LBJ Says Bye To Bulls and Punks Raps

So Lebron James took care of the Bulls in 5 games as I predicted. Nailed it....Yeah me. Mixed in with much talk of Lebron mysterious elbow injury. He also had this to say about the Raptors.

Lebron James "You could tell Toronto really didn't want to make the playoffs". Well if this is how Lebron truly felt, can someone explain to me why he decided to play against the Raptors and not the Bulls down the stretch in the regular season? If the Raptors were a team that as James claims didn't want to make the post season isn't that more of a reason to make sure they do. This would only make sense right? if you honestly believe that, take on the Raptors and get the easy sweep and sit back and chill.

But really why even say this at all. I mean this whole King thing and all, I guess he feels it is his duty to comment on all his subjects in the NBA? However maybe there is a slightly more intelligent reason to make this claim. We have all heard for months how could James, Bosh or Wade some how end up playing together. Which by the way Wade was sent packing last night in 5 games but most believe he remains in Miami. If the Raptors had lost to Cavs in 5 games how many in media would suggest the same about Chris Bosh? The answer is likely none in U.S. Getting back to this James comment and what it actually might have been designed to do. Was this James by degrading the Raptors franchise in a very public and unprofessional way, his way of sending a message to Chris Bosh to come join him in Cleveland. It would seem that comment was aimed at CB4 as it really makes little sense beyond that.

Now at the time where James sat vs Bulls and played vs the Raptors, I said it was on the Raptors not to be in a position for that to matter. Which is still how I feel. However for James to suggest the Raptors were not trying to make the playoffs insulting and attacks the integrity of the organization as whole. The Raptors were dealing with a ton of injuries including one to Bosh. The suggestion that they flat out didn't want to make the playoffs is wrong. You only needed to watch Jarrett Jack after each game down the stretch to know that.

I guess it is safe to say King James is not coming to Toronto this off-season. I think we already knew that thought. I have felt all through this 2010 mess that the NBA has handled it badly. This is just another example of it in a very subtle way. I also find it a joke how everyone just assumes Wade comes back to Miami while waving the American Flag in saying Bosh will leave Canada and the Raptors. How exactly did the Heat perform beyond Wade? Was their team 2-12 any better than the Raptors? Sure didn't look like it. Oh and let me get this out here right now. If the Raptors have Michael Beasley coming back to Raptors in a sign and trade, I will lose it. So, consider yourself warned. He was BRUTAL in this series and as I was joking on Twitter appears to spend more time on his hair then his game.

So forgive me if I am not bowing saying thanks to the King for the mention. Some may say this is an over reaction on my part. I will even agree it is a bit of one. However that does not make it anymore acceptable what he said. That kind of breaks an unwritten code of respecting other franchises and teams. How many times did you hear teams praise the Raptors up and down when they really sucked back in the day. Players just don't talk down the opposition unless it is part of some heated rivalry. Even then, they try to avoid it to not give the other team bulletin board material .

I picked Cleveland to win the title in the pre-season and still think that it will happen. However, Lebron James has made it a little easier to accept if I am wrong and he fails to get a ring again. So thanks LBJ. Also thanks to Sean Francois of the Hoops Head North who made me aware of the comment as I was working another game when LBJ was speaking.

Here is the Video of Lebron's post game presser (courtesy of NBA.Com) the comment on Raptors is at the 15:00 mark if you just want to skip to that.




After watching it in full context James claims that Cavs wanted to play the Bulls to be pushed and be forced to play hard. However does anyone honestly buy that? All teams will gladly take the rest in the playoffs if they can find it. They would also rather have something left in the tank for the series that matter. That is a cool sweater though with his initials and all in case you didn't know that was Lebron James.