May 28, 2009

One man show, hurting Cleveland's chances

The Cleveland Cavaliers game 4 loss to the Orlando Magic demonstrates the essence of team contribution in the game of basketball.


Lebron James: "Heaven help."
Image by Scott Ableman

Orlando snatched its third series victory in a closely contested game 4, 116-114 to lead the best of seven series with a commanding 3-1 lead.

LeBron James hit two clutch free throws with 0.5 seconds to go and send the game into overtime.
In overtime, James shot a 3 point attempt for the win but missed at the buzzer. Another disappointing outcome for the King and his Cavaliers.

James finished with a game high 44 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists- again on the losing end for the 3rd time in four games.

Lebron is a behemoth and is averaging 42.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists in the series.

The domination of LeBron in the scoreboard and the failure to deliver a win shows one man alone cannot compensate for a team's poor performance.
In the past, some of the best NBA teams in the regular season diminished come playoff time.

The Cavaliers may have a lot to prove in game 5, especially the rest of the team who have been outstanding in the regular season but have been dramatically inconsistent in the playoffs.

James' had game highs in minutes played (49:24) and turnovers (8). In all four games, Lebron James had to do-it-himself and it proved costly for the Cavs.

Game 5 may be the last game for the Cavs this season if LeBron has to play the roles of the King, the peasant, the field horse and the defense tower once again. The rest of the kingdom has to step up, otherwise the Magic will make them disappear.

Related articles:
So what if Lebron gets dunked on by a college player?
Shaq, say hello to Cleveland
Kobe Bryant, Big Time Player

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts with Thumbnails