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Do IT this week: Layering
LeBron is team's star, but three other players score in double figures, too
By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Monday, Nov 03, 2008
DALLAS: It's too early to call it a trend, but there's a glimmer of something different sneaking from the shadows for the Cavaliers, who take on the Dallas Mavericks tonight at the American Airlines Center.
That difference: an offense relying less on its superstar and showing that when it comes to scoring, it's share and share alike.
Through three games, four Cavs — LeBron James, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Mo Williams and Daniel Gibson — all average in double figures, with Delonte West close behind. It's a developing story from a team that all too often has relied on James' scoring skills.
Consider that in the three games James has not had a breakout scoring game, and his 9.3 assists per game are up over last year to start the season.
Spreading the wealth, in this instance, isn't a bad thing.
It allows James, who has logged nearly 41 minutes per game in the past two seasons to get some much-needed rest with an eye toward being fresher should the Cavs make the playoffs.
Secondly, it allows the Cavs to adjust to the fact there will be times when they will need to play — and score — without him. In Saturday's 104-92 loss to the New Orleans Hornets, the Cavs showed they might be up to that task.
James left the game with 1:28 remaining in the third quarter and the Cavs behind 69-66. When he returned at 8:13 of the fourth, the Cavs had scratched their way to a 79-77 lead.
''I think coach has given trust to some of the players that if I'm not in the game, they're going to have control,'' James said. ''He's not going to put me back in if [the other team] goes on a 4-0 run or 6-0 run. They're going to have to weather the storm.''
Coach Mike Brown agreed.
''We definitely feel as if we have guys who can run the team, that can initiate the offense and even be on the front end of some plays, and we get 'Bron on the back end of plays. We just need to keep trying to work on that and doing a better job at it.''
This current circumstance allows adjustments in James' game. For instance, in the first three games, he worked more toward scoring inside the 3-point arc and allowing Gibson, West and Williams to control the perimeter. The result has been teammates assuming more responsibility for the offense and what happens on the court.
''Hopefully, that's a good thing,'' Williams said. ''One thing we've seen is that we definitely share the ball. That's not by design, that's just the way we play.''
James has little problem with that.
''I think I'm more effective inside the paint, where I know I can control it, too,'' he said. ''I'm just going to try to do my damage inside. I've just been trying to take what the defense gives me. I've been trying to be more in the interior and try to work my way out, instead of work my way out, then in.''
James still knows, however, that as he goes, so do the Cavs.
''There are going to be times when I need to get into the offense more scoring-wise, but that hasn't happened the first three games,'' he said.
Turnover bug bites
The Cavs crept near 20 turnovers in their game against the Hornets on Saturday, a product of a more up-tempo offense and working Williams into the scheme. Brown expressed concern that 26 Hornets points came off Cavs' turnovers.
''Going back and watching both games against Boston and New Orleans, we didn't play the greatest defense in the world, but this early in the season [and] it was pretty good,'' he said. ''When you turn the ball over as much as you do against Boston — in a one- or two-point ballgame — it's going to make it tough.''
Quick shots
The Cavs said West should be fine to go against the Mavericks after suffering a left wrist injury Saturday night in New Orleans.
George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/cavs/
DALLAS: It's too early to call it a trend, but there's a glimmer of something different sneaking from the shadows for the Cavaliers, who take on the Dallas Mavericks tonight at the American Airlines Center.
Get the full article here.
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