NO LOVE FOR LEBRON

The highly anticipated game of the century!! It started out pretty close. LeBron knocked down his first jumper and I thought we were going to be looking at another triple double night. It was not.

LeBron did get in a few dunks in the first half but for the most part they weren’t really contested. A lot of shot blockers in the league will go up with James everytime trying to stuff him, as I recall Tyrus Thomas doing in the 4th quarter of a recent game. On a few occasions in the first half LeBron was able to get right to the rim and go up for a ‘bron slam uncontested. However, on one of those occasions, LeBron was caught celebrating while Hedo Turkoglu took the ball right past him for an easy layup. So much for the momentum grabbing ‘bron slam.

James ended the first half with an isolation up at the time line where he tried to take his defender off the dribble. As he broke down the defense, he opened up at least 2 or 3 shooters standing behind the line. Rather than dishing it off he chose to take it all the way to the basket where he took on 3 defenders and was stuffed by the rim. No rebound and the half was over.

After consistantly driving to the hoop and consistantly missing and almost as consistantly not getting foul calls, it seemed like LeBron went back to that jump shot. Mike Brown and Mo Williams both were called for technical fouls while arguing on LeBron’s behalf. Around this time, sideline reporter David Aldridge chimed in with a quote from Mike Brown. It was about how Shaq used to get fouled all the time and Phil Jackson was always complaining about it. Mike Brown said, “LeBron is Shaq with a jumper.” I think the quote should have read something more like this, “LeBron is Shaq without rings.”

Shortly thereafter, LeBron would drive to the hoop, get fouled, travel and throw the ball at the hoop. The foul was called, the ball went in but the travel was also called so the basket was wiped out. He did get two shots, that he missed.

LeBron wasn’t a factor for the rest of the game. He would go on to miss 11 of his last 14 shots and finish at 10-27 with 23 points.

Here’s the bottom line, LeBron needs to focus on his game and less on what the officials are calling or not calling. They mentioned in tonight’s TNT broadcast that he hasn’t been treated fairly since the crab dribble situation but I think that’s long overdue. You have to earn those types of calls and LeBron never did. Now, I hope the officials continue to make their amends to the basketball gods. Also, he needs to learn to give the ball up when the game is on the line because the other players aren’t afraid of LeBron like they are with Kobe Bryant. Obviously every guy who prides himself on his defense wants the challenge of guarding Kobe but they know he’s going to get them somehow some way. LeBron can be guarded and not just by defensive players. He just doesn’t have the basketball IQ that people like Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Steve Nash have.

Magic win 99-88