its simple cavs are bigger,better and wiser

[Tr1boy]

Celts needed to double lebron 24/7 and let someone else beat them. But celts didnt do this.

Cbs is at fault for this error

[Moranis]

Even more simple:  the Cavs have Lebron. 

Fans can come up with reasons to deny his greatness all they want to, but he's head-and-shoulders above every other player in this league.

Yep.  Pretty much.  The hate he gets is truly astonishing.

I don't think it's astonishing


He was the first big superstar of this new generation where players care as much about their brand as basketball

"Republicans buy sneakers too."

Jordan earned it on the court before his brand started


James was "king" before he was in the league

Here is an ESPN article that says Converse was offering $100,000 to wear his shoes before he ever stepped foot on a NBA court, but couldn't go higher because they already had other stars making that.  That is when Nike swooped in and offered Jordan, a man who never stepped foot on a NBA basketball court, $500,000 a year for five years (there were also stock options which put the deal at around 1.5 million a year) for him to wear Nike.  The highest shoe contract ever at that time was James Worthy's $150,000 a year deal with New Balance http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/dollars/post/_/id/2918/how-nike-landed-michael-jordan.  Thus became the birth of the Air Jordan shoe for a man that had never even played in the NBA.  Sure seems like to me Jordan had been crowned Air Jordan before earning it on the court.

[D.o.s.]

Another key quote from that article (which is a wonderful read and highly recommended):

According to Joe Dean, who was in charge of Converse’s marketing at the time, Michael was supremely interested in the company’s pitch.

“I give him a lot of credit,” Dean said. “He was asking, ‘With all these stars, where do I fit into the conversation?’”

[GratefulCs]

Even more simple:  the Cavs have Lebron. 

Fans can come up with reasons to deny his greatness all they want to, but he's head-and-shoulders above every other player in this league.

Yep.  Pretty much.  The hate he gets is truly astonishing.

I don't think it's astonishing


He was the first big superstar of this new generation where players care as much about their brand as basketball

"Republicans buy sneakers too."

Jordan earned it on the court before his brand started


James was "king" before he was in the league

Here is an ESPN article that says Converse was offering $100,000 to wear his shoes before he ever stepped foot on a NBA court, but couldn't go higher because they already had other stars making that.  That is when Nike swooped in and offered Jordan, a man who never stepped foot on a NBA basketball court, $500,000 a year for five years (there were also stock options which put the deal at around 1.5 million a year) for him to wear Nike.  The highest shoe contract ever at that time was James Worthy's $150,000 a year deal with New Balance http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/dollars/post/_/id/2918/how-nike-landed-michael-jordan.  Thus became the birth of the Air Jordan shoe for a man that had never even played in the NBA.  Sure seems like to me Jordan had been crowned Air Jordan before earning it on the court.

Listen, i just want to live in my fantasy land in which Lebron is evil and trying to take over the world. Don't hit me with facts


Haha, just kidding (sorta). And TP for showing me

[Moranis]

Another key quote from that article (which is a wonderful read and highly recommended):

According to Joe Dean, who was in charge of Converse’s marketing at the time, Michael was supremely interested in the company’s pitch.

“I give him a lot of credit,” Dean said. “He was asking, ‘With all these stars, where do I fit into the conversation?’”

yeah I found it fascinating with all the posturing.  Imagine if Jordan had actually chosen a different company.  He wanted Adidas badly and Nike wasn't even the highest offer.  Just crazy stuff for a guy who had never even played in the NBA.

[Chris22]

and that's the only reason Indiana lost the series. Not the fact that they collectively choked away an entirely winnable series, but because LeBron made one dirty play.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger's ankle is swollen "like a small softball" and he's on "every type of anti-inflammatory" he's ever heard of, but he plans to play Game 6 Thursday night as his team faces elimination against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Granger sprained his left ankle Tuesday in the first half of the Pacers' 32-point Game 5 loss when he came down on LeBron James' foot after a shot attempt. He attempted to return but didn't last long and has been in a walking boot. But with the season on the line, he's going to try to play through it.

"I have to play," Granger said. "With an elimination game, our backs against the wall, I have to play."

Granger said he might consider taking a numbing injection before the game if the pain is too great. He tried that once in college and didn't like the results. He's hoping adrenaline will help with the pain.

Granger is the Pacers' primary defender on James and said he expects the Heat star to target him early in the game to test his mobility.

"Logic would tell you he would," Granger said. "I know when we know a player has an injury, it's definitely in our mind and we attack it. So I'm sure he will. He's been in attack mode anyway, and I'm sure he'll be even more in attack mode knowing that I'm limited. But I rise to the challenge."

Granger was the Pacers' leading scorer at 18.7 points per game during the regular season. He had 10 points in 20 minutes of the Heat's 115-83 win Tuesday. He's averaging 18.7 points per game in the series.

Just so we're clear, the series in question is this one:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2012_ECS.html#MIA-IND

And the assertion being made is that the Pacers lost by 31 points because they lost Danny Granger for two quarters of play in this game:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201205220MIA.html

Instead, of, I don't know, the fact that Indiana combined to shoot 33% from the field, or that no one on the Heat managed to shoot below 50% except for Mike Miller (0-1) and Norris Cole (1-4). 

Seems reasonable. 

Granger was Indiana's top scorer at the time.

Lebron is a dirty player. Just like Wade.

[D.o.s.]

I would wager that every single NBA player would fail that litmus test.