March 22, 2009

LeBron's supporting cast meets King's expectations

By Ken Berger | CBSSports.com Senior Writer
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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- When it comes to his future, LeBron James' words are always subject to interpretation. Sometimes three, four, or eight interpretations.

As he does every time he visits the New York metropolitan area, which will soon turn its eyes to the annual LeBron-a-thon now that the Knicks have faded from the playoff picture, James once again stoked the 2010 flames Sunday night with a comment about perhaps playing against friend and rival Dwyane Wade in practice someday.

For once, LeBron James doesn't have to do it all for the Cavs to win. (Getty Images)

But when it comes to his team, LeBron doesn't parse words. You don't need a palm-reader, crystal ball, thesaurus or a scholar well-versed in the quatrains of Nostradamus to figure out what the King is talking about when the topic is the Cleveland Cavaliers.

So there was nothing vague or obtuse about James' comments after the Cavs were eliminated in seven games by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals last May. The Cavs' front office and coaching staff got the message: Get LeBron some help, or else.

"I think I was pretty good in that series as an individual," LeBron said Sunday night, reflecting on the second-round ouster at the hands of the eventual NBA champion Celtics. "I [thought] team-wise we could improve. I stressed that right after the [seventh] game in Boston, how much I think our team needed to improve, personnel-wise and as a team. Our front office did a great job of going out and getting some pieces that we needed for this team, and it kind of speaks for itself at this point."

General manager Danny Ferry listened, acquiring Mo Williams in an offseason trade that gave James another scorer and ballhandler. During extensive summer skull sessions about how to improve Cleveland's offensive efficiency, coach Mike Brown abdicated control of the offense to assistant John Kuester. The result has been a less predictable offense and less reliance on LeBron to create all the time, especially early in the shot clock. So LeBron has everything he asked for: a stranglehold on the best record in the Eastern Conference with 12 games left in the regular season, a plate of responsibility not quite as full as it used to be and his best chance at a championship since he left Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary.

"They have a great, great player, and they've surrounded him not only with shooters, but size," Nets coach Lawrence Frank said. "Offensively, when you overplay against LeBron, the personnel is different. They make you pay."

The Cavs were built as a defensive team first, which wasn't terribly surprising when you consider Brown's upbringing under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio. It also wasn't surprising that their offensive deficiencies were exposed badly in the 2007 Finals against the Spurs, and again in the second round against the Celtics last season.

With the addition of Williams and changes to the offense, they've finally become more than four guys standing around waiting for LeBron to do something. The Cavs are all but certain to finish the season averaging 100 points per game for the first time under Brown, and they entered Sunday night's cakewalk in New Jersey fifth in the league in field-goal percentage (.468). Last season, they were tied with the Knicks for third-worst (.439).

"We believe that any opponent we go against in these playoffs and throughout the playoffs, we have an opportunity to win," James said "... We're a very confident team, a very confident ballclub -- everybody as an individual and it all goes into the team. We look forward to the challenge."

With Williams, a proven scorer and distributor, James said he finally has "something complementary to myself and to this team that we needed and we haven't had since I got here: a point guard that can create for himself and create for others."

The question is, does this newfound balance and efficiency last until the final day of the regular season, April 15, and then expire with the tax deadline? When the Cavs get into a tight, lengthy playoff series with Boston, Orlando, Miami, or Detroit -- or in the Finals against the Lakers -- will they resort to a one-man show?

"The playoffs, to me, that's when great players really step up and separate themselves from the pack," Brown said. "In a seven-game series, I'm going to know what you're doing and you're going to know exactly what I'm doing. If that's the case, you've got to have guys who can go make plays.

"Whether it's starting with LeBron or Mo or Delonte [West] or down the line, we feel like we have guys who can go make plays. Hopefully it doesn't change too much, but there's a chance it'll be in his hands a little bit more come playoff time."

I'd say a lot more, especially because LeBron's influence on the Cavs' offense hasn't dropped off as much as commonly believed. Last season, James accounted for 28.5 percent of the Cavs' points and 24.5 percent of their field-goal attempts. This season, he has provided the identical percentage of points and more of their field-goal attempts (25.8 percent). Once the playoffs start, those numbers will only increase -- either by necessity or choice.

"We're confident this year that we have everything we need to be the favorite and be the team that comes out on top," Williams said.

That has been the theme for the Cavs all season: They have enough to win a title, and LeBron won't have to carry them by himself. We'll see. So will LeBron, who has been nothing short of effusive in praising his teammates' support this season. He also knows the playoffs are different. If I were him, I'd rest up.