LeBron James News

LeBron James meets with President Barack Obama
"LeBron James visited the White House and attended a movie premiere on Monday in his first public appearances since undergoing surgery to remove a benign growth on his jaw on June 1. The Cavaliers star looked happy and subdued, and a little self-conscious about the noticeable scar around his right ear, as he walked the red carpet before the premiere of "More Than a Game," the documentary about James and his high school basketball buddies at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron. The premiere kicked off the Silver docs Film Fes tival in Silver Spring, Md. James ar rived at the premiere with high school teammates Dru Joyce III, Ro meo Travis, Willie McGee and Sian Cotton, former coach ..."
Shaq joining LeBron is worth Witnessing
"Shaquille O'Neal would be the splashy addition that lifts LeBron James and the Cavaliers to an NBA championship. O'Neal would be the piece that bolsters the Cavaliers around the basket and eases the defensive attention on James. He would be to the Cavaliers what Kevin Garnett was to the Celtics last season. The inability of the Cavaliers and Suns to broker this deal before the trading deadline in February stalled both franchises. Now the two are talking anew after the Cavaliers had no counter to Dwight Howard in the Eastern Conference finals, and the celebrated trio of O'Neal, Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire failed to lead the Suns into the playoffs. O'Neal never was a good fit with the ..."
Nike sticks with LeBron James puppet for Finals
"Elimination beckoned, and we all figured we knew what that meant. The run was over, here comes summer vacation, it's time to go fishing. Except the Nike puppets didn't go away. Even without LeBron James in the NBA Finals, Nike continues to run ads with the LeBron and Kobe Bryant puppets, playing on the theme that Kobe made the Finals and LeBron has to stay home baby-sitting the little kid next door, Lil Dez. In fact, the new ads have proliferated like rabbits, becoming YouTube staples and reaching the anchor desk on ESPN's "SportsCenter," with puppet LeBron and puppet Kobe plugging two brand names at once. "It really wasn't about pitting Kobe versus LeBron in the Finals for us," Nike ..."
Chris Bosh starts waiting game. Will Dwyane Wade, LeBron James follow?
"A weekly look at five talking points that have the league buzzing: 1. Bosh: Let's talk in 2010. Good for Chris Bosh. He took a stand. There will be no extension this summer, the Raptors power forward declared last week. Instead, his next contract move will come at the July 1, 2010 start of free agency. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have not been nearly as definitive, even though it is unlikely either would entertain an extension when they become eligible this summer, with July 12 the first day Wade could close such a Heat deal and July 18 the first day a Cavaliers extension agreement could be reached with James. The reality, though, is Bosh's preemptive statement preempts nothing. If ..."
David Stern fines LeBron James $25,000 for his actions
"Upon further review, LeBron James' decision not to shake hands with the Orlando Magic or speak to the media after Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals is going to cost him. And more than just on the sports talk shows. NBA Commissioner David Stern announced before Game 1 of the NBA finals on Thursday that he had decided to fine James $25,000 for his actions. This was after Stern initially said on Monday that James would not be fined. Stern informed James, who is recovering from surgery to remove a growth from his right jaw, in a phone call on Wednesday. "[LeBron] expressed to me that when he left the building and did not meet the media or did not congratulate the Magic, he was wrong," ..."
LeBron gets $25,000 fine
"In the end, NBA commissioner David Stern believed he had no choice. Stern reversed course Thursday and fined Cleveland's Le- Bron James $25,000 for skipping the postgame session with reporters after the Orlando Magic eliminated the Cavaliers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. Stern said before Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Staples Center he spoke to James by telephone Wednesday and James asked him deliver an apology to the Magic for failing to participate in the postgame handshake. James, who underwent a five-hour surgery to remove a benign growth on his jaw, also asked Stern to apologize to fans and reporters on his behalf. "He expressed to me that when he left the building and did ..."
NBA commissioner David Stern must make an example of LeBron James
"This isn't the way the late great Chuck Daly described it, that time he famously said that the players he coached allowed him to coach them. It isn't supposed to work that way with David Stern and LeBron James, a commissioner who fancies himself a star and the biggest star in his league and maybe in the whole world. Stern doesn't have to ask James' permission to fine him for skipping out on his press conference after Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals the other night, or ask James for permission to be his commissioner. He's just supposed to do it. James should get fined for what he did, even if what he did wasn't some kind of sports felony. It will probably be the worst PR mistake ..."
LeBron James has benign growth removed from jaw
"LeBron James' off-season started with a surgery. James underwent a procedure Tuesday at the Cleveland Clinic to remove a benign growth along his right jaw line. The five-hour surgery was performed by Dr. Frank Papay to remove the tissue from the parotid gland, which produces saliva. In a statement, the Cavaliers said the doctors were "pleased with the outcome of the procedure, and at this time are confident that no further treatment will be needed as Le Bron is expected to make a full and complete re covery." Operations in that region often take such time because the parotid is located in a delicate area of the head that is surrounded by many nerves and blood vessels."
James likely will not sign an extension with the Cavaliers, so Cleveland will have a year to worry about his future
"Brace yourself, Cavaliers fans. With the season over and the 2009-10 season essentially in progress, the year of the LeBron James contract is under way. The next 12 months could get bumpy and stomach-churning at times, especially when watching national sports shows and reading national publications and Web sites. Chances are all the attention that's been paid to James' potential free agency next summer will soon increase dramatically -- sooner than you might have thought. James' contract will pay him $15.7 million next season, the last year of the deal. He also owns an option within that deal to extend the contract through the 2010-11 season for $17.1 million. The first issue with ..."
LeBron has surgery for benign tumor
"Cavs forward LeBron James underwent successful surgery today for a benign tumor near his right jaw, according to a release issued by the team. The tumor affected the parotid gland, the largest of the salivary glands. James and his family were aware of the condition for several months but decided to wait for the conclusion of the season before performing the five-hour procedure. They did so with the clearance of the treating physician and medical staff. Doctors expect no further treatment to be needed and that James will make a complete recovery. He is recuperating at the Cleveland Clinic and is expected to be released soon. James enjoyed arguably his best season in a Cavaliers uniform, ..."
Handshake Disagreement
"There's context to everything . . . even the decidedly unsportsmanlike act of walking off the court at the end of a crushing defeat without shaking your opponent's hand. That, in and of itself, is inexcusable. But LeBron James, over the past five years, has made hundreds of decisions and utterances that play out in public. It happens a half-dozen times every day of his life, at arenas, and charity events and hospitals, representing the United States or the Cleveland Cavaliers or Nike or any of a dozen different corporate sponsors; he has to say something appropriate or greet someone in an awkward situation or act as the team leader and primary decision maker. And 99.9 percent of the time ..."
LeBron James pleased with team's progress, has no regrets for leaving court without congratulating Magic
"A night's sleep dulled LeBron James' pain and left him more retrospective than reactive as he met with his teammates one final time before heading off for summer vacation three weeks earlier than planned. James was still stinging Sunday from the Eastern Conference finals loss to the Orlando Magic, still unrepentant about not shaking hands with his opponent, but showing some perspective on what the Cavaliers accomplished during the season. The Cavs didn't win the title or reach the NBA Finals, but James said he's got a positive outlook on the franchise and the strides it has made in the last year. "I'm great. I feel great about this situation that's going on," James said at Cleveland ..."
Loss is difficult for LeBron to take
"Mo Williams showed the emotion of a difficult end to a promising Cleveland Cavaliers season early in the morning Sunday. Williams, who walked to the podium because LeBron James left the locker room quickly after the Cavs had been eliminated from the playoffs, went out of his way to thank the team's fans. ''I think they deserve a lot of credit for what they have done for us throughout the season, packing the Q, being as loud as they are, supporting us the way they do,'' Williams said. He talked more, and as he talked, his voice quivered, and with each word, his eyes got redder and redder. There was some kind of special bond between the Cavs and the fans this season. A loss in the Eastern ..."
LeBron can't win by himself
"There's always a feeling when watching the Cavaliers that LeBron James will figure or find a way to win the game. The other team might be good, might do this, might do that. But the Cavs have James. Well . . . it took one young, energetic, free-shooting, power-slamming team to obliterate that feeling. The Orlando Magic blew said feeling apart in the Eastern Conference finals, which ended Saturday night with the Magic's 103-90 Game 6 win at Amway Arena. James did all he could - putting up historic numbers, averaging 38.5 points in the series. But it was not enough. One simply cannot beat five. The one might be chosen and awarded and anything else you can think of, but one cannot beat five ..."
James knows Howard likely to be a permanent Eastern obstacle
"Dwight Howard and LeBron James have gotten used to spending their summers together. Will it become an annual occurrence in May, too? James is 24 years old, Howard is 23 and they are the centerpieces of two of the best teams in the NBA. The Eastern Conference finals is the first time that the two have played against each other in the playoffs but it certainly seems as if this could become a trend for many years. "I think it will be," James said. "His team is going to continue to grow, and I know my team will continue to grow. I think the their staff will continue to put guys around him, and we will continue to put guys around me so we'll always be contenders." James and Howard already ..."
TNT's "Inside the NBA" crew hopes LeBron James will remain with the Cleveland
"TNT's "Inside the NBA" crew did not criticize the Cleveland Cavaliers after the team's season-ending 103-90 loss to Orlando Magic in Saturday night's Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Instead, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller felt the Cavs simply got beat by a better team. And, they expressed hope that LeBron James will remain a Cavalier. James, the NBA's MVP, and the Cavaliers could agree to a contract extension this summer. If not, he could become an unrestricted free agent after next season, though the Cavaliers would certainly try to re-sign him in the meantime. "LeBron James is staying in Cleveland," Barkley said. "I hope he stays in Cleveland." ..."
Cavaliers' playoff exit leaves LeBron James silent
"LeBron James slipped on a baseball cap, shoved his golden earphones over his ears to block out any noise and walked out of the visitor's locker room at Amway Arena. He walked past the outstretched hands offering him the Game 6 box score that summarized the 103-90 loss to the Orlando Magic. Past the media that tried to ask him about his 25 points on 8-for-20 shooting, his lowest offensive output of this Eastern Conference finals. James walked straight off the court Saturday when the final buzzer sounded without offering a single handshake of congratulations to any Magic players as confetti fell. This loss, clearly, hurt more than the others. Nearly a year removed from leading Team USA to ..."
MVP takes over when it counts
"LeBron James dribbled at the top of the key. He dribbled some more . . . and some more. The shot clock wound down, and James waved Mo Williams away. The Cavs led 99-93 with 2:30 left in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals. For brief parts of this game, James had looked tired, having played many games and many minutes - 45:30 in this game. But in the fourth quarter Thursday night, the Cavs gave James the ball and asked him to keep their season alive. As the clock ticked, James dribbled, then suddenly spun left and cut right on his way to the basket. There he met Dwight Howard, who jumped into James as he shot. The ball went in, Howard fouled out and following the free throw, the Cavs ..."
James' triple-double lifts Cavs past Magic 112-102 in Game 5
"LeBron James got his teammates involved early.Facing elimination with the game on the line, James took over, scoring 17 of his game-high 37 points in the fourth quarter as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Orlando Magic 112-102 on Thursday to stay alive in the Eastern Conference finals. "Great players put the team on their back, and everybody steps up," Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. Game 6 is Saturday in Orlando, where the Magic need one win to return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1995. If the Cavaliers win there, the deciding Game 7 will be Monday in Cleveland. During a six-minute stretch in the fourth quarter, James, the NBA's MVP, scored 13 points and helped Cleveland ..."
LeBron carries Cavs
"LeBron James made a new guarantee: Game 6. With Cleveland's wondrous season on the line, James had 37 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists, and Mo Williams, who boldly predicted his team would come back and win this tight-as-can-be series, added 24 points in the Cavaliers' 112-102 victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 on Thursday night. It's back to Florida for Game 6 on Saturday night at amped-up Amway Arena. You expected anything else? "I mean this was a big game for us," James said. "You never want to disappoint the home crowd by not coming out and playing as hard as you can. It was win or go home." The Magic overcame a 22-point deficit but missed their first opportunity to close out ..."
James says Olympics, not playoffs, pose the greatest pressure
"For years, LeBron James has said he doesn't believe in pressure as a disarming answer to any question that includes the word itself. Of course this isn't true. In fact, he's somewhat of an expert. With that understanding, when James was asked to compare the Cavs' situation heading into Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals down 3-1 to the Orlando Magic to the stress of trying to win a gold medal in last summer's Olympics, he said the pressure levels aren't close. "I definitely feel the pressure was bigger with the Olympics than it is here," said James, who has been in contact with Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski several times during the playoffs. "A lot of people may say different, but ..."
Cavs' Struggles May Lead LeBron To NY
"MIDWAY through the season, a Knicks coach waxed on about LeBron James while lamenting the Knicks' absence of a star who can win a game by himself in the final minute. "Put LeBron with us, we're competing for the East," the Knicks coach said. With all those last-minute losses, the coach's point was clear. The difference between the Knick complementary players and the Cavaliers complementary players was not major. With King James aboard, the belief was the Knicks were at very least a top-four team in the Eastern Conference. The developments of the past eight days has furthered that theory, given increasing hope James will consider coming to Broadway in 2010. His dream of winning a title in ..."
LeBron James' performance in the playoffs has been smashing (records)
"As the Cavaliers fight to avoid arguably the most disappointing finish to a season in team history, it might be inevitable for some to miss what is going on in the so-far one-sided Eastern Conference finals. It is more than just a subplot, it is downright historic. Which should be realized even if it does turn out to be the spoonful of sugar with some bitter medicine for the Cavs. Not only is LeBron James having the best playoff series of his career against the Orlando Magic, he's having one of the best series by any player against any opponent in NBA history. His basket at the buzzer to win Game 2 qualifies, seriously, as just the cherry. "The stuff he's doing in this series is ..."
LeBron James hype is out of control
"Now, maybe it will stop. Or at least slow down. Now, maybe we can turn on SportsCenter without hearing about how LeBron James might be the greatest thing to hit the NBA since birth control. Hallelujah. Now that the Magic beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 99-89 in Game 3 Sunday night at the amped-up Am maybe somebody will turn down the volume on this limitless LeBron LeLovefest. It's like listening to Barry Manilow singing "Mandy." It's like listening to Stevie Wonder singing "I Just Called to Say I Love You." It's like listening to Paul McCartney singing "Silly Love Songs." Barf. Yes, LeBron's a great player. Yes, he hit a great shot Friday night in Game 2. But from listening to all the hoopla, ..."
'Le Shot' can't win Game 3
"The latest and best version of ''The Shot'' gave the Cavaliers life in the Eastern Conference finals. But it didn't make things easier. ''Le Shot'' (as ESPN dubbed it) allowed everyone to, again, witness greatness. But LeBron James' game-winning 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded against the Orlando Magic has not a thing to do with the next game. It gave Cavs fans a reason to rejoice - and to hope. But it basically also threw the team a lifeline as it heads to Games 3 and 4 in Orlando. Because had James missed that shot, or had Hedo Turkoglu waited one additional second to make his, the talk today would be of a Magic sweep. No team wants to fall behind 2-0 in a series when said team heads to ..."
A one-man show, even one as brilliant as James, not enough against Magic
"His clothes as dark as his intentions when opposing linebackers were in his sights, Jim Brown sat at courtside Wednesday night at The Q. He was watching LeBron James, the first Cleveland player in a generation to be in the discussion with him for performing in a state of athletic power and grace. Brown, of course, was the signature player on the last Cleveland team to win a championship in a mainstream sport, the 1964 Browns. He was the decoy that day in a stadium that has been knocked down against a favored foe the Browns knocked off. Brown's mere presence opened the Baltimore defense for three touchdown passes from Frank Ryan to Gary Collins. Not once did Brown run off tackle after ..."
Jerry West is a straight shooter when it comes to LeBron James
"Before there was Michael Jordan, there was Jerry West. "Mr. Clutch" was the nickname he carried. He also became known as "The Logo," because the silhouette on the league's insignia was modeled on him. He couldn't go to his left, but it hardly mattered. With the game on the line, he shot like he couldn't miss, playing without fear, scoring without mercy. Sometimes, he would run off the court to the locker room with the ball on a game-winner still in the air. After his playing career, West was a great talent evaluator as general manager with the Lakers and a good one with Memphis. This week he became either a prophet or the ex-Lakers official in charge of prodding Kobe Bryant. "I look at ..."
Dwight Howard vs. LeBron James is a battle of the NBA's rising stars
"Since August, Magic center Dwight Howard and Cleveland Cavs small forward LeBron James actually have been together more as superstar teammates than superstar foes. Beginning tonight, the scenario changes. They both want the same thing — and only one can have it: A trip to the NBA Finals. Dwight and LeBron played eight Olympic games together en route to helping Team USA win the gold medal last summer and in one NBA All-Star Game, in February, for the Eastern Conference. Counting three regular-season meetings, Game 1 of the conference finals marks just the fourth time they've played each other since last season. But postseason encounters could be a regular occurrence for years, considering ..."
Branded as the best by The Logo, LeBron James now just has to back it up
"Before there was Michael Jordan, there was Jerry West. "Mr. Clutch" was the nickname he carried. He also became known as "The Logo," because the silhouette on the front of every NBA teams' shorts was modeled on him. He couldn't go to his left, but it hardly mattered. With the game on the line, he shot like he couldn't miss, playing without fear, scoring without mercy. Sometimes, he would run off the court to the locker room with the ball on a game-winner still in the air. After his playing caeer, West was a great talent evaluator as general manager with the Lakers and a good one with Memphis. This week he became either a prophet or the ex-Laker official in charge of prodding Kobe Bryant. ..."
LeBron shares plans about his future in this week's SI
"LeBron James will make his ninth appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated when it hits newsstands today. James is on the cover under the headline "Cleveland Rocks." Cleveland native Joe Posnanski, who knows about the years of heartache when it comes to sports in Cleveland, wrote the article. Disappointment in Cleveland is nothing new. But what is new is a pulled quote from James on the cover. In an interview with Dan Patrick, James said: "I don't have any plans on going anywhere. These fans have done everything to support me." Really? The only thing that would top that quote is if James leads the Cavaliers to an NBA title and ends the drought. We all know this city has not ..."
Jerry West leans in direction of LeBron James over Kobe
"Kobe or LeBron? Last season's NBA most valuable player or this season's? Whom would you rather have on your team this time of year? Jerry West has made his choice . . . and it's not the big-skilled kid from Philadelphia he brought west in 1996. "I look at Cleveland [and] say to myself, 'How many games could they win without LeBron James?' " West told Reuters in an interview. "That's how great he is. "He has a chance to be arguably the greatest player ever to play the game." Better than even Michael Jordan? "Michael Jordan was the best defensive player in the league, but he was also the best offensive player," West said. "It wasn't a one-year fluke, he proved it over time. "LeBron James ..."
Premise of 'Great Debate' debatable in NBA playoffs
"NOW THAT THE Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers are one series away from advancing to the NBA Finals, look for vitaminwater to up the rotation of its "Great Debate" advertising campaign.Kobe "The Black Mamba" Bryant vs. LeBron "King" James. Who is the greatest basketball player on the planet?Undoubtedly, the sports drink company, the NBA and much of the free world would love to see this debate settled in the glitzy atmosphere of an NBA Finals.It would be the biggest individual matchup of superstars in their primes since Larry Bird and Magic Johnson last squared off in the Finals in 1987.A word of caution, however, to those who think Kobe and King James is a preordained ..."
LeBron Surpasses Kobe as The Top Player: Jerry West
"LeBron James is the best player in the NBA, surpassing veteran Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, 14-times All-Star guard Jerry West said Monday. West, a shrewd judge of talent who brought Bryant to the Lakers when he was their general manager, said the Cleveland forward could become the league's next Michael Jordan. "I look at Cleveland say to myself, 'How many games could they win without LeBron James?' West told Reuters in an interview. "That's how great he is. "He has a chance to be arguably the greatest player ever to play the game." West, the NBA's executive of the year with the Lakers in 1995 and the Memphis Grizzlies in 2004, said playing both ends of the floor was what made ..."
Chance for Kobe-LeBron Finals just needs to follow script
"Now come the NBA conference finals, and presumably the Denver Nuggets and Orlando Magic understand their assignments.They are allowed to make some trouble. They are permitted a few great plays for the highlights. But under no circumstances can they win the series against the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers. Strictly against league policy. There can be no foul-ups now. A Kobe Bryant-LeBron James Finals is so close, the NBA can smell the Nielsen ratings. So maybe we'd better review the script to make sure everyone is on the same page. Game 1, Western Conference. Having been moved to actually play hard against Houston on Sunday, the Lakers scowl at the schedule Tuesday and grumble, ..."
LeBron's puppet ad is a hoot
"INDEPENDENCE:It used to be the shoes. Now it's the puppet. And the powder. LeBron James' new Nike commercial debuted this week, and word-of-mouth reviews give it high praise. It's deserved: It's very funny. James gave an impish grin at the thought of watching himself as a puppet. ''That's me,'' he said Wednesday after the Cavs practiced in the midst of another week off in the playoffs. If so, we have learned that he really is a chatterbox. These are the kinds of things that happen with a team that has a player like James. If he's not hosting an MVP news conference at his high school, he's debuting a commercial about himself done by puppets. Most important, he's leading a team that has a ..."
Cavaliers' LeBron James tells Dan Patrick his 'Dream Team' (guess who's on it!)
"Cleveland Cavaliers forward and NBA MVP LeBron James was on Dan Patrick's radio show today, and answered some interesting questions. Highlights of the interview are included on Patrick's blog, on Sports Illustrated's si.com. Included is: Dan asked LeBron if he's felt sorry for anyone in today's game. "I felt sorry for the Toronto Raptors when Kobe Bryant scored 81 points," James said.Dan asked LeBron to build his dream team. Here's how LeBron answered.We'll tell you three of them: Magic Johnson, Kevin Garnett and Shaquille O'Neal."
James And Bryant Headline All - Star Selections
"Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James continued to pile up NBA awards, adding a first team all-star selection on Wednesday to the most valuable player honors he claimed last week. James, who also picked up an Olympic gold medal in Beijing and has his Cavaliers closing in on an NBA title after sweeping through their first two series, was a unanimous selection earning first team honors for the second consecutive year. Joining James are Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic, Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat. James, who guided the Cavaliers to a franchise-best 66-16 record, finished the regular season ranked second ..."
LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers forward, won't admit it, but he'd prefer Boston Celtics next
"LeBron James may have mastered the art of the no-look pass, but his use of deception on his preference for the Cavs' Eastern Conference finals opponent isn't as polished. After the Cavaliers finished off the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night, James tried to take the middle passage when asked which team he'd like to see in the next round. James simply said, "We're looking forward to the challenge," before issuing a semi-detailed scouting breakdown of each opponent in proving he's been spending his off nights in front of the television. But the more he talked, the more it became obvious that if James and the rest of the Cavs had their choice, they would choose a rematch with the defending ..."
If anything, LeBron is too good to be true
"I was wrong. I admit it. I figured LeBron James would crash from hyperbole's gravitational pull. The can't-miss kid who became a national obsession at age 14 would miss superstardom and cede to the pressures germinating within our instant-gratification culture, collapsing beneath the weight of judgment lapses or, worse, criminal allegations. There would be a DUI arrest, a domestic dispute or perhaps a nightclub incident involving him or somebody in his entourage and the careless handling of a firearm. But the worst thing you can say about LeBron now -- the third-youngest NBA Most Valuable Player award winner at 24 -- is that maybe he's too good to be true. He has done the impossible in ..."
Watch out NBA, LeBron James' Cavaliers are real deal
"Bring on Orlando. Or Boston. Or Denver. Or even Kobe Bryant and his Lakers. No one still alive in the NBA playoffs can hold a candle to the Cavaliers. They've never won a title, but they definitely have the look of a champion. Cleveland is 8-0 in the postseason, winning every game by double digits. In every phase, the Cavaliers have been vastly superior to their opponents. It looks as if the only thing stopping them is a significant injury to you-know-who. After LeBron James and Co. took out the Hawks Monday night, Atlanta coach Mike Woodson was asked about the Cavaliers' perfect playoff run. "Their defense has been great throughout this series," he said. "They're playing at a championship ..."
LeBron James' teammates on the Cleveland Cavaliers can't forget to run their offense in the NBA playoffs
"The problem with a performance like the one LeBron James put on in Saturday's 97-82 victory over the Atlanta Hawks is that his teammates get caught up watching, too. So when James makes 15 of 25 shots for 47 points, with 12 rebounds and eight assists, they admit that their offense does get bogged down while they wait to see what James will do next. But, they promise, it's only one game. It's not a systematic breakdown. It's not a return to the ill-fated offense of years past in which James dribbled while the shot clock wound down and then tried to make something happen. "Sometimes we like to watch LeBron," Zydrunas Ilgauskas admitted after the team's film session at their midtown hotel ..."
Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James puts fear into the hearts of opponents
"Cavs fan, you know better. You remember what it was like when the other team had a superstar and it was the fourth quarter of tight games in the playoffs. You remember how your heart raced so fast, but the clock ticked so slow as your team's lead dwin dled and shrunk and finally disap peared right in front of your eyes. That's assuming you were even able to look during the final moments of some of the Cavs games against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. So when LeBron James was asked at a new conference Saturday about "intimidating" the other team . . . And the Cavs star denied it . . . And he did it with a straight face, insisting that "grown men play our game," and they were not ..."
Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James take his game to another level in 2009 NBA playoffs
"The greatest regular season of LeBron James' career, the one that earned him his first Most Valuable Player Award, might have merely been an appetizer. Most of the time statistics take a dip in the playoffs. This is because of the generally slower nature of the game, the heavy scouting involved, and good old-fashioned pressure. For the great ones, like Michael Jordan, it was the inverse. Jordan got better in the postseason throughout his career as he increased his scoring average more than three points a game. So with that in mind, consider what James has been doing over the past three weeks. His 47-point outburst Saturday to get the Cavs to a 3-0 lead over the Atlanta Hawks heading into ..."
Sometimes, you just have to stand back and let LeBron play
"Perhaps a weird immunity is creeping into local psyches. It's an immunity sprung from the good fortune of watching LeBron James play basketball so often. Because the game he had Saturday night struck many as typical, and when sensational becomes typical, you know you've been around something quite a bit. The sound guy for Neil Young might say the same thing. But there are only so many LeBron James-type basketball players in the world, and every game seems to bring something unique and memorable. Saturday's 47-point effort in front of T.I. and other hip-hop stars among Atlanta's home crowd was extra special. "We're so spoiled," Zydrunas Ilgauskas said Sunday as the Cavs prepared for ..."
LeBron simply superb in victory
"The Atlanta Hawks gave the Cavs their best on Saturday night. But the league's best player made sure the Hawks' best was not good enough. LeBron James had another one of those highlight-reel, YouTube-worthy, did-you-see-that games in leading the Cavs to an 97-82 win. It was something to see, but it happened for some of the wrong reasons. It happened in part because the Cavs abandoned their offense and decided to ride their star to a win over a revived-at-home Hawks team. The Cavs needed what they got from James, because after disappearing on the road in Cleveland, the Hawks appeared in their arena - which for some odd reason has five rows of suites on one side of the court. Alas, we ..."
LeBron is just enjoying the ride
"For one moment, set aside the never-ending debate about whether LeBron James will someday be worthy of being compared to Michael Jordan. James accepting his first MVP award at his high school was a feel-good story in a cynical sports world.First, let's set the scene.Instead of traveling on I-77 from Cleveland to Akron, James drove to his hometown through his old neighborhood, an impoverished area.St. Vincent-St. Mary High School's gym was built in 1950. The walls are white-and-green painted cement blocks. Baskets are attached to square wooden backboards.James thanked everyone - his single mother, the Akron family who took him in when he was in grade school when his mother needed help, ..."
Series victory clearly in view
"Zaza Pachulia has inflicted lots of damage on the opposition in this postseason. Who knew he'd do it to his own team next? For the first time in their Eastern Conference semifinal series with the Hawks, the Cavaliers seemed truly in trouble Saturday night. Though LeBron James played a big role in bailing them out, the Cavs received some unexpected assistance from the Hawks' bruising big man as well in escaping Philips Arena with a 97-82 victory. It now gives the Cavs a vise-grip 3-0 lead in the series and yet another piece of history for the season scrapbook. They are the first team to win seven straight playoff games by double figures. James, acting as if he has no intention of ever ..."
LeBron sounds like he's staying
"Cleveland fans holding their breath about the departure of LeBron James might finally be able to exhale. The Cavaliers star and newly crowned NBA Most Valuable Player becomes a free agent after the 2010 season. Speculation has been rampant that he will bolt for New York, especially after a salary purge by the Knicks. But worrywarts might take heart in the encouraging comment made by James on Sunday's edition of ESPN's Outside the Lines. The network sent out an excerpt of James' interview with Mark Schwarz before Thursday night's Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks at Quicken Loans Arena. And James' statement was perhaps the strongest the Akron native has ..."
LeBron lauded for defense
"He didn't win honors for defensive player of the year, but the league's coaches felt that LeBron James deserved some recognition for his efforts on that side of the ball by naming him to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. James joined Orlando's Dwight Howard, the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant, New Orleans' Chris Paul and the Boston Celtics' Kevin Garnett on the team. He became just the second player in Cavs history - behind forward Larry Nance - to earn first team honors. ''It means a lot. It was a big goal of mine to become a better defensive player, to take a little bit more onus on that end of the floor,'' James said. ''It's humbling still. But it's a great feat on my part.'' James ..."
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Cavaliers Forum Top 5
  1. Artest to the Lakers
    Last post:BigDaddyKaine
  2. so we need a forward Marquies Daniels or David Lee
    Last post:LE-SHAQ
  3. Now That We Got Shaq... What About SG?
    Last post:bigbaze23
  4. No Charlie Villanueva?...NO PROBLEM!!
    Last post:IndiansFan337
  5. Cavs need to go after Sheed/Odom
    Last post:IndiansFan337