By Sam Amico
ProBasketballNews.com
LeBron James has never been as miserable on a basketball court as he is in these playoffs.
He’s been shoved around and disrespected, called a “crybaby” by a national pizza chain and “overrated” by opposing players and fans.
And that was just the Washington series.
In Cleveland’s two losses to Boston, he’s tossed up an airball, clanked free throws off the side of the rim, bounced the ball on his shoe, thrown terrible passes for turnovers and missed a game-tying layup.
Those of you who saw the movie “Space Jam” may remember how aliens stole the basketball powers of then-NBA stars like Charles Barkley and Larry Johnson, then used it for their own good. Perhaps some Martian has done the same to James -- and is now completely dominating on some playground somewhere in Boston.
It sounds crazy, but how else do you explain James’ combined 19-percent shooting from the floor (8-of-40) against the Celtics? How else can you describe that this basketball king has suddenly become unable to rule the court?
Heck, not even the Celtics could have expected this.
All they know is if it continues, the Cavaliers have no chance. Just ask Boston’s Paul Pierce.
“LeBron is what makes them go,” Pierce said after the Celtics’ 89-73 hammer job in Game 2. “We control him, then we can control them.”
Amen, says anyone who witnessed the Cavs build an early 12-point lead, only to watch it evaporate after a stretch in which they made just three of 24 shots. For most of the third quarter, the rim cringed with fear when the Cavs had the ball.
And let’s break for a moment to heap praise upon the Celtics and their defense. They spend a lot of time in practice working on how to contain James, even if it means surrendering some of their own offense for the sake of shutting him down. Then again, the same can be said about every other team in the league. But until the previous two games, no one had figured out how to actually do it.
The Celtics have changed all that with athletic, devoted defenders such as Pierce and James Posey, who shadow James wherever he goes. Even when James is open … well, the ONE time he was open in Game 2 … he himself seem surprised. He got a good look from about 20 feet, and still rushed the shot. It wasn’t even close.
Of course, no one man disrupts James’ rhythm alone. It’s obvious Celtics coach Doc Rivers has seen how James likes to try to take over games, how he can sometimes stand above the 3-point arc with the ball and just dribble while deciding on his next move.
So Rivers has convinced the Celtics to not allow James to get comfortable -- ever. Instead, they run a second defender at him no matter how far he is from the basket, no matter how non-threatening his position on the floor may seem. Basically, they don’t even want James to just stand in one spot, dribbling. They don’t want to give him ANY time to think.
As brilliant as James is with his body, he’s equally as effective with his mind. He can pick you apart with crafty passes, or methodically break you down when he decides to drive. He is the game’s best finisher this side of Kobe Bryant.
Yet somehow, the Celtics have managed to swipe away the three most important weapons in basketball -- the pass, dribble and drive -- from an All-Star who takes pride in having mastered all of the above.
And if James has to think twice every time he decides to put the ball on the floor or throw a pass, then you can be certain the ball will stop moving for the Cavs.
Of course, this much we know: Like the great ones before him, James has plenty of resolve. He never panics, he never lets you see him sweat.
Immediately after the Game 2 loss, he stood on the sidelines and confidently slapped hands with teammates as they walked off the floor.
He later told the media, ''We're not down, we've been down in a series before. The series hasn't really started yet.''
That may be true, but for James it had better start soon.
Sam Amico is the editor of Pro Basketball News. Contact him or sign up for his free e-mail newsletter at amico@probasketballnews.com.
NBA: May 9, 2008
For James, postseason continues
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