look, we know the knee-jerk response to our 3rd loss to cleveland is going to revolve around our lack of chemistry and time spent together developing cohesion... and this might be true to a certain extent.  but i think we also need to consider other explanations... like our distinct lack of individual, and collective toughness.

we pretty much got bullied (hickson and samardo, and even baron made us like reeeaaaallllly soft)... yeah, we have tons more talent and stat put up 41... but how many times did he get out-worked and pushed around for a board (and please don't say he decided not to pick up the foul)? yeah, melo got his points... but where was a play where he "sent a message" to the cavs?

so how many of you think this game is a big red flag revealing a bigger problem of "toughness"?

how many of you think toughness can be coached and that d'antoni needs to step up in his demands of "toughness"?

how many of you think that our talent, while considerable, is desperately in need of a supporting cast that fills in where our "stars" (stat and amare) are deficient... ie. toughness?

i know i keep watching games (even our wins) and wishing we had other teams role players (samardo, joel anthony, mbah a moute, etc.) who just look a whole lot tougher than ours.