LAST DANCE?
Game 7 vs. Pacers could be last chance for LeBron love in Cleveland
This may be the final game in a Cavs uniform for LeBron James should the Indiana Pacers steal a Game 7 on Sunday. If so, let the speculation begin. No one in Cleveland wants to think about a worst-case scenario involving LeBron which is the exact worst-case scenario Cleveland faced in May of 2010 when the Boston Celtics eliminated the Cavs in six games and LeBron famously ripped off his uniform top and headed straight for free agency.
“No. No,” James said on Friday if he’s thought about Sunday possibly being his last with the Cavs. He can and will opt out of the final year of his contract and become a free agent.
“The thought of, ‘If we don’t play well it will be my last game of the year,’ that will probably hit my mind, but I haven’t thought about that,” he added.
A first-round exit would be a shocking end to what has been a tumultuous season for the Cavs. Of course, you can never count out LeBron, who is averaging 32.7 points on 53.6 percent shooting, 10.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists in the series. The question, however, is can you count on his teammates.
Unlike the previous seven years when LeBron entered the postseason with a clear second superstar riding shotgun — Dwyane Wade in Miami, Kyrie Irving in Cleveland — he no longer has that luxury. Cleveland’s next leading scorer is Kevin Love at 11 points per game.
Even if Cleveland survives the first round the Cavs certainly don’t resemble a serious championship contender even with the league’s best player on their roster. LeBron deserves some of the blame; he pushed for the front office to give massive contracts to both Tristan Thompson and J.R. Smith. Meanwhile, the late season additions like Jordan Clarkson and Rodney Hood appear to be in over their heads.
LeBron played all 82 games for the first time in his career and the Cavs won 50 games. That’s a morethan-respectable number but it was only good enough for fourth place in Eastern Conference. He’s been the MVP of this series but for the first time he’s playing a Game 7 in the first round.
LeBron has given everything and he may still get bounced before the calendar turns to May.
His last game with the Cavs? Maybe not Sunday. Last season? Well, it’s getting easier and easier to picture LeBron in Los Angeles. Or Houston, Philadelphia and Miami.
MELO OUT
Two of LeBron’s pals — Wade and Carmelo Anthony — were eliminated in the first round this week. Wade is contemplating retirement while Anthony is expected to opt into the final year of his contract which will pay him $27.9 million next season.
In Utah’s six-game series win over Oklahoma City, Anthony averaged just 11.9 points and became an afterthought in the fourth quarter of the last two games. For the season, he averaged a career-low 16.2 points and at this stage both Anthony and the Thunder should consider a sixth man role for the 10time All Star.
Manu Ginobili did it for most of his career and Wade moved into that role in Miami. Both are bound for the Hall of Fame. No shame in Anthony morphing into an offensive spark plug off the bench.
Of course, the irony is that had Phil Jackson, Melo’s nemesis in New York, not been fired last June it is very likely that Jackson would have traded Anthony to Houston for Ryan Anderson. That trade, as Anthony and his agent confirmed, was close to being finalized. Anthony wanted to play with James Harden and Chris Paul.
But when Jackson was dismissed and Steve Mills took over he decided to wait for a better deal. The Knicks got Enes Kanter and Doug McDermott who was then moved for Emanuel Mudiay. That’s a win for the Knicks.