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Sunday, April 30, 2006
Sayson: King James reigns; a different Kobe
By Homer Sayson
Secondovertime
CHICAGO – While waiting for the tip-off of Game 3 between the Bulls and the Heat the other night at the United Center, I poked around and discovered that the cheapest seats in the arena, those at the 300 level where the players look like dunking Barbie Dolls, sold for $49 each.
The most expensive, I was told, are those courtside seats that brokers peddle to the high and the mighty for as high as $5,000 each.
I don’t know how much the tickets were for Game 3 of the Cavs-Wizards series yesterday at the Verizon Center in Washington, but whatever the amount was, LeBron James certainly made it worth the price of admission.
After a dismal Game 2, where he missed 17 shots and made 10 turnovers, LeBron rekindled his first postseason appearance as another journey of triumph and discovery.
In a performance reminiscent of his historic Game 1 triple-double, LeBron cast his own magic over the Wizards, posting 41 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. LeBron’s all-around play led to a 97-96 win that allowed Cleveland to reclaim homecourt advantage plus a 2-1 series lead over Washington.
LeBron made 16-of-28 field goals. His last bucket of the day was a game-winner. Artistic as it was beautiful, it was a shot that absolutely tilted this best-of-seven showdown favorably for the Cavs.
It came in the final 23 seconds of play. The score stood at 96-95, Cavs down by one but with ball possession. After the ensuing timeout and the inbounds play, LeBron took ownership of the ball. He loomed at the lower left side of the keyhole, near the lip of the shaded lane.
Stalking LeBron was cat-quick guard Antonio Daniels. With the game clock melting, LeBron made his move. It wasn’t easy. Daniels was a tough cookie, smart enough not to bite a fake, and fast enough to keep pace with the fleet-footed Cav.
LeBron feinted to his right, but Daniels remained planted in his face like a mirror image. He tried going left, but Daniels stayed in front, blocking the open lane. Still, the great ones always find a way. So two quick between-the-legs dribbles later, LeBron was gone, leaving only a vapor of smoke in Daniels’ wake.
Having shaken off his primary defender, LeBron then soared unto the air. That’s where the most severe challenge came. While LeBron was airborne and readying for a shot, 6-foot-10 Michael Ruffin suddenly came flying, his thin arms flailing in the air.
But the great ones always find a way. Desperate to avoid a shotblock, LeBron bent his arms violently, clasping the ball in his hands as though his life depended on it. Ruffin gallantly hung in the air, but he fell down quickly while LeBron defied gravity, floating like an innocent snowflake.
LeBron stayed mid-air for a split second longer than Ruffin. That’s all he needed to flick a gentle, wide-open shot. The ball kissed the fiberglass board gently, before falling into the mouth of a defiant rim. The nets danced, and one page of what could be a long and legendary NBA career was made.
LeBron’s shot capped an amazing comeback for the Cavs, who trailed by as many as 14 points and fared miserably from the field, sinking just 35-of-85 shots for a paltry 41.2 percent clip. The Cavs were slightly out-rebounded 41-38, but had more assists, 14-11.
The Wizards converted 34-of-71 field goals, but they will always look back at those 11 missed triples and 17 turnovers as the contributing factors to their Game 2 demise. Gilbert Arenas led Washington with 34 points, but he had six turnovers and missed a big free throw down the stretch.
“I love this game,” says the NBA’s most familiar slogan. Really, what’s not to like, especially on a night when we get another feature from The LeBron James Theater.
(homsay@hotmail.com)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (April 30, 2006 issue)
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