James promises 'better effort' in game 2
(Reuters)Updated: 2007-06-08 14:08
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - LeBron James said he could not tell if it was great defense or his own poor play that led to his horrible game in the opener of the NBA Finals.
 Cleveland Cavaliers' Lebron James waits for play to resume against the San Antonio Spurs in the fourth quarter during Game 1 of the NBA Finals basketball series in San Antonio, Texas, June 7, 2007. [Reuters] |
"It's like a half and half thing," James told reporters after his four-for-16 shooting performance in Thursday's 85-76 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
Regardless of who gets the credit for James's horrid 14-point, six-turnover performance, one thing is certain: Cleveland cannot win without their top player stepping up.
"For us to win, me being the leader of this team, I have to play better in order for us to have a chance to win down the stretch," he said.
"My team mates know I'm going to bring my better effort in game two."
The Spurs' Bruce Bowen, a seven-times member of the NBA's All-Defensive Team, led a team effort against James. Bowen was the prime defender but he had help at every turn.
San Antonio decided to smother James and dare his team mates to beat them. It is the same tactic Detroit tried in the Eastern Conference finals but James was so good it did not matter.
On Thursday, James didn not hit his first shot until the 7:14 mark of the third quarter.
"They're selling out on LeBron," said Cleveland coach Mike Brown.
"When he has the basketball, he plays pick and roll, they're putting two guys to him. And they're pulling a third guy over.
"And if he gets into the paint, they've got three guys around him. So what they're doing is they're saying, 'Hey, somebody else beat us.'"
James said he felt good despite the loss.
"A lot of the shots I took is shots that I make," he said. "They felt pretty good, they just fall for me. Things like that happen.
"You have one off night, but this is not like the NCAA Tournament where you have one (bad) game and you're out. We've got to regroup."
Spurs guard Tony Parker concedes James is going to get his points.
"We've got to stay focused and make sure we don't give him easy stuff because he can store a lot of points really quick," he said.
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