I knew that the Cavs would be in for a long game last night after their first offensive possession, when LeBron jacked up a contested 18-foot jumper from the corner. I communicated that last night to some of my friends, and their response was common:
“But Scott,” they asked, “how can you judge a game after the opening 30 seconds?”
It’s simple: LeBron James, arguably more so than any other player in the NBA right now or the past 10 years, influences the course of the game from the opening tip. I’ve watched enough Cavs basketball to know that he does three things in the first quarter:
1. Attacks, attacks, attacks – I love this the most because it’s the attitude, “Hey, I’m here, I’m better than you and you can’t do anything to stop me.” We’ll call this “Aggressive LeBron”.
2. Passes, passes, passes – I don’t mind this philosophy, either. There are four other guys on the court, and with the defense focused on LeBron, get it to the open guys and let them prove why they’re in the NBA. This either works really well or goes really poorly, depending on if the shooters show up on those particular nights. This is “Benevolent LeBron”, by the way.
3. Settles, settles, settles – Last night being a prime example. LeBron is not a consistent outside shooter, and I don’t have any numbers to support, but in the first half he seems to always struggle with his jump shot. The only time I remember this working was a few weeks ago against the Bulls when he had about 38 points in the first quarter - though I chalk that up more to "Aggressive LeBron" than anything else.
But overall, for whatever reason, he just seems to shoot better from the outside in the second half of games. When he takes jump shots in the first half, he becomes one-dimensional, and that one-dimension honestly isn’t all that good. So we’ll call this “Mediocre LeBron.”
I’m not going to panic because of one stinker of a game. The Cavs are prone to those on a regular basis (as Brian Windhorst wrote, it’s “par for the course” for the Cavs this year to back up a great game with a terrible one.)
But when LeBron’s not playing well, and choosing to ignore his strengths on the court, this Cavs team becomes very, very average. And it doesn’t matter who you’re playing in the postseason, if you don’t bring your best game on the road, you will get hammered. The Cavs proved that lesson last night, and they need to display a killer instinct in Game 4 to regain command of this series.
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5 months ago
I agree with your post. The 3rd game was prone to be lost anyway but they could've given a harder try. Last night's "performance" was absolutlety horrible and seeing those DC players get cocky EVERYTIME they scored a basket made me even madder. Cleveland will win these series, I'm pretty sure but still, let them not play with matches... Sunday's game will be the real deal. If they dont want to put themselves in a delicate position, they need to win this one and close it down in Cleveland. Go Cavs!!
5 months ago
I concur with your post. I think it was almost expected that the Cavs would have a letdown - just didn't think it would be on the magnitude of what we saw last night. Barkley said it right tho -- it really ain't a series unless Washington takes game four. Another thing I noticed about Lebron is when a defense clamps down on him -- he seems to get frustrated a bit too quickly. I don't know if its because he's still so young or he just gets too emotional too quickly. But, if he can keep it together without getting all riled up -- he will rock.
That said, my feeling about this is that IN THEORY the Wizards should be able to win this series IF (and this is a big if) Gilbert can return to old form and stop being so self-absorbed with whatever he's self-absorbed about. On paper, Jamison, Butler, and Arenas should be more than enough for Lebron -- but as we all know that hasn't been the case. Since, I'm not expecting anything to change with Gilbert by Sunday (plus the nagging injury), I think the Cavs control their own destiny. Naturally, Game Four is going to be HUGE. I don't know if the Wizards are going to play as well as they did last night -- but its safe to say its gonna be pretty intense. If the Cavs beat them out -- its over methinks (the Wizards just don't have enough experience and grit to claw back up to the top). If the Wizard's win Game Four -- they may have a good chance to beat Cleveland in Game Five because typically they are good at building off of some wins and riding the momentum. I don't think anyone can predict how Game Six will be.
5 months ago
Other than Cavs fans, would didn't see this coming? all the calls that weren't going wizards way, you just knew somehow that they were going to go their way once they got to d.c. You just knew that Lebron wasn't going to get every call EVERYTIME he got touched like he was getting them in Cleveland. You just knew all those hard fouls on cavs were still lingering in there somethere...you just knew, somehow someway, you just knew (well, unless you were cavs fans)
5 months ago
I think something that no one mentioned about the Wizards that I think is the pivotal element that led to their win, is Eddie Jordan's changed mentality on how to guard Lebron. The last three years, the WIz have played the Cavs and every time they have played Lebron the same way, and every time they have lost the series having stolen a game or two. On Thursday, they didn't steal the game, the annihilated the Cavs why? because they are playing Lebron differently defensively. THEY AREN'T TRYING TO SEND HIM TO THE HOSPITAL EVERYTIME HE DRIVES. I think they have realized that this motivates him more and he ends up having a good game. If they just play solid defense combined with him going into 'Benevolent Lebron' mode, they have a great shot of knocking of the Cavs. At the same time, the Wiz need to recognize that they have a decent offensive option that they didn't have in the last couple of series, Brendan Haywood. And one-on-one with Illgauskas he is capable of having a very, very good series.
that said, I really hope Deshawn Stevensen shuts the hell up and just plays, he has had one good game but has the nuts to say Lebron is overrated. I am a Wizards fan and I could not stand him hitting a shot in game two while the team is down by 20 and then doing his little 'magic man' celebration. Please other wizards fans, back me up on this. GOOD ARTICLE THOUGH.
from 5 months ago
Yeah, I wrote in my last post that the Wizards seemed more interested in beating up LeBron than they were in actually beating the Cavs. Clearly that wasn't the case the other night.
That being said, they really didn't do anything differently to guard LeBron that the Cavs haven't seen the past two or three years. They just doubled him 25 feet away from the basket, and he (and the team and the coaching staff) refused to do other things to get him the basketball. Not to take away from the Wizards, but the Cavs played extremely, EXTREMELY passively, and that's really just the disappointing thing about this team is that they are capable of rolling over and dying on any given night.
5 months ago
I should've came up and said it in my first comment -- but I am a Wiz fan and I do agree with you - just couldn't articulate it like you did. Haywood has been a pleasant surprise this season. Both Stevenson and Arenas need to stop talking. And Arenas needs to be more like Rafer Alston -- and quietly observe how his team is playing so that when he does get on the court -- he knows how to contribute other than trying to "take over" the game.
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