Could Buzzer-Beater Lead To Series Loss?

LeBron James steals Game 4 in Chicago to even series 2-2. Photo credit: SI

By now, if you don't live under a rock, you know that LeBron James tied the Cavs-Bulls series 2-2l with a buzzer-beater shot at the end of regulation. Sure it was a magnificent performance by one of the great players of our time, but will this cost the Cavs the series?
Let me explain..

by +Rodney Fisher 

It was a see-saw game the entire time. One team would make a small run, and the other team would pull even. D. Rose capped a 31-point performance with a shot to pull everything even at 84 all with 8.4 seconds left on the clock. LeBron advanced the ball down court, but had the ball knocked out of bounds with 1.5 seconds left.

Due to a play review by the referees, the Cavs coach David Blatt had the chance to design a play with LeBron taking the ball out and lobbing it into the paint. James definitely told his coach and team that he was not going to take the ball out. Instead somebody else will and he will take the shot. It worked.

We all know that first-year head coach David Blatt is in over his head with LeBron James and this NBA team. But to have your star player over-turn your call in a critical moment gives us all the evidence we need to know just how important Blatt really is. He is here, but we don't need him.

In the playoffs, you can not discount good coaching. Sure star power can get you so far, but at the end of the day having a respected head coach will earn you a title.What happens when another moment in games 5-7 comes up and the entire team tunes out the head coach to listen to LeBron only?

The team will look for LeBron to be everything throughout this playoff run. We have seen this before. The Cleveland teams of the past with James have all been guilty of watching more than playing. This has been the case in instances in this tough series. With Kyrie Irving hurt more than we know, will the Cavs stop playing with the hope that have LeBron as a teammate is enough to win it all?

Before everyone starts to email and tweet me calling me a "hater", let me just say that the shot and the will to take it all on himself was impressive. James as more buzzer-beaters in the playoffs than the great Michael Jordan (6 to 5). But many will argue that Jordan did not need as many to win.

To beat this Bulls team in now a best of 3 series it will take everyone giving their best effort. The Bulls in Game 4 were without a low post scorer (no Gasol) and did not have a very good shooting night (36%). The Cavs should have been able to steal this game easily.

This series is far from over, let's hope that the Cavs don't stop playing to watch LeBron...

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