Re: Cleveland Cavaliers (10-4) @ Seattle Supersonics (6-8)
I was in a decent mood today, until I started watching this game. This Cavalier team must think they are one of those great teams that can just turn it on whenever they need to and take over a game ...because they're basically on cruise control so far this game .... usually teams realize they gotta 'bust it' on the road ...that the fine line between victory and defeat usually comes down to that littel extra in defensive effort you can give ... unfortunately, effort on the defensive end was seemingly left on the court against the Clippers ... Lebron, most notably, really didn't make an effort on the defensive end ..he's watching ...didn't fight through any picks, didn't get up on his man at any point and basically let him square up, set and shoot his three's ..while he just stood and watched from about 6 feet away ...you let a strong shooting team get the feel early, and you set yourself up for a long night.
If tonight was just one of those rare nights where it just isn't there, I wouldn't make an issue of this.....every player has games where they just don't have the legs ..or it just isn't there ...but, LEBRON ..MAN ...I've kept my mouth shut for a while. It's not youth and inexperience ..which is a viable excuse most times with Drew Gooden ..it isn't that he's lost or doesn't know an assignment ....it's HUSTLE ...it's a work ethic ....it didn't show up against the Clippers until the five minute mark of qtr 4 ..tonight ...same deal ...except ...when you have viable, difference making shooters you are responsible for ..then it becomes glaring.
He's an incredible talent ...may go down as one of the greatest ever, and I'm calling him out ....I guess that might make me look pretty silly and bad ...but, my standard in judging this guy is up in the clouds ...with all his god given talent he should be given the toughest assignments on the opposing teams and told to give them all they can handle ...that's what they ask of Kobe Bryant ..that's what was always asked of Michael Jordan .... Lebron isn't challenged to that extent by the coaches ...why ? Because they can see that he doesn't challenge HIMSELF in that area ...
THAT ...THAT FACT RIGHT THERE ...that's the difference from a competitive standpoint between the greats ..the Jordan's ...and where I see Lebron. He doesn't challenge himself to the same standard of excellence on the defensive end as he does of his game on the offensive end....
For all the talk we hear from Lebron about how everything starts with defense ...it really doesn't hold water when you watch him in games like tonight where the hustle only surfaces on the offensive end....
I may be tampling on sacred ground here, but, I'm just calling it as I see it ...PI$$ED !
