01/21 - Blazers vs Cavs

I generally hate the best player in the league. I hated MJ before he showed us how awful he is at putting a team together, or making any type of post-player basketball decisions. I hated him when he was torching people on the court. Just like I hated Kobe Bryant through their three peat, then after, for having the biggest ego around and wanting to be a one man show. The guy is still a joke, I think, but I can at least respect the insane-ness of his turn around fadeaways. The dude jumps three or four feet backwards man, I have no idea how he lands back on his feet. But Kobe ain't the best around, I hear he doesn't need to be on his team, with that depth, but he's also 30 and a 10 + year vet. It's simply Lebron's league now. James can dominate an entire game without making one three pointer. He is a guard in Dwight Howard's body. And tonight against the blazers he is gonna roll. But I still don't hate the dude.

I hated the whole 08/08/08 campaign-thing he started a couple years in advanced, saying he would become a monster icon all over the world once he shows his face in the Olympics. I hated it even more after that campaign was a bust. I don't live in China, haven't seen his growing iconography in other lands, but I did read multiple times of Chinas adoration for Kobe, and Kobe alone. How they just flipped over Kobe and cared much, much less about everyone else, 'Bron included. So screw Lebron and his growing ego, I hope he humbles himself and let's his basketball do the talking. Because it sure does talk. I can't hate the guy because he is a physical basketball force. I can't hate him because I hated Carmelo in that draft, I was rooting for Lebron number 1, and not the snobby freshman who just ran the NCAA tourny. That debate is dead because Carmelo will never be near lebron in any "who's the best" sentence again. And tonight James will kill us, but I don't hate him for it.   

James will go for 35-40, snag enough offensive rebounds himself to make Nate go crazy; he will destroy whatever combination of defenders we throw at him tonight. And even so I'm hoping for a Blazer victory.

 Like others have mentioned before, Batum reminds me of Pippin. Monday's game against the bucks, Batum came sliding over for help defense with his crazy long arm outstretched into the passing lane. He was not even looking at the ball, did not know for sure the ball was even coming, but his hand blocks the mid waist pass, let's it hit the ground only once before he's able to turn it into a dribble and start the break. Those arms are havoc. Batum will one day be a shut down defender, think detroit's Prince but hopefully, not so damn timid. That day is not today unfortunately. Today Batum is a 19 year old rookie from France who Lebron will wipe the floor with. 

Then we have Travis Outlaw, who is my favorite player on the team. Outlaw is the man, is killer with those help defense blocks, and has arms as long, if not longer than Batums. Outlaw at 6'9'', with his leaping ability can put a hand in anyone's face. But that doesn't mean he can stop Lebron. What Outlaw can do for us tonight is DRIVE THE LANE. Take it to the rim, my friend and get people in foul trouble, get them over the limit. If he makes James work on the D end, James will be looking to shoot more jumpers, hoping to save a couple drives for the fourth. Outlaws offense can get Lebron tired, which is very hard to do. But just a little bit of tired will pay off, especially in the Rose Garden. 

Aldridge will guard him too. LA is quick and 6'11'' and I know Nate has used him on James before. If we have a chance at slowing Lebron down tonight it'll be through strong man on man defense by Aldridge. I can see tonight being real big for Aldridge on the offensive end as well. He started the bucks game hitting his first 5 shots. He hates playing the third fiddle role behind Roy and Oden, but if he's consistently scoring 20 something a night, no one will complain. We will gladly let him do that. But he disappears in games too easy. Tonight if LA is quiet we'll have a hard time winning, but if he gets involved on offense early, he'll be motivated on the D end and give the Cavs real troubles.

We'll win tonight if we keep James' assists to a low number. If he's out there pretending he's oscar Robinson with a line like 35 14 and 12, we are screwed. But let him have that 35. It's the assists that will kill us. Mo Williams is just waiting for Lebron to get double teamed so he can shoot a wide open three. Yo Nate, do not double team! Play him man on man. If Lebron feeds the three point line, we're done.