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Lebron James (Los Angeles Lakers)

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ABJ

LeBron takes to heart jabs of the critics

By Brian Windhorst

CLEVELAND - LeBron James is always talking, and everyone is always listening.
He holds more media sessions than most of the NBA's superstars, and that doesn't include the special network sit-downs for each national television game.
As a result, he tends to fall into rote answers, ones he doesn't always really mean. His desire to build and maintain a certain persona, though, can't always hide his true feelings.
For example, he will tell you that he does not believe in pressure. This is one of his favorite answers to routine fawning queries as the Cavs cross the country and he's asked how does he ``handle it.''

Continued......
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Reign over?

A funny thing happened to LeBron James on the way to becoming a hybrid of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.
He has gotten worse.
As a rookie, James was the best 19-year-old in NBA history.
The following season, he was one of the top five 20-year-olds in league history.
Last season, James remained among an elite group of players. Only Shaquille O'Neal, Julius Erving (ABA) and Michael Jordan were better at 21 years old.
This season, not only is James not one the best 22-year-olds of all time, he might not be one of the top 15 players in the league.
Most of the regression is because of his career-low .682 free throw percentage, which has declined every season.
The rest is shrouded in conspiracy theories and circumstantial evidence.
Among the accumulating pile of it, James isn't playing as hard as last season and might even be trying to get Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown fired.
The Cavaliers play the 10th slowest pace in the league, which isn't good for a young, athletic player like James and another reason some of his numbers are down.
Last month, James questioned Brown's style of play.
"We don't get easy buckets," he said. "I don't get easy buckets like I used to. Easy buckets can always help. It doesn't hurt. At times, it's fun to get up and down and throw lobs. I've probably caught two lobs this year. That's a career low."

Entire article: http://www.washtimes.com/sports/20070306-121349-5131r.htm
 
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ScriptOhio;772644; said:
A funny thing happened to LeBron James on the way to becoming a hybrid of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.
He has gotten worse.
As a rookie, James was the best 19-year-old in NBA history.
The following season, he was one of the top five 20-year-olds in league history.
Last season, James remained among an elite group of players. Only Shaquille O'Neal, Julius Erving (ABA) and Michael Jordan were better at 21 years old.
This season, not only is James not one the best 22-year-olds of all time, he might not be one of the top 15 players in the league.
Most of the regression is because of his career-low .682 free throw percentage, which has declined every season.
The rest is shrouded in conspiracy theories and circumstantial evidence.
Among the accumulating pile of it, James isn't playing as hard as last season and might even be trying to get Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown fired.
The Cavaliers play the 10th slowest pace in the league, which isn't good for a young, athletic player like James and another reason some of his numbers are down.
Last month, James questioned Brown's style of play.
"We don't get easy buckets," he said. "I don't get easy buckets like I used to. Easy buckets can always help. It doesn't hurt. At times, it's fun to get up and down and throw lobs. I've probably caught two lobs this year. That's a career low."

Entire article: http://www.washtimes.com/sports/20070306-121349-5131r.htm
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That writer probably should have written that article before Lebron scored at least 29 pts in 8 straight games. I never understood the whole faster offense thing. Do you run down and throw up a shot just to get a shot off before 7 seconds run off the clock? Is Mike Brown telling them not to run a fast break? It seems to me that the Cavs run on the break every chance they get. The big offensive problem is they don't have a good plan and tend to stand around too much.
 
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exhawg;772697; said:
That writer probably should have written that article before Lebron scored at least 29 pts in 8 straight games. I never understood the whole faster offense thing. Do you run down and throw up a shot just to get a shot off before 7 seconds run off the clock? Is Mike Brown telling them not to run a fast break? It seems to me that the Cavs run on the break every chance they get. The big offensive problem is they don't have a good plan and tend to stand around too much.
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Bingo...I also remember a writer writing the same type of article last year from the Washtimes...Anyone know if this is the same guy...
 
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ScriptOhio;772644; said:
This season, not only is James not one the best 22-year-olds of all time, he might not be one of the top 15 players in the league.
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:roll2: . The author of that article lost any credibility he had when he made that ridiculous statement. I'll tell you this much--if you polled the GMs of each of the NBA teams, I guarantee they'd laugh in your face if you asked them whether there are 15 players in the NBA right now that they'd take over LeBron. Right now, I think you can make a legitimate case for two players in the league being better than LeBron, those two being Nash and Kobe.
 
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crazybuckfan40;772719; said:
Bingo...I also remember a writer writing the same type of article last year from the Washtimes...Anyone know if this is the same guy...
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I remember what you're saying--there were a few sour grapes articles written by some crybaby reporter from Washington following the Cavs eliminating the Wizards from the NBA playoffs. As you said, it would be interesting to find out if this is the same author. It would explain a lot.
 
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About James not playing well over the first half, I noticed no one posted Simmons' follow up post to his "LeBron is coasting" article. It was in his February 26th blog.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/blog/index?entryDate=20070226&name=simmons

In it was a great response explaining LeBron's play this year. And over the past few games it seems like he is proving this theory.

MATT IN LONG BEACH
I am writing to you with the aid of beer and Xanax, and which makes writing a coherent e-mail both challenging and ill-advised. But I'm from Cleveland, I've watched LeBron since he was a sophomore in high school, and I think I have some non-scout, non-Tim Legler based perspectives.


First off, there is NO doubt LeBron is taking the season off. And as one of the four optimistic Cleveland sports fans alive, I present this to you:


1. Last year, they were one rebound away from taking down the Pistons in six and moving on to the Heat (a very good matchup for them), but thanks to Ilgauskas, Varejao and Flip Murray, they missed three straight rebounds off Detroit free throws which would have given LeBron (virtually unstoppable at that point) one of three chances to score ONE hoop.


2. LeBron was coming off a season in which he NO doubt deserved the MVP, and put on a truly effort-based performance in the playoffs. (Remember, no one mentioned his killer instinct when he shot three consecutive daggers into Washington's hopes, and then literally bruised his way to three wins against Detroit.)


3. His team's two biggest signings in his tenure have been Larry Hughes (a complete bust) and Ilgauskas, who signed a five-year deal and realized that no matter where he is in five years, he will still be a viable big man on any team. Z's been playing with less heart and effort than you would think BECAUSE he's a 7-foot-3 slow white man with bad feet, but trust me he's still a liability on both ends of the floor, and has been starting in a "showcasing" role for two years and sitting during crunch time during the last two seasons.


4. He just watched his friend and rival D-Wade take advantage of having Shaq, Payton, Walker, Mourning, Haslem and Jason Williams (all better than their current counterparts on the Cavs), as well as silly officiating almost explicitly aimed at making a new star after Kobe's near-trial.


Now LeBron is tired and frustrated. He's waiting for Z to get a rebound. He's waiting for Marshall to make a layup. ... If LeBron had competent teammates (not good ones, competent ones), there is NO DOUBT he would be averaging eight assists per game. Watch tapes from last season, he had guys legitimately blowing 5-7 great looks a game (bunnies, dunks, layups). He has NO confidence in his teammates, so naturally his passing and shot selection dwindled. He's now in Year 4 and the best shooter he's ever played with is Damon Jones who's one trade away from setting the record for most teams played for in a career. Think about what he's had: J.R. Bremer, Eric Williams, Lucious Harris, Ricky Davis, David Wesley, Eric Snow. ... These are guys that started!!


I think he's frustrated AND exhausted. Outside of Iverson, NO ONE gets beat up like him. No one. Wade jumps aimlessly with his back to the basket into traffic, throws the ball over his head and gets a whistle five times a game. Dwyane Wade is Reggie Wayne: Fast, agile and you better not touch him. LeBron is LaDainian. Can you imagine how good LeBron would be with Lorenzo Neal setting picks at the free throw line for him? He took the WBC's off because they were the World Basketball Championships. Remember? He was regrouping. He started the season as a MORTAL lock to enter the playoffs as a top-four seed, knows he could put up 29-7-7 every night and STILL not win the MVP ... so screw it, he coasted a little (and keeps coasting).


The real issue: We crowned him the next Jordan before he played a game, forgetting that Chicago didn't give MJ a supporting cast for six years. LeBron outperformed expectations in his first three seasons; in his fourth season, even though he's been a "disappointment," the Cavs are within 2.5 games of the No. 1 seed and sitting in a better position than Kobe's Lakers and Wade's Heat. (By the way, he's 3-1 this season against Wade and Kobe.) The next two months are completely and utterly irrelevant -- LeBron is saving himself for the playoffs and a true push against a wide-open Eastern Conference.
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That guy makes some good points, but most of his stuff is just off the wall type stuff...Like LBJ not playing well trying to get Brown fired...

I didnt want to buy into the LBJ stuff about being tired early in the season, but I think it was true and LBJ has done more attacking in the couple games before the break and after...

I think we should reserve judgement until after the season...Lets remember that just b/c you win the most games during the regular season doesnt mean that you will them in the playoffs...Also LBJ has allowed other guys to be more involved with the offense this year...
 
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Nice House

LeBron building 35,440-square foot mansion
Associated Press
Posted: 13 minutes ago

AKRON, Ohio - LeBron James' 35,440-square-foot house under construction in Bath Township, Ohio is shaping up as a castle fit for a king ? with a theater, bowling alley, casino and barber shop.

The house in a suburban location 20 miles south of Cleveland is due to be finished next year. It is being built on 5.6 acres of land purchased, along with an 11-bedroom house, in 2003 for $2.1 million.

The Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star and Akron native, whose stated goal is to be the world's first billionaire athlete, razed the house to clear the way for the new one. A first-floor master suite, which includes a two-story walk-in closet, will be about 40 feet wide and 56 feet long ? bigger than half the houses in Bath Township. The house has a dining hall, roughly 27 feet by 27 feet, a "great room" at 34 feet by 37 feet and a bigger, two-story "grand room," according to the Akron Beacon Journal, which reported on the blueprints.

Entire article: http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/6619522
 
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exhawg;797943; said:
I don't see him building a 35,000 square foot house and not planning to live in it for a very long time. If he ever left for a different team he would only get to spend 3-4 months a year at home.
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I think he's set on staying in Cleveland for the duration.
 
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Future next door neighbor to his kid: (from article)

(quote) "I said, 'Honey...don't ever, ever invite LeBron over to our house to play ball because he's going to twist his ankle and (then) I will have my house eternally egged.'"

:slappy: Classic.

I felt this exact way playing ball with Brandon Saine a couple weeks ago. :biggrin:
 
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LeBron takes Cavs to topless bar?

LeBron James cheered up his teammates after their loss to the Knicks Wednesday night by taking them to Scores West for some topless entertainment, according to NEW YORK POST.
The Cleveland Cavalier forward brought 15 pals to the mammary Mecca, where he had the champagne flowing and a stunning squad of strippers doing table dances for three solid hours. "He tipped in cash and was very generous," said blond knockout Lindsay.
James and Co. finally called it a night at 4 a.m

Entire article: http://www.nypost.com/seven/03302007/gossip/pagesix/morale_booster_pagesix_.htm
 
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Dispatch

Todd Jones commentary: King James a captive of this era of megahype

Thursday, April 26, 2007 3:52 AM
By todd jones



jones26.IMG_04-26-07_C1_8V6GKP8.jpg



CLEVELAND -- Everything in the NBA is drenched in artificial drama, and so, as if on cue, LeBron James emerged from the tunnel and ran onto the court fashionably late.

His Cleveland Cavaliers teammates already were going through their pregame layup line last night when the sight of James made the sellout crowd in Quicken Loans Arena erupt with a cheer.
No one fretted about the Washington Wizards, the undermanned opponent. All concern was aimed at James and his gimpy left ankle, sprained three days earlier in Cleveland's Game 1 victory in this first-round playoff series.
Once the game began, King James caused a collective sigh of relief on the lakefront by running and jumping without trouble. He scored 27 points and, along with Drew Gooden, pushed Cleveland up 2-0 with a 109-102 win.

Continued....
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