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LeBron, You got served.
Thought this was a good article. Go Spurs!!
SAN ANTONIO (AP) - LeBron James finally scaled the big stage, and like a bunch of burly bouncers, the San Antonio Spurs tossed him off it.
Welcome to the NBA finals, young fella.
James couldn't solve San Antonio's stifling defense and the pick-and-rolling Spurs, as fundamental and selfless as ever, outclassed Cleveland in an 85-76 victory in Game 1 on Thursday night.
Tim Duncan had 24 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks, and Tony Parker added 27 points and seven assists for the Spurs, who began their quest for a fourth championship since 1999 with a defensive clinic on James and the Cavs, making their first appearance in the finals.
With the eyes of Texas, a curious hoops nation and the world upon him, the 22-year-old James, who has rarely failed to rise to any occasion, flopped like never before.
James shot just 4-of-16 from the field and finished with 14 points and six turnovers in 44 exhausting minutes. Led by Bruce Bowen, their top defensive agitator, the Spurs grounded Cleveland's soaring superstar.
"If I went by one guy, another guy stepped up," James said. "For us to have a chance to win, I have to play better."
This was hardly the series opener James, the NBA or ABC-TV executives, had hoped for. James' first foray into the finals was hyped in the days leading up to the game as many wondered if he could deliver the way Michael Jordan once did.
But James wasn't close to being Jordanesque, and he came nowhere near matching His Airness' first game in the finals when he scorched the Los Angeles Lakers for 36 points on June 2, 1991.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Sunday night in San Antonio. Games 3, 4 and 5 (if necessary) will be in Cleveland.
The Spurs' game plan was to make it tough for James to score. They made it nearly impossible as Bowen forced him toward the sideline and away from the lane - his personal runway to dunks.
"We did a very good job on LeBron, not giving him the lanes that he's used to," Duncan said. "It takes five guys understanding what we're doing, understanding a game plan and sticking with it."
The Spurs, who lost twice to the Cavaliers during the regular season, seemed to be one step ahead of James all night. When he cut left, they cut him off. When he tried going right, they were right there. By the time James made his first outside jumper - a 3-pointer with 6:54 left - the Spurs had built a 74-59 lead.
"LeBron is the head of the snake," Spurs forward Robert Horry said, "and we need to cut that head off."
The 31-year-old Duncan, labeled boring because of his lack of flash, did what he always does: dominate.
The Big Fundamental knocked down open jumpers, freed up teammates with crunching picks and generally had his way against Cleveland's frontline for San Antonio, which was lifted by its crowd's incessant chants of "Go, Spurs, Go."
Parker, too, was on top of his game. The speedy point guard slashed and sliced past Larry Hughes and James for easy layups.
"We have to make the game harder for him," Hughes said.
It couldn't have been any tougher for James.
After missing his first eight shots, he finally got his first field goal with 7:15 left in the third quarter, blasting down the lane through a pack of Spurs to hit a scoop shot that brought the Cavs within 46-41.
But Bowen responded with a 3-pointer, Manu Ginobili hit another from long range and Duncan dished to Parker for a layup to make it 56-47. On the Spurs' next trip, Parker weaved his way inside and dropped in a layup, the ball sitting on the rim for several seconds before finally falling.
The Spurs eventually pushed their lead to 64-49 after three, and then opened the final period with 3-pointers by Horry and Ginobili to open their biggest lead, 70-52 with 8:50 left.
Two 3-pointers by James and a few jumpers by rookie Daniel Gibson, who led the Cavaliers with 16 points, cleaned up the score but it wasn't nearly that close as Cleveland shot under 40 percent until a late barrage.
"They started to do a good job towards the end of the game," Duncan said. "They got a couple of layups and a couple of easy shots. We'll have to clean that up a little bit."
James left with 45 seconds to go, dejectedly slumping into his seat after a night he'd probably like to forget.
"He struggled mightily," Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "They closed down the paint, and we tried to pick-and-roll with him. When he did get in the paint, he wasn't able to finish because they were bringing bodies, not just one, but two, three bodies."
Before taking the floor for their first finals game in Cleveland's 37-year history, the Cavaliers huddled near the tunnel for a prayer. Then, James and his teammates repeated something they've done since the first day of training camp.
"One, two, three, championship," they shouted in unison.
But it became clear very early on that any climb to a le would be steep.
The Spurs, who hadn't played in a week since beating Utah in the Western Conference finals, showed no early rust. They started 7-of-9 from the field as Parker and Duncan combined for 14 of San Antonio's first 16 points as San Antonio opened a 20-15 lead after one.
Every time James took off for the basket, the Spurs seemed to multiply in his face. On one drive, he had his headband yanked off by Duncan, who got posterized on a dunk by James in the first meeting between the teams in November.
Seven months later, Duncan got even.
On the occasion of his fourth finals, the three-time finals MVP, arrived at the arena with a freshly shaved head - typically a sign that he's ready to rumble. He has been reluctant to talk about his place in history or the Spurs' ascension to a dynasty level.
But if this game was any indication, San Antonio may soon be recognized as one of the league's great powers. Unless, of course, James figures out a way to get to the basket or get his jumper to fall.
"A lot of shots I took, I usually make," he said. "Things like that happen. You have one off night, but it's not like the NCAA tournament where you have one game and you're out. We've got to regroup."
LeBron, You got served.
A healthy Wade is in my opinion still the better player and he is not even close to Jordan or even Kobe in his one on one ability. End of story.
The Block by Duncan was priceless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!
Sounds almost eeriely familiar, doesn't it?"If I went by one guy, another guy stepped up," James said. "For us to have a chance to win, I have to play better."
Did he get permission from "The Answer" to use it?
I was laughing my ass off!!
Whoa there big fella. First of all it is 1 game. Second of all Lebron is only what 22 years old. Third this is his first Finals appearance and it was also a road game.
Mike did not make it to the Finals until he was what 26? And Mike had Scottie and Kobe had the big fella Shaq.
Lebron has the entire weight of his team, his city and the state of Ohio on his back.
DumbWade, same thing, he had Shaq and a couple of other players that had been there before.
So before you right off Lebron you might want to wait a while.
And keep this in mind, he missed all 7 FG's in the first half and the Spurs were only up by 5 at Halftime. He scores 14 points total which is about 10 under his average and the Spurs only win by 11 at home.
If and i use the word if because he still has to prove it, but if he breaks out and scores 25-30 pionts the Cavs are right there.
Remember 1 game does not make a series or define a players ability.
I think his point is that everybody is comparing him to these players and he didn't deliver last night.
This is the poster going up in my room!!!
That's a great pic..This is the poster going up in my room!!!
"LeBron is the head of the snake," Spurs forward Robert Horry said, "and we need to cut that head off."
i laughed my ass off when i read that.
They were up by 18 and then won by 9 bringing forth this Classic line by Tim:
"we'll have to clean that up." A craftsman wanting to do his best workmanlike job.
It's nice, but it would be great to see it a split second later, when Duncan's hand is on the ball, leaving no doubt that Lebron was REJECTED.This is the poster going up in my room!!!
He wasn't ready, plus to be honest, he wasn't getting some of the calls he was getting against the Pistons. Effectively, he couldn't get rhythm by going to the line. Spurs really got him out of his comfort areas and sweet spots as well. I'm glad the officiating didn't allow him to get cheap foul calls.
I'm still a little bitter, but there were several plays last night that were no-calls that would have gone against the Pistons but didn't against the Spurs.
This is going up as my new Wallpaper.This is the poster going up in my room!!!
I dont care what anyone says...The best backcourt in the league is TP and Manu.
TP has opened my eyes this year. So fast, goes anywhere he wants on the floor, and actually has a bona-fide jumper from 18' in. Un-friggin-guardable.
Whether Tim starts wearing down in the coming years isnt going to matter....the Spurs are always going to contend with those 2.
This is the poster going up in my room!!!
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