Right now it's important I establish my credentials as our leader. When you come into the league, you think it's all basketball, but basketball is only about 10 percent to 20 percent of what it takes to be in the NBA. You've got the off-the-court obligations and distractions, you've got the on-the-court things, you've got the media. Now that I understand that, I'm 10 times the leader I was the past two seasons. I'm the type who can lead by example and I can also lead by speaking up. When I need to get vocal, I get vocal. I have no problem speaking up and letting my teammates know what the deal is.
But for them to listen, I can't just talk. I have to show them I'm dedicated to improving as a player. I feel like if I improve certain aspects of my game, our team automatically will improve, so I was extremely motivated last summer to get better. I knew I couldn't come back the same player I was last year, and I put in a ton of time on my outside shooting. Last year, I felt defenders were slacking off me too much, just playing me to drive. I shot jumpers over the summer until my shoulders started to hurt. Now my jump shot's a lot better. I also worked on my lateral quickness to help my D.
One of the best players in almost every facet of the game works hard to improve every season? Who'd have thunk! He'd promised to unveil a new facet of his game in the first game of the season... and hit 6 of 7 3-pointers. He's playing as a small forward, but he's really acting like a guard-forward - and yet, he's the only guy in the top 20 in scoring other than Elton Brand shooting over 50% from the field. This, despite taking 4.6 3-pointers a game (and making 35% of them). Then, there's the absolutely ridiculous stat lines, averaging 30.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.77 steals. More importantly, look at the month-to-month progression:
| By Month | G | MIN | FG% | 3P% | FT% | STL | BLK | REB | AST | PTS | |||
| 14 | 39.9 | 9.8-20.0 | 48.9 | 1.4-4.1 | .351 | 7.4-9.0 | 81.7 | 1.64 | 0.93 | 6.0 | 4.5 | 28.4 | |
| 14 | 43.2 | 11.2-22.2 | 50.4 | 1.6-4.6 | .354 | 8.3-11.3 | 73.4 | 1.86 | 0.93 | 6.4 | 6.8 | 32.4 | |
| 3 | 45.0 | 13.0-23.3 | 55.7 | 2.7-7.3 | .364 | 4.3-7.3 | 59.0 | 2.00 | 0.67 | 9.0 | 7.3 | 33.0 |
Okay, so this month's numbers are after just 3 games. But just from November to December, his FG% rose 1.5%; he scored 4 more points, grabbed an extra .4 boards, and dished out another 2.3 assists - while stealing another .22 balls a game. Then there's his dedication:
Well, Cleveland has been waiting a while. It's nice to start seeing the greatness.Missing the playoffs the past two seasons was the motivation. I've been used to being an automatic winner, just going onto the court knowing no team could beat us. But my first year in the league, I didn't feel that way. Now I'm at a point where I feel like every time we play, we're going to win. I'm not saying I know we're going to win a championship this year. That takes time. It took Jordan seven years, Shaq eight. If we keep getting better, I don't think I'll have to wait eight years.
It's funny: the years fly by so fast that you can get to Year 3 and be like, wow, it seems like my rookie year. But you know what they say: great things come to those who are patient.
Here, watch some.
Technorati tags: NBA, Lebron James, Cleveland, Leader.
He probably won't stay in Cleveland.
ReplyDeleteI think he will. He'd lose out by leaving.
ReplyDelete-->He probably won't stay in Cleveland.
ReplyDeleteBLASPHEMY!!! How dare you question the loyalty of the King toward his faithfull subjects. I have seen men suffer terrible consequences for making such statements. Listen well non-believer for what I say is the truth. Behold, a new era dawns across the face of a troubled league. The Chosen One will marshall in an age unlike anything seen in out history. He will lead a starcrossed people to heights of which they to this point could only have dreamed of. And when this is accomplished only those who have witnessed the previous years of heartache will truly appreciate what has been acheived. Yes my friends, these days are coming and coming quickly!!
***LONG LIVE THE KING***LONG LIVE THE KING***
--and to think this will all happen w/ dany ferry in charge, go figure--
ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat was awesome, G. :)
Lebron is a great player, but before we start comparing him to Jordan let's remember he's probably not even the best guard in the league right now. I'd take Kobe over Lebron right now.
ReplyDeleteWhat would he gain by staying. cleveland is never going to win a championship. It is a town destined to remain in mediocrity.
ReplyDeleteNephtuli - good thing he plays forward. :) And he's better than Kobe - Kobe averages 2 more points a game, but Lebron shoots over 50%, gets more boards, more assists, and more steals. I bet the Lakers would take a trade straight up.
ReplyDelete-->What would he gain by staying.
ReplyDeleteM-O-N-E-Y
G - right. And I meant to add also... lifting Cleveland out of the doldrums would be a lot more incredible and immortalizing than taking the Knicks - because Cleveland has always lived in mediocrity.
ReplyDelete(Quick note to G - Jack may be kidding, he likes mocking Cleveland. Right, Jack? :) )
Nephtuli - good thing he plays forward. :) And he's better than Kobe - Kobe averages 2 more points a game, but Lebron shoots over 50%, gets more boards, more assists, and more steals. I bet the Lakers would take a trade straight up.
ReplyDeleteEh, Lebron is a guard-forward no matter what position he officially plays.
And Kobe is a far better defender (on the ball), and well, who would you rather have taking the last shot?
I think they'd make the trade too, but that has a lot to do with Kobe's off the court problems and age. Lebron is a tremendous player, and if I was running a team, the only player in the league I wouldn't trade for him is Duncan (and maybe Garnett). But for pure on the court play, I wouldn't trade Kobe for Lebron either.
And Kobe is a far better defender (on the ball), and well, who would you rather have taking the last shot?
ReplyDeleteLebron has been great in the clutch, but he's never had a game-winner. Of course, he's never been in position for one, either, to my knowledge. (Only buzzer-beater he's taken was for a tie - and he made it.)
On the ball, he's improved, but he's not at Kobe's level. Yet.
Age is obviously a factor; but the off-court issues are factors. More importantly, the perception of how much of a team player a guy is is a factor on the court. Therefore, I would rather have Lebron than Kobe - even if Kobe never had that night in Colorado.
Lebron has been great in the clutch, but he's never had a game-winner. Of course, he's never been in position for one, either, to my knowledge. (Only buzzer-beater he's taken was for a tie - and he made it.)
ReplyDeleteLebron has yet to make the playoffs. Kobe has three championships. Let's put things into perspective. While Shaq played a major role, without Kobe they would not have won those championships. That's a fact.
Kobe is arguably the best backcourt defender in the league (assuming Bowen is a forward). Lebron gets into the passing lanes but is miles away from Kobe right now.
Lebron is definitely a better leader and might be a better player down the road. Just not yet.
But I doubt he'll ever be better than Duncan and kal vachomer Jordan.
Lebron just missed twice, with little help, at the ages of 19 & 20. Look at Kobe w/o Shaq - a team on the downturn. Kobe's great, sure - but I think they're already pretty even. If you put Kobe on the Cavs, do they do better? I don't think so. Lebron on the Lakers? Not worse, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteLebron just missed twice, with little help, at the ages of 19 & 20.
ReplyDeleteLast year they just collapsed. And Lebron had Boozer his first year, who's much better than anyone on the Lakers now.
Look at Kobe w/o Shaq - a team on the downturn.
The second leading scorer on the Lakers for a while was Smush Parker. Does anyone even know who that is?
Kobe's great, sure - but I think they're already pretty even. If you put Kobe on the Cavs, do they do better? I don't think so. Lebron on the Lakers? Not worse, that's for sure.
That's kind of unfair because I don't think anyone not named Tim Duncan could make the Cavs better than they already are. It's like saying that Rip Hamilton is better than Kobe because if we replaced him with Kobe the Pistons wouldn't be any better.
And Kobe would never mesh with Hughes. But I wonder how Lebron would do with Mihm and Kwame as his frontcourt. Not good I'd think. He'd be chucking as much as Kobe.
Ah, but you forget: Mihm was his C (Ilgauskus was limited in minutes), and Boozer has done nothing since joining the Jazz. Smush!? Smush is the MAN - he was on the Cavs, too.
ReplyDeleteAnd true, they did collapse last year, though that was prob because their coach and PG had a spat; the same PG who was so great the year before [they won like 14 with him, and lost 10 without him - weird].
Either way, I'd still rather have LeBron. But then again, I've never liked Kobe - too much attitude.
Boozer has been injured on the Jazz. He averaged close to 20 points and 10 boards a game, while shooting over 50%. Those are very good numbers.
ReplyDeleteObviously Lebron was a rookie and he's a better player today. But before we claiming he could become as good as Jordan, or saying he's better than a player with 3 rings, let him make the playoffs.
I don't mind claiming that he could be, considering he's playing (statistically) at about the level of Jordan in Season 3. As to equating to Kobe, I also don't see a problem - Kobe, too, didn't win right away; and as for now, his team isn't getting near a championship. The Cavs are at the least contending in the East, even if they're not as good as the Pistons yet.
ReplyDeleteJordan's numbers in season 3 were close, although he was also nowhere near a championship (of course that had a lot to do with playing in the same conference as powerhouses like the Celtics).
ReplyDeleteWe've had way too many people dubbed Jordan's heir. Let Lebron at least make the playoffs before we start making comparisions.
And with Kobe, I think we can both honestly say Lebron has a much better supporting cast.
I hear. And yes, a much better cast. As G said above...
ReplyDelete--and to think this will all happen w/ dany ferry in charge, go figure--