It’s his show now
CLEVELAND – One by one, the biggest superstars in the NBA have fizzled or flamed out in these playoffs. Another burns brightly.
All-Star forward LeBron James might be the only player still on the floor this postseason able to deliver the spectacular. He’s surely the only one who can make the most casual hoops fan delay mowing the backyard to spend a glorious spring afternoon glued to the TV.
The spotlight is fixed on James, and he and the Cleveland Cavaliers are center stage.
So, what happened to all those one-name wonders? Kobe didn’t get enough help from the Lakers. Shaq and D-Wade, the defending champions, got buried by the Bulls on South Beach. Melo and A.I. need more time together. T-Mac, even with Yao alongside, busted in round one – again – and Dirk, this season’s likely MVP, got dunked.
Rising stars Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard were sent home, too.
Of the elite members from the famed draft class of 2003, James is flying solo in the 2007 postseason.
“I never thought about it like that,” the 22-year-old James said. “I’ve got to hold down the fort, I guess.”
Commissioner David Stern, aka fan No. 1, never publicly would admit it, but there might be a small part of the commish rooting for the Cavaliers to make a deep title run. After all, ratings mean as much as rebounds this time of year.
On a playoff stopover in Quicken Loans Arena this week, Stern was asked if having only one iconic superstar around is bad for business.
“You know,” Stern said after a long pause. “It’s a good question. I don’t know.”
Then, as if pitching a campaign to a room full of advertising executives, he presented an argument why the playoffs are still worth watching.
“Hey, everybody, get to know Carlos Boozer,” Stern said, sweeping his hand across his chest for effect. “And how do you like Baron Davis? Iconic superstar? I think of the entire Detroit team, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, Steve Nash and Shawn Marion. We’ve got a lot of unheralded superstars that are playing in this league.
“So either the old stars will dominate or the new stars will be revealed, it’s OK either way.”
Maybe. But as Stern experienced last summer in China, Duncan, Nash and the rest don’t share James’ mass appeal.
After making a promotional appearance for Coca-Cola with James, Stern watched in awe as hundreds of Chinese teenagers chased the charter bus carrying Akron, Ohio’s most famous citizen and the U.S. Olympic team.
In Stern’s eyes, James has become a worldwide ambassador for the league, perhaps bigger than Michael Jordan in his prime.
“It couldn’t be better than he does it,” Stern said. “He’s gracious. He’s patient. He has a sort of a sense about him that’s compelling on a global scale, and that’s why so many companies are anxious to do business with him.”
But the companies don’t come knocking, the endorsement deals don’t pile up and the catchy Nike commercials don’t get filmed without basketball success first. And, in his fourth season, James could be on the verge of taking the Cavaliers further in the playoffs than they’ve been before.
James’ second trip to the playoffs has brought out his best. He averaged 28 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.2 assists in his first six games this postseason. Oscar Robertson is the only player to post comparable numbers for an entire postseason, doing it three times from 1962-64.
James seems to be forming a killer instinct, something his toughest critics have argued has been missing from his unspoiled game. In the closing minutes of Game 2 against the Nets, James went to the sideline during a timeout, looked coach Mike Brown in the eye and demanded the basketball.
James undoubtedly will make mistakes. He’ll miss big shots, lose important games and there will be times when we’re reminded that, despite being a four-year veteran, he’s younger than 75 percent of the league’s rookies.
One of those moments happened the other night following Cleveland’s victory in Game 2. As James was explaining Brown’s offensive philosophy after Game 2, he got tongue tied and tripped badly over his words.
“Sorry,” James said sheepishly. “I didn’t go to college.”