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Wizards' rough play only inspires LeBron
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist
Published on Monday, Apr 28, 2008
WASHINGTON: One year ago, LeBron James made the same play in a playoff game in Detroit.
Drive, draw the defense, pass.
In that game, James was criticized when Donyell Marshall missed an attempted game-winner.
Sunday in the Verizon Center, James passed to Delonte West in the corner with the score tied and the final seconds on the clock.
This time, West's 3-pointer from the corner gave the Cavs a stranglehold of this first-round playoff series against the Washington Wizards.
''All he had to do was catch and shoot,'' James said after the 100-97 win for the Cavaliers.
James already had done the hard work.
He had done what he has said he will always do — make the best basketball play that gives his team a chance to win.
Just as he had all game long.
James responded to a cheap shot from DeShawn Stevenson in the first half to lead his team to a three-point win and a 3-1 series lead.
Can the Wizards get back into it, James was asked? He eschewed the politically correct ''we respect them, and they've got a good team'' answer and simply said: ''No.''
No.
The statement was made with
certainty.
Just like James was certain he would get his team a good shot as time wound down.
After Gilbert Arenas made an amazing shot on one leg to tie the score with 28 seconds left, James calmly dribbled away the remaining time. The play?
It came from Cavs coach Mike Brown, who opened his arms wide and called ''spread.''
''The play was really drawn for everybody to get out of the way and let LeBron do what he does best,'' West said. ''Fortunately that's one of the things he does best, is find the open man.''
Everyone get out of the way might sound like fingernails on a chalkboard to Cavs fans, but it's a little more involved than stand and watch while LeBron dribbles and shoots.
James controls the ball in the middle, while the two shooters — in this case West and Daniel Gibson — drift to open spots behind the 3-point line.
If James is not doubled, he takes the shot.
If he is double-teamed, he passes — and the shooter must move as soon as his man goes to double.
With Stevenson on him, James dribbled and dribbled before finally making a move to his left. Arenas came over to cut him off, and James rose and passed to West, who was wide open in the corner.
Arenas, playing on a bad knee, could not get back, and Antawn Jamison could not get out on the baseline because Joe Smith pinned him there.
Which is what is supposed to happen. When the pass goes to the corner, Smith has to ''pin down'' Jamison — which he did.
West, playing in his hometown, left no doubt. The shot went right in.
That a 3-pointer won this game was appropriate, as the Cavs took 28 3-point shots and made 13. That's far above what they normally would take, but it was the result of the Wizards' decision to take away layups and dunks from James and keep him away from the basket.
Gibson and West rebounded from poor Game 3s to make nine-of-15 threes in Game 4 — and each had five assists.
That was key to the game, but so too was rebounding. The Cavs wanted to be more aggressive. Where does that show? In a 51-31 rebounding edge, 18-6 on the offensive boards.
Ben Wallace had an outstanding game, especially for a guy who didn't take a shot. His 12 rebounds epitomized the work.
Then there was Stevenson's swing at James' head as James went in for a layup with the Cavs behind 39-38 and 3:25 left in the first half.
Stevenson's wild swing removed James' headband. James said one of his teammates told him Stevenson swung with a closed fist.
James answered like he has throughout the series, by playing.
He scored 10 points the rest of the half, including a thundering dunk on a pass from Gibson, as the Cavs outscored the Wizards 16-5 after the flagrant foul.
''That sparked me,'' James said. ''That sparked our team.''
Though the Wizards were able to fight back the second half, they never were able to take the lead.
And when the game was on the line, James had the ball with Stevenson trying to guard him.
''Everybody in the gym had all eyes on LeBron,'' West said. ''I'm sure everybody in the gym, including their defense, thought he was going to take the last shot. Sometimes you forget the guy has great court vision, and he made the right play.''
The mind flashes to James setting up the play that led to Damon Jones' series-winning shot two years ago — in almost exactly the same spot where West took his shot. Then it goes to Michael Jordan setting up guys for shots that won championships.
James calls it the best play to give his team a chance to win.
''They want to hurt LeBron James in this series,'' James said of the Wizards. ''It's not working.''
No . . . James is giving the Wizards far more pain than he's receiving.
Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/mcmanamon/
WASHINGTON: One year ago, LeBron James made the same play in a playoff game in Detroit.
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