LEBRON JAMES TAKEN DOWN BY THE ENTIRE NEW ORLEANS TEAM
December 29, 2007
- LeBron James drew the first sellout of the season in New Orleans Arena (17,623) and also drew a lot of attention from New Orleans' defense. James tried to let his teammates do most of the scoring through the first three
quarters, but it didn't work. New Orleans led by double digits throughout the second half, when James scored 13 of his 21 points.
Cleveland's only basket during the surge was exactly what fans came to see, a soaring slam dunk by James. That basket also seemed to briefly ignite James, who hit a 3 and scored seven points during a 9-0 run that momentarily
made things interesting as Cleveland pulled to 82-70 midway through the final period.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
David West had 27 points and 15 rebounds, leading the New Orleans Hornets to their fifth straight victory, 86-76 over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night. Chris Paul had 20 points, nine assists and tied a career high
with seven steals, while Tyson Chandler added 11 points and 12 rebounds to help New Orleans (20-10) tie its best start through 30 games in franchise history.
Paul finally snapped the Hornets' drought with a pair of free throws with 4:24 to go. New Orleans then came up with a turnover and a pair of clock-killing offensive rebounds to all but put away the game away and bring the
crowd to its feet. New Orleans slowed James early on, holding him to eight points during the first half. - NBA.com
LEBRON JAMES GETS THE WIN AFTER AN UGLY DISPLAY
December 28, 2007
- LeBron James' night started with a face-full of a defender's hand and got worse with a slip in an empty backcourt. Then came two painful drives, the first leaving him with an aching wrist, the other forcing him to
blink away stars from another pop in the face. There was nothing easy or smooth about this game. Despite the bruises, foul trouble and errant shooting, James managed 24 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, helping
the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Dallas Mavericks 88-81 on Thursday night in a game almost as difficult to watch as it was to play.
"I took some blows tonight,'' James said. "I don't come out of the game. I'm fine. I shake it off and go to the next play. That didn't stop me once I got hit the first time from going back into the interior. It isn't going
to stop me.'' Cleveland won consecutive games for the first time in a month, yet there won't be many clips from this game on the year-end highlight film. The Cavaliers shot 36.4 percent, misfired on 14 of 16 3-point attempts
and missed 10 free throws.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS. DALLAS MAVERICKS
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
Still, they won in Dallas, something they hadn't done since March 23, 2000, when James was a high school freshman. The Cavs also avenged an 18-point loss to the Mavs in the season opener. "You can't overrate this win,''
said center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who had 18 points and 11 rebounds. "It's a good win, but we've got a long way to go.'' Dallas lost its second straight after winning five in a row. The Mavs fell to 6-6 against the Eastern
Conference and have lost 11 games overall, after dropping only 15 last season.
The Mavericks got within one point early in the fourth quarter and made it 81-79 with 4:43 left and James already with five fouls. Instead of making a move, they missed a bunch of 3s. Then James pretty much ended it with a
thunderous dunk in the lane with 1:10 to go. "I wanted to finish out the game,'' said James, who scored only 10 points last time against Dallas. "We were missing a lot of easy shots and we wanted to be aggressive.'' - NBA.com
LEBRON JAMES GETS ELBOWED IN THE FACE BY SHAQUILLE O'NEAL
December 25, 2007
- LeBron James winced as he pressed the ice bag tightly against his swollen jaw. On Christmas, he felt lucky to still have his two front teeth. "I got elbowed by Shaq in the face, which is not a good thing,'' James
said. "Ever.'' James shook off the big man's blow to the head and scored 25 points, Drew Gooden had 18 and Cleveland's defense arrived in time for the holiday, sparking the struggling Cavaliers to a 96-82 win over
the Miami Heat on Tuesday.
James, who left Quicken Loans Arena in disgust following an embarrassing loss to Golden State on Sunday, added 12 assists and outshined fellow superstar and good friend Dwyane Wade, who scored 22 points but didn't
make his first field goal of the second half until there was only 4:01 remaining. By then, the Cavaliers were already ahead by 12 points, and thanks to a defense that had gone AWOL for most of the season's first two
months, they rolled to just their fourth win in the last 14 games.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS. MIAMI HEAT
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
"When we play defense we're a pretty good team,'' James said. "When we don't, we don't look so well - simple as that. Today was a good step.'' Daniel Gibson scored 16 points, including six on consecutive 3-pointers to
open the fourth. Anderson Varejao scored 15 and Zydrunas Ilgauskas 13 for Cleveland, which had one of its most balanced games this season - and its most lopsided win.
Wade finished 7-of-18 from the floor and 8-of-16 from the free-throw line for Miami (8-20), which began the season as one of the Eastern Conference's favorites but is headed in the wrong direction. Wade refused to blame
a sore right shoulder for his shooting woes. "I was just missing shots,'' he said. "It wasn't their defense, it was nothing they did special.'' Two years removed from an NBA championship, coach Pat Riley's team doesn't
look like one ready for a title run. - NBA.com
LeBron James Can't Find Defense Against The Warriors
December 24, 2007
- The Cleveland Cavaliers are a team in disarray. A 105-96 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night was their 10th in 13 games, and was met with a chorus of boos from fans of the defending Eastern
Conference champions. The latest loss, in which the Cavaliers never led and trailed by 28 points in the third quarter, was so bad LeBron James left the arena without talking to reporters.
It was also another frustrating night for Cleveland coach Mike Brown, who has been pleading with his team to play with more intensity. "In the first and third quarters we came out with no energy at all,'' he said.
The Cavaliers outscored the Warriors 29-14 in the fourth to make the outcome respectable. Even so, they looked nothing like the team that won 50 games last season, caught a hot streak during the playoffs and rolled
to the Finals.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS. WARRIORS
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
"Last year I thought we played with more energy and more passion,'' Brown said. "Right now, at times we've come out flat and dug ourselves a hole.'' "At the end of the day,'' forward Drew Gooden said, "the
score didn't show we competed.'' James, the NBA's leading scorer, led the Cavaliers with 25 points. Monta Ellis scored 19 points and Al Harrington added 16 for Golden State.
The Warriors, second in the league in scoring entering the night, shredded Cleveland's defense. The Warriors built a 23-point lead midway through the second quarter, and were 22-of-38 from the field in the first half.
"We have to play with a sense of urgency on both ends of the floor,'' Brown said. "Defensively we're going through the motions.''
LeBron James Triumphs In The One-On-One Battle VS. Bryant
December 21, 2007
- The two superstars wanted to guard each other in the final moments: Kobe on LeBron. LeBron on Kobe. It had to end like that. "I didn't even ask,'' James said. "I just told Sasha (Pavlovic) to go
somewhere else.'' James scored 33 points and shut out Bryant when the NBA's top two scorers went one-on-one in the final 2:23 and the Cleveland Cavaliers bounced back from a dismal loss with a 94-90
victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
James added 10 rebounds and five assists. But it was his pressure on Bryant in the final minutes that helped the Cavs recover from a lousy defensive effort in a 108-90 loss at New York on Wednesday night.
James relished the chance to match up with a player he believes is the league's best with the ball. "If you want to win, you have to be able to defend the best player,'' James said. "I think we both took
on the challenge.''
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS. LOS ANGELES LAKERS
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
Bryant finished with 21 points, but missed two shots with James chasing him and the Lakers went 0-for-8 from the floor in the final 4 minutes. However, on the second miss, Bryant got away from James and
grabbed a rebound in traffic before calling timeout with 10.3 seconds left. Bryant winked into a TV camera nearby, knowing he had at least temporarily bailed out his team. "I told LeBron I was going to
get it,'' Bryant said, laughing.
But after taking the inbounds pass, Bryant missed a long 3-pointer with 5 seconds left and Lakers guard Derek Fisher was called for a loose-ball foul despite grabbing a rebound over Gibson. Bryant felt he
had a good look at the missed 3. "He (James) had his hands down on me. He knows better than that,'' Bryant said. "I was going to let it fly. It felt good. As soon as it left my hands, I thought it was going
down. I was mad it didn't go in.'' James was afraid Bryant had hit a game-winner. "It looked good when I turned around,'' he said. - NBA.com
LeBron James & Cavaliers Are Taken To School By Knicks
December 20, 2007
- LeBron James had 32 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Cleveland, which has lost nine of 11. The Cavaliers had little energy two nights after a double-overtime victory over Milwaukee,
and Drew Gooden was the only other player in double figures with 11 points. Cavaliers coach Mike Brown looked disgusted with his team, twice walking onto the court in the fourth quarter even before
his timeout had been granted -- bumping into James on the second one.
A day that could have turned into a referendum on Thomas' tenure in New York instead ended with his team getting a number of ovations. Many fans stood and cheered as the Knicks walked off the floor
at halftime with a 13-point lead -- though there were still a few "Fire Isiah!'' chants in the closing minutes of the game. "I understand how important it is to make people feel good when they leave
this arena,'' Thomas said. "That is what we are trying to do. We understand the frustration and we want to please them.''
The Knicks have heard it from the fans and media all season. When the criticisms started coming from their coach, it was time to respond. David Lee scored 17 of his 22 points in the first half, Jamal
Crawford added 21, and New York beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-90 Wednesday for its most lopsided victory of the season.
Hours after a rally for fans who wanted Thomas fired, the Knicks won for only the second time in eight games. Zach Randolph had 17 points and Quentin Richardson added 16. "It's our job to go out there
and play hard, and play with pride and heart like he said,'' Richardson said. "Regardless of anything else that's going on, it's our job to go out and play with full effort.'' - NBA.com
LeBron James & Cavaliers Pull Out The Win In Double OT
December 18, 2007
- It took some extra time - two overtimes to be exact - but something good finally did happen for the defending Eastern Conference champions in a 104-99 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. "Every win
is good for a team, especially with our struggles lately," said Cavaliers forward LeBron James, who led Cleveland with 31 points and became the youngest player to score 9,000 career points. "We
still have some things to clean up, but it was good to get a win."
James played 51 of 58 minutes in the marathon game. Michael Redd, who led Milwaukee with 22 points, played 54 minutes while Mo Williams played 51. Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored Cleveland's first six
points in the second overtime. The score was tied at 93 after the first overtime. A basket by Ilgauskas gave the Cavaliers the lead. Mo Williams' three-pointer put Milwaukee ahead before another
basket by Ilgauskas made it 97-96 Cleveland. Ilgauskas, who scored 24 points, added a jumper from the top of the key at the 1:24 mark for a 99-96 lead. Williams made two free throws before James
scored on a drive to put Cleveland ahead again by three.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS. MILWAKUEE BUCKS
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
Redd was fouled with 19.1 seconds left. He made the first shot, missed the second, but Andrew Bogut missed a point-blank return shot. Ilgauskas grabbed that rebound and the Cavaliers called time.
After James made two free throws for a four-point lead, Williams shot an airball on a three-point attempt and Daniel Gibson split a pair of free throws to put it away. Gibson, who scored 12 points
in 46 minutes, admitted the game became a grind. "A lot of it is mental," he said. "At that point, you're tired and you might not have your legs, but you have to find a way to get through it and make plays."
"It was a tough loss for us," Redd said. "Give Cleveland credit. They made some big plays, but it's a game we should have won. There's no doubt about it." While James usually gets the headlines,
Milwaukee coach Larry Krystkowiak pointed to Ilgauskas' contributions. "We concentrated so much on LeBron, we forgot about Zydrunas," he said. "When he shoots the ball like that, he's tough to stop. - Canadian Press
LeBron James & Cavaliers Not Playing Very Good Basketball
December 16, 2007
- LeBron James knows the numbers don't lie. After the Cavaliers dropped a 92-86 decision to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night for their eighth loss in nine games, James summed
up the obvious. "We're not playing very good basketball,'' he said. "Right now, we're not a very good team.''
Philadelphia, which has won five of six, had something to do with that in the Cavaliers' latest loss. Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala scored 20 points apiece while Samuel Dalembert added
16 points and a season-high 19 rebounds. The 76ers saw their four-game winning streak snapped Friday night with a home loss to Sacramento, but they bounced back against the defending Eastern
Conference champions. "That was a team win,'' Philadelphia coach Maurice Cheeks said. "Everyone who came in the game was focused.''
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
After Damon Jones' 3-pointer gave the Cavaliers a 75-74 lead with 7:57 to play, four points by Iguodala, including a 3, and baskets by Miller and Dalembert provided an 8-0 run that gave
Philadelphia the lead for good. The Cavaliers trailed 86-84 when James missed a 17-footer from the corner with 1:05 to play. Iguolada followed with a key three-point play with 1:01 left.
James, the NBA's leading scorer, and Drew Gooden led Cleveland with 21 points apiece. The Cavaliers lost six straight while James was out with a sprained finger. Cleveland rolled to a blowout
win over Indiana when James returned to the lineup, but has lost the next two.
"Right now, we're reeling a bit because of the losses,'' Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. "We've got to fight through it and find a way to get it done.'' Cleveland built a 31-20 lead early in
the second quarter, but Philadelphia finished the period with a 31-15 run. The 76ers made 13 of 19 shots in the quarter, including four 3s. The Cavaliers started slowly, turning the ball over
on their first three possessions and then missed shots their next three times down the floor. Brown called time at the 9:30 mark with the 76ers leading 4-0. James led a charge that included two
dunks and a twisting layup as the quarter ended. He finished the period with 12 points. - NBA.com
LeBron James Couldn't Handle Vince Carter's Scoring Frenzy
December 15, 2007
- LeBron James had 29 points, eight assists and six rebounds for Cleveland, which has lost seven of eight. Five of those losses came when its superstar was out with a sprained left
index finger. Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 21 points and 12 rebounds. "I think they did a great job of executing,'' James said. "We can't give up 48 percent shooting, but at the same time
they did a great job of executing, taking advantage of some of the weaknesses that we had defensively.''
New Jersey led by nine midway through the fourth quarter, but Ilgauskas made a jumper and James hit consecutive 3-pointers to cut the Nets' lead to 93-92 with 4:10 remaining. Carter
then answered with a 3, and after a jumper by Drew Gooden, Boone kept the Nets safely ahead with his work at the line. The Nets, plagued by poor starts at home, trailed by double digits
halfway through the opening quarter. Their 1-of-11 start from the field included an inept stretch by Boone, who missed a layup and a tip on one possession, then grabbed an offensive rebound
but blew the dunk on the next.
"We wouldn't let him lose his confidence. You could see he was down,'' Carter said. "We told him he would get plenty of opportunities to make up for it tonight. It was great to see him
step up to the free throw line after shooting that airball and step up to hit 1-for-2 on both times they fouled him.'' New Jersey regrouped to get within four heading to the second, then
went ahead 31-27 early in the period when rookie reserve Sean Williams followed his three-point play with a dunk on the next trip. But Larry Hughes and Daniel Gibson each scored nine points
in the period, with Hughes hitting a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Cleveland a 57-50 halftime lead.
Vince Carter matched a season high with 32 points and Richard Jefferson had 24 for New Jersey. Boone, who threw up an airball from the foul line earlier in the game, was 3-of-8 there overall.
Jason Kidd finished with eight points, 11 assists and eight rebounds as the Nets overcame their usual slow start at home to win for only the second time in seven games - both against Cleveland. - NBA.com
LeBron James' Return Snaps Cavs Six Game Losing Streak
December 12, 2007
- LeBron James didn't need long to recall the last time he didn't start a game. "Uh, never," he said. And never again. "That was one and done for me," James said, smiling.
"I will not be coming off the bench anymore." James came back - as a reserve - and the Cleveland Cavaliers, sparked by their superstar's return from injury, snapped a six-game
losing streak with a 118-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night.
James, the NBA's leading scorer, missed Cleveland's previous five games with what the Cavs have described as a sprained left index finger. Wearing a padded, protective glove on
his hand, James scored 17 points in 22 minutes as the healing Cavs had one of their finest performances this season. Larry Hughes also came off the bench and scored a season-high
36 points - in just 26 minutes. It was his second game back after missing 11 with a bruised leg. Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 17 for Cleveland, which set season highs in points, field
goal percentage (55), points in a half (65) and bench points (74).
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS. INDIANA PACERS
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
"It was a good feeling," James said. "You go through a stretch when you're losing games and people were looking at us like we're not a good team. We knew once we got our guys back
that it would be a totally different story. "We back now." James was expected to play, and it was assumed he would start.
However, the game began with Cleveland's megastar on the bench in his white-and-wine warmups. It was the first time he had not started in 333 career regular-season games as a pro, and
it may have been one of the only times in his life that he wasn't on the court for the opening tip. He didn't seem to mind, and during a late timeout he did the popular "Soulja Boy"
dance to the delight of the crowd. James checked in with 5:59 left in the first quarter and the Cavs leading 15-11. He entered with Hughes and forward Anderson Varejao, who was making
his season debut after ending a contract holdout last week by signing a three-year, $17 million contract. - Canadian Press
LeBron James Lives The Same Story As The Last Two Games
December 9, 2007
- LeBron James consistently hit jumpers. He looked good on drives to the basket and wowed the crowd with a couple of dunks. Too bad for the Cleveland Cavaliers that was
before the game. When James shed his basketball gear for street clothes just before tipoff, he could only watch helplessly Saturday night as the reigning Eastern Conference
champions extended their slide.
Gerald Wallace scored 22 points and Raymond Felton went 8-for-8 from the foul line in the final 16 seconds as the Charlotte Bobcats snapped a seven-game losing streak with a
96-93 win over the slumping Cavaliers. As James missed his fifth straight game with a sprained left index finger, the Cavaliers couldn't hold onto a three-point lead early in
the fourth quarter, then missed several chances down the stretch in their sixth straight loss.
James told reporters Friday, "Teams better get their wins now.'' They are, even the Bobcats, who had the NBA's longest losing streak. "We have the pieces here to turn things around,''
said Larry Hughes, who scored 22 points in his first game in a month after being sidelined with a bone bruise in his left leg. "We're not in the basement. We feel like there's a good
chance we'll be on the top of the East when it's all done.''
On Saturday it was the Bobcats, for a change, who made the big plays - and foul shots down the stretch. The league's second-worst free-throw shooting team went 14-for-14 in the final
minute, tasting victory for the first time since Nov. 19. Felton's two free throws with 3.1 seconds left put Charlotte up 3. Without any timeouts left, Cleveland was forced to inbound
from the backcourt and Hughes' halfcourt shot at the buzzer was well short.
LeBron James Looks On As Cavaliers Lose Another One
December 5, 2007
- The Washington Wizards were perfectly happy to miss LeBron James. With the Cleveland Cavaliers' superstar sidelined for a fourth straight game with a sprained left
index finger, the Wizards took advantage to beat the Cavaliers 105-86 on Wednesday night. Washington's past two playoff runs were ended by Cleveland, including a sweep
in the first round last spring when the Wizards were without Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler.
On Wednesday, the Wizards were again without Arenas, who had an operation on his left knee for the second time in seven months. But Butler took advantage of James' absence
and scored 27 points to send Cleveland to its fifth straight loss - its first five-game skid since Feb. 22-March 1, 2006. "It felt good to get a win against Cleveland after
they swept us in the playoffs,'' Butler said.
Wizards coach Eddie Jordan contemplated playing the James-less Cavaliers before the game, and remembered last spring's playoffs. "It's like the bully coming to the fight without
the brass knuckles and the baseball bats. They've been bullying us,'' Jordan said. "We want to return the favor.'' After the game, he said he relished the revenge. "There's a specialness.
We were suffering in the playoffs and we had to repay them,'' Jordan said.
Missing James, Larry Hughes, Donyell Marshall, and Anderson Varejao, who had sat out this season in a contract disupte resolved Wednesday, the Cavaliers bear little resemblance to last
season's Eastern Conference champions. "We can win games, but obviously we're going to have to get some bodies healthy for us to be able to get back to where we were at the end of last
year,'' Brown said. Cleveland cut the lead 88-79 midway through the fourth quarter. But with James, who didn't talk to the media, sitting on the bench, the Cavaliers couldn't get any closer. - NBA.com
LeBron James Remains Helpless In Loss To New Jersey Nets
December 4, 2007
- The Cavaliers looked lost without LeBron James, and Richard Jefferson took advantage. Jefferson scored a season-high 36 points, Vince Carter added 19
and the New Jersey Nets beat Cleveland 100-79 Tuesday night. James missed his third straight game because of a sprained left index finger. "Whenever you
get an opportunity to play against this team without him, you have to make sure you go out there and get it done,'' Jefferson said.
He and Carter led the Nets on a 9-0 run to start the third quarter, opening a lead that the Cavaliers were incapable of challenging. "Richard obviously was really,
really good tonight,'' Nets coach Lawrence Frank said. Jason Kidd didn't even play the fourth quarter, finishing his night early with seven points, six assists and
10 rebounds. Cavaliers coach Mike Brown, who rarely jumps on his team publicly, expressed disgust with its performance. "I want to see them fight,'' Brown said. "I
didn't see any tough or any grit as a team out there.''
The Cavaliers have lost four straight and are 0-3 without their superstar forward, falling to 9-10. "Tonight, I felt we gave in as a team,'' Brown said. "We gave in
to whatever they were doing and we didn't fight back until late. I'm disappointed that we gave in the way that we did.'' Drew Gooden agreed with Brown's assessment,
saying the team has to find a way to compete without James. "We can't just sit back and wait for him to get back and say we will be all right when he gets back,''
Gooden said. "We have got to do something now.''
Brown wouldn't comment before the game on whether James' injury is taking longer to heal than first anticipated. He was hurt Wednesday in a loss to Detroit, when Nazr
Mohammed slapped at the ball as James began to shoot. New Jersey bounced back from a 118-95 loss at Detroit on Sunday and improved to 5-3 on the road behind Jefferson,
who shot 11-for-18 from the field and 13-for-15 from the line. Jefferson downplayed his scoring output. "I'm not too concerned about that. I'm more concerned about us
being consistent as a team,'' he said. "We had a nice win tonight, but 48 hours ago we played (poorly).'' - NBA.com
LeBron James Must Sit Through A Horrific Display
December 3, 2007
- Boston plodded to an 80-70 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. But the NBA's leading scorer was sidelined with a sprained finger,
the NBA's best team had little energy, and the crowd that showed up for the rare 12:30 p.m. start was subdued. "Afternoon games aren't one of
my favorites to begin with,'' Boston's Kevin Garnett said.
He and Paul Pierce each scored under 10 points. Garnett had only nine in 26 minutes two games after his streak of 435 games, including playoffs,
of scoring in double figures ended when he had eight points in 23 minutes of a 104-59 win over the New York Knicks. "We just didn't have the energy
we normally come out with,'' said Pierce, who had seven points in 30 minutes. "I don't know if part of it was (the game) being early. I don't know if
part of it was LeBron not playing, but we usually come out with a better start.''
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS VS. BOSTON CELTICS
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
James, who missed his second straight game, is day-to-day, Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. The Celtics led just 43-39 at the end of a slow-paced first half.
It was 48-44 before an 8-point run put them ahead 56-44 with 4:52 left in the third quarter. That's when Cleveland called a timeout. James, watching from his
bench in street clothes, smiled and gestured toward Boston's Scot Pollard, who played on Cleveland's Eastern Conference finalists last season.
"When King James goes down, you feel like you have to carry the team by yourself offensively,'' Drew Gooden said. "I think we are started to get better at doing
that, but then again that is not our identity. Our identity is having him make plays for us.'' On Tuesday night, the Cavaliers handed the Celtics one of their two
losses of the season, 109-104 in overtime at Cleveland. James scored 38 points, 11 of them in overtime, and added 13 assists. - NBA.com
LeBron James Can Only Watch As The Cavaliers Fall Short
December 2, 2007
- With LeBron James and Chris Bosh out nursing injuries, Andrea Bargnani and Carlos Delfino did their best to fill the stars' void. Bargnani and Delfino set career highs
with 26 and 24 points each, and the Toronto Raptors won their third straight with a 91-82 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. James, the league's leading scorer, was out of
the Cavaliers' lineup with a sprained left index finger, while Toronto's Bosh sat out with a strained groin.
Cleveland lost for just the second time in eight games without James since the start of the 2005-06 season. "We know we can play without him but its easier said than done,''
Cavaliers forward Drew Gooden said. "But if we don't have him, we can't feel sorry for ourselves and be down and wait for him to get ready. We've got to do whatever it takes
to win.'' Daniel Gibson led Cleveland with 24 points and seven assists. Gooden added 15 points and 14 rebounds.
Sasha Pavlovic had 15 for the Cavaliers, who have lost two straight following a four-game winning streak. James sat on Cleveland's sideline wearing a black jacket and gray turtleneck.
Bosh remained in the locker room getting treatment during the first half but returned after the intermission. Cleveland coach Mike Brown expects James to practice Saturday but would
not say whether he will play Sunday when Cleveland visits Boston. "We want him to play, but I'm not going to force anything or overdo anything with him or anyone else on our team,'' Brown said.
Brown said he failed to get enough shots for center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who went 3-for-7 and scored six points. "I didn't do a good job of trying to force-feed Z,'' Brown said. "He had seven
shots, which is nowhere near enough. I went away from trying to get him the ball and I can't do that, especially when LeBron is out.'' Brown also said defensive miscues created too many open
looks for the Raptors. - NBA.com
LeBron James Sprains His Finger During The Detroit Game
December 1, 2007
- LeBron James was grounded at The Palace after lifting his game to rarified air in his previous visit. James sprained his left index finger in the second quarter Wednesday
night, and did not return, and the Detroit Pistons went on to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-74 Wednesday night. The Pistons insisted the victory didn't mean any less to them
even though it came against a team missing its first, second and third option on offense.
"A win is a win,'' said Richard Hamilton, who led Detroit with 18 points. "LeBron is a big part of their team, but they've still got five guys with an NBA jersey on the court.''
The Cavs said James' X-rays were negative, adding he would be evaluated again Thursday. "I think he's day to day,'' Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. "We'll see how he is tomorrow
before we worry about anything beyond that.''
James returned to Cleveland's bench late in the third quarter, sporting a suit and turtleneck, with tape wrapped around his index and middle fingers on his non-shooting hand. Late
in the half, ice was packed and wrapped briefly over his left hand. James did not respond to a few questions as he walked to the team bus after the game carrying a pizza.
James did not respond to a few questions as he walked to the team bus after the game carrying a pizza.He appeared to be injured with 4:41 left in the first half, when Detroit center
Nazr Mohammed fouled him. "I didn't hit him that hard, but it's easy to sprain a finger,'' Mohammed said. "I'm sure he'll be OK.'' James made both free throws and stayed in the game.
He had 15 points and three assists in the first half, accounting for more than one-third of the Cavs' points, in a rematch of the Eastern Conference finals.
Cleveland was lost without him. "I didn't know anything was even wrong until I looked around at the start of the second half and he wasn't there,'' forward Drew Gooden said. "That was a shock and a surprise. It's tough
to not have him out there - he's our leader - but we have to keep playing. "Injuries happen, and you can't just give up.'' - NBA.com
