How Sick is LeBron James?

Blitzkrieg

How about 48 points to lead the Cavs to a double overtime win over the Pistons in Detroit to take the lead 3-2 in the series? How about scoring the final 25 points for the Cavs en route to this victory?

Just wow..

He is 22 people!

Twist of lEMOn

Yeah, Lebron's something, People don't say he has the "Fire" that M.J and Other greats had need to watch this series. If he didn't have it before in the last 2-3 games he gotten that same fire under his ass. The only thing thats going to keep Lebron from winning the NBA Finals is the lack of a secondary guy like Scottie Pippen.

That being said if the Cavs don't win, <.< I'll probably skip the NBA Finals

Blitzkrieg

Yeah, screw another Detroit/San Antonio series. All the games will be 78-74 and there will be very little excitment or memorable moments.

LeBron is the only reason left to watch the NBA this season, so I'll be pulling for the Cavs like a man posessed.

Just imagine if LeBron wins the title with this team though.. It will have to go down as one of the biggest accomplishments in NBA history. Hughes? Gooden? Illgauskas? Please! He doesn't even have say.. a Lamar Odom like Kobe does..

Necro

A King For All Ages
Posted by Paul Forrester

It's difficult at times like these not to fall into cliché.

But how else does one accurately describe what LeBron James accomplished in defeating the Pistons 109-107 in double overtime in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals?

Jaw-dropping?

Twenty-five consecutive points, including every Cleveland point in both OTs attest to that.

Heart-pounding?

Could any fan not feel that as James seemingly hit every shot imaginable, from fearless drives to the rim to fadeaway three-pointers in front of the Detroit bench?

Legendary?

Scoring 48 points, grabbing nine rebounds, handing out seven assists and making two steals against one of the NBA's best defenses on its home floor may be the most memorable playoff performance since Michael Jordan dropped 63 on the Celtics in 1986.

No matter the words, James' Game 5 may be the sort of stuff that saves leagues. You can almost hear the advertisements now: "Can the best player in the world beat the best team in the world? The Finals ... Thursday at 9."

To complete that journey to meet the Spurs in San Antonio, though, LeBron will need a little more imagination from his coaching staff. After the game coach Mike Brown said he "could not believe [LeBron] scored 29 of the last 30 points," which might have a little more credence if he had called a play for someone other than James down the stretch. On the rare occasions someone such as Sasha Pavlovic did touch the ball, they reacted as if the ball was covered in grease. Don't get us wrong: The Cavs won't win this series with Pavlovic shooting the ball, but they will need him, Daniel Gibson and Zydrunas Ilgauskas to at least handle the ball a little down the stretch if they hope to close out the Pistons, even in Cleveland.

And as they proved in a most uncharacteristically competent third quarter, LeBron's teammates are capable of carrying some of the weight. Outscoring the Pistons for the first time all series in the period, the Cavs notched 19 points by sticking to basics –- pounding the ball inside. Of the seven shots Cleveland converted in the third, five came in the paint. Not only was that enough to distance the Cavs from the 14.5-point third-quarter average they had forged in the first four games of the series, it was enough to carry LeBron through a 2-of-6 shooting period to his late-game turn as the hero.

Important as his teammates are, Game 5 was LeBron's turn to validate all of the expectations and all of the privileges heaped upon him at the young age of 22. From the cover of Sports Illustrated and nationally televised games as a high schooler, to the controversial Hummer he got before the 2003 draft, to the royal nickname, to the carte blanche he has within the Cavaliers' franchise, to the ho-hum first half of the current season, LeBron has generated almost as many critics as fans.

But how many 22-year-olds have ever taken their team this far with this much responsibility? Kobe? Nope. Garnett? Nope. Jordan? Heck, he was busy losing in the first round to the Bucks when he was 22.

LeBron has a chance to surpass them all. Yes, the Spurs may well give the King his royal comeuppance, should Cleveland reach the Finals; but for Cleveland even to be in this position in LeBron's fourth year was beyond the dreams of most in a city accustomed to disappointment. Should LeBron get just a suggestion of help Saturday night in Cleveland, the city –- and the league –- will drift off into la-la land with smiles on their faces.

Dr. Giganto

That was absolutely amazing last night. The rest of his team is pretty awful (Daniel Gibson has shown signs of promise, though), and Pavlovic was especially horrible last night. But LeBron was just unstoppable.

I was speechless watching that game. Wow...

WackoJako

[quote=Blade;406952]Yeah, screw another Detroit/San Antonio series. All the games will be 78-74 and there will be very little excitment or memorable moments.

Meh, I really wouldn't say that. The Pistons and Spurs have arguably been the two best franchises since the turn of the century. I would find that series quite entertaining, in fact probably more then I would Cavs vs Spurs.

As for last night it truly was a great game, Lebron finally came through in the clutch, only messed up part is if they had lost you know everyone would have remembered his two missed freethrows with about 1:30 to go.

Blitzkrieg

I'm sorry, but you are in the minority. The ratings for another Spurs/Pistons final would blow.

Twist of lEMOn

Indeed, Spurs lost any interest from me this season thanks to david stern, way to give a team a free pass to the finals buddy! but if Lebron and the Cavs make it, it at least draws alittle drama to the series it self. Otherwise its just same old same old to me in my opinion.

That being said after rewatching the last half of Game 5 last night on Raps TV, Lebron was more impressive then I first thought in that game. There were times that pretty much every Piston but the one or two guarding Lebron would just jam the paint to keep him from driving, then he'd score on a jump shot. Some of the threes he made were incredible to, he had guys double teaming him and he'd still make them. It was nuts.

Invictus

Yeah Lebron is immense. I just watched the Spurs vs Jazz Game 5 on Sky this morning and even though the Spurs destroyed them they pretty much bored me to death. Tim Duncan can put up the numbers but no one is awake to read them.

Heres hoping Lebron takes the Cavs all the way.

PS a Suns vs Cavs Final would have been the bomb.

Pistons vs Spurs = a dud. Again.

Danny Diamond

Founder/Admin

I agree with pretty much everyone here about James.

I know I didnt watch that game live, but many many recaps and youtubes and shit.

Personally, watching Michael Jordan play was one of my favorite things to watch on tv when I was younger. People in Boston never really pulled for the Bulls because they were invading "dynasty" land ala the Bird days, and people were still in their Celtic haze back then.

But this performance by James REALLY got me into thinking "Damn, I may actually start watching the NBA again"

LeBron James had now proven he has it in him to take it to that Jordan level. For YEARS after Jordan left the Bulls (please lets not talk about the Wizard days, those never happened, it was all a mirage) the NBA was dying for their next Jordan.

They have to and seem to have finally realized they may have the next coming in James. Because it wasnt Garnett, Carter or Kobe. Although Kobe is close.

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