SEVEN shots sunk. Anytime, that should be OK.
But what if those seven shots sunk were your first seven shots in a basketball game? Very OK.
And how about this: They were all sunk in a game when everything was on the line. Sink or swim. Stay or leave. Sulk or move on.
That’s what LeBron James did in Game Seven.
And only the likes of a LeBron James can do such an unbelievable feat.
James used his first seven sunk shots as trigger to score 45 points, powering Cleveland once more to a 105-101 victory over Indiana that shoved the Cavs to the National Basketball Association (NBA) Eastern Conference semifinals.
Victor Oladipo, the Indiana All-Star scoring machine, called James’s performance “amazing.”
“He [James] did what he always does,” said Oladipo. “It’s not really shocking. He’s the best in the world, and that’s what the best does and now I gotta work to get on that level.”
James did everything imaginable to literally transform the court as his own toy kingdom.
He scored.
He rebounded.
He assisted.
He blocked shots.
He fought off cramps.
And he cut—and received.
With under 30 ticks left, Indiana closing in at 96-100 after an Oladipo drive, James feigned a triple from left and next flung the ball to an open Kyle Korver positioned atop the key.
Instead of doing what he does best—shoot a three like tossing a pebble into a manhole—Korver heaves a bullet pass to the cutting James for a killer lay-up and a series-clinching 102-96 lead.
“Best receiver in the NBA,” Korver said of James.
“Just got to put it up there for him.”
Indeed, when James wills it, he transforms quickly into a virtual one-man wrecking crew—the way he did in the Game Seven decider.
No one can ever stop him. Not even a shinkanzen (bullet train). Or King Kong. Or, maybe nature’s fury, such as Yolanda.
But basketball being still a team game, James had need for his teammates’ help in saving their season.
They all did well on Monday: Tristan Thompson (15 points, 10 rebounds), Kevin Love (four triples, finally), George Hill (11 points in 19 second-half minutes, after missing three games due to back spasms).
But will the Cavs be amazing yet again when they battle next, starting today, the Toronto Raptors, who were No. 1 in the regular season against the No. 5 Cleveland?
Maybe. Listen to Indiana forward Trevor Booker after Monday’s game: “Honestly, I think we were the better team, and they had the best player in the world.”
If that hasn’t sunk in yet, you’ve got a problem big time.
THAT’S IT Paul Zamar practically ensured today’s winner-take-all game between San Miguel Beer-Alab Pilipinas and Mono Vampire of Thailand for the ABL (Asean Basketball League) title in Santa Rosa City, Laguna. Zamar hit the insurance shot for Mono in Bangkok on Monday for the Vampire’s 88-83 victory, forcing the 2-2 deadlock. Ironic enough is the fact that the 5-foot-11 Paul is the son of Boyzie Zamar, one of the assistant coaches of the recently crowned Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup champion San Miguel Beer. “I was not thinking that I was playing against the Philippines,” said Zamar—and against the sister-team of his father Boyzie’s squad at that…. Happy birthday today to Mayo. Called Kuya Mumu by his cousin Ikap, Mayo predicted Cleveland to defeat Indiana in seven games. He is for Cleveland again in the Cleveland-Toronto Eastern semifinal playoffs. Kuya Mumu says to me: “Maybe, another Game Seven is in the offing.” Will lightning strike twice?