Triple-Double By LBJ Propels Cavaliers Past Wizards 105-88; Win Series In Six

We live in an age of hyperbole! Everything is over praised, words like great, star, have been devalued through over use. How many MLB players have been designated the next ?Mickey Mantle?? How many NFL QB?s have been labeled the next ?Dan Marino?? And how many NBA players have been cursed with the next ?M.J.? label? Far too many in each case, and not one has come close to meeting the expectations. That is why I have hesitated to write following sentence, even though I have been tempted to since January. But I can no longer restrain myself so here goes: LeBron James is without a doubt the best player in the NBA at this time April 27, 2008.? LBJ has taken the leap that Tom Brady took with the New England Patriots last winter, he has taken his game to the next level! I predicted that the Wizards would win this series in six games before the series started, that no longer can happen. If you look at the two rosters on paper, there is no contest Washington is the much more balanced team, with a core that has been playing together for a while. Cleveland has two starters? who have been with the team all year center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and James. They had one other player get minutes Sunday who has been with the team over two years, Anderson Varejao. And it all comes from one man who has imposed his will to win on two entities, his team and his opponents. That is a special player.?LBJ Straps Cavs On His Back And Carries Them To Game Four Win Over Wizards 100-97

He was special again on Friday night at the Verizon Center in Washington,D.C.? LBJ recorded a triple-double, and led the way to a 105-88 pasting of the Washington Wizards. The win in game six of the first round NBA Eastern Conference series advances Cleveland to the next round. They will face the winner of the Boston Atlanta series.

Cleveland was disappointed that they had to go back on the road, but after losing game five at home in a heart breaker, they gave the Wizards new life. There was no way in the world they wanted to extend this to a seven game series. Of course on the other side of the court, that was the prime objective of the team from D.C. if they did not win Friday they would head home for the Summer. For the third year in a row, they would be bounced from the Post Season at the hands of the Cavaliers.

Washington was the aggressor in the first quarter as they broke out to a 31-27 lead. But then the Mike Brown influence kicked in.? Brown is a defensive guru, he has preached it throughout his entire tenure in Cleveland. Defense comes down to effort, it takes skills and talent to play offense. It takes grit and determination to play defense, less skill, more effort. Cleveland’s defensive intensity went into lock down mode for the next two quarters. The Cavaliers held the Wizards to 17 points, in the second quarter, and walked into the locker room at the half with a 56-38?advantage. The Wizards were again dominated by Cleveland in the third quarter as the Cavaliers led 79-64 at the end of the third quarter. Washington played better in the fourth, but had dug themselves too deep?a?hole to?escape from.

LBJ scored a?game high 27 points, a lucky 13 rebounds, a lucky 13 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, in Cleveland’s series clinching victory.? Wally Szczerbiak had by far his best game in a Cleveland uniform, as he looked like he was back in his prime playing for the T-Wolves. Szczerbiak scored 26 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist. Daniel Gibson came off the bench and had a magnificent game, looking like he did last year against the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. Gibson scored?22 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals.? Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored 12 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 assists.

Antawn Jamison always plays well against Cleveland, this game was no exception. Jamison registered a double-double 23 points, 15 boards, 3 blocks, 1 assist, 1 steal. Caron Butler scored 18 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, Brendan Haywood had a double-double as he scored 13 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 steal, DeShawn Stevenson scored 10 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds. Cleveland wins the series 4-2.