got it: :banana: :banana: :banana: THOUGHTS ANYONE!?
King James reigns
by: John Hollinger
posted: Sunday, April 9, 2006 | Feedback
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- My how things can change. Less than a month ago, I made an MVP case for Dwyane Wade that I thought was ironclad. I really didn't think there was any way that another player could do so well over the final month that he'd surpass Wade in terms of overall value for the season.
Having watched LeBron James single-handedly end the Nets' 14-game winning streak in the Meadowlands on Saturday, it's obvious that I spoke too soon. From out of nowhere, James has shot himself into the discussion and may very well end up winning the trophy. That's quite a shift, since nobody held James's MVP stock in very high regard over the first half of the season. It appeared the Cavs would end up with a win total in the low 40s and James himself struggled mightily in some late-game situations.
But thanks to a late, LeBron-fueled surge, the Cavs aren't headed for a humdrum 43-39 campaign but rather something much closer to 50 wins -- they'll hit the half-century mark with a 4-2 finish, which would seem well within the club's reach. That's an impressive accomplishment considering Larry Hughes and Anderson Varejao both missed roughly half the season.
Then there are the late-game situations. While James had some struggles earlier in the year, he's been money of late. For instance, Saturday's comeback win over New Jersey included an insane play by LeBron to tie the game in the final minute. With his club down by three, he took a steal and zoomed upcourt. Three different Nets grabbed his right arm to prevent him from shooting, but James was so strong that he muscled through all of them and put the shot up softly off the board for a basket and foul. Other than Shaq, I can't think of a single other player in the league with the strength to get that ball near the rim, much less convert the shot.
That play was the signature moment in a 37-point, seven-rebound, five-assist performance -- including 18 points in the fourth quarter -- that allowed the Cavs to end the league's longest winning streak even with center Zydrunas Ilgauskas sidelined. It was the latest salvo in an incredibly strong finishing kick that has seen James zoom to the top of the Player Efficiency Rating charts and stake his claim for the MVP trophy.
The numbers he's been putting up of late are simply phenomenal. The man hasn't been held under 25 in over a month. He's scored 35 points or more in nine straight games, and in the month of April he's averaging 38.4 points a game on 55.4 percent shooting. Throw in the improved clutch play, and the fact that he's played far more minutes than any of the other candidates, and James has suddenly positioned himself near the top of the MVP debate.
I'm not the only one frothing at the mouth about his crazy stats either -- before the game Nets coach Lawrence Frank went Elias Sports Bureau on us and mentioned that James is on pace to be the fourth player in league history to average at least 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists in a season. The others were Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and Michael Jordan.
Of course, a lot of water still can go under the bridge in the season's final 10 days. Dirk Nowitzki will be tough to ignore if Dallas takes the top record in the West, Kobe Bryant has a talentless Laker team headed to the playoffs, and even with his recent mini-slump Wade hasn't completely fallen out of the picture.
But after witnessing James's maestro performance in New Jersey Saturday, and having seen what he's accomplished over the past several weeks, I'm pondering a change in my MVP allegiance. As good as the others have been this season, it's becoming increasingly clear that King James is ready to begin his reign.
King James reigns
by: John Hollinger
posted: Sunday, April 9, 2006 | Feedback
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- My how things can change. Less than a month ago, I made an MVP case for Dwyane Wade that I thought was ironclad. I really didn't think there was any way that another player could do so well over the final month that he'd surpass Wade in terms of overall value for the season.
Having watched LeBron James single-handedly end the Nets' 14-game winning streak in the Meadowlands on Saturday, it's obvious that I spoke too soon. From out of nowhere, James has shot himself into the discussion and may very well end up winning the trophy. That's quite a shift, since nobody held James's MVP stock in very high regard over the first half of the season. It appeared the Cavs would end up with a win total in the low 40s and James himself struggled mightily in some late-game situations.
But thanks to a late, LeBron-fueled surge, the Cavs aren't headed for a humdrum 43-39 campaign but rather something much closer to 50 wins -- they'll hit the half-century mark with a 4-2 finish, which would seem well within the club's reach. That's an impressive accomplishment considering Larry Hughes and Anderson Varejao both missed roughly half the season.
Then there are the late-game situations. While James had some struggles earlier in the year, he's been money of late. For instance, Saturday's comeback win over New Jersey included an insane play by LeBron to tie the game in the final minute. With his club down by three, he took a steal and zoomed upcourt. Three different Nets grabbed his right arm to prevent him from shooting, but James was so strong that he muscled through all of them and put the shot up softly off the board for a basket and foul. Other than Shaq, I can't think of a single other player in the league with the strength to get that ball near the rim, much less convert the shot.
That play was the signature moment in a 37-point, seven-rebound, five-assist performance -- including 18 points in the fourth quarter -- that allowed the Cavs to end the league's longest winning streak even with center Zydrunas Ilgauskas sidelined. It was the latest salvo in an incredibly strong finishing kick that has seen James zoom to the top of the Player Efficiency Rating charts and stake his claim for the MVP trophy.
The numbers he's been putting up of late are simply phenomenal. The man hasn't been held under 25 in over a month. He's scored 35 points or more in nine straight games, and in the month of April he's averaging 38.4 points a game on 55.4 percent shooting. Throw in the improved clutch play, and the fact that he's played far more minutes than any of the other candidates, and James has suddenly positioned himself near the top of the MVP debate.
I'm not the only one frothing at the mouth about his crazy stats either -- before the game Nets coach Lawrence Frank went Elias Sports Bureau on us and mentioned that James is on pace to be the fourth player in league history to average at least 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists in a season. The others were Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and Michael Jordan.
Of course, a lot of water still can go under the bridge in the season's final 10 days. Dirk Nowitzki will be tough to ignore if Dallas takes the top record in the West, Kobe Bryant has a talentless Laker team headed to the playoffs, and even with his recent mini-slump Wade hasn't completely fallen out of the picture.
But after witnessing James's maestro performance in New Jersey Saturday, and having seen what he's accomplished over the past several weeks, I'm pondering a change in my MVP allegiance. As good as the others have been this season, it's becoming increasingly clear that King James is ready to begin his reign.
