Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Why is LeBron James currently better than Kobe Bryant?

LeBron James is better than Kobe Bryant, always has been and always will be. While Kobe may have 4 championship rings (3 with Shaq), he has been in the league significantly longer than LeBron has, and his recent trends should have Laker fans worried about the playoffs this season.

For starters, LeBron and the Cavs have defeated Kobe's Lakers in both of their head-to-head matchup this season. The first game on Christmas day was a blow-out, and the Lakers were clearly outmatched. Granted Kobe may or may not be playing with a broker finger, but that's not an excuse. The physical beating that LeBron takes on a nightly basis when he drives through the lane is far worse than Kobe's supposed broken finger.

To prove my point, I'll throw you some stats. Following LeBron's showdown with D-Wade, the Cavs have won 5 straight games. Over the current winning streak, LeBron is averaging 33.5 points, and still manages to have a ridiculous amount of assists and rebounds. Kobe will never average as many assists or rebounds as LeBron does, because he's not as well-rounded. I've said this before, and I'll say it again. LeBron has trust in his Cavaliers teammates, Kobe has next to none in his Laker counterparts.

Which brings me to what Kobe has done in the month of January 2010. Taking his patented 30+ shots a night, Kobe has averaged a pathetic 38% shooting percentage. For Kobe, this is not good news. That 38% represents the lowest FG percentage Kobe has averaged in a month since early 2004. Not a good sign for Lakers fans, and anyone who thinks that Kobe is still better than LeBron is flat-out oblivious to the truth. Guaranteed, LeBron drops another 30+ performance (maybe shooting 50%) tonight vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves. Kobe is over-hyped and the Lakers championship window is closing fast. LeBron's window is wide-open and will be for years to come. LeBron James is underrated

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

LeBron outduels D-Wade in Miami, Cavs win 92-91

Last night in Miami, LeBron James and Dwayne Wade put on a show. This was the 22nd matchup between "The King" and "Flash", and (rightly so) LeBron came out on top. This was a truly fun game to watch, especially late in the 1st half when they made into a personal battle and traded deep shots back and forth.

At halftime, D-Wade had an impressive 30 points and LeBron had a solid 22, including a two-handed monster throwdown that Wade tried to chase down and block, unsuccessfully of course. Dwayne, Dwayne, Dwayne.. now you know how foolish it is to try and block LeBron while he's dunking. Don't embarrass yourself again.

In the 2nd half, they both cooled off significantly, but still managed to produce a thriller at the end. With only about 20 seconds remaining, up 91-90 and a chance to add to the lead, D-Wade made another foolish decision with LeBron guarding him. He attempted a behind-the-back pass as he was doubled, which James stole and sprinted down the court.

LeBron went up for the layup, was almost killed in the process, and somehow didn't manage to get a goaltending call even though Wade grabbed and held on to the rim while the ball was approaching the cylinder. Excuse me Mr. Referee, but if someone grabs and shakes the rim while LeBron is attempting to put an And-1 in the basket, that counts. The referees failed to see Dwayne hanging from the rim, and instead gave a dizzied LeBron two shots at the line. The King hit nothing but net on both free throws, taking a 92-91 lead.

With only a few seconds left, everyone in South Beach knew Dwayne Wade was getting the ball. LeBron told Mike Brown that he was going to "take care of it" and he pressured Wade into taking an off-balance shot which hit the back of the rim. LeBron seals the deal, Cavs win a close game even without Mo Williams and Delonte West. In summation: LeBron dunks on Dwayne Wade, steals his ignorant behind the back pass, and then alters Wade's game-winning attempt to win a tough game on the road. Oh yeah, and Wade scored a whopping 2 points in the 2nd half. The King never lets Flash get the best of him. LeBron James is underrated

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Boobie's late 3, Shaq and LeBron key to 100-99 victory over Thunder

It doesn't matter how a team plays during a game, what only matters is that you have 1 more point more than the other team when it's over. That's what happened last night in Cleveland, as the Cavaliers squeaked out a 100-99 win over a talented Oklahoma City Thunder team that features Kevin Durant. It was a new-look Cavaliers team, who are missing two important players in Mo Williams and Delonte West.

In the first half, the Cavs did not really look all that impressive until late in the 2nd quarter. They began the game in what I would describe as offensive confusion, not having the starting two guards that have gotten us the top record in the Eastern Conference. Understand that without Mo Williams, the Cavs offense will not look as cohesive as it does when he's in there. Gibson is a great 3 point shooter, but he doesn't have the tools to run this offense like Mo does.

This is Daniel Gibson's big chance, and he's getting a chance to start for the first time in over 2 years. Mike Brown has no other option at PG right now, so its Boobie's show until Mo and Delonte get back. Tonight he hit one of the biggest 3 point shots of his life, to take a 98-96 lead with 8 seconds left in the game. The Thunder had been coming hard at the Cavs during the 4th quarter, and the game was down to the wire. LeBron grabbed a rebound with about 15 seconds left, ran down and handed it off to a wide open Gibson, who did not disappoint.

What happened after that shot was even more spectacular. With the Thunder's last possession of the ball and a chance to tie the game, Kevin Durant drove left against LeBron. Help came from Anthony Parker, and when Durant tried to get his shot off the King made an incredible leap and blocked the shot. In the words of Jim Rome, Un-Be-Lieve-Able. Kevin, you scored 34 points but you got blocked by LeBron and essentially lost the game. Good try though. LeBron's 37 points, 12 assists, and 9 rebounds are basically an accurate representation of the dominance he has night in/night out in the Association. (6/10 shooting from behind the arc) LeBron was in the zone.

Don't forget about Shaq's performance in this game, he had a solid 22 points on 8/10 shooting. He knows that the team is going to be looking for him more to score points, and he's starting to feel more comfortable in the offense. He played well, as did several other players including Jawad Williams and Danny Green. Jawad has been playing relatively big minutes for Mike Brown and looks very promising. Hopefully the Cavs can continue to pile up wins in February while Mo and Delonte get healthy. LeBron needs his main wingman healthy when we get closer to the playoffs. Until they get back, he might just have to drop 37 a night. LeBron James is underrated

LeBron leads Cavs to sweep of Lakers, but lose (Delonte) in the process

On Thursday night, the Cavaliers handled business. Playing on national television and against the rival Los Angeles Lakers, they won 93-87 and have now taken both regular-season games against the best team in the Western Conference. Amidst the media spectacle that LeBron vs. Kobe has become, the Cavaliers solidified themselves as the best team in the league.

The Cavs were without Mo Williams, who will unfortunately miss the next 4-6 weeks because of his left shoulder. This is not good news, but the team came together to win a close game against Kobe's team, which is never an easy task. After the game the Cavs took another hit when they found out that Delonte West is going to be injured for several weeks as well. I guess it's better to have the injury bug now instead of during playoff time, so let's just hope that's the case.

LeBron outplayed and outscored Bryant, who is still playing with a bandage on his broken index finger. Kobe did come out of the gate firing though, scoring the games first 5 points and helping them get to an early 9-0 lead. The Cavs settled down afterwards, played ridiculously good defense on Kobe, and let LeBron go to work. The King dropped 37 points, had 9 assists, and 2 steals. This is particularly impressive because Ron Artest is still considered one of the NBA's premiere shut-down defenders, and he played solid defense all game long. None of that really matters though when LeBron gets in a zone, there is virtually nothing that can be done to stop a 6 foot 8" 265 lb. freight train when it gets going. That's pretty much what defending LeBron must be like.

This was a great win for the Cavs, and sent a clear message to Kobe and the Lakers. The Cavaliers are a very physical basketball team, and imposed their will on the Lakers who can not match the depth and skill the Cavs have at the center position. The Lakers underuse Pau Gasol offensively, as they have resorted to letting Kobe shoot a ton of jumpshots every game. That is not a good formula to win playoff games in June, and the Lakers will not repeat this year. LeBron trusts his teammates, you can't say the same thing about Kobe. LeBron James is underrated

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Mo Williams injured, will miss Lakers game tonight

Cavaliers guard Mo Williams was injured Tuesday night vs. the Raptors in what the team is calling a mild left-shoulder sprain. He has been added to the injury report, and is listed as OUT for the game tonight. The extent of his injury is not yet known, but should be made available after his evaluation today at the Cleveland Clinic Sports Health Center.

This is not good news for the Cavs, who have the all-important rematch with Kobe and the Lakers tonight at the Q. Mo Williams has been LeBron's go-to guy all season long, and it will take a solid effort from Delonte West and Boobie Gibson to make up for the 20+ points he brings almost every night. After LeBron, Mo is our most consistent scorer and shoots a ridiculously high-percentage from 3-point land. While no one player can replace what Mo brings, the Cavaliers can band together and still compete with the Lakers.

The Cavaliers can ill-afford to lose Maurice for any significant period of time, and the fact that he's not suiting up tonight in one of the biggest games of the season is not a good sign. The Cavaliers have been relatively healthy all-season (knock-on-wood) other than Jamario Moon's recent abdominal injury. Don't forget that Leon Powe (crucial power forward whose presence the Cavaliers desperately need) is getting ready to return from his knee injury that landed him in Cleveland. Leon Powe is going to bring a spark to this team, and also help the #2 rebounding team in the league get even better. Leon, we're ready when you are. Mo, please don't have a serious shoulder injury. LeBron, keep doing what you're doing and lead the Cavs to a regular-season sweep of the Lakers tonight(on TNT). LeBron James is underrated

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

LeBron, Mo, and Shaq lead Cavs to win vs. Raptors

Last night at the Q, the Raptors gave the Cavaliers all they could handle. In case you don't know NBA basketball, Toronto has surrounded Chris Bosh this year with a ton of clutch shooters. These include Hedo Turkoglu, Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderon, and two solid guards in Jarret Jack and Demar Derozan. The Raptors are capable of hitting multiple 3's in a row, and almost every player on their team can shoot the ball well.

None of this matters when you come to Cleveland and play the King. LeBron was outstanding yet again last night, and came within 1 rebound of a triple-double. This shouldn't be a surprise, as you know that if LeBron wanted to, he could average one every single night. Listen to this statline, and try to convince yourself there's another player in the league that can be mentioned in the same sentence as LeBron: 28 Points.. 11 Assists, and 9 rebounds.

Pretty good right? Now add in his 3 steals, and 3 delicious blocked shots. What do you get? The NBA's most productive and efficient player.

This game was huge for the Cavaliers, who made progress in an important aspect of their development; Incorporating Shaquille O' Neal. Shaq looked in-sync, making 7/10 shots, scoring 16 points and physically dominating the area under the basket. The smaller Raptors had no match for Shaq, and often just got out of his way. His ability to make passes to open teammates also helps, exemplified by his hand-off to LeBron for an easy slam. His presence is always felt defensively, and he doesn't mind picking up fouls to send a message to the other team. No one gets easy buckets in the paint when he's on the floor. "I have the second-best center in the East backing me up," O'Neal said of Cavs backup center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. "Earlier in my career, I never really had a backup, so I had to let some of those go. (Now) I have the great Ilgauskas backing me up, so I don't really care about fouls."

Mo Williams also was clutch yet again, making 4/8 from behind the arc, adding 22 points to his 10 assists. Nothing sounds cooler than the Arabian chime that plays when Mo hits a 3.

In summation: the Raptors are no joke, but the Cavaliers were just better last night. Toronto has some deadly shooters that can easily swing momentum in any game, but the Cavaliers clamp-down defense yet again stifled another opponent at the end of the game. Shaq scores his 28,000th point, and LeBron has 3 insane blocks. (Just ask Demar Derozan) This game was huge, and gave us added momentum for the colossal showdown vs. the Lakers on TNT Thursday night. The Cavs already proved in Los Angeles on Christmas Day that we are by far the better team. Kobe is getting older and breaking down, LeBron is young and only getting better. LeBron James is underrated

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Cavs refuse to lose to Clippers, win in LA 102-101

It's not often the Cavaliers come close to losing to the Clippers, but that was the case on Saturday night. Fresh off a buzzer-beating loss to the Utah Jazz, the Cavaliers needed to handle business in Los Angeles, playing the "other team" that calls L.A. home.

Does anyone else find it hilarious that the Clippers were much more competitive vs. the Cavs than the Lakers were? (Remember Christmas Day?) Especially for a team who lost the overall #1 pick Blake Griffin to a season-ending knee injury.

LeBron scored 23 of his 32 points in the 2nd half, and the Cavaliers recovered from a double-digit defecit to win a thriller. In a game where the Cavs were down 10-0, missed their first 6 shots, and looked inept offensively, they would not let up. They remembered what it feels like to lose at the buzzer to a D-league player in Utah, and they weren't going to be embarrassed by arguably the biggest joke of an NBA franchise. LeBron and the Cavs fought hard to win this game, and it was a testament of Mike Brown's defensive philosophy that they were able to come back and win this game.

LeBron was proud of the Cavaliers, and the effort they put forth. "We did a great job rebounding and getting after loose balls," James said. "That's the thing about our team, we enjoy playing basketball."

I speak for the city of Cleveland when I say, "We enjoy watching you play basketball LeBron." Keep it up, another win should be in order tonight when they battle Chris Bosh and the Raptors at home. Keep it classy LeBron. LeBron James is underrated

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Cavs hang on late, win 117-114 vs. Golden State

The Cavs continued their impressive road streak Tuesday night, as they defeated the Golden State Warriors in a surprisingly close game.
LeBron scored 37, and held off a late rally by the Warriors to secure a victory for the Cavaliers.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

LeBron's first half (31) leads Cavs to 106-94 victory over Portland

So it's decided that that Cavaliers recent game with the Denver Nuggets didn't happen and/or count. There's no way the Cavaliers would lose to a team missing the NBA league leader in points per game, Carmelo Anthony. Seeing as how that didn't happen, let's move on.

The Portland Trail Blazers are the NBA's most injured team. They're missing top talent players including former Buckeye Greg Oden, yet they still manage to play tough night-in and night-out, led by Brandon Roy. So when the Cavs showed up Sunday night for a game on ESPN, you knew it was gonna be a battle. The Cavaliers came out of the gates quick and owned a 64-49 lead at half, led by the relentless attack of LeBron James. The Blazers did manage to come back and tie the game at 87, but when Jawad Williams and Mo Williams stepped up and made big shots late, the Blazers couldn't hang. This game also showed why Cleveland's big-men are the best combination of size and hustle in the league. The Cavaliers looked impressive, and LeBron was a force to be reckoned with.

LeBron was spectacular in this game. His first-half performance was amazing to watch, as he put in 31 points sparked by his 20 point 1st quarter. If he had wanted to, he could have easily dropped over 60, but since LeBron is the smartest player in the league, he decided to take what the defense gave him and trusted his teammates to hit big shots. Portland Coach Nate McMillan had high praise for James:

"LeBron was just unbelievable the first half. That first quarter, he was pretty much in attack mode. You normally don't make adjustments the first quarter. His 20 points came so fast. He had three possessions where we didn't get in front of him and he was at the rim. Then he hit some threes and, before you know it, he had 20 points. We wanted to double-team, but we couldn't get close to him."

Couldn't agree with you more Nate, you had no answer for The King in the 1st half. Big win for the Cavs. LeBron made the right decision pretty much the entire game. LeBron James is underrated

Friday, January 8, 2010

Bang Bang, Cavs shoot down Wizards (Arenas = Idiot)

David Stern has spoken. Gilbert Arenas is suspended indefinitely, for not only bringing guns into an NBA arena, but also his failed attempt to make light of his situation.

Last night the Cavaliers dismantled the Washington Wizards, who were without guard Gilbert "The Arsenal" Arenas for the first of many nights to come. This game got out-of-hand early, and the final score 121-98 didn't even really do justice to how badly the Cavs pummeled the Wizards. LeBron had 23 points in only 30 minutes on the floor, adding 8 assists and 7 rebounds. Shaq also came to play, putting in 17 points in 17 minutes shooting 6/9 from the field.

Gilbert, you are not the brighest individual. Not only do you bring firearms into the Washington arena (rule violation), but you supposedly pulled them out and pretended to joke around with your teammates. Brilliant. Let's not forget that you lost a bet to your teammate, and you weren't man enough to pay up. Didn't you get a huge contract that you don't deserve? Pay your bets man. After you broke the law by bringing guns to the arena, you had the bright idea to laugh about it in the media, saying "I don't feel bad because I didn't do anything wrong." Not your best move, and then making hand guestures fake finger-shooting your teammates pregame didn't exactly help your case. I hope David Stern suspends you for the rest of the season, because you hurt the reputation of the league.

You know you're screwed when NBA stud/street-thug Stephen Jackson says, "Even I wouldn't be dumb enough to bring a gun to the arena." That's saying something, considering he ran into the stands to fight people during a game with Indiana, and popped off a few shots outside of some club a few years ago. You have to be dumb to break the law, then pretend it doesn't matter. Not that your team had a chance to beat the Cavs even if you were playing, but you really screwed your team considering you are going to be suspended for the next couple of months. Gilbert, why don't you take the lead of the NBA's real superstars, (like LeBron) and not be such an idiot. LeBron wouldn't bring guns into the Q, under any circumstances. Delonte West.. I'm not so sure.

Cavs need to follow up this win with another huge win in Denver tonight, facing Carmelo Anthony and a tough Nuggets team. Game starts at 10:30 and it's on ESPN. LeBron won't disappoint. LeBron James is Underrated

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Gerald Wallace and Bobcats defeat Cavaliers 91-88 (really?)

I hate the Charlotte Bobcats. They recently traded for Stephen Jackson, and their team is improving almost daily. Gerald Wallace has been playing light-out, and the Cavaliers ran into a trap game as they tried to extend their winning streak to 8 games. The Bobcats had other plans.

The combination of Gerald Wallace, Stephen Jackson, Flip Murray, and Borris Diaw is now recognized as one of the best in the league. The Bobcats won their second game against the Cavaliers this season, and ended our 7 game winning streak, including 11 in a row at home. The Bobcats had never won a game in Cleveland, but managed to end that streak by playing tough basketball in the Cavs homecourt.

I don't even really want to get into the specifics of the game, it's just one of those you chalk up as a loss and move on to the next one. Should be an interesting game tonight as the Washington Wizards come into town, in the middle of the guns-in-the-locker room scandal brought about by idiot Gilbert Arenas. The league should have already suspended him, and David Stern should come down hard. You are not allowed to bring even an unloaded gun into the locker room, or even in an NBA arena. So when Gilbert Arenas does just that, in addition to breaking D.C. gun laws, you shouldn't still be playing in the NBA for at least the time being. David Stern get it together. Look for a competitive game, but the Cavaliers should come away with a victory at home. LeBron doesn't allow 2-game home losing streaks. He respects the city of Cleveland more than that. LeBron James is underrated

Cavs cut down Nets in New Jersey, LeBron dunks for fun



LeBron drops 48 on 25th B-Day, Varejao gives best gift (3 to win?)

On LeBron James' 25th birthday, he celebrated it the right way. LeBron was unstoppable from the field, dropping 48 points and snatching 10 rebounds to lead the Cavaliers to a 106-101 victory vs. the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks have been playing solid basketball and the Cavs had a tough task on Bron's birthday to beat them in back-to-back games.

Enter Anderson Varejao. The "Wild Thing" cashed in his first career 3 pointer, with the shot clock winding down in a tight game. No one could have expected this, especially in a game where the Cavaliers had to fight to get back into the game. LeBron said after the game, "That was a great gift. I had Andy in the holiday gift exchange and he paid me back. That's what friends are for." Anderson's shot was highly improbable and will be remembered for a long time.

You could tell LeBron enjoyed that one as he sprinted down the court and gave Varejao a huge man-hug to tell him thanks. Don't let Varejao's game-winner take away from what 23 did though. LeBron was on fire this game, hitting 15 of 23 shots he took, and also added 6 assists to his 10 boards and 48 points. He seemingly always flirts with triple-doubles and at some point in his career he will in-fact average a triple-double. LeBron doesn't need Anderson Varejao to knock down unlikely clutch 3 pointers but hey, we'll take what we can get. LeBron James is Underrated