Sunday, April 17, 2011
Posted: 7:49 p.m.
By Dei Lynam
CSNPhilly.com
MIAMILeBron James is the second leading scorer in the NBA. His teammate Dwyane Wade is fourth. They averaged 52.2 points in the regular season. The Sixers held them to a combined 38 in Game 1. Wade had one fourth quarter field goal, while James had none.
What will game two bring given the sub-par play? Or was the play sub-par?
After re-watching the film I dont think I had an off game, James said of his 21 points and 14 rebounds. As far as shooting, 4 for 14 is not efficient at all, but as far as the rest of my gameI always said I am more then just a scorer. When I wasnt scoring the basketball last night I was able to get 14 rebounds, get some blocks get some assists and lock in defensively.
My all around game wasnt off. Shooting wise I was off, but I am looking forward to the challenge again tomorrow.
James called game one a feel out game to see how the Sixers would play him. Andre Iguodala was on him mostly and certainly had a say in his 4 for 14 shooting. James came into the game having shot 51 percent in the regular season.
NBA
James complimented the Sixers defense Saturday and warned of their athleticism.
They are very long and athletic; they use their hands a lot, James observed after twice watching Game 1 tape. You have to be careful with your passes because once they get a steal, if not us, they are probably the best at getting a steal or a turnover so we need to understand we had some opportunities that we just didnt connect on.
The Sixers were 13th in the NBA during the regular season forcing turnovers and Miami was 28th. The difference is, according to Sixers head coach Doug Collins, with the Heat, because of their size and athletic ability, any turnover is an easy basket at the other end.
The Sixers did limit the Heat to just three made fourth quarter field goals, but LeBron said it wasnt a matter of a different look, just the ebb and flow of an NBA game.
They kept up the same pressure, he said. They just held us down just like we did to them in the second quarter. Both teams went on a run but it is about the last run and we went on an 11-2 run to end the game.
The one Sixer who had the Heat talking in watch out fashion was Thaddeus Young. Young led the Sixers with 20 points and 11 rebounds in Game 1. Twelve of his points came in the final quarter and eight of his rebounds were on the offensive glass.
Thaddeus Young was doing an unbelievable job of coming in from the weak side and getting rebounds, James said, so I just tried to run my focus on offensive and defensive rebounding and get the ball to D-Wade and let him finish them off.
James has that way of speaking honestly, but he always adds the punctuation -- like when he talked about having the final run or in this case finishing them off.
He has the tone of a champion.
And James does not limit his words to the opposition. After Saturdays game when Chris Bosh led Miami with 25 points in addition to grabbing 12 rebounds, LeBron called him the most important piece to the Heats chances of success.
Bosh was candid when asked how he felt about that statement.
I really dont know how to take that, Bosh said. I feel like I am a part of the team. I feel like I am just as important as the next guy. We are all professionals, we all need each other and we all come to work. And we make each other better. I just try to take what the defense gives and I know they are really going to be paying attention to those guys. So its my job to move to the open spots and make the defense think about rotating over.
If the Shoe Fits
In the middle of the fourth quarter of Game 1, Young scored one of his six fourth quarter buckets and lost his sneaker in the process. He picked the shoe up and ran back on defense throwing the shoe into the crowd.
He attempted to play Bosh on an isolation play in his one sock. The ball ended up out of bounds, but Sunday Bosh said he had no idea Young was Shoeless Thad.
I remember the crowd like groaning and moaning and thinking what happened, Bosh said. I figured it was a fight or something. When I am sizing a guy up I am not like
Bosh, at that point, got down low and let his eyes drift to the floor. Those watching chuckled but Bosh said later he was probably the only person in the arena that had no idea Young was trying to guard him in his sock.
E-mail Dei Lynam at dlynam@comcastsportsnet.com
Related: Sixers, Heat dealing with ailments to key playersWade, Heat hold off Sixers late to take Game 1