Cleveland Cavaliers, Utah Jazz must drop out of playoffs for the good of the NBA
| posted by William K Wolfrum | Wednesday, May 14, 2008Both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Utah Jazz have shown spirit and dedication through this long NBA season and have proven that they are talented teams worthy of consideration. But 2008 is not their year. This is why I have joined the many voices in the sporting world demanding that both the Cavs and Jazz cease their fight to make it to the NBA Finals and drop out with dignity and class.
With the possibility of a Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers match up in the NBA Finals, the NBA has far too much to lose for the Cavs and Jazz to continue to play. Because even though both series are tied a two games a piece, it is clear that the Celtics and the Lakers will ultimately prevail. Sports pundits from ESPN's Bill Simmons to Charles Barkley have pointed out time and time again the hopelessness of their respective causes.
Cleveland, led by the spectacular LeBron James, is just not capable of beating the Celtics, and will have no chance whatsoever at beating the Lakers. The same goes for the Jazz. While Utah fields a talented squad that plays brilliant team basketball, all polls, studies, computer simulations and statistics have shown that they can not beat the Lakers. In the end, each team is only hurting their respective Conferences. The Lakers are able to see the trouble the Celtics are having with Cleveland, and they are able to see weaknesses in the Eastern Conference. While the Celtics are learning valuable lessons on how to beat the Lakers and doom the Western Conference to also-ran status.
Cleveland and Utah have run great campaigns this year and should be applauded. But the sports world has made it clear that a Celtics-Lakers final is pre-destined. The experts have spoken, and it's nearly unanimous. The Cavs and Jazz can not win and must quit, mid-series. Sadly, it seems that the Cavs and Jazz are showing little more than hubris in forcing their respective series' to go any further. While they have earned the right to be in these playoffs, to play any further would only tarnish their legacies.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Utah Jazz must quit their playoff series' and allow the Celtics and Lakers the time necessary to focus on each other in the main event. By continuing to compete, they are only hurting their conferences, and in the end, the entire National Basketball Association.
--WKW
With the possibility of a Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers match up in the NBA Finals, the NBA has far too much to lose for the Cavs and Jazz to continue to play. Because even though both series are tied a two games a piece, it is clear that the Celtics and the Lakers will ultimately prevail. Sports pundits from ESPN's Bill Simmons to Charles Barkley have pointed out time and time again the hopelessness of their respective causes.
Cleveland, led by the spectacular LeBron James, is just not capable of beating the Celtics, and will have no chance whatsoever at beating the Lakers. The same goes for the Jazz. While Utah fields a talented squad that plays brilliant team basketball, all polls, studies, computer simulations and statistics have shown that they can not beat the Lakers. In the end, each team is only hurting their respective Conferences. The Lakers are able to see the trouble the Celtics are having with Cleveland, and they are able to see weaknesses in the Eastern Conference. While the Celtics are learning valuable lessons on how to beat the Lakers and doom the Western Conference to also-ran status.
Cleveland and Utah have run great campaigns this year and should be applauded. But the sports world has made it clear that a Celtics-Lakers final is pre-destined. The experts have spoken, and it's nearly unanimous. The Cavs and Jazz can not win and must quit, mid-series. Sadly, it seems that the Cavs and Jazz are showing little more than hubris in forcing their respective series' to go any further. While they have earned the right to be in these playoffs, to play any further would only tarnish their legacies.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Utah Jazz must quit their playoff series' and allow the Celtics and Lakers the time necessary to focus on each other in the main event. By continuing to compete, they are only hurting their conferences, and in the end, the entire National Basketball Association.
--WKW
