Oh, I don't like this. LeBron James' Cleveland "Cavaliers" lost to Riley Curry's Golden State "Warriors" last night. They lost in overtime at Golden State (Try finding "Golden State" on a map. It is the most absurd team name.). Big deal. It was the first game, it was on the road, it went to overtime and James played well--44 points. Ah, Pilgrim, but it was the way Golden State won.
It is a known but bold strategy when confronting an unstoppable force to deliberately...not try to stop him. It is sorta like what the Russians did against Napoleon: you want it Nappy, you can have it but you gotta come and (extend your supply lines) and get it. It is what Ali did against Foreman: hit me as hard and as many times as you want George, go ahead, knock yourself out (pretty literally).
So Golden...Ok, I refuse to use that name anymore...So "Warriors" coach Steve Kerr decided to not try to stop LeBron James last night (with double-teams and the usual desperate tactics); Kerr decided to let James turn Cleveland into a one-man team. He liked his five-man team's chances of beating Cleveland's one-man team better than he liked the chances of any 1-3 of his players' chances of stopping James. Steve Kerr decided to neutralize Cleveland's other players. It almost didn't work! Cleveland almost won it at the end of regulation time. And Napoleon did take Moscow. Hollow victory for both. Moscow was hollowed out of Muscovites and Cleveland was hollowed out as a team.
LeBron James knows this. He saw it. He is playing the best basketball of his life, he said, before The Finals, and he is correct! He will adjust and get his teammates more involved. I think. He knew this last night, saw what Kerr's strategy was. I don't know why he didn't adjust last night.
It is a known but bold strategy when confronting an unstoppable force to deliberately...not try to stop him. It is sorta like what the Russians did against Napoleon: you want it Nappy, you can have it but you gotta come and (extend your supply lines) and get it. It is what Ali did against Foreman: hit me as hard and as many times as you want George, go ahead, knock yourself out (pretty literally).
So Golden...Ok, I refuse to use that name anymore...So "Warriors" coach Steve Kerr decided to not try to stop LeBron James last night (with double-teams and the usual desperate tactics); Kerr decided to let James turn Cleveland into a one-man team. He liked his five-man team's chances of beating Cleveland's one-man team better than he liked the chances of any 1-3 of his players' chances of stopping James. Steve Kerr decided to neutralize Cleveland's other players. It almost didn't work! Cleveland almost won it at the end of regulation time. And Napoleon did take Moscow. Hollow victory for both. Moscow was hollowed out of Muscovites and Cleveland was hollowed out as a team.
LeBron James knows this. He saw it. He is playing the best basketball of his life, he said, before The Finals, and he is correct! He will adjust and get his teammates more involved. I think. He knew this last night, saw what Kerr's strategy was. I don't know why he didn't adjust last night.
