James Status For Tues Nite??
- Thread starter hawkeye
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LeBron's injury more than bruise
Sprained finger might keep him out tonight, too
Published on Tuesday, Dec 04, 2007
INDEPENDENCE: After practice Monday afternoon at Cleveland Clinic Courts, LeBron James silently left the facility.
He looked healthy.
His sprained left index finger, which has sidelined the Cavaliers' star for the past two games (both losses), remains a source of speculation, however. Will the league's leading scorer (30.7 points a game) be ready for the Cavaliers' home game tonight against the New Jersey Nets?
''He's day to day,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said.
And that's all the information he would give.
Brown knows James wants to be on the court. The extent of the injury, however, is more than a mere bruise, Brown said.
''It's a slow process, the injury he has,'' Brown said. ''It's a funny injury when you're talking about your knuckles and your fingers. When you get that ball in your hand, you have a lot of guys swiping at it. Officials think he's the strongest human in the world, but it's a tough thing to have to deal with.''
James injured his finger in the first half of Wednesday's 109-74 loss at Detroit and sat out the second half. He still led the team in scoring with 15 points.
Since then, the Cavs have lost twice. Although their scoring has fallen off dramatically, they have made stops on the defensive end. They lost 91-82 at Toronto on Friday, then dropped an 80-70 decision Sunday to the Boston Celtics, the league's best team with a 14-2 record.
Boston ''is a very efficient offensive team and the best defensive team right now in the league, and I thought defensive
ly we did some things against them that we've been preaching all along. And we're getting better,'' Brown said. ''If we can get that on a consistent basis, we'll be pretty good.''
What the Cavs need in James' absence is more aggressive play offensively from everyone.
''LeBron gives guys easy looks and looks that they'll be able to take a second to get their feet set and get locked into that basket,'' Brown said. ''Without him on the floor, they don't have as much time to get those buckets.''
That's why second-year point guard Daniel Gibson is trying to make things happen.
''I understand with LeBron out, he does so much for our team as far as getting guys looks at the basket, making big shots and pretty much doing everything,'' Gibson said. ''When he goes down, it's a mental thing for me to understand that I have to step my game up and take my game to another level.''
In Toronto, Gibson scored a team-high 24 points, registered a career-high in assists (seven) and free throws made (six), and played almost 42 minutes.
''Daniel has gotten a little bit more aggressive (offensively) and we've given him more opportunity to be aggressive,'' Brown said.
The coach said there is one positive aspect with James' injury.
''My reasoning is to err on the side of caution, because he does so much for us and plays so many minutes,'' Brown said. ''So, to put a positive spin on it, he's getting time to rest his body and his mind.''
'Jay' Z
Zydrunas Ilgauskas has one of the best jump shots for a guy his size, and Brown has always been a fan. Take Ilgauskas away from the basket and he can knock down the outside shot on a consistent basis.
''Z is one of the most professional guys I've ever been around,'' Brown said. ''He works extremely hard in the offseason, he comes here early and stays late. He gets his work in.
''And he plays off LeBron very well. Teams are in a predicament when it comes to LeBron and Z playing pick and roll. You have a 7-foot-2 guy that can knock down a 19-foot shot and you have a 6-8 guy who can knock down a shot or dunk on you in a heartbeat.''
Sprained finger might keep him out tonight, too
Published on Tuesday, Dec 04, 2007
INDEPENDENCE: After practice Monday afternoon at Cleveland Clinic Courts, LeBron James silently left the facility.
He looked healthy.
His sprained left index finger, which has sidelined the Cavaliers' star for the past two games (both losses), remains a source of speculation, however. Will the league's leading scorer (30.7 points a game) be ready for the Cavaliers' home game tonight against the New Jersey Nets?
''He's day to day,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said.
And that's all the information he would give.
Brown knows James wants to be on the court. The extent of the injury, however, is more than a mere bruise, Brown said.
''It's a slow process, the injury he has,'' Brown said. ''It's a funny injury when you're talking about your knuckles and your fingers. When you get that ball in your hand, you have a lot of guys swiping at it. Officials think he's the strongest human in the world, but it's a tough thing to have to deal with.''
James injured his finger in the first half of Wednesday's 109-74 loss at Detroit and sat out the second half. He still led the team in scoring with 15 points.
Since then, the Cavs have lost twice. Although their scoring has fallen off dramatically, they have made stops on the defensive end. They lost 91-82 at Toronto on Friday, then dropped an 80-70 decision Sunday to the Boston Celtics, the league's best team with a 14-2 record.
Boston ''is a very efficient offensive team and the best defensive team right now in the league, and I thought defensive
ly we did some things against them that we've been preaching all along. And we're getting better,'' Brown said. ''If we can get that on a consistent basis, we'll be pretty good.''
What the Cavs need in James' absence is more aggressive play offensively from everyone.
''LeBron gives guys easy looks and looks that they'll be able to take a second to get their feet set and get locked into that basket,'' Brown said. ''Without him on the floor, they don't have as much time to get those buckets.''
That's why second-year point guard Daniel Gibson is trying to make things happen.
''I understand with LeBron out, he does so much for our team as far as getting guys looks at the basket, making big shots and pretty much doing everything,'' Gibson said. ''When he goes down, it's a mental thing for me to understand that I have to step my game up and take my game to another level.''
In Toronto, Gibson scored a team-high 24 points, registered a career-high in assists (seven) and free throws made (six), and played almost 42 minutes.
''Daniel has gotten a little bit more aggressive (offensively) and we've given him more opportunity to be aggressive,'' Brown said.
The coach said there is one positive aspect with James' injury.
''My reasoning is to err on the side of caution, because he does so much for us and plays so many minutes,'' Brown said. ''So, to put a positive spin on it, he's getting time to rest his body and his mind.''
'Jay' Z
Zydrunas Ilgauskas has one of the best jump shots for a guy his size, and Brown has always been a fan. Take Ilgauskas away from the basket and he can knock down the outside shot on a consistent basis.
''Z is one of the most professional guys I've ever been around,'' Brown said. ''He works extremely hard in the offseason, he comes here early and stays late. He gets his work in.
''And he plays off LeBron very well. Teams are in a predicament when it comes to LeBron and Z playing pick and roll. You have a 7-foot-2 guy that can knock down a 19-foot shot and you have a 6-8 guy who can knock down a shot or dunk on you in a heartbeat.''
This is so crazy because it would qualify as the under angle system play standing at 186. WHICH is a great play without LeBron...but if LeBron were to play...arrrghhh, risk it and bet now?
