New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season

[RBFC]

Modulation of the response to adrenal stress (caused by competition anxiety, fear, etc.) is a science unto itself. I've done a great deal of work over the past 20 years in studying the effects of stress on performance during life&death combative scenarios. In a manner similar to vaccination against disease, the subject must be inoculated with the correct dose of contextually-relevant stress at regular intervals. Eventually, a "tolerance" to a given amount of stress develops and performance is no longer degraded.

By missing an important interval of age-appropriate stress inoculation, the above-named stars seem to struggle with doses above their current threshold.

Lee

 

[rblnr]

Didn't Pat Riley hire a Psychologist to travel with the Lakers of the mid 80's especially after their loss to the Celtics in 1984?

Many teams have psychologists either directly on the payroll or as regular consultants. The Bulls do, and a friend of mine has worked for the Cavs in the past in that capacity. Lebron had that same 'deer-in-the-headlights' look while delivering 'The Decision' -- that of someone whose feet aren't on the ground and has lost track of who they are.

 

[steve williams]

well for a guy that almost certainly will be sports first billionaire IMO he must have less than stellar advisors in his business. In fact IIRC, LeBron fired his agent several years ago and now works with 2 of his high school friends who handle all of his business affairs.

He just seems to have an air of retiscence about him esp in the 4th quarter of all finals games

 

[FrantzM]

well for a guy that almost certainly will be sports first billionaire IMO he must have less than stellar advisors in his business. In fact IIRC, LeBron fired his agent several years ago and now works with 2 of his high school friends who handle all of his business affairs.

He just seems to have an air of retiscence about him esp in the 4th quarter of all finals games

It is not an open and shut case that he will be the first sports billionaire. He must perform at a higher level, it is clear with the game on the line 99% of NBA fan would prefer to see the ball in Kobe's hands , a real winner, not a disappear in the Moment player. Yes he has an immense talent but that didn't help the Heat the past two games ... The Decision has hurt him in may ways . Yes he polarizes, but he hasn't proven yet to be a winner.. Wealthy? He already is .. Billionaire? Well He may become that but so far the trajectory is not the straight line we all would like to think ...
He is not yet a winner .. Dirk, Larry, Kobe, Magic are .. LBJ? so far a great talent not a winner

 

[steve williams]

By all accounts Frantz he will be the first Sports billionaire

 

[jadis]

And I guess this lays to rest the comment from Pippen about James being possibly greater than MJ. There are those who thrive on pressure on regular games, those who thrive on pressure on playoff games, and those who thrive on pressure in the Championship games. The last belongs of a very select few, and James is not one of them yet. Imo, his greatest fear would be to be put in the bunch of Elgin Baylor, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing et al. Teams are going to beef up their stock next season, and Dallas, if they stay intact, will retain their fantastic team chemistry and be in perfect position to repeat. And oh by the way, I haven't been reading about how great a job their GM Donnie Nelson has been doing, as he has been there ever since Dirk came to Dallas. Mark Cuban did acknowledge the great job Donnie has done in assembling this team. Who would have thought that Brian Cardinal (the butt of all sportscasters' jokes on air) and Ian Mahinmi would not only play but score some key buckets in the Finals?

 

[JackD201]

I remember when Mahinmi sank that jumper from the key. I jumped up cheering then suddenly said "WTF is Mahinmi"?

 

[jadis]

I remember when Mahinmi sank that jumper from the key. I jumped up cheering then suddenly said "WTF is Mahinmi"?

Hahaha...He is France's response to Germany's Dirk.

And don't forget, Jack, that Dallas also has a sniper from Yugoslavia, the smallest waterbug from Puerto Rico, a 4th string guard from Guadaloupe, and an American 'Cuban' for its owner. We have the United Nations right here.

 

[steve williams]

Let's talk next season Jadis at the beginning because you have to remember I am a Lakers fan for 40 years at least, so you know where I stand. However, having said that I posted here when the Lakers got swept and humiliated by the Mavs that if the same team shows up in the finals there was never a doubt in my mind that they were going to win it all.

Remember "America's Team", the Dallas Cowboys with Staughbach and Landry. Every Thanksgiving, there they were.

The Mavs could well become the next America's Team because the roster looks like a League Of Nations including the owner

 

[jadis]

Let's talk next season Jadis at the beginning because you have to remember I am a Lakers fan for 40 years at least, so you know where I stand. However, having said that I posted here when the Lakers got swept and humiliated by the Mavs that if the same team shows up in the finals there was never a doubt in my mind that they were going to win it all.

Remember "America's Team", the Dallas Cowboys with Staughbach and Landry. Every Thanksgiving, there they were.

The Mavs could well become the next America's Team because the roster looks like a League Of Nations including the owner

I remember you said that, Steve, that nobody can beat Dallas if they played the way they did after they eliminated LA. That was the formula. Rain 3's, pick and roll, Dirk being Dirk, Terry being Terry, inside game with Chandler and Haywood, and Kidd's heady court generalship.

Next year? I think the pressure now will be heavier on Dallas to repeat. They came in this season like a stealthy team, nobody even predicted they would get past round 1, as Cuban mentioned. That is quite true. We were all looking the the Spurs who had the league best record, and LAL, then OKC. There was no pressure on them really. Silent workers. But next year, all eyes will be on their, each game of the regular season they will be watched, and maybe,maybe their performance might fluctuate as other teams who have re-tooled to combat Dallas' known strengths and winning formula. That is how you badger a King's Tower. You rock them many times till the gate opens. Dallas will be rocked by many teams next season who are willing to experiment their own formula of winning. LAL will not be behind in rocking at the Mav's gate. They have the tools definitely, the Bigs and Kobe, and if they add a real effective point guard and a couple of good role players, they will definitely be in the conference finals if not the finals again. OKC is still quite raw, imo. But who knows, the ball is round, as they say. One more thing, I am truly amazed at Jason Kidd. At the post game interview with Chris Webber, Kidd looked so good like he can still play 2 more solid years. The guy had no lack of speed when he run the break this series, and his 3s were going in. He plays 30 something minutes at age 38 in a NBA Finals. And he just told Webber - I feel good now. Man, I am impressed with this guy, and he'll be very much around next season.

 

[steve williams]

BTW,speaking of America's Team, if you follow the HBO show Entourage you will have seen both Mark Cuban and Jerry Jones as occasional bit players.

I also said yesterday that if there were a runner up it would be Jason Terry. I never really appreciated how good he is until the Lakers series with his outside accuracy

 

[JackD201]

I think, like Miami, LA was ready for the starters but not for the Mavs bench. Funny how huge a role the tiny guards of the Mavs played coming from a city that embodies the bigger is better attitude. Look at their Airport, Cowboy's Stadium and of course steaks! I'm very sure LA will be snagging a couple of guards that can follow through or around the very fast Dallas pick and rolls next year. There's not much help can do if the primary defender's got his ankles broken. It opens up the third scoring options, which in Dallas' case was a couple of snipers like Peja waiting in the wings for the extra pass even if the play was broken up. I think this is imperative because I'm sure other teams have taken notice. I don't think it will just be Dallas, Chicago, and Boston with great scoring PGs next season.

 

[jadis]

I also said yesterday that if there were a runner up it would be Jason Terry. I never really appreciated how good he is until the Lakers series with his outside accuracy

Ever since I saw Jason Terry shoot the lights out in one game as an Atlanta Hawk I know i have to mark that name in my books as an incredible long range outside shooter in this era. I didn't knew he existed till I saw that game. He was like a shorter Reggie Miller who could shoot with his eyes closed.

And yes, I would vote him too as a 2nd in the Finals MVP category. His numbers in the first 3 games were under 20. Maybe 12, 15 something. Games 4, 5, 6 he made 17, 21, and 27. In a tight, choking defense that is Miami's game, those increase in points were big, culminating in the break-out game 5 where he just went unconsious shooting OVER James from way beyong the 3 point line. By game 6, it looks like he can shoot over anybody. The importance of a 'microwave' type 6th man.

 

[jadis]

Funny how huge a role the tiny guards of the Mavs played coming from a city that embodies the bigger is better attitude. Look at their Airport, Cowboy's Stadium and of course steaks!

It seems that people I talk to do not believe Barea stands 6 feet. Maybe like 5'8" they say. But he does look really small when paired beside Kidd is who 6'4". It's an unconventional sight to see Barea as a shooting guard when he is built more like a point guard but hey, the guy is effective. I think his mere presence bugs Miamu like crazy, absorbing those 'charging fouls' from James even, and when he penetrates, I think Spo has to grab some books on how to defend against this guy. I don't recall Nate Robinson being as effective in his Celtic days.

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

Methinks the Knicks will be a team to watch if there is a next season. Chicago will try to upload boozer and get themselves a bonafide scorer in the low post .. Atlanta will try to get better and yes , Boston will still be Boston .. I believe there is style of play for older teams... more set plays, good zone defense ..Low Post back to the basket scoring, etc . They may surprise a few e ...

In the West for some reason, I had the feeling that the Triangle was figured out by a number of teams .. Am I wrong? A return to more traditional basketball may be better for them they have the size, they have Kobe, they have gasol and lamar Odam, they are maybe a point guard short of competitiveness and even greatness. Dallas lived by the "3"s and won with the threes but I think teams will figure out how to defend against the long range ... Jason Terry was carving the lanes as if he were Magic Johnson, we may not see that again, Teams will learn how to clog the lanes against him and Barea. I am not sure they will repeat

It looks like we may have an interesting new season whenever there is one

 

[jadis]

Looking at Boston's and Chicago's defeat in Miami's hand led me to think about their similarities, after all, Coach Thibs was assistant to Doc. Both coaches tend to rely on their starters too much, to the point of exhaustion. This is understandable for an older team like Boston but not for Chicago which is younger. But everyone needs rest to be efficient. Rose is young but you can see fatigue all over his face when he was made to play virtually the whole game, and hounded by James made it worse. His shots were off, and Thibodeau had no other man left on the bench that he trusted to do the job. Doc runs Boston the same way, and I expect Danny Ainge to add more effective bench players for next season if the C's will be in the running. I believe too Boozer will be shopped around for takers. And Noah wasn't the consistent point producer that he was supposed to be at center. These 2 teams should be shopping for good outside shooters to follow the lead of the Mavs. They now have a clue.

 

[jadis]

http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2011/06/13/is-king-james-really-prince-pippen/?ls=iref:nbahpt2


Is King James Really Prince Pippen?
June 13, 2011 · 3:45PM

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – Maybe Scottie Pippen was looking into one of those funhouse mirrors that distorts the image and that’s why he didn’t recognize himself.

Never mind measuring up LeBron James’ greatness to Michael Jordan. Former Bulls teammate Steve Kerr says the more accurate comparison is – you’re gonna love this – to Pippen himself.

“The irony to me is that LeBron is not Michael. LeBron is actually Scottie,” Kerr said Monday on “The Waddle & Silvy Show” on ESPN1000 in Chicago. “He’s so similar to Scottie in that defensively he was just a monster, could guard anybody, really more of a point forward than scoring guard. Scottie always loved to distribute the ball. That’s really where LeBron’s preference is.

“Phil Jackson used to call Scottie a ‘sometimes shooter.’ Sometimes they would go in, sometimes they wouldn’t. That’s how it is with LeBron. He’s a great talent and a great player but you can see his flaws as a basketball player. He doesn’t have an offensive game that he can rely on: no low-post game, no mid-range jump shot so when the game really gets tough he has a hard time finding easy baskets and getting himself going. That’s what Michael did in his sleep so that’s why the comparison is wrong.”

So in the aftermath of Miami’s loss in the Finals, the disappearing act in the fourth quarters and Kerr’s observation, what are the chances that a certain someone looks into a mirror he finds LeBron staring back?

What do you think? Is he King James, Prince Pippen or the Duke of Earl?

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

What do you think? Is he King James, Prince Pippen or the Duke of Earl?

Right now he's the Chancellor of Choke. We'll see who he is next year.

Tim

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

Lebron is so talented that he will eventually turn this around. It will however be made difficult by the emergence of very good, hungry teams in the East and l the West. The balance of power has shifted to the East ut I would not count the West out with teams like the Lakers, OKC, Dallas, Memphis and yes! San Antonio. I tend to dismiss the Clippers because of their owners and the Warriors because they are the Warriors ..

He is aware of his failings, heck! The whole world is aware of his failings. I would repeat that his talents are monstrous. Huge man who moves like a small man. And possess an uncanny court vision. He will develop a low post game .. he has the strength and the coordination to do so. The real question is : Can Spoelstra help him becoming all he can be? How does he balance the ball between the three of them when the game is on the line.. Something Pat Riley did well with the Lakers .. Kareem seem to have had the ball early then it became Magic ball with whatever he choose to do with it ...
Let's give him some more time .. Too much talent not to dominate eventually

 

[rblnr]

Let's give him some more time .. Too much talent not to dominate eventually

Agreed. He'll come around and get his. I think it's less about operating in the post and so forth, more about maturing and getting his head straight and feet on the ground. Seems very lost right now. BTW, the player he reminds me most of is Magic. Size, handle, court vision.

Don't think the triangle was figured out so much as the Lakers had some head/heart problems. Properly executed with the right talent, it's basically impossible to figure out/shut down with the spacing and ball movement it dictates.

Unfortunately, Boozer is immovable with his contract. I'm hopeful though that he will be in better shape next season, and with some more time together, he and Rose will develop some pick 'n roll chemistry.

I'm not sold on the Knicks. Don't know how much mileage Amare has left on his knees, neither he nor Carmelo play defense, and Carmelo needs a head/heart transplant if he's going to become a true leader/winner. To wit, his end of game/end of season comment about making the right pass at the end when they lost the last game. Name a great player who would say such a thing.