The parallels between Patrick Ewing and LBJ

Filed under: by: Stankoniforous 0ne

Stank-0 had an epiphany about 12 hours ago while getting ready to go off to "work."  In the days since the decision, people are lambasting LBJ because he chose to go play with greater talent.  We are upset because he didn't want to stay and continue to struggle with the Cavs.  (Here's an interesting perspective on LBJ and Dan Gilbert via SLAM.)

Have we forgotten our NBA championship history? You don't get chips without a trio of good to above average players and that includes MJ.  So we expect LBJ to buck conventional NBA championship knowledge and carry an entire team to ringdom?  We saw firsthand in 2007 how that would work.  Another player that should get the same benefit of the doubt is none other than Patrick Ewing.

http://nysportsfan.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/patrick-ewing-223.jpg
Like LBJ, Ewing was the face of the franchise.  Hell, Ewing is still the face of the Knicks.  Like LBJ, he took a team to the Finals and like LBJ got dealt with by a team with complementary and superior talent.  Like LBJ, he wasn't paired with another good to above average player at a position that could help him carry the load.  Now Stank-0 is a big fan of the goons the Knicks had back in the day, Oak and Mase come readily to mind but they were post players like Ewing and he needed backcourt help.  John Starks? Aside from the dunk on Horace and MJ what did he really do? Think on that.

Isn't it telling that when the Knicks got Allan Houston and Spree they went to the Finals? Unfortunately by then Ewing was quite long in the tooth in NBA years, 14 years in.  Then a few years later he was out of town and the Knick still haven't recovered from losing the face of the franchise.  If the parallels hold up, the Cavs could be in for some tough times.
We the fans should cut these singular stars some slack.  You can be as great as you want but you don't win rings without two or more great players there with you.

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