There is a lot to be decided for the Trail Blazers in their final 11 games, but it appears one of the major decisions -- who will be the backup point guard -- was made Tuesday night.
Patty Mills, coach Nate McMillan made clear Tuesday, is not the answer.
For the past two weeks -- really since he had a nightmarish end to the first quarter in Atlanta on March 12 -- Mills has seen his backup role diminished. In part, it was because McMillan has been incorporating Brandon Roy back into the mix, using him at times as a point guard.
But much of it also had to do with Mills' play. There have been some careless turnovers. Costly fouls. As much as everyone loves Mills and his personality, the simple fact is he wasn't getting the job done.
So as the season shrinks and the importance of each game grows, what used to be about 15 minutes a game for Mills started dwindling to nine minutes. Then six minutes. And on Tuesday, Mills played all of 14 seconds in a blowout over Washington until he came in for the final 4:50 and the Blazers up 34.
McMillan has been wrestling with this decision for the past couple of weeks. He is hesitant to use Roy and Rudy Fernandez at point guard for extended spells because he feels the offense becomes stagnant. And he feels the responsibility of running the offense takes away from the strengths of Roy and Fernandez.
So he kept telling himself that he likes having a true point guard like Mills in the game because he gets the Blazers into their offense. And he has great speed, which McMillan would like to see translate to the Blazers' offense.
Even after the Blazers' game Sunday in Los Angeles, when Mills made a silly foul that resulted in two made free throws at the end of the first quarter, McMillan insisted Mills would remain in the rotation.
Then before Tuesday's game, McMillan acknowledged that Mills was on watch. His play had to improve, or else Roy and Fernandez would get all of the backup point guard minutes.
Forty-five minutes later, when the game started, Mills was not in McMillan's game plan.
So what did the man who essentially had just lost his job do in response?
What Mills always does.
After the final buzzer, he stood in the tunnel that leads from the court to the Blazers locker room and gave fist bumps to everyone that walked through. Everyone. Owner Paul Allen. Executive Bert Kolde. The mascot. General manager Rich Cho. A janitor with two brooms. All of his teammates. Announcer Michael Holton.
Then there was nobody. But Mills stood there, leaned against the railing and waited.
Finally, teammate Chris Johnson -- who did an interview on the court -- came running through. Another fist bump. And now it was time to join the team.
"I just do it so they know I appreciate their hard work. That they are not alone," Mills said. "I think it goes a long way, especially for the guys who have been giving interviews on the court. They may think that everyone is waiting for him, but I will wait, just to say good game and walk him back in."
Some might think that image is corny. Touchy-feely. Or that it has nothing to do with executing an offense or winning basketball games.
But ask anybody around the Blazers, and they will tell you that Mills is, and always will be, a huge difference maker for this team.
For one, he is not hanging his head and accepting his demotion.
He was the last one to leave the court before the game, nearly missing the team's pregame meeting. He was lathered in sweat, working with assistants Bill Bayno, Hersey Hawkins and consultant Steve Gordon on how to better run his defender off screens. And he was working on altering the speed of his attack so it's not always full-speed ahead, but rather a bolt here and a pull back there.
Also, he continues to be this team's resident chemistry builder.
Publicly, he is already widely known for encouraging his teammates to sign up on Twitter, and now he, Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum, Marcus Camby and LaMarcus Aldridge all share playful banter throughout everyday on the social-mediaplatform, all there for fans to enjoy.
But privately, he also brings this team closer from a basketball standpoint. Take for instance Tuesday's game -- the same game most players probably would be stunned they weren't being put in by the coach.
Instead, Mills was asking questions, stimulating conversation on the bench. When Aldridge received a post-entry pass, Mills wondered aloud which player should cut through the lane to provide proper spacing for Aldridge to work. The next thing he knew, four other Blazers had joined in the conversation, offering their viewpoints.
"It was pretty cool," Mills said. "We had three, four, five guys involved in the same conversation about the game. And the next thing you know, we have five guys on the same page."
There will be times between now and the playoffs that Mills will be called upon. And he vows to keep working to be ready and improved for those opportunities, no matter how small.
"The way I look at it is it's still a role, even though the minutes have been cut down," Mills said. "If it's just a couple of minutes, those couple of minutes can be crucial to that game. So it's still a role. And I feel like I'm contributing whether I'm on the court or not."
3.24.2011
2.19.2011
POOH JETER
The oldest rookie in the NBA arrived in the mailroom on campus at the University of Portland late this week, came straight through the doors, and starting high-fiving and hugging people.
Pooh Jeter is 27.
He's a back-up point guard for the Sacramento Kings.
The former UP star decided to spend his All-Star break not in Los Angeles, or Las Vegas, rather, on campus this week thanking mailroom workers, and hanging out with the campus custodians.
"I knew everybody on campus," Jeter said. "It's my personality."
This might be the happiest man in the NBA, mind you.
Consider that Jeter had to hustle and work his way into the NBA. He played five seasons of summer league, including with the Blazers in 2009. He worked out in his offseason with players such as Earl Watson and Baron Davis. And when that wasn't good enough, Jeter went to play in Ukraine, then Spain, then Israel. And he never stopped believing he belonged.
"I still pinch myself when I wake up," Jeter said. "I'm living the dream after four years of the grind.
"I still have to grind to stay in the league."
Jeter is playing 16 minutes a game and is averaging 4.5 points and 3.1 assists. He's trying to improve himself, and now that he's in the NBA, he'd like to stick. And when the Kings travel, the veterans make the rookie wear a purple backpack with daises on it.
Said Jeter: "It's a girls backpack."
I've pulled for Jeter since he left UP, and believed in my bones after watching him in college that he was a better player than the hyped-up Blazers No. 1 draft pick Sebastian Telfair. Jeter went undrafted, though. And while the Kings will tell you that he caught their attention with a strong Developmental League performance, the truth is, Jeter just kept playing.
He became a better distributor. He learned patience. And he watched NBA point guards such as Chris Paul, Steve Nash and current Blazer Andre Miller.
"(Andre) played center in high school. It's why his post game is so good," Jeter said. "One thing I learned from watching Andre is how smart he is.
"People say he can't shoot, but he ... gets ... it ... done."
While in Spain, Jeter also played against heralded point guard Ricky Rubio, and he said he doesn't see the comparisons that everyone wants to make to Pete Maravich. Said Jeter: "He isn't a scorer like that. Ricky's improved his game so much, but he's more of a guy who gets people involved."
The rookie said that he would love to play in Portland someday, "if that's God's plan," and also, that he looks back on his summer league experience with the Blazers fondly.
"I had a pretty good summer, it just wasn't my time."
Jeter is from Los Angeles. He now plays in Sacramento. But he said he considers Portland his "second home." Which is why he spent his break slapping backs with former classmates and meeting with old professors. He even filmed a video that will play at halftime of the Pilots game vs. Santa Clara tonight at the Chiles Center.
NBA owners and union representatives are meeting in Los Angeles, bickering over the details of a Collective Bargaining Agreement. The star athletes, partying and hanging all over an All-Star Game that feels drunk on hype. And just when you think the whole thing stinks, here comes Jeter, smiling and telling anyone who will listen how happy and appreciative he is to be where he is in his career.
Refreshing, isn't it?
Jeter said he now knows where he fits in the NBA. He wants to help the Kings get better. And he said he'll continue to work hard and improve himself.
"I've worked hard to get to this point. I'll continue to keep working."
The NBA needs more players like this.
Pooh Jeter is 27.
He's a back-up point guard for the Sacramento Kings.
The former UP star decided to spend his All-Star break not in Los Angeles, or Las Vegas, rather, on campus this week thanking mailroom workers, and hanging out with the campus custodians.
"I knew everybody on campus," Jeter said. "It's my personality."
This might be the happiest man in the NBA, mind you.
Consider that Jeter had to hustle and work his way into the NBA. He played five seasons of summer league, including with the Blazers in 2009. He worked out in his offseason with players such as Earl Watson and Baron Davis. And when that wasn't good enough, Jeter went to play in Ukraine, then Spain, then Israel. And he never stopped believing he belonged.
"I still pinch myself when I wake up," Jeter said. "I'm living the dream after four years of the grind.
"I still have to grind to stay in the league."
Jeter is playing 16 minutes a game and is averaging 4.5 points and 3.1 assists. He's trying to improve himself, and now that he's in the NBA, he'd like to stick. And when the Kings travel, the veterans make the rookie wear a purple backpack with daises on it.
Said Jeter: "It's a girls backpack."
I've pulled for Jeter since he left UP, and believed in my bones after watching him in college that he was a better player than the hyped-up Blazers No. 1 draft pick Sebastian Telfair. Jeter went undrafted, though. And while the Kings will tell you that he caught their attention with a strong Developmental League performance, the truth is, Jeter just kept playing.
He became a better distributor. He learned patience. And he watched NBA point guards such as Chris Paul, Steve Nash and current Blazer Andre Miller.
"(Andre) played center in high school. It's why his post game is so good," Jeter said. "One thing I learned from watching Andre is how smart he is.
"People say he can't shoot, but he ... gets ... it ... done."
While in Spain, Jeter also played against heralded point guard Ricky Rubio, and he said he doesn't see the comparisons that everyone wants to make to Pete Maravich. Said Jeter: "He isn't a scorer like that. Ricky's improved his game so much, but he's more of a guy who gets people involved."
The rookie said that he would love to play in Portland someday, "if that's God's plan," and also, that he looks back on his summer league experience with the Blazers fondly.
"I had a pretty good summer, it just wasn't my time."
Jeter is from Los Angeles. He now plays in Sacramento. But he said he considers Portland his "second home." Which is why he spent his break slapping backs with former classmates and meeting with old professors. He even filmed a video that will play at halftime of the Pilots game vs. Santa Clara tonight at the Chiles Center.
NBA owners and union representatives are meeting in Los Angeles, bickering over the details of a Collective Bargaining Agreement. The star athletes, partying and hanging all over an All-Star Game that feels drunk on hype. And just when you think the whole thing stinks, here comes Jeter, smiling and telling anyone who will listen how happy and appreciative he is to be where he is in his career.
Refreshing, isn't it?
Jeter said he now knows where he fits in the NBA. He wants to help the Kings get better. And he said he'll continue to work hard and improve himself.
"I've worked hard to get to this point. I'll continue to keep working."
The NBA needs more players like this.
2.03.2011
TENNESSEE WOMEN
The following comes from Tennessee assistant coach Dean Lockwood. He speaks of the importance of passion as a key contributor to competitors in Jeff Janssen's outstanding book, "How To Develop Relentless Competitors."
Tennessee assistant women's basketball coach Dean Lockwood says, "Having been a part of college basketball national championship teams and those that were not, both with comparable talent, I can tell you first that one of the missing components from the latter was PASSION! Passion drives us to go work, to excel, to become almost obsessive about details and the 'little things' that can help our performance. Passion for something will allow an athlete to stay in a gym a bit longer working, shooting, honing skills; it will allow an athlete to squeeze out a few extra reps, sprints, or laps when most others have gone home. Passion can DRIVE us and PROPEL us further than what we know, and it also brings a joy to competition that is almost magical and can be found in few other ways."
Tennessee assistant women's basketball coach Dean Lockwood says, "Having been a part of college basketball national championship teams and those that were not, both with comparable talent, I can tell you first that one of the missing components from the latter was PASSION! Passion drives us to go work, to excel, to become almost obsessive about details and the 'little things' that can help our performance. Passion for something will allow an athlete to stay in a gym a bit longer working, shooting, honing skills; it will allow an athlete to squeeze out a few extra reps, sprints, or laps when most others have gone home. Passion can DRIVE us and PROPEL us further than what we know, and it also brings a joy to competition that is almost magical and can be found in few other ways."
SPURS - A MODEL OF CONSISTENCY
Anyone who knows Gregg Popovich knows there are probably 347 other places he’d rather be than walking the red carpet at the All-Star Game next month in Los Angeles as coach of the Western Conference team. He doesn’t do extravagant parties, and the over-the-top showmanship of the NBA’s annual entertainment weekend likely doesn’t appeal to him. More than anything, he’d rather just not have the attention.
Popovich has always preached a we-over-me mantra with the San Antonio Spurs, and that comes from his days at the Air Force Academy, where he was a walk-on for the basketball team.
“I’m just guessing, but everybody that goes there has a 3.8 or 4.0 [grade-point average] – valedictorians – and did all kinds of stuff,” Popovich said. “And you go there and everybody is the same. They strip you bare. You start over again, and during the four years you learn it’s not about you. It’s about the group. It’s about the people that are around you and how people come together and how teams are put together and how you have each other’s back and that sort of thing.
“You learn that one person really doesn’t get anything done. In any business, in any endeavor, the people around you have to be good people and have to be able to work together. That’s where the real joy is – when you’re sharing success with somebody.”
Over the last 13-plus seasons, no major U.S. professional sports franchise has enjoyed more sustained success than the Spurs. They’ve won 70.1 percent of their games during that time, a mark that ranks ahead of the NFL’s New England Patriots (68.3 percent) and the Spurs’ own rival, the Los Angeles Lakers (65.9). They’ve also won four NBA championships and seven division titles and may have produced their biggest surprise yet this season: At a time when many thought the Spurs would slip from the ranks of the league’s elite, they’ve surged to their greatest start ever with a league-best 40-8 record.
“Everybody is surprised by that record,” Manu Ginobili(notes) said. “But now we are here. We earned it and we want to keep the lead as long as possible and finish No. 1.”
The Spurs have benefitted from good health: They’re the only team in the league to use the same starting lineup for each of their games. But they’ve also won because of their remarkable balance. They rank fifth in the league in scoring, averaging 104.1 points per game, but don’t have a single player averaging even 19 points. Ginobili is the team-high with 18.6 while Tim Duncan, content now to steady the Spurs with his rebounding and defense, is averaging just 13.6 points.
In short, these Spurs may be as team-oriented as any roster Popovich has ever had. All of the Spurs’ three stars – Duncan, Ginobili and Tony Parker(notes) – are also averaging fewer than 33 minutes. With nearly everyone on the roster contributing in some form this season, the Spurs have continued to win in their usual understated style.
“Even if we’re up by 30 we’re not going to keep screaming and yelling,” veteran forward Antonio McDyess said. “That’s why a lot of people call this team boring. Regardless, we get the job done.”
That’s all Popovich has ever asked. Beginning with David Robinson, the Spurs have had a long line of players who have bought into their team-first mentality, including their three current stars. Players who come into the system learn to adapt – or leave.
“We try not to bring people in who we think they are a bit full of themselves and think they invented the dunk or something like that,” Popovich said. “And after that if somebody is in, the players set an example and react appropriately. If one of our young guys was to try to show up the opponent or beat his chest, I might be the fifth guy to him. There will be other players saying, ‘Hey, whoa, you look foolish doing that crap.’
“And if nobody does, I’ll obviously do it.”
Richard Jefferson learned that early last season after he joined the Spurs.
“There were a few times where he got on me early about screaming after a dunk and showing that kind of emotion,” Jefferson said. “You do what your coach asks for.”
Parker went through his own growing pains with Popovich. And for McDyess, playing for the Spurs is quite different than his days with the Detroit Pistons.
The Pistons often had a stereo blaring music in their locker room before games. That won’t be found in the Spurs’ locker room. After the Spurs’ win over the Golden State Warriors on Monday, the team enjoyed a dinner together in San Francisco.
“When I got there, the Pistons were playing music, rapping and cursing,” McDyess said. “They said that’s what worked for them. And half of them said that if they don’t go out the night before a game they don’t play well. On this team you don’t get that. Different things work for different teams.”
In part because of their business-as-usual nature, the Spurs haven’t received much attention for their strong start. They reached the halfway point of their schedule on pace to win 70 games and much of the season’s headlines have been devoted to the exploits of the Lakers and Miami Heat or Carmelo Anthony’strade demand. The Spurs could care less.
“Luckily enough I don’t look at the radar so I wouldn’t know what is going on,” Duncan said. “I have better things to do, I guess.”
The Spurs also don’t measure themselves on their success in the regular season. If they keep winning in the playoffs, the acclaim will come.
“We laugh about it and love it,” Popovich said. “The less attention, the more time and focus we have to concentrate on what we’d like to do. Having the success we’ve had with championships, we don’t need anyone to give us credit.”
Popovich has always preached a we-over-me mantra with the San Antonio Spurs, and that comes from his days at the Air Force Academy, where he was a walk-on for the basketball team.
“I’m just guessing, but everybody that goes there has a 3.8 or 4.0 [grade-point average] – valedictorians – and did all kinds of stuff,” Popovich said. “And you go there and everybody is the same. They strip you bare. You start over again, and during the four years you learn it’s not about you. It’s about the group. It’s about the people that are around you and how people come together and how teams are put together and how you have each other’s back and that sort of thing.
“You learn that one person really doesn’t get anything done. In any business, in any endeavor, the people around you have to be good people and have to be able to work together. That’s where the real joy is – when you’re sharing success with somebody.”
Over the last 13-plus seasons, no major U.S. professional sports franchise has enjoyed more sustained success than the Spurs. They’ve won 70.1 percent of their games during that time, a mark that ranks ahead of the NFL’s New England Patriots (68.3 percent) and the Spurs’ own rival, the Los Angeles Lakers (65.9). They’ve also won four NBA championships and seven division titles and may have produced their biggest surprise yet this season: At a time when many thought the Spurs would slip from the ranks of the league’s elite, they’ve surged to their greatest start ever with a league-best 40-8 record.
“Everybody is surprised by that record,” Manu Ginobili(notes) said. “But now we are here. We earned it and we want to keep the lead as long as possible and finish No. 1.”
The Spurs have benefitted from good health: They’re the only team in the league to use the same starting lineup for each of their games. But they’ve also won because of their remarkable balance. They rank fifth in the league in scoring, averaging 104.1 points per game, but don’t have a single player averaging even 19 points. Ginobili is the team-high with 18.6 while Tim Duncan, content now to steady the Spurs with his rebounding and defense, is averaging just 13.6 points.
In short, these Spurs may be as team-oriented as any roster Popovich has ever had. All of the Spurs’ three stars – Duncan, Ginobili and Tony Parker(notes) – are also averaging fewer than 33 minutes. With nearly everyone on the roster contributing in some form this season, the Spurs have continued to win in their usual understated style.
“Even if we’re up by 30 we’re not going to keep screaming and yelling,” veteran forward Antonio McDyess said. “That’s why a lot of people call this team boring. Regardless, we get the job done.”
That’s all Popovich has ever asked. Beginning with David Robinson, the Spurs have had a long line of players who have bought into their team-first mentality, including their three current stars. Players who come into the system learn to adapt – or leave.
“We try not to bring people in who we think they are a bit full of themselves and think they invented the dunk or something like that,” Popovich said. “And after that if somebody is in, the players set an example and react appropriately. If one of our young guys was to try to show up the opponent or beat his chest, I might be the fifth guy to him. There will be other players saying, ‘Hey, whoa, you look foolish doing that crap.’
“And if nobody does, I’ll obviously do it.”
Richard Jefferson learned that early last season after he joined the Spurs.
“There were a few times where he got on me early about screaming after a dunk and showing that kind of emotion,” Jefferson said. “You do what your coach asks for.”
Parker went through his own growing pains with Popovich. And for McDyess, playing for the Spurs is quite different than his days with the Detroit Pistons.
The Pistons often had a stereo blaring music in their locker room before games. That won’t be found in the Spurs’ locker room. After the Spurs’ win over the Golden State Warriors on Monday, the team enjoyed a dinner together in San Francisco.
“When I got there, the Pistons were playing music, rapping and cursing,” McDyess said. “They said that’s what worked for them. And half of them said that if they don’t go out the night before a game they don’t play well. On this team you don’t get that. Different things work for different teams.”
In part because of their business-as-usual nature, the Spurs haven’t received much attention for their strong start. They reached the halfway point of their schedule on pace to win 70 games and much of the season’s headlines have been devoted to the exploits of the Lakers and Miami Heat or Carmelo Anthony’strade demand. The Spurs could care less.
“Luckily enough I don’t look at the radar so I wouldn’t know what is going on,” Duncan said. “I have better things to do, I guess.”
The Spurs also don’t measure themselves on their success in the regular season. If they keep winning in the playoffs, the acclaim will come.
“We laugh about it and love it,” Popovich said. “The less attention, the more time and focus we have to concentrate on what we’d like to do. Having the success we’ve had with championships, we don’t need anyone to give us credit.”
WHAT MAKES KG GREAT?
By: Kevin Eastman
We are very fortunate to have a Kevin Garnett to coach, and his teammates are fortunate to have a Kevin Garnett to lead. You may have your own Kevin Garnett or someone on your team that can develop into a Kevin Garnett -- not just from a talent standpoint but also from a leadership standpoint.
Here are some of the things I have observed Kevin doing, saying, or demonstrating that allow him to lead at a higher level than most.
• He always looks for teaching opportunities to help young players become “true professionals,” from the way they dress to the way they prepare for the game and for practice, to the way they interact with teammates.
• He lives the “team concept” every day in every way. In fact, last year Kevin wouldn’t do interviews without Paul Pierce or Ray Allen with him because he didn’t want the team to be “his” team; he always wanted it to be “our” team.
• He demands that the coaching staff coach him, call him out, correct him -- so that he can become a better player. He understands that coaching is not criticism, but a very important part of his improvement.
• He works on his game just about every day of our 287-day season. Understands that repetition is the key to being good.
• He is competitive and committed: he plays just as hard whether we are ahead or behind and whether he had 3 shots or 30 points.
• He shows everyone that the great ones just want to get better; always wants to know anything that will make him a better player.
• He often says, “it’s about what you are willing to sacrifice; that’s our way of life here with the Celtics. It’s about putting the team and winning before anything else.”
• He often says, “in order for this thing to work, we all have to sacrifice.”
• He always talks about defense: “We said from Day 1 that we were a defensive team that could also score.”
• And the ultimate sacrifice in today's me-oriented world Kevin says, “from Day 1 we said this is Paul’s team.” Everyone else wanted to make it Kevin’s team but he knew Paul deserved it because Paul had been with the Celtics during tough times.
The list could go on and on, but the point is that true leadership is not about oneself. It is the ability to get not only the most from your own ability but true leadership also means getting the most out of every teammate’s ability as well. Kevin does this by example, by teaching, by his public comments and by his unending commitment to team over self.
We are very fortunate to have a Kevin Garnett to coach, and his teammates are fortunate to have a Kevin Garnett to lead. You may have your own Kevin Garnett or someone on your team that can develop into a Kevin Garnett -- not just from a talent standpoint but also from a leadership standpoint.
Here are some of the things I have observed Kevin doing, saying, or demonstrating that allow him to lead at a higher level than most.
• He always looks for teaching opportunities to help young players become “true professionals,” from the way they dress to the way they prepare for the game and for practice, to the way they interact with teammates.
• He lives the “team concept” every day in every way. In fact, last year Kevin wouldn’t do interviews without Paul Pierce or Ray Allen with him because he didn’t want the team to be “his” team; he always wanted it to be “our” team.
• He demands that the coaching staff coach him, call him out, correct him -- so that he can become a better player. He understands that coaching is not criticism, but a very important part of his improvement.
• He works on his game just about every day of our 287-day season. Understands that repetition is the key to being good.
• He is competitive and committed: he plays just as hard whether we are ahead or behind and whether he had 3 shots or 30 points.
• He shows everyone that the great ones just want to get better; always wants to know anything that will make him a better player.
• He often says, “it’s about what you are willing to sacrifice; that’s our way of life here with the Celtics. It’s about putting the team and winning before anything else.”
• He often says, “in order for this thing to work, we all have to sacrifice.”
• He always talks about defense: “We said from Day 1 that we were a defensive team that could also score.”
• And the ultimate sacrifice in today's me-oriented world Kevin says, “from Day 1 we said this is Paul’s team.” Everyone else wanted to make it Kevin’s team but he knew Paul deserved it because Paul had been with the Celtics during tough times.
The list could go on and on, but the point is that true leadership is not about oneself. It is the ability to get not only the most from your own ability but true leadership also means getting the most out of every teammate’s ability as well. Kevin does this by example, by teaching, by his public comments and by his unending commitment to team over self.
1.14.2011
WHAT MAKES THE GREAT ONES GREAT
Boston Celtics Kevin Eastmans thoughts on what makes the great ones great...
I just got to thinking how fortunate I've been to be in the NBA and observe all the great players -- but not from a “wow" standpoint. I get to see how they operate and what makes them special. Among many other things, here's a list of separators:
• They have tremendous focus on the floor and whenever a coach is talking
• They want to know anything a coach can give them that will improve their game; always willing to learn
• They want to get their work in every day
• They go every bit as hard in practices as they do the games
• They stay on the practice floor or in the drill until they get it right
• They know the little things often separate them from the rest of the players in the league; they pay attention to details
• They can’t stand players that don’t work
• They very seldom sit out of practices
• They don’t mind being corrected and coached when they know the coach is right and the coach is telling them the truth
• They want to hear the truth
• They are committed to all aspects of their game -- their skills, their bodies, their training, their conditioning, the food they eat……everything
• They hold themselves personally accountable
• They will also hold their teammates accountable for their roles
• They despise losing
• They are extremely competitive
• They have incredible belief in themselves and their abilities
I just got to thinking how fortunate I've been to be in the NBA and observe all the great players -- but not from a “wow" standpoint. I get to see how they operate and what makes them special. Among many other things, here's a list of separators:
• They have tremendous focus on the floor and whenever a coach is talking
• They want to know anything a coach can give them that will improve their game; always willing to learn
• They want to get their work in every day
• They go every bit as hard in practices as they do the games
• They stay on the practice floor or in the drill until they get it right
• They know the little things often separate them from the rest of the players in the league; they pay attention to details
• They can’t stand players that don’t work
• They very seldom sit out of practices
• They don’t mind being corrected and coached when they know the coach is right and the coach is telling them the truth
• They want to hear the truth
• They are committed to all aspects of their game -- their skills, their bodies, their training, their conditioning, the food they eat……everything
• They hold themselves personally accountable
• They will also hold their teammates accountable for their roles
• They despise losing
• They are extremely competitive
• They have incredible belief in themselves and their abilities
12.13.2010
Top Five Characteristics for Success in Sports
Researchers at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, recently compiled a list of 128 characteristics of what makes a good athlete a winner. They divided the list of 128 traits into half psychological and half physical characteristics. Examples of psychological characteristics were: they perform well under pressure, they are teachable, etc. Examples of physical characteristics were items such as body size, natural physical strength, and general talent or athletic attributes.
They then asked 658 coaches from 43 different sports to choose five of these characteristics that they felt defined winners. The majority of these coaches chose psychological qualities over physical abilities for determining successful/winning athletes.
These researchers determined that the top five characteristics for success in sports to be:
1) That these athletes love to play their game or sport.
2) They have a positive attitude in general toward life.
3) They are teachable and coachable.
4) They are self-motivated.
5) They have the discipline and drive to take the necessary steps to improve their game.
The “natural physical athlete” characteristic ranked 19th out of 128 characteristics listed in this study. These finding support the belief of many sports psychologists that success in sports is as much as 90% mental.
They then asked 658 coaches from 43 different sports to choose five of these characteristics that they felt defined winners. The majority of these coaches chose psychological qualities over physical abilities for determining successful/winning athletes.
These researchers determined that the top five characteristics for success in sports to be:
1) That these athletes love to play their game or sport.
2) They have a positive attitude in general toward life.
3) They are teachable and coachable.
4) They are self-motivated.
5) They have the discipline and drive to take the necessary steps to improve their game.
The “natural physical athlete” characteristic ranked 19th out of 128 characteristics listed in this study. These finding support the belief of many sports psychologists that success in sports is as much as 90% mental.
12.11.2010
D-ROSE: OVERCOMING LA
It's not very often young players earn the praise of Kobe Bryant, which is why many in the pro basketball community seemed to notice last month when Bryant sought out Derrick Rose for a hug and some kinds words after the Bulls' 98-91 loss in Los Angeles.
"I can tell when a player truly wants to be better and does what it takes to improve," Bryant said Thursday, one night before the rematch in Chicago. "It was a quality I had when I was growing up. … I admire that about him. I could really see it from last year to this year."
Kobe is now one of the elder statesman in the league, at 32 years old and in his 15th season, his blessing now means every bit as much as Michael Jordan's did in the late 1990s, when Bryant was a young pup. And Rose has caught his eye. We've seen enough to know now, six weeks into the season, that D-Rose wasn't being presumptuous when he essentially asked in the preseason, "Why not me?" for MVP.
"He's got a long-range ball now," Bryant said. "He can pop behind the pick and shoot the jumper. He can pull up off the dribble and shoot it, and him getting to the rim goes unquestioned. He's putting the time in the gym, and I certainly respect that."
The best sign yet of how desperately Rose wants to win came after the Bulls' narrow victory over Cleveland on Wednesday, a game that could have gone either way, the kind of game the Bulls shouldn't be nearly squandering if they have serious aspirations about contending. Rose knows winning alone isn't enough. It is if you merely want to make the playoffs, but not for teams such as the Celtics and Magic, Spurs and Lakers, for whom that's the minimum required. Rose was too annoyed to eat the postgame spread, not easily satisfied -- in the tradition of Bryant and Jordan. Rose isn't blessed with their height, but increasingly he seems to have their hatred of losing. Friday's game with the Lakers is one of those chances to see to what lengths Rose will go to not lose because Kobe is wary of all comers now.
-----------------------------------------------
Before Friday night's game, before he led the Bulls to their first win over the Los Angeles Lakers in four years, before he wowed a national crowd with 29 and 9, Derrick Rose told reporters with a straight face that he's not a star.
"He did?" Joakim Noah said. "When he plays on the court, you really believe he thinks that?"
No, of course not.
"Exactly," Noah said. "He might tell you guys that, but when he's dribbling that ball up the court, he knows what he's doing."
He knows what he's doing, all right. What he did Friday night was score 29 points, knock down three of five 3-pointers, dish out nine assists and, by force of will, lead the Bulls to their most impressive win of this young season, a wildly entertaining 88-84 victory over the defending champion Lakers.
"His swag is crazy right now," Noah said. "That's good. That's a good thing. We need that."
This wasn't just an early December win. The Bulls hadn't beaten Los Angeles since Dec. 19, 2006, and coming off disappointing losses to Orlando and Boston last week, this team needed to make a statement that it was really a player in the big picture.
Do the players feel the same way about one win?
"Of course," Rose said. "When you beat the champions, there's nothing you can say about that. We won this game fair and square."
Rose's pure desire, clichéd as it sounds, separates him from the pretenders and the second-tier players. And it's why he is a star.
"Derrick is somebody who wants to be great," Noah said. "I've never been around somebody who's so hard on himself. He really wants to be the best player he can be. He's special because, you know, he has a lot of abilities, but his mindset is what makes him so unique. I've never seen somebody with that much ability be so humble off the court, but on the court, his swag is unbelievable."
"What he's doing right now is unbelievable," Noah said.
In a game that defined the rising arc of his young career, Rose's most memorable move came with 5 minutes, 31 seconds to go and the Bulls up 74-67.
It was an accidental homage to the ghost he'll chase until the end of his career.
The move came on a catch-and-shoot play out of a timeout with 3 seconds on the shot clock. Rose caught the pass, faded back, off balance, into the Lakers bench. He uncorked his body and buried a 21-foot jumper.
Oh, and Rose hit another shot clock beater, a 15-foot fadeaway, with 25.2 seconds left to keep a dwindling lead at 85-80. He scored nine points in the fourth.
"I don't mean to bring my agent B.J. Armstrong in it, but he said that's when good players are supposed to take over a game," Rose said. "And that's all I was trying to do. And the shots, thank God, went in."
The fans were up for this one, with chants of "Beat L.A." and cheers of "MVP" for Rose.
Rose said the MVP chants feel good, but he's not going to let it go to his head.
"I'm not a star," Rose said before the game. "I'm just playing in the NBA, and trying to do anything to get my team a win, just passing the ball, doing whatever. But you can see the difference between a star and a superstar, especially in this league where superstars like Kobe and other players -- there's only a few of them -- they can take over games and do it on a consistent basis."
Like Noah said, he's always hard on himself.
"I can tell when a player truly wants to be better and does what it takes to improve," Bryant said Thursday, one night before the rematch in Chicago. "It was a quality I had when I was growing up. … I admire that about him. I could really see it from last year to this year."
Kobe is now one of the elder statesman in the league, at 32 years old and in his 15th season, his blessing now means every bit as much as Michael Jordan's did in the late 1990s, when Bryant was a young pup. And Rose has caught his eye. We've seen enough to know now, six weeks into the season, that D-Rose wasn't being presumptuous when he essentially asked in the preseason, "Why not me?" for MVP.
"He's got a long-range ball now," Bryant said. "He can pop behind the pick and shoot the jumper. He can pull up off the dribble and shoot it, and him getting to the rim goes unquestioned. He's putting the time in the gym, and I certainly respect that."
The best sign yet of how desperately Rose wants to win came after the Bulls' narrow victory over Cleveland on Wednesday, a game that could have gone either way, the kind of game the Bulls shouldn't be nearly squandering if they have serious aspirations about contending. Rose knows winning alone isn't enough. It is if you merely want to make the playoffs, but not for teams such as the Celtics and Magic, Spurs and Lakers, for whom that's the minimum required. Rose was too annoyed to eat the postgame spread, not easily satisfied -- in the tradition of Bryant and Jordan. Rose isn't blessed with their height, but increasingly he seems to have their hatred of losing. Friday's game with the Lakers is one of those chances to see to what lengths Rose will go to not lose because Kobe is wary of all comers now.
-----------------------------------------------
Before Friday night's game, before he led the Bulls to their first win over the Los Angeles Lakers in four years, before he wowed a national crowd with 29 and 9, Derrick Rose told reporters with a straight face that he's not a star.
"He did?" Joakim Noah said. "When he plays on the court, you really believe he thinks that?"
No, of course not.
"Exactly," Noah said. "He might tell you guys that, but when he's dribbling that ball up the court, he knows what he's doing."
He knows what he's doing, all right. What he did Friday night was score 29 points, knock down three of five 3-pointers, dish out nine assists and, by force of will, lead the Bulls to their most impressive win of this young season, a wildly entertaining 88-84 victory over the defending champion Lakers.
"His swag is crazy right now," Noah said. "That's good. That's a good thing. We need that."
This wasn't just an early December win. The Bulls hadn't beaten Los Angeles since Dec. 19, 2006, and coming off disappointing losses to Orlando and Boston last week, this team needed to make a statement that it was really a player in the big picture.
Do the players feel the same way about one win?
"Of course," Rose said. "When you beat the champions, there's nothing you can say about that. We won this game fair and square."
Rose's pure desire, clichéd as it sounds, separates him from the pretenders and the second-tier players. And it's why he is a star.
"Derrick is somebody who wants to be great," Noah said. "I've never been around somebody who's so hard on himself. He really wants to be the best player he can be. He's special because, you know, he has a lot of abilities, but his mindset is what makes him so unique. I've never seen somebody with that much ability be so humble off the court, but on the court, his swag is unbelievable."
"What he's doing right now is unbelievable," Noah said.
In a game that defined the rising arc of his young career, Rose's most memorable move came with 5 minutes, 31 seconds to go and the Bulls up 74-67.
It was an accidental homage to the ghost he'll chase until the end of his career.
The move came on a catch-and-shoot play out of a timeout with 3 seconds on the shot clock. Rose caught the pass, faded back, off balance, into the Lakers bench. He uncorked his body and buried a 21-foot jumper.
Oh, and Rose hit another shot clock beater, a 15-foot fadeaway, with 25.2 seconds left to keep a dwindling lead at 85-80. He scored nine points in the fourth.
"I don't mean to bring my agent B.J. Armstrong in it, but he said that's when good players are supposed to take over a game," Rose said. "And that's all I was trying to do. And the shots, thank God, went in."
The fans were up for this one, with chants of "Beat L.A." and cheers of "MVP" for Rose.
Rose said the MVP chants feel good, but he's not going to let it go to his head.
"I'm not a star," Rose said before the game. "I'm just playing in the NBA, and trying to do anything to get my team a win, just passing the ball, doing whatever. But you can see the difference between a star and a superstar, especially in this league where superstars like Kobe and other players -- there's only a few of them -- they can take over games and do it on a consistent basis."
Like Noah said, he's always hard on himself.
12.08.2010
PATTY MILLS - WAITING HIS TURN
With a horde of media members, bright lights, video cameras and microphones surrounding his stall in the Trail Blazers' locker room, Patty Mills sheepishly swiveled around in his chair and quipped:
"What, are you guys waiting for me?"
The Blazers had just defeated the Phoenix Suns 106-99 Tuesday night and Mills had played a significant, if not starring, role. His final statistical line was mostly modest -- nine points, seven assists and three rebounds in 29 minutes -- but perhaps teammate Wesley Matthews summed it up best when he said Mills had been the "player of the game."
The second-year point guard from Australia, who assumed a more prominent role because starting point guard Andre Miller had been suspended for the game, was a blur of energy, excitement and electricity at a time the reeling Blazers desperately needed such traits. It was only Mills' fourth game since joining the rotation as Miller's backup, and it was easily his most impressive and important performance in a Blazers uniform. The previous 17 games he has played a total of 6 mintues.
"He's earning the right to be out there and play more minutes," Blazers coach Nate McMillan said. "He has a high basketball IQ ... he's a very good passer, he sees the floor well and he's very crafty with the ball."
Mills turned in the highlight of the night -- a driving no-look pass through traffic that resulted in a three-point play for Rudy Fernandez. He also recorded six assists in the first half, swished two clutch pull-up jump shots in the third quarter and successful harassed All-Star point guard Steve Nash with his high-energy defense. And Mills did it all with exuberance and flash.
One week ago, before McMillan elevated Mills into the player rotation before the Blazers' game at the Boston Celtics, Mills' NBA career seemed destined to be defined by the upbeat antics and effervescent personality he revealed off the court.
But that personality has also surfaced on the court since Mills entered the rotation. The Blazers are just two games removed from a demoralizing string of six consecutive losses in which they fell to some of the NBA's cellar dwellers. Players admitted their confidence had wavered, and as the team returned to Portland from its worst trip in years, the Blazers were emotionally drained and depressed.
It might just turn out that Mills' upbeat personality has spread through the locker room at a time the Blazers desperately needed it.
"He's never sad," Nicolas Batum said after the Phoenix game. "He's always smiling. And now everybody has a smile on his face. We didn't see that the last two weeks. Everybody was thinking too much, feeling too much. Now we have two wins in a row. We need (Patty's) energy and I think everybody can grab onto that energy."
That Mills has reached this position is nothing short of astonishing. The Blazers' management group didn't expect him to show up for training camp in the fall because rookie Armon Johnson had earned the Blazers' 15th and final roster spot during summer league. And even after he showed up, Mills' odds of making the team featured the words, "slim," and "none." He's not even listed in the Blazers' media guide.
But Jeff Pendergraph tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, opening a door for Mills to be added to the roster just before opening night. The Blazers traded Jerryd Bayless before the regular season and Johnson assumed backup point guard duties. But after a strong start, Johnson struggled and McMillan went to Mills, who has registered 17 points and eight assists on 7-for-12 shooting the last two games -- both Blazers victories.
The recent success is a byproduct of Mills' patience and mental fortitude.
"It was hard," Mills said after practice Wednesday. "But I just knew this opportunity was going to come at some stage. I believed that, whether it was now or in a couple years, it was going to come one day. I've listened to the guys ... They've been telling me to be patient and just be ready because you never know when your time is going to come. You'd be an idiot not to listen to them and that was ringing inside my head the whole time."
Now Mills has a chance to be the catalyst behind what potentially can be a dynamic -- and much-needed -- second unit. Mills is effective in pick-and-roll sets and he's most dangerous in a fast-paced style that features fast breaks and transition offense. With Rudy Fernandez and Batum running the wings, the second unit -- which offered so little during the Blazers' losing streak -- can evolve into a legitimate and fun-to-watch weapon.
Mills has been given a chance. He hopes it's only the beginning.
"What, are you guys waiting for me?"
The Blazers had just defeated the Phoenix Suns 106-99 Tuesday night and Mills had played a significant, if not starring, role. His final statistical line was mostly modest -- nine points, seven assists and three rebounds in 29 minutes -- but perhaps teammate Wesley Matthews summed it up best when he said Mills had been the "player of the game."
The second-year point guard from Australia, who assumed a more prominent role because starting point guard Andre Miller had been suspended for the game, was a blur of energy, excitement and electricity at a time the reeling Blazers desperately needed such traits. It was only Mills' fourth game since joining the rotation as Miller's backup, and it was easily his most impressive and important performance in a Blazers uniform. The previous 17 games he has played a total of 6 mintues.
"He's earning the right to be out there and play more minutes," Blazers coach Nate McMillan said. "He has a high basketball IQ ... he's a very good passer, he sees the floor well and he's very crafty with the ball."
Mills turned in the highlight of the night -- a driving no-look pass through traffic that resulted in a three-point play for Rudy Fernandez. He also recorded six assists in the first half, swished two clutch pull-up jump shots in the third quarter and successful harassed All-Star point guard Steve Nash with his high-energy defense. And Mills did it all with exuberance and flash.
One week ago, before McMillan elevated Mills into the player rotation before the Blazers' game at the Boston Celtics, Mills' NBA career seemed destined to be defined by the upbeat antics and effervescent personality he revealed off the court.
But that personality has also surfaced on the court since Mills entered the rotation. The Blazers are just two games removed from a demoralizing string of six consecutive losses in which they fell to some of the NBA's cellar dwellers. Players admitted their confidence had wavered, and as the team returned to Portland from its worst trip in years, the Blazers were emotionally drained and depressed.
It might just turn out that Mills' upbeat personality has spread through the locker room at a time the Blazers desperately needed it.
"He's never sad," Nicolas Batum said after the Phoenix game. "He's always smiling. And now everybody has a smile on his face. We didn't see that the last two weeks. Everybody was thinking too much, feeling too much. Now we have two wins in a row. We need (Patty's) energy and I think everybody can grab onto that energy."
That Mills has reached this position is nothing short of astonishing. The Blazers' management group didn't expect him to show up for training camp in the fall because rookie Armon Johnson had earned the Blazers' 15th and final roster spot during summer league. And even after he showed up, Mills' odds of making the team featured the words, "slim," and "none." He's not even listed in the Blazers' media guide.
But Jeff Pendergraph tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, opening a door for Mills to be added to the roster just before opening night. The Blazers traded Jerryd Bayless before the regular season and Johnson assumed backup point guard duties. But after a strong start, Johnson struggled and McMillan went to Mills, who has registered 17 points and eight assists on 7-for-12 shooting the last two games -- both Blazers victories.
The recent success is a byproduct of Mills' patience and mental fortitude.
"It was hard," Mills said after practice Wednesday. "But I just knew this opportunity was going to come at some stage. I believed that, whether it was now or in a couple years, it was going to come one day. I've listened to the guys ... They've been telling me to be patient and just be ready because you never know when your time is going to come. You'd be an idiot not to listen to them and that was ringing inside my head the whole time."
Now Mills has a chance to be the catalyst behind what potentially can be a dynamic -- and much-needed -- second unit. Mills is effective in pick-and-roll sets and he's most dangerous in a fast-paced style that features fast breaks and transition offense. With Rudy Fernandez and Batum running the wings, the second unit -- which offered so little during the Blazers' losing streak -- can evolve into a legitimate and fun-to-watch weapon.
Mills has been given a chance. He hopes it's only the beginning.
12.03.2010
LEBRON RETURNS
I thought the snarky signs and chants would bother him. I thought he would be freaked out by the security guards ominously flanking the Heat bench, and maybe even by news that they were serving fans beverages in paper cups as a safety precaution. I thought Miami's lack of cohesion in its first 19 games would doom him over everything else. If you're walking into a potential ambush, you need to be strong, you need to trust each other, you need to know who you are.
Did I think the Cavaliers would win? Actually, yes. I thought the fans would push them to another level, that it would play out like a sports movie: the overachieving underdog taking down the big bully. When TNT's Kenny Smith said he had never felt such electricity in an arena before a regular-season game, I was convinced even more. The fans were ready for a war. As LeBron was warming up, an unmistakable "A--hole" chant reverberated through the building. A few seconds later, TNT showed us a fan wearing a "Lyin' King" T-shirt, another holding a "Quitness" sign, then eight fans standing in a row with T-shirts that spelled out "B-E-T-R-A-Y-E-D."
When the starting lineups were introduced, the booing for LeBron almost sounded like a beehive. He seemed to enjoy it.
Before the opening tap, LeBron let everybody know he was gonna bring it by whipping the powder defiantly into the air like he used to do for each home game when he was with Cleveland. Why not? They hated him, anyway. LeBron was making it clear: I am not backing down.
"I really love the looseness of LeBron James," Reggie Miller said.
The teams traded baskets as the fans either booed or yelled out indecipherable chants. At one point, we could clearly hear an "Akron hates you!" chant. Almost on cue, LeBron drew a foul and strode to the free throw line, accompanied by so many yells, boos and chants that it blended into one giant haterade.
And … freeze!
Stop it right there: 3:35 mark, first quarter, Cleveland leading by two. As LeBron (two points to that point) was making both free throws, Miller and Steve Kerr had this exchange:
Miller: "There's no way that you can possibly prepare for something like this, and knowing that all eyes have been on you since you made that decision … [you're] in that stationary position, with time not going off the clock, at that free throw line, everyone's looking at you. You wonder what's going on in that 26-year-old's mind."
Kerr: "I wouldn't wish it on anybody."
I wouldn't wish it on anybody.
Was that the tipping point? Those six words? That specific moment? Five months of vitriol cresting with LeBron at the line for the first time -- just him and the fans, their first chance to truly let him know how they felt -- and LeBron simply shrugging them off? It's a fascinating 15 seconds to rewatch. As he steps to the line, the noise begins to swell. TNT cuts to the crowd. We see someone booing LeBron and wearing a "VICTIM" T-shirt. We see a close-up of someone with a mustache angrily screaming "BOOOOOOO!" We see a wide shot of fans waiving "BENEDICT ARNOLD" and "MISS IT" signs. There's a close-up on LeBron, then a wide shot. He makes the first free throw. He turns to his bench and smiles, as if to say, "Wow, this is crazy."
Then, TNT cuts to the crowd. We see two "QUITNESS" signs, a sign with LeBron and Pat Riley that says "LeQuit and the Cheat," and a sign with Charles Barkley and the caption, "Punk Move, 'Bron." Panning back, we see another sign: "What should you do? BEG FOR MERCY." Everything bounces off him. Everything. His second free throw doesn't even touch the rim.
And we were off. On the next two possessions, LeBron scored on a gorgeous reverse layup and a long jumper. Miami by four. Timeout. Wade took a breather, and LeBron took over like he always does when Wade sits: setting up a James Jones 3, swishing a jumper over a double-team, then finding Juwan Howard for an open jumper. Just like that, Miami had ripped off a 16-0 run and grabbed a double-digit lead. The game was never the same. As Kerr pointed out later, it was like watching a March Madness underdog hanging with a 1-seed but being unable to overcome the talent disparity.
LeBron's confidence surged as the second quarter closed. He started yapping at his old buddy Boobie Gibson (sitting on Cleveland's bench), as everyone who grew up in the Rick Mahorn/Charles Oakley era waited for one of the Cavaliers to stand up and punch him in the face. Nope. Nothing. For the Cavaliers fans, this probably felt like the bastard brother of their team quitting in those final 90 seconds of Game 6 in Boston this past spring. Show some fight. Show some pride. Show something, for God's sake. It was a pathetic moment. LeBron punked them!
"It was impressive," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It takes a special player and a person to be able to respond to all of this scrutiny."
It continued in the third quarter, when LeBron exploded for 24 points and made a variety of outrageous shots. No Cavalier knocked him down, bumped him, shoved him, swore at him … they just took it on the chin. In retrospect, that was my big mistake with picking a Cleveland upset: thinking the Cavs cared about avenging their honor after their leader basically told them, "You guys suck, I'm leaving." How sad that the Celtics took LeBron's decision more personally than his former teammates did.
Lebron played some of the best basketball of his career, scoring 36 points in a devastating 27-minute stretch that re-established Miami as a contender. James sat on the bench for all of the fourth quarter, with dozens of security guards and police lining the team's entrance to the court and guarding against objects thrown at him.
This was the LeBron we had been missing all season: attacking LeBron, larger-than-life LeBron, ball-always-in-his-hands LeBron, force-of-nature LeBron, guy-who-could-absolutely-beat-you-in-a-playoff-series LeBron. For one night, he reinvented the Heat, assumed control and relegated Wade to sidekick status … which is how it should have been all along.
Full disclosure: I don't care about "The Decision" anymore. He handled it wrong. He got bad advice. He can't take it back. Whatever. Any people who say they handled their mid-20s perfectly are lying. But as a basketball fan, I thought watching his talents get wasted these first five weeks was somewhat tragic. He will never be Magic Johnson; Magic made everyone better and dominated games without necessarily scoring, whereas LeBron's scoring opens up the game for everyone else. Big difference. And he will never be happy awkwardly trading possessions with Wade.
On Thursday night, LeBron finally looked like LeBron again. Maybe he needed his old court. Maybe he needed to taste the bile of 20,000 passionate Cav fans. But I thought it was one of his greatest nights; instead of folding which a lot of people would of done, he rose to the occasion and even relished it. Of course, greatness usually has a casualty: in this case, Cleveland. The fans made their point (and then some), never disgraced themselves and were betrayed only by their own players. They deserved better in July; they deserved better Thursday night.
The King is gone. You buried him, and then, he buried you. If it's any consolation, you finally brought the best out of him.
Did I think the Cavaliers would win? Actually, yes. I thought the fans would push them to another level, that it would play out like a sports movie: the overachieving underdog taking down the big bully. When TNT's Kenny Smith said he had never felt such electricity in an arena before a regular-season game, I was convinced even more. The fans were ready for a war. As LeBron was warming up, an unmistakable "A--hole" chant reverberated through the building. A few seconds later, TNT showed us a fan wearing a "Lyin' King" T-shirt, another holding a "Quitness" sign, then eight fans standing in a row with T-shirts that spelled out "B-E-T-R-A-Y-E-D."
When the starting lineups were introduced, the booing for LeBron almost sounded like a beehive. He seemed to enjoy it.
Before the opening tap, LeBron let everybody know he was gonna bring it by whipping the powder defiantly into the air like he used to do for each home game when he was with Cleveland. Why not? They hated him, anyway. LeBron was making it clear: I am not backing down.
"I really love the looseness of LeBron James," Reggie Miller said.
The teams traded baskets as the fans either booed or yelled out indecipherable chants. At one point, we could clearly hear an "Akron hates you!" chant. Almost on cue, LeBron drew a foul and strode to the free throw line, accompanied by so many yells, boos and chants that it blended into one giant haterade.
And … freeze!
Stop it right there: 3:35 mark, first quarter, Cleveland leading by two. As LeBron (two points to that point) was making both free throws, Miller and Steve Kerr had this exchange:
Miller: "There's no way that you can possibly prepare for something like this, and knowing that all eyes have been on you since you made that decision … [you're] in that stationary position, with time not going off the clock, at that free throw line, everyone's looking at you. You wonder what's going on in that 26-year-old's mind."
Kerr: "I wouldn't wish it on anybody."
I wouldn't wish it on anybody.
Was that the tipping point? Those six words? That specific moment? Five months of vitriol cresting with LeBron at the line for the first time -- just him and the fans, their first chance to truly let him know how they felt -- and LeBron simply shrugging them off? It's a fascinating 15 seconds to rewatch. As he steps to the line, the noise begins to swell. TNT cuts to the crowd. We see someone booing LeBron and wearing a "VICTIM" T-shirt. We see a close-up of someone with a mustache angrily screaming "BOOOOOOO!" We see a wide shot of fans waiving "BENEDICT ARNOLD" and "MISS IT" signs. There's a close-up on LeBron, then a wide shot. He makes the first free throw. He turns to his bench and smiles, as if to say, "Wow, this is crazy."
Then, TNT cuts to the crowd. We see two "QUITNESS" signs, a sign with LeBron and Pat Riley that says "LeQuit and the Cheat," and a sign with Charles Barkley and the caption, "Punk Move, 'Bron." Panning back, we see another sign: "What should you do? BEG FOR MERCY." Everything bounces off him. Everything. His second free throw doesn't even touch the rim.
And we were off. On the next two possessions, LeBron scored on a gorgeous reverse layup and a long jumper. Miami by four. Timeout. Wade took a breather, and LeBron took over like he always does when Wade sits: setting up a James Jones 3, swishing a jumper over a double-team, then finding Juwan Howard for an open jumper. Just like that, Miami had ripped off a 16-0 run and grabbed a double-digit lead. The game was never the same. As Kerr pointed out later, it was like watching a March Madness underdog hanging with a 1-seed but being unable to overcome the talent disparity.
LeBron's confidence surged as the second quarter closed. He started yapping at his old buddy Boobie Gibson (sitting on Cleveland's bench), as everyone who grew up in the Rick Mahorn/Charles Oakley era waited for one of the Cavaliers to stand up and punch him in the face. Nope. Nothing. For the Cavaliers fans, this probably felt like the bastard brother of their team quitting in those final 90 seconds of Game 6 in Boston this past spring. Show some fight. Show some pride. Show something, for God's sake. It was a pathetic moment. LeBron punked them!
"It was impressive," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It takes a special player and a person to be able to respond to all of this scrutiny."
It continued in the third quarter, when LeBron exploded for 24 points and made a variety of outrageous shots. No Cavalier knocked him down, bumped him, shoved him, swore at him … they just took it on the chin. In retrospect, that was my big mistake with picking a Cleveland upset: thinking the Cavs cared about avenging their honor after their leader basically told them, "You guys suck, I'm leaving." How sad that the Celtics took LeBron's decision more personally than his former teammates did.
Lebron played some of the best basketball of his career, scoring 36 points in a devastating 27-minute stretch that re-established Miami as a contender. James sat on the bench for all of the fourth quarter, with dozens of security guards and police lining the team's entrance to the court and guarding against objects thrown at him.
This was the LeBron we had been missing all season: attacking LeBron, larger-than-life LeBron, ball-always-in-his-hands LeBron, force-of-nature LeBron, guy-who-could-absolutely-beat-you-in-a-playoff-series LeBron. For one night, he reinvented the Heat, assumed control and relegated Wade to sidekick status … which is how it should have been all along.
Full disclosure: I don't care about "The Decision" anymore. He handled it wrong. He got bad advice. He can't take it back. Whatever. Any people who say they handled their mid-20s perfectly are lying. But as a basketball fan, I thought watching his talents get wasted these first five weeks was somewhat tragic. He will never be Magic Johnson; Magic made everyone better and dominated games without necessarily scoring, whereas LeBron's scoring opens up the game for everyone else. Big difference. And he will never be happy awkwardly trading possessions with Wade.
On Thursday night, LeBron finally looked like LeBron again. Maybe he needed his old court. Maybe he needed to taste the bile of 20,000 passionate Cav fans. But I thought it was one of his greatest nights; instead of folding which a lot of people would of done, he rose to the occasion and even relished it. Of course, greatness usually has a casualty: in this case, Cleveland. The fans made their point (and then some), never disgraced themselves and were betrayed only by their own players. They deserved better in July; they deserved better Thursday night.
The King is gone. You buried him, and then, he buried you. If it's any consolation, you finally brought the best out of him.
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