duncan228
10-17-2009, 12:24 PM
Who's got LeBron? (http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/2009/10/who-guards-lebr.html)
By Jeff McDonald
There was a moment during the Spurs' preseason victory over Cleveland on Friday when LeBron James truly looked like LeBron James.
He started on a fast break, then gathered steam as if running downhill. Closer to the Spurs' basket, James bulldozed through the unfortunate soul charged with stepping in front of him -- in this case Malik Hairston -- drew a foul and then finished the niftiest layup you ever saw.
It was vintage LeBron, Michael Jordan meets charging rhino.
"That guy in transition is unstoppable," Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer said. "Once he gets a head of steam, it's really hard to guard him. We talked about needing five guys back, basically, to put up a wall."
There wasn't a single Spur on the floor who could guard this LeBron on Friday, which is no shame. There probably isn't anyone in the world who could do it.
But in this Bruce Bowen-less era of Spurs basketball, the question begs asking: When the games start to count, when push comes to shove and perhaps and NBA title in on the line, who guards LeBron?
The answer won't matter until March 8. That's when the Spurs and Cavs meet for the first time in the regular season. But the answer is instructive nonetheless. If any player could even get in James' way, it would bode well for when the Spurs face teams without a once-in-a-lifetime superstar on the wing.
Michael Finley, Keith Bogans and Hairston all took a crack at the King. Finley was game, and benefitted from having the good fortune to guard James while he was still in "get-everybody-else-involved" mode. Hairston, too, gave it his best shot, but at times looked like the near-rookie he is. Bogans, dubbed Bowen's sort-of heir apparent, fared the best, but still found it to be rough sledding.
In truth, the player who will likely spend the most time on James the next time these teams meet wasn't even in uniform Friday. Richard Jefferson sat this one out. Odds are good, however, he'll draw the black bean on March 8.
With that in mind, maybe it was good for Jefferson to catch a breather Friday. He'll get to practice on every other team's best perimeter player for the next five months.
By Jeff McDonald
There was a moment during the Spurs' preseason victory over Cleveland on Friday when LeBron James truly looked like LeBron James.
He started on a fast break, then gathered steam as if running downhill. Closer to the Spurs' basket, James bulldozed through the unfortunate soul charged with stepping in front of him -- in this case Malik Hairston -- drew a foul and then finished the niftiest layup you ever saw.
It was vintage LeBron, Michael Jordan meets charging rhino.
"That guy in transition is unstoppable," Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer said. "Once he gets a head of steam, it's really hard to guard him. We talked about needing five guys back, basically, to put up a wall."
There wasn't a single Spur on the floor who could guard this LeBron on Friday, which is no shame. There probably isn't anyone in the world who could do it.
But in this Bruce Bowen-less era of Spurs basketball, the question begs asking: When the games start to count, when push comes to shove and perhaps and NBA title in on the line, who guards LeBron?
The answer won't matter until March 8. That's when the Spurs and Cavs meet for the first time in the regular season. But the answer is instructive nonetheless. If any player could even get in James' way, it would bode well for when the Spurs face teams without a once-in-a-lifetime superstar on the wing.
Michael Finley, Keith Bogans and Hairston all took a crack at the King. Finley was game, and benefitted from having the good fortune to guard James while he was still in "get-everybody-else-involved" mode. Hairston, too, gave it his best shot, but at times looked like the near-rookie he is. Bogans, dubbed Bowen's sort-of heir apparent, fared the best, but still found it to be rough sledding.
In truth, the player who will likely spend the most time on James the next time these teams meet wasn't even in uniform Friday. Richard Jefferson sat this one out. Odds are good, however, he'll draw the black bean on March 8.
With that in mind, maybe it was good for Jefferson to catch a breather Friday. He'll get to practice on every other team's best perimeter player for the next five months.