Love him or hate him, its clear that LeBron James uses Jedi mind tricks and superpowers to manipulate an NBA series and despite Cleveland getting blown out by 25 points in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals dont expect the series to be a wash.
In fact, James said, “I have 0 level of concern,” after Marcus Morris became the new LeBron Stopper.
King James is a tactical boxer when it comes to his approach to the game. Sometimes, he takes the L in order to study his opponent and revamp the game plan, or see which of his teammates will be reliable moving forward.
He jabs. Jabs again. Might get caught few times, but usually, he figures out a counterattack that renders his team success. His court IQ is legendary and the way he recalled this fourth quarter sequence play-for-play shows the sharpness of his mind and also suggests that he’s already thinking about Game 2.
Cleveland Cavaliers on Twitter
@KingJames’ recalls the 4th quarter…in extreme detail. #WhateverItTakes https://t.co/86LNe2r2gX
James has never been the kind of player to force the issue when it comes to scoring the ball but hes taken a much bigger scoring load of late as he ponders his next destination, searches for ways to surpass MJ as The GOAT and keep his team in critical games.
Boston flexed its fury and its multi-faceted offensive and defensive attack in holding LeBron to 15 points on 31 percent shooting with seven turnovers and no threes made. Bron took a beating, but he also had time to access the damage and figure out how to counter the length and athleticism of the Celtics young guns.
Its like hes playing chess out there and usually, everybody else is playing checkers. That doesnt change the fact that Cleveland also needs to find a solution for Al Horford in the low post and Bron cant do it all by himself.
ESPN Stats & Info on Twitter
The Celtics take Game 1 against the Cavs 108-83. Cleveland’s 25-point loss is the 2nd-largest Game 1 loss by a LeBron James team in his playoff career (27-point loss in the 2006 East Semis). James was guarded by Marcus Morris on 24 plays, finishing with 5 points on 2-6 shooting.
The practice and discussions leading up to Tuesday nights game will be interesting, to say the least. The Celtics are oozing with confidence at this point, but the law of averages says Lebron will be twice as good as he was in Game 1 and now he has that artificial push he often needs for the killer to come out in him.
Marcus Morris will undoubtedly be a target of LeBron who will have most likely already devised a way to at least get to the hole against the Celtics. Morris stands by his confidence in his defensive abilities but doesn’t expect to have to go at it alone.
NBA TV on Twitter
It’s not just me. Everybody played their part in guarding him.” Marcus Morris on guarding LeBron James #GameTime https://t.co/7Zk8tCgTpF
The referees will be more kind to LeBron in Game 2 as well and regardless of how much Cleveland wins by, if the veteran club clip the wings of the high-flying Celtics, the series takes on a different tone and a dub would also be evidence that LeBron has figured out a way to stop Boston’s youth movement in its rough riding tracks.
