http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/14235260p-15056602c.html
NBA notebook: Get off James' back; he's carrying on quite well
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, March 26, 2006
If last week was worth nothing else, it was so sweet to see Cleveland's LeBron James make a last-second shot to lift the Cavaliers to an overtime victory over Charlotte.
That should shut up the knuckleheaded critics who had lambasted the 21-year-old for not having done so in his three-year NBA career. James, like anybody else, can be the object of criticism, but in this case, it was unfair and, really, just plain stupid.
Games are won at the offensive end, especially during crunch-time situations, with sound decision-making that leads to high-percentage shots.
This season, James has been particularly adept at accepting the enormous defensive attention he receives in late-game scenarios. When double and triple teams have come his way, he often has made a good pass that has led to wide-open shots for his teammates. At that point, he has done his job and has to trust his teammates' abilities.
It's the opposite of what Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant has been guilty of at times. Just last week, Bryant forced last-second attempts under tremendous defensive pressure when he had teammates standing wide open, their hands outstretched as they called for the ball.
Unquestionably, players such as Bryant and James are caught in a dilemma of when to take the responsibility of winning games because they are "The Man." They make the large money and, to some extent, should accept that leadership role.
If they can hoist 25 shots per game without the game on the line, they should be able to find a way to make that one basket with the outcome at stake.
Still, that's not what the game should be about. It's about decisions. Now if James or any other star passes up a wide-open shot with the game on the line, the criticism should follow like a trail of those dollars filling up their bank accounts.
That hasn't been the case for James. He has created opportunities for his teammates, and first-year coach Mike Brown has had difficulty finding someone to convert. But those troubles may be over for the Cavaliers after a trade with Seattle brought guard Ronald "Flip" Murray, who will take and make the clutch shot.
Murray has thrived in these situations, and down the road, he could be on the court with James and currently injured guard Larry Hughes. Then there will be three players capable of creating their own shots as well as shots for others. That triangle also should allow James to do his thing more often on a one-on-one basis, and Brown and the Cavaliers will take those odds.
James' bypassing college also removed his experiences of being "The Man" in clutch situations. There weren't a lot of nail-biters at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. Nor were there grown men standing between James and game-winning baskets.
Give Sloan a break, Chuck
Hearing TNT analyst Charles Barkley wonder last week if Utah coach Jerry Sloan had lost his team was just another case in which the Big Fella said something funny.
Unfortunately, though, as on other occasions, Barkley wasn't telling a joke. He was serious.
Barkley had to know the Jazz has been injury-riddled this season. Utah perhaps has been the league's most inconsistent team, but as Barkley pointed out, it is a young squad, for the most part. And with youth comes inconsistency.
There have been times this season when Sloan started Keith McLeod and Milt Palacio in the backcourt. On most every other team, these guys would be backup point guards, if that. And if they are your guards, it's going to be a short and bumpy ride.
Chill, Chuck, and find another coach to go at, for now. If Utah is stinking it up at this time next season, maybe it'll be the right time. But Sloan is not that guy, right now.
No stopping Anthony
Denver's Carmelo Anthony took grief last summer for some of USA Basketball's woes in international competition. Then, although playing well this season, he was not voted onto the Western Conference All-Star team.
Anthony has not been dismayed. He has improved, and now it's difficult to imagine he won't be named to one of the three all-league teams at season's end.
He's averaging 26.6 points despite a minutes-per-game average of 36.9, lower than all but Detroit's Richard Hamilton's 36 among the league's top 20 scorers. Of the top 20 scorers, 13 were averaging 39 or more minutes.
And only six of the top 20 scorers - Miami's Dwyane Wade (.499), the Los Angeles Clippers' Elton Brand (.528), Toronto's Chris Bosh (.506), Minnesota's Kevin Garnett (.525), Phoenix's Shawn Marion (.512) and Hamilton (.498) - had higher field-goal percentages than Anthony's .482.
So what's he got to do to get his props?
Just wait, 'Melo, they are coming.
About the writer: The Bee's Martin McNeal can be reached at mmcneal@sacbee.com.
NBA notebook: Get off James' back; he's carrying on quite well
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, March 26, 2006
If last week was worth nothing else, it was so sweet to see Cleveland's LeBron James make a last-second shot to lift the Cavaliers to an overtime victory over Charlotte.
That should shut up the knuckleheaded critics who had lambasted the 21-year-old for not having done so in his three-year NBA career. James, like anybody else, can be the object of criticism, but in this case, it was unfair and, really, just plain stupid.
Games are won at the offensive end, especially during crunch-time situations, with sound decision-making that leads to high-percentage shots.
This season, James has been particularly adept at accepting the enormous defensive attention he receives in late-game scenarios. When double and triple teams have come his way, he often has made a good pass that has led to wide-open shots for his teammates. At that point, he has done his job and has to trust his teammates' abilities.
It's the opposite of what Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant has been guilty of at times. Just last week, Bryant forced last-second attempts under tremendous defensive pressure when he had teammates standing wide open, their hands outstretched as they called for the ball.
Unquestionably, players such as Bryant and James are caught in a dilemma of when to take the responsibility of winning games because they are "The Man." They make the large money and, to some extent, should accept that leadership role.
If they can hoist 25 shots per game without the game on the line, they should be able to find a way to make that one basket with the outcome at stake.
Still, that's not what the game should be about. It's about decisions. Now if James or any other star passes up a wide-open shot with the game on the line, the criticism should follow like a trail of those dollars filling up their bank accounts.
That hasn't been the case for James. He has created opportunities for his teammates, and first-year coach Mike Brown has had difficulty finding someone to convert. But those troubles may be over for the Cavaliers after a trade with Seattle brought guard Ronald "Flip" Murray, who will take and make the clutch shot.
Murray has thrived in these situations, and down the road, he could be on the court with James and currently injured guard Larry Hughes. Then there will be three players capable of creating their own shots as well as shots for others. That triangle also should allow James to do his thing more often on a one-on-one basis, and Brown and the Cavaliers will take those odds.
James' bypassing college also removed his experiences of being "The Man" in clutch situations. There weren't a lot of nail-biters at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. Nor were there grown men standing between James and game-winning baskets.
Give Sloan a break, Chuck
Hearing TNT analyst Charles Barkley wonder last week if Utah coach Jerry Sloan had lost his team was just another case in which the Big Fella said something funny.
Unfortunately, though, as on other occasions, Barkley wasn't telling a joke. He was serious.
Barkley had to know the Jazz has been injury-riddled this season. Utah perhaps has been the league's most inconsistent team, but as Barkley pointed out, it is a young squad, for the most part. And with youth comes inconsistency.
There have been times this season when Sloan started Keith McLeod and Milt Palacio in the backcourt. On most every other team, these guys would be backup point guards, if that. And if they are your guards, it's going to be a short and bumpy ride.
Chill, Chuck, and find another coach to go at, for now. If Utah is stinking it up at this time next season, maybe it'll be the right time. But Sloan is not that guy, right now.
No stopping Anthony
Denver's Carmelo Anthony took grief last summer for some of USA Basketball's woes in international competition. Then, although playing well this season, he was not voted onto the Western Conference All-Star team.
Anthony has not been dismayed. He has improved, and now it's difficult to imagine he won't be named to one of the three all-league teams at season's end.
He's averaging 26.6 points despite a minutes-per-game average of 36.9, lower than all but Detroit's Richard Hamilton's 36 among the league's top 20 scorers. Of the top 20 scorers, 13 were averaging 39 or more minutes.
And only six of the top 20 scorers - Miami's Dwyane Wade (.499), the Los Angeles Clippers' Elton Brand (.528), Toronto's Chris Bosh (.506), Minnesota's Kevin Garnett (.525), Phoenix's Shawn Marion (.512) and Hamilton (.498) - had higher field-goal percentages than Anthony's .482.
So what's he got to do to get his props?
Just wait, 'Melo, they are coming.
About the writer: The Bee's Martin McNeal can be reached at mmcneal@sacbee.com.
