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James takes over as franchise scoring leader in Cavs' win
By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Saturday, Mar 22, 2008
CLEVELAND: LeBron James etched his place in Cavaliers history with 4:11 left in the first quarter when he powerfully drove the lane to gracefully lay the basketball up and in to break former center Brad Daugherty's team scoring record in the Cavs' 90-83 victory over the Toronto Raptors.
Including his 29-point performance Friday, James now has amassed 10,414 points in his 380-game career with the Cavs. It took Daugherty 548 games to amass 10,389 points.
Anyone in the seats at Quicken Loans Arena could tell there was something different about this night and game. The atmosphere was reminiscent of last year's NBA Finals.
Before James broke the record, every time he touched the ball the crowd's voice rose. When he finally scored the necessary points, that voice screamed out. The Cavs halted the game to give James the ball and allow him to acknowledge the fans' accolades as he stood near center court.
''Being the all-time leading scorer for this franchise is something I never thought about,'' James said. ''But now that it's here, it's an unbelievable thing.''
That would sum things up for coach Mike Brown, also. He called the accomplishment amazing. ''For
me, personally, it's been a joy working with him,'' Brown said. ''I couldn't have asked to be around any other superstar, especially at this point in my career. Just being around him everyday has been a learning experience, a growing experience and it's been absolutely joyful for me.''
James said he didn't go into the game looking for the points, but rather he just wanted them to come to him. ''I always take what the defense gives me. I was able to get to the lane early in the game and finish shots like I usually do. I didn't pressure myself or make any adjustments to try to get five points.''
Yes, amidst the hoopla there was an entire basketball game and it didn't disappoint with 14 lead changes and eight ties. With the Raptors nipping at their heels, the Cavs had the chance to take the season series and in the process own a tiebreaker in Eastern Conference playoff seeding.
However, for much of the second half it looked as if the Cavs weren't willing to pry that advantage from the Raptors. The reason: sporadic play in the third quarter — again.
The Cavs were up by three at the half, 45-42, but Toronto came on in the third quarter, outscoring the Cavs 25-18 and taking a 67-63 lead.
Fortunately for the Cavs, they have the best money player in the league in James. He scored 23 of his points in the second half, including a pivotal 3-point shot to give the Cavs some breathing room at 86-79 with 3:03 left in the game. It's almost as if the Cavs know that if the game is close after three quarters, they don't have to worry because James will lift the team on his back and carry it the rest of the way.
He wasn't alone in his efforts, however. Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas kicked in 16 points and 10 rebounds to lend much needed support and rack up his 26th double-double of the season. Damon Jones added 10 points.
But the Cavs won the game courtesy of the their defense, which forced the Raptors into just 39 percent shooting. The Cavs had a dominating 51-35 edge in rebounding.
''I thought we put together close to 48 minutes of defense together. To hold that team to 39 percent shooting and 83 points is mind-boggling,'' Brown said.
Dribbles
James said he hopes the team paints the historical ball and makes it look good so he can put it in the trophy case in his personal hall of fame. . . . Ben Wallace went down with back spasms at 5:59 in the third quarter and didn't return for the rest of the game. . . . The Cavs will recognize James' achievement before the next home game against the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday. . . . Only two referees called Friday's game. There was a full crew of three on hand initially, but one got became ill.
George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/sportsblitz/.
CLEVELAND: LeBron James etched his place in Cavaliers history with 4:11 left in the first quarter when he powerfully drove the lane to gracefully lay the basketball up and in to break former center Brad Daugherty's team scoring record in the Cavs' 90-83 victory over the Toronto Raptors.
Get the full article here.
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