James is tough as friend and foe
OAKLAND, Calif. – Cleveland Cavaliers reserve center Kendrick Perkins talks in a slow, rolling Texas drawl and when he’s not scowling from the bench, he has a mischievous smirk.
“Don’t take this the wrong way,” Perkins began when asked what’s it like to play against LeBron James in the playoffs and what’s it like to play alongside him in the playoffs, “but you almost pray that he turns an ankle or gets sick and doesn’t show up to the game. That’s when you’re on the opposite team. But when you’re with him, there’s no words.”
Perkins is one of four of James’ teammates who played against him deep in the playoffs before playing alongside him. Kyle Korver, Jeff Green and George Hill are the others.
And they share a unique perspective of what it means to try and beat him and to try and win with him. For James’ part, he understands an opponent might one day be a teammate.
“When you go against guys, you can envision at times how they fit with you and what they could do for your team,” James said the day before Thursday’s Game 1 between Cleveland and Golden State in the NBA Finals.
Perkins played against James in the Eastern Conference playoffs with Boston multiple times and in the NBA Finals with Oklahoma City.
“When I got here, I said, ‘This dude really punches the clock,’ ” Perkins said. “Before that, I just thought he was a God-given talent. But he works hard.”
Korver faced James in the playoffs three times – once with Chicago in the Eastern Conference finals and twice with Atlanta in the conference finals and conference semifinals. He lost all three times, including back-to-back sweeps.
“You just knew it at some point you had to go through him,” Korver said. “He had this firm hold on the Eastern Conference. He’s so hard to game plan for. Do you trap him and give other guys open shots? Do you make him shoot twos? What’s the game plan? He’s found ways to attack everything. It doesn’t feel like anything’s ever going to work.”
Golden State coach Steve Kerr understands the feeling. Before joining Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls, he played against them for Cleveland in the playoffs.
“It was very frustrating,” Kerr said. “A lot more fun playing with him. I just think that when you have a great player on your team, it’s a lot easier. The game becomes easier.”
Such is the case for Korver on James’ team.
“When you’re on his side, you see why he’s this good,” Korver said. “You don’t see that from the other side. When he’s on the other side, you think he gets every call. When you’re on his side, ‘Man, this guy gets no calls ever.’ You don’t see the why on the other side. Being with him, you see the why in his daily approach.”
Iguodala out: Golden State forward Andre Iguodala will miss Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night as he recovers from a bone bruise in his left knee that cost him the last four games of the Western Conference finals.