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What should they have written?
LeBron in new world of lower hopes
By J.A. Adande
ESPN.com
OAKLAND, Calif. -- For once, LeBron James can just play basketball, unburdened by expectations or pressure. Kyrie Irving has a fractured left kneecap and is finished, and so are the Cavaliers' chances of winning the NBA Finals. You can't reasonably expect the Cavaliers to beat the league's best team, the Golden State Warriors, with Irving and the previously injured Kevin Love out. LeBron is off the hook.
There is only upside left for him: If the Cavaliers lose, you can't pin this on LeBron. But if the Warriors remain intact and the Cavaliers win, it will be one of the greatest achievements in the history of the NBA. They'd have to make an extra Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP trophy for LeBron, as well as an additional ring, because this would count as double.
There is no multiplier if he loses. It still counts, though. There would still be the problematic 2-4 record in the NBA Finals hampering his case in the greatest-of-all-time discussion. Even if we make allowances for this year and for his losing to the San Antonio Spurs in his first Finals appearance with a roster full of "Who he play for?" guys in 2007, he'd still be no better than .500 on the biggest stage.
In this play, things are going to pieces like the scenes in "Birdman." He's running out of help to counter the NBA's top-scoring team this season. LeBron scored 44 percent of the Cavaliers' points in Game 1, and Irving scored 41 percent of the remaining 56 percent. Even if LeBron can maintain that pace and score roughly half his team's points, the Cavs need to replace half of the other half. There isn't enough room at the podium for all of the Cavaliers who will need to surpass expectations for Cleveland to win.
J.R. Smith could have a night similar to the one on which he made eight 3-pointers and shot 63 percent overall in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. If anything, this is Smith's his cue to get hot after shooting 3-for-13 in Game 1. It's sustaining that has been Smith's problem.
Mike Miller once made seven 3-pointers in a game, back when the Miami Heat closed out the Oklahoma City Thunder to win the championship in 2012. The key part of that sentence was "2012." Miller has made a total of two 3-pointers in the current postseason.
Tristan Thompson is such a relentless machine on the boards that he could be the new Terminator if Arnold Schwarzenegger ever leaves that movie franchise. But Thompson has yet to score 20 points in a playoff game. He scored the first basket in this series, then didn't put the ball through the hoop again the rest of the game.
If the Cavaliers can't prevail, it's perfectly understandable. We seldom mention that Magic Johnson's Los Angeles Lakers were swept twice in the NBA Finals. By the end of the 1983 Finals, the Lakers were without three of their top six players (Norm Nixon, rookie James Worthy and Bob McAdoo) and lost to a formidable Philadelphia 76ers squad. In 1989, Magic joined Byron Scott on the sideline with a hamstring injury, and the Bad Boy Pistons got their first championship. These things happen. LeBron recognizes that so much is beyond his control.
"There are a few things that you would love to have going late in the season," he said. "That's being healthy, having a great rhythm, and then you need a little luck as well. We've had a great rhythm. We haven't had much luck, and we haven't been healthy.
"But I haven't gotten discouraged. I understand the moment that I'm in, and I'm not too much worried about the game. I'm worried about the moment. I'm happy with the moment. I'm excited to be in this moment once again, and I'm going to stay strong for my team, no matter who is or is not in the lineup."
Earlier in the week, LeBron listed the 2009 Eastern Conference finals against the Orlando Magic among his better series, even though the Cavaliers lost. His average stat line in that series went 38-8-8, and he hit the winning shot at the buzzer in Game 2. But the Cavaliers' second-best player, Mo Williams, shot 37 percent for the series, and Orlando's Rashard Lewis killed them with corner 3s.
For now, when it's time to render final judgment on his career, the series LeBron will have to account for is the 2011 Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. He had the better team and home-court advantage and couldn't come through. He wasn't the best player on the court (danke, Dirk Nowitzki) and wasn't even the best player on his team (both Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh scored more points that series).
Will he be haunted by his missed shot at the end of regulation in Game 1 of this series? Will he wonder how the course of the series would change if the Cavaliers drew first blood on the Warriors' home court and Irving didn't play more than 41 minutes and expose himself to the additional injury risk that eventually did him in?
When he talked to the media Friday before news of Irving's injury status was released, LeBron even admitted that after missing those types of shots, "You have so many different thoughts in your mind, saying, 'OK, I should have done this, or I should have done that.' " He also said he was comfortable with the shot he took, a step-back jumper against Andre Iguodala.
LeBron has always felt more comfortable than we have about what he does on the court. We demand more and expect greater things from this unparalleled combination of athleticism and basketball a en. He tries to immerse himself in the process more than the results.
As he often has said, including at the end of his interview session Friday, "You go out and play as hard as you can, and you live with the results."
If the rest of the series plays out similarly to Game 1, with big numbers and unstoppable stretches by LeBron and a victory by the Warriors, it won't be time for snarky comments. The only thing left to do will be to borrow the words from that kid above the tunnel at American Airlines Arena and send LeBron off with a "Good job. Good effort."
http://espn.go.com/espn/print?id=13021160
What should they have written?
Born to fail in the NBA Finals
Nice find, Max.
I remember when they were hovering over Magic just that side of 30 years ago. There were some flat ears & tight lips after we left Massachusetts with it.
I remember when they were hovering over Daddy just that side of 15 year ago. There were some flat ears & tight lips a month later when Vecsey had to stand in the Staples basement without Bird next to him. Just about killed that .
I remember that side of a month ago when Pop was in' around with seeds & hacks.
What should they have written?
Talk ,about having NO shame in hypocrisy...if he loses not his fault if he wins he's god....my goodness these reporters are such gots
They should hold him to the same standard as they held Kobe.
Articles like this is probably why Jack Ass Adande no longer works for Laker Times. What a hack.
What did they say about him?
Do you have an example, or are you just making up out of a persecution complex?
Media: "He makes other players better"
LkrFan: here's your chance to prove it.
Wilbon: "He's a hybrid of Magic and Jordan"
LkrFan: show me.
There's more, but you get the point. Either he is as good as you farmers says he is - and he beats a team that hasn't won since '75 - or his gaudy stats are as empty as Kevin Love's. No excuses.
You know tease & torment him like they did Magic, Daddy & Kobe. We slaughtered those dogs, one after another. Now the dogs have been called off. No more losers. Just winners. Everybody gets that gold star.
I liked it the other way. Especially when it was my turn to dish it. They never thought it'd get there. Hey! It got there.
No, I as asking about Kobe.
Show me the examples of what you are claiming is his treatment. And not just made up conversations in your head.
Show us examples.
SpursTalk coined MVPau
LkrFan: despite the fact he didn't win before or after Kobe held his hand?
SpursTalk called Kobe Robin
LkrFan: Kobe 5, Daddy 4
Need anymore?
That's not ESPN.
SpursTalk is a message board.
Not ESPN.
ESPN is a sports media corporation.
Daddy can't ring.
Kobe can't ring without Daddy.
Magic can ring, but, not Vs. Boston & in Boston.
Like you haven't heard Barry talking about Kobe live on ESPN
Like you haven't heard that bow tie wearing got Bowen doing the same thing on ESPN
Like you haven't heard Wilbon talking on Kobe on PTI
You have no credibility, or you didn't pay your cable bill. Which is it?
Great, show us some actual examples.
Chump has no credibility. Moving on...
I'm merely asking you to prove your point. No need to get angry,
Kobe fans are so sensitive.
I just did. And you yourself have been there with your Robinson. They stretched that niqqer out and put the screws to him. And your people? They followed Media's lead like dog's to their own vomit.
You weren't so sensitive when Robinson got the treatment. You sold his ass out.
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