LeBron James is a fast learner.
Last year, the Cavs superstar couldn't handle the truth.
Ever the student though, James saw first hand just how important home court advantage is in the playoffs.
Sometimes we don't like the way we learn lessons. But the point is that as long as something is learned, then losing isn't all bad.
Quite clearly, James was adamant that if there was going to be any series deciding games to be played this year, then they were going to be played in front of his adoring fans.
So he went out and made the Cavs virtually impenetrable at home, going 39-1 at the Q this season. If Cleveland beats Philadelphia tonight, they will have posted the same record the 1986 NBA champions Boston Celtics did.
The lone blemish was a stinker though and one that James won't forget anytime soon. The Lakers were playing the last of a six-game Eastern road swing with the Cavs the final stop. Kobe Bryant was feeling awful. He'd vomited prior to the game and shouldn't have been playing. Instead he came out and delivered a big win ensuring a sweep against the Cavs.
LeBron struggled, he shot just 5-for-20 from the field and finished with 16 points. Kobe only scored 19 but he "out-matured" Kobe.
Despite that one slip up, the Cavs have turned the Q into a graveyard for everyone else. The Pistons have not enjoyed facing LeBron in the playoffs and they are less equipped to face them this year than they were in the past, when they were a solid, cohesive unit.
That all changed when Pistons GM Joe Dumars traded away Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson.
To say the move backfired on Dumars is an understatement.
Iverson at the Pistons has been a complete failure. To be fair though, after taking Darko Millic second in the 2003 draft, it was only Dumars second blip and expect him to pull off a shrewd move in the Summer to compensate for it.
Summer is the time for golf clubs and the Pistons will get plenty of use out of them this year.
Cleveland in four.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
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1 comment:
Looks like you were right on!!
The Captain
www.TOsports.ca
PS I added you to our Blog Roll and posted your dikembe article
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