Center of the Sports Universe

(AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

LeBron James, at least in my eyes, is the supreme superstar of the NBA. He has an all-around game that most would kill to have. He has presence, he has endorsements, a big contract, and he has made it to Finals already in his young career. He is a man among boys while still barely being an adult. Yet he has struggled mightily against the same Celtics that were taken to 7 games by the 8th seeded Hawks.

LeBron’s Cavs have been shutdown through the first two games of the series, averaging only 72.5 points per game. In those two games LeBron has been about as bad as he could possibly be.

8-42 from the field (19%)
0-8 from 3-point range
33 points in 81 minutes
17 free throws have accounted for more than half his points
Choke artist missed layup in game one to tie the game
17 turnovers after having only 17 turnovers in his previous 6 playoff games

Those are the type of numbers that make you think he was either playing with his eyes closed or the Celtics narrowed the rim after each quarter. Yes the Celtics had the best record in the league but this is the playoffs, the same playoffs that saw the Celtics almost get upset by the Atlanta Hawks, the same playoffs that saw LeBron destroy the Wizards.

Are the Celtics this good? Yes. Is LeBron this bad? No. This can’t keep up for an entire series but it is still unbelievable when you stack his numbers up the way I did.

It’s sad to say but as LeBron goes so go the Cavs and it looks as if the Cavs might be heading home quicker than any other team right now because no one else is stepping up in the absence of the supreme superstar in the NBA.

-Jonathan C. Mitchell

Gordan Giricek made peace in Utah, then was sent out of town. The Jazz traded the disgruntled guard and a conditional first-round pick to Philadelphia for 3-point ace Kyle Korver on Saturday, creating additional salary cap space the 76ers craved. (more…)