Playoff Ballin’: Caron Butler Did It
NBA May 1st. 2008, 10:45am
Washington 88, Cleveland 87: Did Caron Butler drag his foot and walk on the game winner? Was LeBron fouled on his final shot? How do the Cavs blow a five-point lead, at home, with 1:47 to play? Let’s say the Wizards magically win the next two to capture this series without Gilbert Arenas – what does that do to his value this offseason? Incredibly costly loss for the Cavs, who, had they won, might have had as much as a week off before the semifinal series against Boston. And even 1-on-5 street fight, we’d like DeShawn’s Stevenson’s chances.
Boston 110, Atlanta 85: No surprise here, as the Celts shot 53 percent, Pierce (22 points, seven rebounds) and KG (20 points, seven assists) made amends for their substandard play in game four, and Boston rebuffed an early third-quarter rally and coasted. It’s funny – we don’t remember Mike Bibby playing this poorly on the road when he was with Kings, but he’s been beyond awful in the Garden (6-for-25, three assists, six turnovers). Maybe it’s the boos. By late in the third quarter, the Hawks looked like they were already thinking about game six. Clear your Friday schedule.
126 Responses to “Playoff Ballin’: Caron Butler Did It”
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May 1st, 2008 at 10:49 am
2 steps is not a travel. Cavs fans should know better to bitch about traveling calls
May 1st, 2008 at 10:50 am
He’s da best manne…He deeed it.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:51 am
who cares about the travel its the NBA everyone travels…good no coul on the foul there was contact but he still got off a good shot. a shot he hits 9/10 times
what pisses me off the most of why the hell was lbj shooting a 3 up 5 with 1 minute to go…the entire last 1:47 was so infuriating
and wally s deserves to die today
May 1st, 2008 at 10:52 am
cant complain about the travel, but the rest of the game might have been the worst officiating ive ever seen.
and before any retard who looks at the box score and sees how many FT’s each team took and didn’t even watch the game…washington didn’t go into the paint at all until halfway thru the 4th quarter. of course theyre not getting calls if theyre playing like pussies.
mike brown is the worst coach in the NBA, hands down.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:52 am
Agree 100 percent with Irish, we are seriously talking about traveling in the NBA? Didn’t even look like a travel to me.
No way Gilbert get’s a max deal from anyone this off season. He needs to stay with the Wizards and prove he can stay healthy and contribute. Him shutting it down was for the best, he was adding nothing.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:53 am
I feel like we, as Hawk fans, are playing with house money at this point. While watching the game, I was only mildly upset. I can’t tell if that’s because I didn’t expect them to get this far in the first place, or because I expected them to lose last night anyway. But either way, I’ve never watched a game with such an eerie feeling before. It was like I was watching some random game where I was indifferent on who I wanted to win.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:53 am
I am still pissed that Gilbert took the last shot in Game 4 when Caron was on fire, stupid, stupid decision by Eddie Jordan, and it was made worse by him saying as much after Game 5.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:54 am
ya i agree it didnt really favor cavs or wizards but it was just really inconsistent…and spencer im starting to think that whatever happens in this post season brown is on his way out (dreaming probably)
May 1st, 2008 at 10:54 am
Gilbert cost himself a lot of money this season. I don’t think he could get more $$$ if he opted out. That would be a stupid move.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:54 am
very disappointed that in a close out game lebron decides to not play basketball until a few minutes in the 4th quarter
May 1st, 2008 at 10:55 am
mmonast…if brown is still employed by the cavs at the end of the season, id seriously consider becoming a trailblazer fan. i can’t take another season of him, lebrontosaurus or no lebrontosaurus.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:56 am
I am legitimately the biggest Cavs fan alive, and the traveling call and the contact on LeBron were both FINE AND GOOD no calls. The Cavs lost the game because they didn’t play good enough to win. Too many bad possessions throughout the game (especially at the end which is very unlike us), a couple rebounding lapses (only outrebounding Wash by 1 is unacceptable), poor shooting throughout (15 missed bunnies) and too much Wally World (Had he sat the pine all night we’d have probably won by 8.
All that being said, the Cavs should still advance. Haywood has got to stay on the floor for Washington.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:57 am
if ferry wont fire him gilbert should can both…last game was a perfect example for everyone to see his inability to coach an NBA team…not adjustments, poor (nonexistent) play calling, bad bad rotations etc etc etc
May 1st, 2008 at 10:58 am
I’m still shocked that the Cavs blew their late lead by taking (and missing) 3 pointers on back-to-back possessions. That’s something the Wizards usually do.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:58 am
i need to watch my Orlando Magic play. Im starting to have withdrawals
May 1st, 2008 at 10:59 am
fuckin mike brown went on the radio and said he doesn’t call plays…WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING YOU FAT PIECE OF SHIT?!?!!?!? no wonder the cavs can’t score fucking 80 points per game. get him out of there, i can’t take it anymore.
the cavs haven’t be prepared for a game like this since brown has been there as a coach. the team, on paper, is decent, they should be destroying the wiz down low, but they just fucking wont.
oh and KG shouldve been suspended yesterday.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:00 am
i really cant see a scenario where gilbert continues to employ mike brown…so clueless with the offense on this team
May 1st, 2008 at 11:00 am
Who cried more, LeBron after the no call or KG after Horford gave him a love tap? Way to milk it in front of the bandwagoneers, Defensive Pussy of the Year.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:01 am
and i agree with everything RD said
May 1st, 2008 at 11:01 am
Although Mike Brown is awful, I am fine with the LeBron clear out offense, he just has to get going quicker, or run a 2 man with Z or be given the ball in a different spot or while moving. In the end the Cavs will live or die with LeBron.
Mike Brown needs to stop playing Wally and Varejao.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:01 am
The problem is that Caron looks to be fully healthy. When he’s 100%, he’s a ton better than Gilbert and one of the top 25 players in the league. He torched Wally (why is he still playing, Coach Mike? Getcha some fucking brain) to the tune of 14 first quarter points.
He didn’t much when Lebron guarded him but torched Wally and Devin (or whoever picked him up when there were switches).
Anderson played like a fucking woman yesterday, too. Missed at least 2 (maybe 3) easy ass bunnies.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:01 am
agent zero is not gonna get a max contract? you guys are forgetting that this is the NBA.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:02 am
I love how the universal sentiment of fans after a loss is ___ (insert coach here) made no adjustments. And ___ (insert coach here) had terrible rotations.
You guys oversimplify way, way too much. Cavs missed 15 just from point blank range, so therefore – Mike Brown is the worst coach ever.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:02 am
No travel, just the Euro slide step. Its suprising to see Tough Juice adopting Manu’s moves.
Legler says Uncle Gilby cannot opt out this summer.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:04 am
Asked by reporters when he found out that Arenas was not playing, Coach Eddie Jordan replied, “When he was talking to you guys.” Pause. “Was that a shock to everybody?”
Not that an NBA coach getting less respect than a fire hydrant from a player is news worthy, but it’s another example of Arenas’ lack of leadership and maturity. The Wiz should do a sign and trade with Arenas and get a legitimate inside presence.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:04 am
It’s not rocket science. The Wizards are a better team with Arenas on the bench.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:05 am
Actually you’re the one oversimplifying. Chalking the loss up to missed shots is the simplest of reasons for a loss. We’re digging a little deeper and asking questions like, “Why the fuck did Wally get 17 minutes?” , “Why, when he did play, was he guarding the other team’s best player?” , “Why is Boobie Gibson afraid to shoot, and if he is, why not give his minutes to Damon Jones?” All of those are coaching problems.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:05 am
This is the one time in my life I’m happy I’m deaf….I can’t hear the BOOOOOOOS
May 1st, 2008 at 11:05 am
Dwight Howard is a better free throw shooter than Lebron
May 1st, 2008 at 11:06 am
Heh, I just read Mike Brown’s quote on Avery Johnson:
Cut to a month later, Johnson has Mike Brown’s job.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:07 am
cursed…no Mike Brown is the worst coach ever BECAUSE HE IS THE FUCKIGN WORST COACH EVER.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:07 am
iggy…i hope youre right.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:08 am
Lebron was 15-18 from the line last night.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:08 am
Nick, they missed 15 chippies from point blanke range and lost by one point. Sometimes you need to look no further. These two teams are pretty even if you ask me – so in a game where you’re getting easy shots and missing at the basket, it’s not rocket science as to why you lost.
As for rotations, it looks bad b/c Wally shot poorly. What would YOUR rotations have beed? I didn’t hear anyone bashing Brown’s rotations after the three wins. Hmmm.
Also, the Cavaliers overhauled their roster mid-season. Pretty tough to build chemistry and rotations when that happens.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:09 am
/cursed is british?
May 1st, 2008 at 11:10 am
irish: How excited were you when you saw this?
May 1st, 2008 at 11:10 am
I may have missed this on TBL…..i have actually been working hard for days and not surfing at my normal pace…… but just heard one radio that there is video circulating of Angelina Jolie doing hardcore drugs…..has this been posted or see by anyone?
May 1st, 2008 at 11:11 am
By the way, the blood test came back and Melo was over the limit. Why people submit to tests when they know they’re over is beyond me
/ from personal experience
May 1st, 2008 at 11:11 am
@nick p- Dwight is .568 in the playoffs. Lebron is .657. your right
May 1st, 2008 at 11:11 am
dwight howard is better at knocking up cheerleaders than lebron
May 1st, 2008 at 11:12 am
I’ve been bitching about Wally win or lose. Last night in limited time he had 4 awful turnovers, 5 of 6 missed FG’s and got torched on defense (I had been expecting that since before the series started).
And anybody who has watched the Cavs the last few years knows Varejao isn’t even remotely close to where he was in the past.
I don’t think they lost last nights game due to coaching alone(see above), I do think we have a bad coach though.
Go Cavs
May 1st, 2008 at 11:12 am
I’ve actually been bashing Wally in the starting lineup since game 1, and I have the texts I sent out to prove it.
Sure if we hit every shot we take, we win. That’s results based, though. If you focus on the process, we seldom send out our optimal lineup. With Antonio Daniels in the starting lineup (not great on O), we can easily put Delonte and Boobie in the starting lineup. We don’t need Wally’s size (the only reason I assume he’s playing), especially considering with he does nothing good with his size anyway.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:12 am
whatever nothing will get me to believe coach brown is a good coach fucking clueless asshole
May 1st, 2008 at 11:13 am
Why aren’t Jazz-Rockets on tonight? This would be the perfect opportunity for the NBA to actually have people pay attention to that game.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:14 am
Detroit is on tonight thank god. They need to win and close out that fucking series. I need my Dwight Howard fix
May 1st, 2008 at 11:14 am
Yeah Nick I’m not saying he’s played the best lineups – but I did countless times after the trade that they have unnecessary duplicity. Between Booby, Damon Jones and Wally, they have three guys who are limited to just popping threes offensively and not very good defensively. Which means, Mike Brown has to guess each night who’s going to hit threes. That’s not good for rotations.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:16 am
This isn’t Ballin’ related but I figured everyone is hanging out here now. I was at the Cubs game last night, turned around to hail the beer guy and what do you know, TBL Bracket Tournament Champion, Ms. Erin Andrews is walking right behind me. I probably looked like Tim Duncan after he doesn’t have a call go his way, my eyes were triple the normal size and protruding 1/2 inch from my face. She is just as sexy in person as she is on TV, I felt privelaged.
Spence, find out where Mike Brown lives and have your dog go poop in his mailbox.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:17 am
Nah, Wally’s much worse than Boobie. He’s an abortion. He thinks he’s still an All-Star and tries to play like one. He’s too careless with the ball, and forces too many guns. He’s awful.
/I know the definition of aberration. When you play this shitty all the time, it’s no longer an aberration.
//Wally is still better than Larry Hughes, which doesn’t mean anything of course.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:18 am
There is no way Gilbert get’s max money this offseason. Billy King isn’t a GM anymore.
To say the Wizards are a better team without Gilbert is too easy. This year yes they are, but as Legler was saying guys who put up 30 a night don’t just grow on trees. When Gilbert is healthy, the Wizards are better with him.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:18 am
i blame larry hughes
May 1st, 2008 at 11:18 am
Caron Butler quote
“Don’t judge this team from comments,” he said. “LeBron made a statement saying ‘These guys are talkers,’ but unless you hear something from the captains–which would be myself and Antawn–don’t label that as the team. You know what I’m saying? I’m the voice of this team, ‘Twan is the spiritual and emotional leader, and unless you hear it from us, just keep it moving.”
Do these guys really need Gil?
May 1st, 2008 at 11:19 am
@cbh: Sure they’re better with him, but at what cost? Even with a healthy Gilbert, the Wiz are no better than the 4th or 5th best in the East. If you use that max or near-max money on someone who’s more productive, you’d be much better off.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:20 am
i blame ted stepien.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:20 am
i think the universe might explode if the eastern conference final four includes doc rivers, flip saunders, and mike brown. stan van gundy being involved is like albert einstein managing a hooters restaurant.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:21 am
@big tuna- thats awesome. i saw her interview Cuban on TV.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:22 am
How come nobody is bashing LeBron for only making three fourth quarter field goals in the last two playoff games combined?
/ T Mac
May 1st, 2008 at 11:24 am
Cursed because LeBron has actually won playoff series and been to a Finals. TMac has done jack shit in his career.
Nick, I am starting to agree with you. Gil has been nothing but a distraction this year and I think he has a lot of durability issues. I think the team as a whole isn’t constructed correctly right now.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:27 am
cbh49er, i was just relaying T-Mac’s message. Don’t shoot the messenger.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:27 am
I don’t know how Wally kept seeing time last night, he took his normally bad performance and really stepped it up a notch to horrible. More Gibson, less Wally. Cavs shut it down with 2 min to go and hoped to not lose instead of playing to win. Thats what average, poorly coached teams do I guess.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:28 am
My bad Cursed, TMac that was directed to you. Everything is your fault, because you suck and you are extremely overrated.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:28 am
free damon jones?
May 1st, 2008 at 11:31 am
That was nowhere near a travel. Just rewatched the clip a bunch of times. Nice to see an NBA player actually drive without traveling- it did look a little Ginobli-esque, but there was definitely no drag. CLE fans better not think of complaining. LBJ takes 3 steps on a regular basis! What I really enjoyed was LBJ’s lack of defense, just a straight back-pedal. At least put your arms up!
May 1st, 2008 at 11:36 am
free dwayne jones. put him in, maybe get in a fight with caron & antawn, get all 3 ejected.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:37 am
who is the guy on the Cavs that looks like Jamario Moon from the Raptors?
May 1st, 2008 at 11:38 am
cbh: Like you said, the way this team is constructed, I think they are a better team with Arenas on the bench. Caron can make up for his scoring, and does more to help the team. Arenas is a good fantasy player, but I don’t think he helps teams win on average. He’s just a scorer.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:38 am
Hey you guys should really stop picking on my lil cousin.
/ Vince Carter
May 1st, 2008 at 11:42 am
You suck too Vince.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:44 am
I’m in, although I’m going to throw my allegiance to the Seattle Supersonics, since I have a cousin who has season tix. Eff the Cavs! Long live my new team. Go Seattle!!!!
May 1st, 2008 at 11:45 am
May 1st, 2008 at 11:48 am
Wait. What?
May 1st, 2008 at 11:49 am
You don’t actually know? They’re moving to OK City, that NBA hotbed.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:50 am
Welcome to the real world, Cavs fans. If you have to give minutes to one Mr. Damon Jones, you are officially screwed.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:51 am
nick, you got punk’d
May 1st, 2008 at 11:54 am
@GYD: I’m not disagreeing that he sucks. Boobie can be and normally is better. But Boobie’s kind of only in the game because he can make 3s. He plays no defense and can’t create for others. If he’s gonna be unwilling to shoot, then he needs to be watching Damon hoist. Our offense is really only good enough to get one open look per possession. If he’s not gonna take that shot, what good is he?
At least 3 times, he passed up an open shot to give Devin Brown a corner 3. Devin was open on those shots, but there’s a reason he’s open. Teams love when he shoots 3s, because he can’t shoot.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:59 am
@ Nick: You are adorable. Don’t ever change.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:01 pm
I like the way LeBron looked at the reporters during the press conference, then just walked like you guys are fucking ridiculus.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:02 pm
^ away
May 1st, 2008 at 12:03 pm
I also liked Lebron’s masochist suit he was wearing. wtf was that?
May 1st, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I would love it if LeBron’s they have no chance of coming back quote comes back to haunt him and the LeBrons.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:11 pm
The nba should have put houston and utah on as the highlight game tonite. To see if anybody would watch.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:49 pm
But Nick, LeBron’s three point shooting percentage is literally percentage points ahead of Devin Brown (Incidentally, LeBron shot 9 threes last night). So much for being a “football player” and “not being a 6′9 jump shooter” – both directly quoted from LeBron before game 2.
just saying
May 1st, 2008 at 1:03 pm
hold up a second…Yardwork has more comments
Lets get something going here fellas
F the CAVS
May 1st, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Detroit sucks ass.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Manute Bol > Dwight Howard
discuss…
May 1st, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Stephen A Smith was calling Chris Bosh, Manute Bol with dreads. I thought that was priceless
May 1st, 2008 at 1:14 pm
I don’t know what you’re trying to say, cursed, but teams dare Lebron to shoot 3s too. Teams pray that Lebron James shoots 3 pointers, as much as they pray Devin Brown does.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Lebron shot 9 threes last night, but made 3. That’s exactly break-even (equivalent to 50% from 2). Making 3 is perfectly acceptable. Obviously that doesn’t mean he should do it, when he gets to the rim with ease and can shoot far better than 50%.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:21 pm
3 out of 9 is 33%
May 1st, 2008 at 1:22 pm
@irish: Exactly.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:24 pm
thats not breaking even nick like you said
May 1st, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Id rather LeBron shoot the three than drive it takes pressure off the defense. He’s a 6′9 monster when he drives the lane but hes just an average 3 point shooter.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Nick P, where can I get some of those LeBrongoggles?
May 1st, 2008 at 1:26 pm
@irish: Yeah it is. Every time he takes 3 threes, he makes 1 (and gets 3 points for it), so he averages 1 point per shot.
It’s equivalent to a guy who shoots 50% from 2. It takes him 2 shots to get his 2 points, for 1 point per shot.
50% from 2 = 33% from 3
May 1st, 2008 at 1:27 pm
clown +1
May 1st, 2008 at 1:28 pm
@nick- do you own a pair of Lebrons shoes?
May 1st, 2008 at 1:28 pm
@clown: -3
I don’t know what you’re implying, when I said he doesn’t need to be shooting 3s. That’s not exactly rocket science, though.
/Dick joke.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Nick, this just isn’t your day here in Wild, Wild Ballin’.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Nick P, those percentages only jibe if the amount of 2s attempted is the same as the number of 3s attempted. Even your abacus and TI-8 Titanium agree.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:53 pm
I agree with Nick on three point percentage. Though why would he waste his time shooting 3’s when he’s the most dominant paint presence in the league?
May 1st, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Oh yeah.
/dick joke
May 1st, 2008 at 1:54 pm
@hef- you mean the best at getting to the hoop? he is not the most dominant paint presence in the league
May 1st, 2008 at 1:54 pm
*TI-89, dammit
May 1st, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Fine, best at getting to the hoop.
/Semantical dick joke.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:55 pm
@Hef: I’m not saying he should shoot 3s. I’m saying as long as he shoots 33% he’s breakeven. I’d prefer he never shoot them. He gets layups and dunks way too easily.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:57 pm
So then you agree that I’m smarter than you. Success!
May 1st, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Oh yeah.
/Nick joke
May 1st, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Clown, any chance you could change your gravatar to this? Much less likely to give me the ol’ night terrors.
(then again, don’t. she looks pretty hot and I really prefer to not think of you that way either.)
May 1st, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Two Moyles walk into a Chippendales…
/Anti-Semantical dick joke.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:01 pm
@nomo- go to the back of the line. Hef and i are the only ones that can demand such a thing
May 1st, 2008 at 2:03 pm
He’s right, nomo. Though, +3. Firing on all cylinders today.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:04 pm
A Greek Stat whore walks into a jewish circumcision parlor
/antisemitic Nick joke
May 1st, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Fuckin’ TBL schoolyard bullies. What, with your jordache jeans, your members only jacket, taking pulls from your Bartles & James 2 liters, saying who can and can’t politely ask scary as hell clown guy to find it in his little clown heart to have mercy on my childhood scars. Okeedokee.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Don’t forget name changes. We also demand name changes.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Hef whatever happened to the 2nd Nick?
May 1st, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Lebron > Jesus > rest of you Jews
May 1st, 2008 at 2:08 pm
@nomo- where the hell is my sandwich? you were talking about me yesterday asking if i like peanut butter . WTF is that about
May 1st, 2008 at 2:09 pm
If you demand a name change of me, I’d be happy to do it. People get confused on how to shorten me up, and I have a much better, even longer, vaguely rascist, amazingly comical, name I could switch to.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Irish, I said that when I gave up Spence as my best friend and decided to give the gig to you. It was from the Seinfeld episode where Cool Tony, George, and Kramer went rock climbing.
/ Can’t believe I had to explain a Seinfeld quote in comments.
/ Dick Jokes are gold.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:11 pm
@nomo: You need to change to that racist name. Stat.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Tim Duncan shot 100% from outside the arc and a paltry 50% from inside during the ENTIRE Phoenix series – that’s a pretty large sample size
3 points per shot > 1 point per shot = Nick P saying “TD, chunk it from long range!”
May 1st, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Erin Andrews > Lebron and Jesus according to the culture tournament
May 1st, 2008 at 2:18 pm
@Nick: Outta my hands, dude. Hef and Irish would have to convene their quorum, likely devolving into dick jokes and forgetting the task at hand. In summation, I just don’t seem them making that decision.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:22 pm
consul: I’d rather you get rid of your gravatar, seeing as how Eddie George is such a dreadfully bad analyst
May 1st, 2008 at 2:23 pm
@clown: I’m glad you understand the concept of sample size. Do I need to preface everyone of my comments on this dick-joking blog with a brief 101? Of course you need a bunch (this is a scientific term) of attempts to make something relevant.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:33 pm
If it weren’t for dick jokes, this site would fall apart. Long live dick jokes. (haha long…dick).
May 1st, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Hef lives for long dicks
/not that there’s anything wrong with that