 more than likely he'll grow tired of that and move on to greener pastures. Can anyone say LaBrooklyn?
The Cavs have had team issues for most of LeBron's tenure; how else would Cavs fans still complain about Carlos Boozer's departure to Utah? I say that this team needs to dump Big Ben and his bigger contract if at all possible (no easy task) and start anew. As for the game, the Pierce-LeBron showdown almost ranked up there with the classic Bird-Wilkins duel; they were, as Tom Heinsohn might have said, in a mano-mano duel. Pierce showed the desire to win today. Now the C's need to show that desire in Detroit, because they can't bank on winning only at home in this upcoming series.
husker,
I agree 100% with that statement actually both.
Just returned from your blog world and commented.
Downs,
Yes they have and how is LeBron supposed to be the Savior of the NBA if he can't even save his team? Was fun to watch Him and Pierce battle though.
DownsA529
May 18, 2008
4:33 PM The Cavs have had team issues for most of LeBron's tenure; how else would Cavs fans still complain about Carlos Boozer's departure to Utah?
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maybe the following will help you to understand.
A Letter from Gordon Gund Regarding Carlos Boozer
July 14th, 2004
To: Cavaliers Fans
From: Gordon Gund
I know last week’s developments with respect to Carlos Boozer are a source of extreme disappointment for you. I want to assure you that I feel exactly the same way. Like you, I believed in Carlos.
Several days have now gone by. This has helped me to gain perspective. I hope this letter will do the same for you.
First, Jim Paxson has taken a tremendous amount of criticism in the media for what happened. As the team owner, I made the decision not to pick up the option on Carlos’ contract. Any criticism should be directed to me, not to Jim Paxson. I want to be very clear that any fault is mine.
Up until late last week when the trust was broken, I believed in Carlos Boozer, the player, and Carlos Boozer, the person. That is why I tried to do what he said he wanted. We tried to do right by him, by the team and by you in trusting in his repeated insistence that if we showed him respect, he would show respect to us.
Carlos and his agent first approached us in December of 2003, stating his desire for financial security as well as his desire to remain in Cleveland and be a key part of the future of this franchise. He and his agent made it very clear that if we respected them, and provided the security he was lo
CONT.....and provided the security he was looking to gain, he would respect us. Given his record on the court, with the franchise, and in the community, we had every reason to believe his commitment.
Over the course of several months, we had multiple meetings that involved Carlos, his wife and his agent. In our most recent meeting on June 30, Jim Paxson and I told Carlos we had two options. He could play this year on his existing contract and test the market for free agency next year, or we could elect not to exercise the option if we had the understanding with him that as soon as legally possible he would negotiate a contract with us for the maximum we could pay him under league rules.
I told him that as we could not have an agreement at that time given the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement, we would have to trust one another’s intentions. I said I define trust as his intention to stay in Cleveland and enter into a long term contract with us as soon as possible under the league rules. In that meeting, we were clear with him that he could make more money in the open market a year from now than we could pay him by redoing his contract this year. I told him he needed to understand that and we did not want him to later think we had taken advantage of him. Jim told him, “There are at least seven teams that have cap space right now who will want to pay you more than we can now. We don’t want to lose you. Why would we not pick up the option?” Carlos said “Because we'd like long term security and we want to stay in Cleveland.” Carlos went on to say that he was happy to
The Cavs have gotten themselves into the trouble they're in. What can they do in the off-season to improve their status? Ben Wallace's over-inflated contract is going to scare many prospective trades away. Delonte West is at best an adequate back-up PG. Wally Szczerbiak is a very one-dimensional player that offers very little extra value. Zadrunas Ilgauskas is getting old, but is probably their most valuable player outside of Lebron.
Is ownership ready to #### their pride and maybe sign one or two free-agents...? There are so many out there that can improve their team. Will they #### up their bad contracts.
I think Seattle and Chicago's futures are looking much brighter today...
CONT:....be a Cavalier and never indicated any concern with his role on the team or his relationship with Coach Silas.
Carlos, his wife and his agent – all of whom were in that room -- knew what our maximum ability would be to pay him. Both Carlos and his wife responded that they wanted financial security now and therefore were anxious to pursue the second option of entering into a long term contract with us as soon as possible and that they would live with any consequences from this decision.
Carlos’ agent then said he wanted to go to another room to talk with his client and his wife alone which they did. When they returned, his agent said he had again explained everything to them so that they understood everything involved and said that their thinking had not changed.
Jim Paxson then told him, “We'd like to begin, as soon as permissible, to negotiate an agreement that we can sign on July 14th.” Carlos responded, “That’s exactly what I want. I want to get this done as quickly as we can.”
Over time Carlos had told Jim and me repeatedly, “If you show respect for me, I will show respect for you.” So, in the June 30 meeting, I reminded him of that and said, “We are all counting on what you said in earlier meetings and again today.” He responded, “That’s right and you can trust me on that.” I asked if we could all trust each other? Carlos, his wife and agent each responded “Yes.” At that point, believing so strongly in Carlos, I said we would not pick up his option. Our intent, as soon as we could do so, was to re-do his contract. The quotes you saw in the media
CONT............July 1 about his desire to remain here were entirely consistent with what he told us.
In the final analysis, I decided to trust Carlos and show him the respect he asked for. He did not show that trust and respect in return. That’s what happened. I wanted you to hear it directly from me. The decision was mine and I take full responsibility.
We currently have no intention of matching Utah's offer to Carlos. In order to match it, and within the restrictions of the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement, we would need to make player personnel moves of such a magnitude that it would have significant negative impact on our team moving forward. We are continuing to look at every possible option that will allow us to improve our team and continue to build on the tremendous momentum we have experienced in recent years. More than ever, we are committed to bringing a championship to this city. Thank you for your continued support of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Why don't they cry about something three years old now? Three years ago Kobe was going 1 on 2, 1 on 3, 1 on 4 and dribbiling off 22 seconds of every offensive clock.
Today it was Lebron. Which goes to show you that no matter who its, there is not enough time in the game to get your teammates involved when you're dribbling away the vast majority of your offensive clock over and over again. Kobe scored a lot of points and they lost. Lebron scored a lot of points and they lost.
TheSizzel,
Um ok, but that's just one side of the story. I would love to know what Boozer says about the whole thing.
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Updated: July 11, 2004, 10:14 PM ET
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So much for verbal understandings.
Carlos Boozer and the Utah Jazz have agreed on a six-year, $68 million offer sheet.
CONT.......
"Our actions have been based upon what Carlos told us he wanted," the Cavaliers said in a statement by owner Gordon Gund and general manager Jim Paxson.
The statement said the Cavaliers' approach with Boozer was entirely consistent with his public statements in an interview July 1 with The Associated Press.
"We are both very surprised and very disappointed by what is now being reported," the statement said.
Messages left with Boozer and agent Rob Pelinka were not immediately returned Thursday.
please feel free to add anything that adds to carlos's side of the story.
The Cavaliers’ only comment on the Boozer defection came in an open letter to fans written by Gund last summer. In it, Gund detailed a negotiation process that he said Boozer manipulated to earn more money.
“In the final analysis, I decided to trust Carlos and show him the respect he asked for,” Gund wrote. “He did not show that trust and respect in return.”
If there are any regrets in the past year, Boozer said, it’s that he no longer has a relationship with Gund. If anything hurt in the ordeal, Boozer said, it’s that Gund called him a liar.
“I’m not that guy,” Boozer said. “I’m not a guy who lies.”
He is someone who has learned lessons. Never too open about his personal life, Boozer continues to keep invasive questions at arm’s length, and is quick to exit conversations with reporters.
Once candid and forthcoming about her husband and their lives, CeCe now is hesitant to talk to anyone associated with Cleveland. Mention of the city stirs bitter memories.
“You guys have an interesting spin on things in Cleveland,” CeCe said as she walked to her baseline seat at a recent Jazz game. “Everyone there does.”
The bottom line is the Cavaliers tried to do what was right for one of their cornerstone players. In the process, however, they were duped. Back-stabbed. Using his new-found free-agent status, sources say Pelinka started fielding offers for Boozer the weekend of July 4. So, it took all of three days to decide that they were going to turn their back on their handshake deal? It would be interesting to listen to Pelinka and Boozer's side to this story, but neither of them are talking.
Boozer was supposedly doing some basketball camps in The Catskills in New York, and was supposed to return to Cleveland yesterday. HIS CELL PHONE NUMBER HAS BEEN DISCONNECTED.
When they do decide to comment, how many lies are going to come out of their mouths? If they say they didn't have an #### agreement with the Cavaliers, then they are lying, team sources say.
No one is holding it against Boozer for getting the money he thought he deserved. But it was the method he used to attain the money that rubs people the wrong way.
Sizzle,
So it's all a bunch of He said/He said bull. I am sure both sides have added their own twist to it.
What is done is done and in the past. Cav's need to focus on what the future holds and it's not much of anything if they don't get LeBron some help befor he decides to just move on.
Remember when Carlos Boozer was fired by his agent Rob Pelinka? As Chris Jones reports Pelinka had actually negotiated Boozer's deal with Utah after the player had verbally agreed to an extension in Cleveland. Pelinka's bosses at SFX (run by Arn Tellem) had forced Pelinka to distance himself from it apparently to save face with GMs. Here's the kicker: in this article about the whole thing, Chris Jones reports that Boozer set aside Pelinka's commission, around $3 million, in case Pelinka struck out on his own. He didn't want one penny going to SFX, however. Jones also reports that a few weeks after the whole controversy died down, Boozer was allegedly invited to quietly rejoin SFX. He declined.
July 12, 2004
Rob Pelinka. Agent. Fall Guy : We discussed Carlos Boozer's renegging on his deal with the Cavs. Now comes news that his agent has resigned over the debacle. Is this a case of an agent caring about business ethics or an agent looking to save his BLEEP from being blamed and subsequently screwing his other clients in future negotiations?
read story | posted by lilnemo to Culture at 5:50 PM CST (18 comments total)
gambitxxx
May 18, 2008
7:42 PM Sizzle,
So it's all a bunch of He said/He said bull. I am sure both sides have added their own twist to it.
What is done is done and in the past. Cav's need to focus on what the future holds and it's not much of anything if they don't get LeBron some help befor he decides to just move on.
Last edited by gambitxxx on May 18th at 7:45 PM.
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carlos boozer has never made a public statement about this ordeal.
so there is no he said/she said. only he said.
please convince me otherwise.......
i've provided numerous links to articles that would indicate carlos boozer lied his way out of his contract.
Sizzle,
From the looks of it Boozer is pretty shady in my opinion. However as I said the future is what matters. Can't live in the past, that'll accomplish nothing.
Sure evry team does have holes to fill. I'll agree with that. Thing is Cleveland is letting talent go to waste. It's as if they are only concerned with how many seats James can fill.
(storms in SLAMS door) Gambit are you overdosing on your pain meds? What game did you watch? You dozed off didn't you?
Every blog I go on there you are shaking Lebron's hand and claiming his teammates did nothing to help him.
Seriously, the way the Cavs offensive game went was ....inbound to Lebron, he dribbles over half court, dribbles around two three people back and forth until less than 4 seconds left and then either jacks up a shot, drives to shoot or dishes off with less than two seconds left on clock.
How in the hell is anyone supposed to get in the flow of the game OR help him under these conditions?
Thanks for proving my point. West shot 50%. Hard for a shooter to get a rhythm on 3 shots like Wally and definately hard for everyone else when they can't touch the ball. In fact this looks su####ously like a Kobe Bryant game from three years ago.
Anyhow tonight is THE game. I forgive you for being a Lebronist. LeLuck.
Nique,
I'll ask you the same question. Was you watching the same game as me. West was the only player who contributed points. He however was reckless when driving the lane and often tried to pass the ball only to turn it over. The rest of the team either missed shots or was scared to shoot. When they got the ball they stood there looking for LeBron. Now I am not saying that LeBron isn't a ball hog but it would have looked worse had he not been. Yes it did look like a Laker game just a few years ago.
I'm am no wheres even close to being a LeBron fan or appologist. I call it like I see it. I am a Kobe and Laker fan followed closely by CP3 and the Hornets.
Not all that long ago, when Kobe was termed a ball hog, his defenders used the excuse that he had to be because he got no help from his teammates.
Was that excuse bogus, or was he truly a ball hog?
Perhaps the same excuse is valid for Lebron. I have not watched him enough through the year to really have an opinion. I did see some possessions yesterday where he would pass to another player and they would pass it right back to him.
The Spurs do that a lot, but they are usually repositiong when they do it in an attempt to foce the opposition committ to one or the other, leaving one of the open for the shot, but that did not look like the case here. They just looked like they were afraid to take the shot because they might miss.
I know last season in the finals, I would not have called him a ball hog. But that might be because Bruce Bowen kept him pretty much in check and he was forced to pass out to other players.
Spurcse,
Exactly what I was trying to explain to Nique. The Cav's players looked like they wanted no part of the ball when they did get it in theier hands.
I think what Nique here is trying to here:
"Seriously, the way the Cavs offensive game went was ....inbound to Lebron, he dribbles over half court, dribbles around two three people back and forth until less than 4 seconds left and then either jacks up a shot, drives to shoot or dishes off with less than two seconds left on clock." is this. It is reckless to pass with 2 secs left. Shooting form is usually not good because the players will most likely have to catch the ball with 1.5 seconds left and throw it up hoping it will go in. Don't bring up 0.4 with Fisher. Shots like that usually don't go in.
The perfect breakfast as I see it.
You’re sitting at the table and your son is on the cover of Wheaties, your mistress is on the cover of Playboy, and your wife is on the back of the milk carton.
