Game 27 | Cavaliers @ Soni.. err Thunder Dec. 21st, 7:00PM (ET)

[Damien O'Connel]

Just because these are "regular" minutes for LeBron, that justifies it? Did Mike Brown not say he'd like to keep LBJ under 40 minutes a game this season? Then why is LeBron playing 43 minutes against OKC, when the game had been decided half way into the fourth? He did the same thing against Denver, and the same thing against Minnesotta. Not to mention LeBron arguably takes the most damage (other then Dwight), then any other player in the league on a given night. For crying out loud, he had back problems at 23 years old last season. That's not normal. When you have the opportunity to rest your superstar, especially when you're up big, then you did it. It can only pay dividends later on in the season when the going get's rough.

i had back problems in middle school....

 

[KU_216]

i had back problems in middle school....

From taking a physical beating by 200+ pound people every other night? I think not.

 

[GaryBriggs]

cavs were outrebounded by 11. to me, for this team, that does not = winning the quarters.

i am glad we got the W, but we made this game closer than it needed to be by not bringing defensive intensity throughout the game, and not cleaning up on the boards consistently.

 

[-Akronite-]

Just because these are "regular" minutes for LeBron, that justifies it? Did Mike Brown not say he'd like to keep LBJ under 40 minutes a game this season? Then why is LeBron playing 43 minutes against OKC, when the game had been decided half way into the fourth? He did the same thing against Denver, and the same thing against Minnesotta. Not to mention LeBron arguably takes the most damage (other then Dwight), then any other player in the league on a given night. For crying out loud, he had back problems at 23 years old last season. That's not normal. When you have the opportunity to rest your superstar, especially when you're up big, then you did it. It can only pay dividends later on in the season when the going get's rough.

You keep saying it was decided even though whenever LeBron was out, and sometimes when he was in, OKC started battling back in it. LeBron kept them at bay when he scored at will, and you are over-dramatizing the whole situation. Mike Brown was trying to make sure the game was secure.

Yes, LeBron takes damage. But, that's his job. He needs to be on the court winning games. LeBron has gotten loads of rest this season and is getting 48 hours more. No need to go crazy just because he went a bit over 40 minutes in a game.

Oh yeah, that's a good point about his back problem. 23 year old shouldn't have that should they? I remember about the time they were talking about that and he did this:

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No one on Earth should be able to do that.

 

[KingSimba]

You keep saying it was decided even though whenever LeBron was out, and sometimes when he was in, OKC started battling back in it. LeBron kept them at bay when he scored at will, and you are over-dramatizing the whole situation. Mike Brown was trying to make sure the game was secure.

Yes, LeBron takes damage. But, that's his job. He needs to be on the court winning games. LeBron has gotten loads of rest this season and is getting 48 hours more. No need to go crazy just because he went a bit over 40 minutes in a game.

Oh yeah, that's a good point about his back problem. 23 year old shouldn't have that should they? I remember about the time they were talking about that and he did this:

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZuhsartyKqw&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZuhsartyKqw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

No one on Earth should be able to do that.

Unfair

 

[KU_216]

You keep saying it was decided even though whenever LeBron was out, and sometimes when he was in, OKC started battling back in it. LeBron kept them at bay when he scored at will, and you are over-dramatizing the whole situation. Mike Brown was trying to make sure the game was secure.

Yes, LeBron takes damage. But, that's his job. He needs to be on the court winning games. LeBron has gotten loads of rest this season and is getting 48 hours more. No need to go crazy just because he went a bit over 40 minutes in a game.

Oh yeah, that's a good point about his back problem. 23 year old shouldn't have that should they? I remember about the time they were talking about that and he did this:

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZuhsartyKqw&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZuhsartyKqw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

No one on Earth should be able to do that.

That's what it's been like the whole season, though. Even if we were behind, to start the fourth, LeBron was sitting. Now, for some reason, Brown is intent to have him start, and play almost the entire fourth quarter no matter what. It's not necessary. Sure, he's a 23 year old beast, but it's not necessary, and it certainly isn't helping him in the long term.

 

[-Akronite-]

That's what it's been like the whole season, though. Even if we were behind, to start the fourth, LeBron was sitting. Now, for some reason, Brown is intent to have him start, and play almost the entire fourth quarter no matter what. It's not necessary. Sure, he's a 23 year old beast, but it's not necessary, and it certainly isn't helping him in the long term.

But he's also been sitting a lot of fourth quarters, so I'm just not sweating it.

 

[Chardon]

Technical Fouls. I didnt know we even got any?
4th Qtr 4:02 Ben Wallace
4th Qtr 2:02 Daniel Gibson
4th Qtr 2:02 Desmond Mason
3rd Qtr 4:57 Zydrunas Ilgauskas

 

[Man Called X]

For the people whining about LBJ playing 43 minutes tonight...

End of a road trip, before a nice home stretch for the holidays....

LeBron plays regularly 35 minutes every other night of the road trip. Oh mys, he has energy to play a few extra minutes! These games are important. We want that 1st seed, and the Cavs are not surrendering until Game 82 is decided.

LeBron will live with playing a few extra minutes. The whole point of resting him all these times was so he would be fresh for these games...

 

[Chardon]

For the people whining about LBJ playing 43 minutes tonight...

End of a road trip, before a nice home stretch for the holidays....

LeBron plays regularly 35 minutes every other night of the road trip. Oh mys, he has energy to play a few extra minutes! These games are important. We want that 1st seed, and the Cavs are not surrendering until Game 82 is decided.

LeBron will live with playing a few extra minutes. The whole point of resting him all these times was so he would be fresh for these games...

Its not like he is constantly running. There is alot of down time. Either waiting for a pass or at the line.

 

[The George]

LeBron was the key reason we won this game..his defense was the best on the team and offensivly he kept us ahead and led the charge

he was needed tonight to shut the door on a scrappy team where the rest of the cavs were struggling to match up defensivly

Denv er was a HUGE statement game for the cavs thus he was in extra minutes to win a big one... LeBron has sat more this year than ever...I simply can NOT believe people are upset with his minutes... I mean is this the first year you have watched the cavs???


good win tonight

 

[pl4tinum]

Are you guys going to stop talking about Joe Smith coming back to the Cavs now? He's nothing special.

3 of 12, -22 in the plus minus, 3 turnovers 4 fouls sandwiched around 4 reb and 5 assists in 23 mins... we can do better I think

 

[Mdog1]

Are you guys going to stop talking about Joe Smith coming back to the Cavs now? He's nothing special.

3 of 12, -22 in the plus minus, 3 turnovers 4 fouls sandwiched around 4 reb and 5 assists in 23 mins... we can do better I think

How DARE YOU! Sully JS's good name. Take it back, take it BACK!! .

JS is just about depth, and not about his actual ability. He was great for us last year, and was important to the rotation.

 

[wuck]

LeBron often plays extended minutes (aka: does not sit at the start of the 4th quarter) in road games, especially if they are contested. The Cavs have just gotten used to blowing teams out so regularly that we don't see it often this season. This was common practice last year.

If LeBron plays 43 minutes against the Wizards at home on Thursday, then maybe there's a problem. Or maybe it's because they need him.

 

[KingSimba]

Are you guys going to stop talking about Joe Smith coming back to the Cavs now? He's nothing special.

3 of 12, -22 in the plus minus, 3 turnovers 4 fouls sandwiched around 4 reb and 5 assists in 23 mins... we can do better I think

Well if you base it off that. Then we have no need for Boobie, West, Williams, Lebron, or Z

just cause he had a bad game doesnt mean he isn't worth picking up if he got a buy out.

We would be crazy not to pick him up if he was available