Phasing LeBron

I’m a witness.  Yes, I mean that as a reference to my allegiance to the Cleveland Cavaliers.  But also, I mean that because I think I have it solved.  Ok, maybe not solved, but during this weekend’s happenings I “witnessed” the only thing that seems to phase the great LBJ. 

At this point he is the most indestructible force in any major sport.  He is a 6’9”, 275 pound freight train that can… and can… (I could use the next 250 words to attempt to write what he can do at that size, but only your imagination can approach doing it justice). 

History will remember LeBron’s 2009 playoffs with his 24 ft three-pointer with 1.0 second on the clock to win game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals.  I thought it was a fabulous shot, one that should go down in history as a great clutch shot.  Was it the best of all time?  Not quite.  It was the greatest player in the game, coming up big in the biggest of moments.  I, at least for the time being, will remember the happenings of this past weekend through two additional moments that I have appropriately titled, “Phasing LeBron.”

Notice the title wasn’t “stopping LeBron.”  I don’t think anyone, or anything at this point could stop LeBron.   As you watch him play you see him smacked in the head, clothes lined, kicked, and the rest, and he continues to plow through people “un-phased.”  The greatest example of him being “un-phased” was after he hit the winner in game 2.  If you watch the replay, which has been played an estimated 13000 times since, you will notice that as he turns to run down court, Sasha Pavlovic (6-7 235 lbs) wraps his arms around him and basically hangs on for dear life.  LeBron proceeds to carry Pavlovic a couple feet and then does a jumping chest bump with Anderson Varejao.  WHAT?!?!? Carrying an extra 235 lbs and does a jumping chest bump with a guy that is 7 feet tall.  Tell me if he did that at the NFL combine GM’s wouldn’t exempt him from the other stations and just move on to everyone else because they know he’ll be the number one pick.  People are crazy to think he wouldn’t be a stud in the NFL.

But anyway, fast forward to Game 3 where I noticed the film that every NFL team would be watching to at least “phase” the King.  It wasn’t the NBA’s defensive player of the year, Dwight Howard, nor was it any magic player that was guarding him, it was the basketball itself.  As LeBron threw down a dunk in the second quarter and turned to run up court, the ball bounced up and hit him in the side of the face.  His reaction is the same as Kramer’s in the Seinfeld episode “The Magic Lougie” when Keith Hernandez spits at he and Newman.  His head snapped back, knees nearly buckled, and for the first time in a long time, LeBron looked off-balance.   Really?  This is the same guy that time and time again blasts “un-phased” through all of the hacks, clothes lines, kicks...  

To me, that bounce of the basketball represented the element of surprise.  LeBron has arguably the greatest court vision of any player to date.  His great vision allows him to be not only a great passer, but to be a great scorer because he can analyze the defense and already knows when the aforementioned contact is going to come, thus eliminating any surprise factor effecting his shot.  The Magic have become that element of surprise this series for the Cavaliers.  For over a month we have heard nothing but LeBron vs Kobe in the finals, causing the other teams in the playoffs to sort of fade out of focus.  I’m certain that as much as the Cavs have tried to avoid it, the image of them vs the Lakers in the finals has been right in front of them.  Let’s hope that the bounce of the basketball that knocked LeBron a bit off balance, serves as a wake up call to he and his teammates, so that we can remember his shot, rather than the Cavs getting surprised by the Magic. 

Until next time,