MVP Repeat? LeBron James Tops Bosh, Kobe, Durant, Wade in Sizzling Week

If there isn’t a textbook on how to win an NBA Most Valuable Player award, LeBron James may be writing one.

The season has a long way to go, and this year's award is by no means his (yet), but James set the bar a little higher this past week. If anyone is to prevent him from repeating as MVP, they’ll have to turn in a stretch of Herculean performances between now and May.

Not only did LeBron win the Eastern Conference Player of the Month award for November and December, he’s the frontrunner for January, having just been named the conference’s Player of the Week for the second time in the month and fourth time this season.

Going back to the 2008-09 regular season, James has won four consecutive player of the month awards, the first individual ever to do so. A fifth would be an exclamation point of unprecedented proportions.

Not resting on his laurels, LeBron turned things up a notch over the Cavaliers’ last four games, outdueling four of the game’s best players in a perfect 4-0 week.

On Jan. 19, James just missed a triple-double as he compiled 28 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds in a 108-100 win over Chris Bosh and the Toronto Raptors. Bosh had 21 points and 10 boards.

Two nights later, after learning that point guard Mo Williams would be lost for up to six weeks with a sprained shoulder, James recorded 37 points, nine assists and five rebounds as the Cavs topped Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, 93-87. Bryant led the Lakers with 31 points.

Just two nights after that—having lost Williams’ replacement, Delonte West, to a broken finger in the Lakers game—LeBron scored another 37 as the Cavs outlasted Kevin Durant and Oklahoma City, 100-99.

Sharing ballhandling duties with Cleveland’s third option at point, Daniel Gibson, James notched 12 assists and had nine rebounds. Durant had 34 points and 10 boards, but his last-second shot that could have tied the game for the Thunder was swatted out of the air by (who else?) James.

Finally, on Jan. 25, it was another defensive gem by LeBron that clinched Cleveland’s 92-91 win over Dwayne Wade and the Miami Heat. James stole a behind-the-back pass by Wade and drove the length of the floor where he was fouled by Quentin Richardson.

James went down hard after getting tangled up with Wade in mid-air, but gathered himself and drained two free throws to provide the winning margin. He then got a hand in Wade’s face on a last-second attempt that was too long, and the Cavs were victors yet again. LeBron finished with 32 points, matching Wade’s total, while adding nine rebounds and four assists.

Over the four-game stretch, James averaged 33.5 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds a game. It was a remarkable week by any standard; even more, it left his most prominent competitors for the MVP award shaking their heads in begrudging admiration.

Part of the reason for his success is that he’s attacking the basket and making things happen. James averaged a shade under 16 free throw attempts per contest during the four-game streak.

It’s not just this stretch that has the league buzzing; it’s been a season-long trend. As Patrick McManamon wrote in the Akron Beacon Journal, James is averaging more points than last season (a league-best 29.9), more productive on the road (where he’s recording 31.4 points per contest), and is averaging a career-best 7.8 assists a night.

It’s worth noting that the Cavaliers didn’t play particularly well in any of the four victories this past week, yet still found a way to win.

With Williams and West out, Shaquille O’Neal stepped up his game and contributed a season-high 22 points against Oklahoma City, and then 19 more against Miami.

Gibson, meanwhile, overcame a shaky start against the Thunder to score 13, then added 15 in the win over the Heat.

It’s that kind of depth and versatility that makes the Cavs a force to be reckoned with this season.

Instead of stumbling following the loss of their top two point guards, Cleveland responded with poise and teamwork, thanks in large part to James’ leadership and dominant level of play.

Those are signs of a championship-caliber team and an MVP-worthy player. The Cavaliers must still prove themselves as the former, but James is showing that last year’s MVP award was no fluke as he makes a compelling case for a repeat honor in 2010.

(This article published on BleacherReport.com)

Recent Articles from BleacherReport.com

You can read some of my recent BleacherReport.com articles by clicking on these links:


NBA Trade Rumors: Amar'e Stoudemire to the Cleveland Cavaliers? (Jan. 25)

Changing of the Guard: How Will Cavaliers Offset Loss of Delonte West? (Jan. 22)

The Once and Future King: LeBron James Overpowers Kobe Bryant and the Lakers (Jan. 22)

Mo Williams Out At Least a Month, Testing Cavaliers' Depth and Resolve (Jan. 21)

Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James, Round Two: The Way Things Ought to Be (Jan. 21)

Shaquille O'Neal's Call for NBA Stars to Benefit Haitit Is a Slam Dunk (Jan. 20)

Cleveland Legend Jim Brown to LeBron James: Stay with the Cavaliers (Jan. 19)

LeBron James and the Dunk Contest: Why Give the Haters Something Else to Hate? (Jan. 19)


Hope you enjoy them!

Consistency Is the Key, Reason for Cavs' Top Ranking

LeBron James was blunt and straightforward when asked Thursday night to assess the Cleveland Cavaliers’ performance this year.

Interviewed on Fox Sports Ohio, James said his team's progress was "okay" compared to last year’s edition. He qualified that by saying they had figured some things out since the start of the season.

Austin Carr of Fox Sports interpreted: The Cavaliers have learned to play with Shaquille O’Neal, and it’s starting to show in their teamwork and execution.

James also said the difference between last year’s team and this year’s model is consistency.

He then declared, quite matter-of-factly, that the Cavaliers are still improving.

Or, as Campy Russell of Fox Sports put it: They’re bigger, faster and stronger than a year ago—built to win at home and on the road.

James’ words represented a realistic appraisal by an increasingly savvy veteran. The assessment of Carr and Russell, both former NBA players, provided a seasoned perspective of almost two decades of combined pro basketball experience.

A look at the Cavaliers heading into Thursday’s game supported the views of all three.

Certainly, Cleveland’s season to date compared favorably to those of the two most recent league champions, the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Cavs entered Thursday’s action with a 30-10 record. They were 14-3 at home and a solid 16-7 on the road. Interestingly, they had compiled a .750 overall winning percentage while playing only 42.5 percent of their games in their own arena.

The Lakers were a comparable 30-9. But 24 of those games were at home—a whopping 61.5 percent of their schedule. They were a predictable 21-3 in those contests, but only 9-6 in their 15 games away from the Staples Center.

The Celtics, meanwhile, were 27-10 going into Thursday. Similar to Cleveland, most of their first-half schedule—56.8 percent—had been on the road, where they were a superb 16-5. However, they had managed only an 11-5 record at home.

Much has been said this year about the Lakers’ early-season schedule. They played 17 of their first 21 games at home, a key factor in their blazing 18-3 start. Contrast their favorable slate with the more balanced schedules of both the Cavs (10 of 21 at home) and the Celtics (11 of 21 at home) over comparable periods.

The Lakers have come down to earth a bit in the 17 games since then, turning in a more modest 11-6 record over that span.

So where does it leave us? Where just about everyone predicted—with those three teams atop the NBA at the season’s midpoint.

While Bleacher Report’s most recent power rankings left the Lakers in the number one spot, writers at some of the most respected sports sites on the Web saw things through a different lens.

David Del Grande of CBSSports.com, Marc Stein of ESPN.com and Chris Mannix of CNNSI.com all placed Cleveland at the top. So did writers as diverse as Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News and Geoffrey C. Arnold of The Oregonian, illustrating the respect for the Cavaliers’ play from coast to coast.

Regardless, the Celtics and Lakers have made it happen where it matters—on the court—over the past two seasons.

The Cavs are too familiar with being the best on paper, leading the league in that manner from wire to wire a year ago. Their goal is the real thing, an NBA championship.

In the final analysis, power rankings mean little. They’re a best guess of where teams stand at any given time.

However, Cleveland’s performance on the court—both at home and on the road—has placed them squarely in the mix as the second half of the season gets underway.

More Than LeBron James; Cleveland Cavaliers' Depth Puts Them Atop NBA

He may not have his Scottie Pippen-like sidekick, but LeBron James isn’t complaining.

Cleveland’s all-everything superstar picked up his third Eastern Conference Player of the Week award following a stretch that proved the Cavaliers are anything but a one-man show.

Latest exhibit: The emergence of forward Jawad Williams.

The former North Carolina Tar Heel, who grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland, began playing meaningful minutes when Jamario Moon was sidelined with an abdominal strain Jan. 5.

With Moon out three weeks, coach Mike Brown turned to Williams, who has responded by averaging eight points in 17 minutes a game. That’s an upgrade over Moon’s season average of five points a game.

It’s been a pleasant surprise for the Cavaliers, who seem to just keep on getting richer.

Shaquille O’Neal and Zydrunas Ilgauskas have figured out how to make their tag-team arrangement work at center. Their teammates have adjusted to the improbable pairing and have learned how to play to their big men’s strengths.

Delonte West is giving opponents fits off the bench, exhibiting the savvy and resilience of the seasoned pro that he is.

Anderson Varejao, meanwhile, has responded to Brown’s guidance and repented, at least somewhat, of his renowned flopping ways. A recent article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer detailed Varejao’s new approach to defense and how it’s paying off for the Cavs. The 6’11” supersub is having perhaps his most impressive season as a pro.

Then there’s Williams, who came off the bench firing with the confidence of a veteran. He scored 10 points in 17 minutes in a win over Portland on Jan. 10 and followed it the next night with 11 important points in 20 minutes in a close win at Golden State.

Inside the organization, Williams’ success comes as no surprise. In his second season with Cleveland after stints in Spain, Japan, Israel and the NBA D-League, Williams is James’ daily opponent during Cavaliers practices. Going against the NBA’s best, even in a practice setting, has prepared him for the bright lights of game night.

Cleveland’s depth may be the deciding factor if they’re to be successful in their quest for a first-ever NBA crown. Moon is scheduled to return by the end of January, and Leon Powe should be ready shortly after that. Add to them backup guard Daniel Gibson, who is currently the Cavs’ odd man out as Brown juggles the riches that await him on Cleveland’s bench.

Also in their favor: the rages of time that confront their main rivals atop the NBA.

Orlando pinned a lot on the offseason acquisition of 34-year-old Vince Carter, who suffered a shoulder separation on Jan. 8.

Boston’s talent is unquestioned, but so is their collective age. Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace and Paul Pierce are all on the downside of 30, and have battled their share of bumps and bruises in recent years.

At 32, even Kobe Bryant appears suddenly vulnerable, given his recent bout with back spasms. As Kobe goes, so go the Lakers.

Equally revealing is how the four teams have fared in recent weeks. Boston is 6-6 over its last 12 games, including three losses during a four-game West Coast trip.

The Magic and Lakers are just 7-5 over similar spans. The Lakers haven’t had to travel to the opposite coast during that time, and Orlando just won the first of a challenging four-game set out west.

The Cavaliers, meanwhile, are 10-2 over their last dozen games, including five wins in six games on two separate West Coast swings. Home or away, the team appears to have jelled and is playing its best basketball of the season.

When it comes to age, O’Neal and Ilgauskas may pose a concern, but the fact that they’re splitting time evenly has enabled them both to avoid injury and get ample rest as the playoffs approach.

Injury can befall anyone at any time. James could go down tomorrow just as easily as Garnett, Carter, or Bryant. Things being equal, however, the Cavaliers’ combination of youth and depth gives them a significant edge as February dawns on the NBA’s stretch run.

With Defense Firing On All Cylinders, Cavs' Offense Should Look to Shaq

Once again, talk of the Cleveland Cavaliers is focusing on their defense.

A strong end-game closed out the defending champion Lakers on Christmas, and a few days later the Cavs held Atlanta scoreless for the first nine minutes of the fourth quarter in sealing another road win.

Defense is the name of the game for the Cavaliers, and has been in their five seasons under Mike Brown.

Offense is another story.

Google “Mike Brown offense” and see for yourself. There are mostly blog entries offering scathing indictments of the coach and his decidedly non-creative approach to putting the basket in the ball. There's certainly nothing testifying to his offensive innovations or strategies.

Do the same with Phil Jackson, and you’ll get enough X’s and O’s to start a basketball clinic (along with a hilarious spoof from The Onion about the Zen Master’s “Tetrahedron Offense").

What gives? You’ve got a perennial candidate for the NBA scoring championship in LeBron James. You’ve got three of the top three-point shooters in the game: Mo Williams, Anthony Parker and Daniel Gibson.

You’ve also got Shaquille O’Neal.

Don’t laugh. As Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote this week, Shaq is still a force to be reckoned with inside, and the Cavs have yet to figure out how to capitalize.

In a loss to Charlotte on Sunday—their second stumble against the Bobcats this year—Shaq took just five shots, making four on his way to a 10-point night. This while being guarded down the stretch by Boris Diaw—all six-feet, eight-inches of him.

It’s part of a disturbing recent trend that has seen O’Neal taking fewer than 10 shots a game; in many cases, far fewer.

As Windhorst pointed out, the Cavs have been winning, so it’s no big deal in the immediate context. However, their inability to truly integrate Shaq into the offensive flow is indicative of the fact that Brown’s approach to scoring still seems to consist of getting the ball into LeBron’s hands, and little else—and that will hurt them in the long run.

Much has been made of how the Orlando Magic beat Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals last spring. The Cavaliers didn’t have an answer for Dwight Howard. Orlando’s perimeter shooters lit up the Cavs’ small guards. Orlando was simply better all along, said the experts.

But it was also a case of having to finally pay the piper. When your offense revolves so much around one player and his ability to create shots, you’re asking for trouble.

Commentators from Charles Barkley to Mark Jackson to Magic Johnson warned that asking James to carry the team offensively, playoff series after playoff series, was a prescription for disaster. They were right.

As much as the Magic’s offense came to life, the Cavs’ offense went stagnant. The result was another long summer for Cleveland, and another lesson learned.

Or was it? Concern over the way Cleveland frequently closes quarters—with LeBron dribbling, dribbling and dribbling before firing a last-second shot—is nothing new. Yet it still happens with disturbing frequency.

Let Windhorst say it: “LeBron has to be a leader enough to allow the ball to go elsewhere if he doesn’t have the right situation…He’s got to set up teammates more, no matter what the score is. This is something he’s been poor at all season.”

(Windhorst is a refreshing and articulate voice among NBA beat writers. Even though he co-authored a book about James this past year and knows the MVP well, it hasn’t kept him from being honest and objective in his observations about LeBron and the Cavs. He is consistently insightful and a joy to read for any hoops junkie.)

The Cavaliers appeared to grow offensively during their 66-win season a year ago. Much of their improvement was credited to then-assistant coach John Kuester.

With Kuester now steering the Detroit Pistons’ ship, Cleveland’s offense has too often fallen back into old, bad habits—most of them centered around giving the ball to LeBron and waiting to see what happens.

Again, the team has been winning, so it's not as if the sky is falling. However, this team operates best when attacking the basket—pushing the ball up the floor on fast breaks, setting up their perimeter shooters for three-point opportunities, and hurting teams with a relentless effort inside.

The Cavs' expected twosome underneath, O’Neal and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, has actually become a trio. Anderson Varejao has been a key component in the paint all season and has shown more skill and aptitude around the basket than at any point in his career.

Ilgauskas, who has finally adjusted to coming off the bench, remains one of the best outside shooters among NBA centers.

Neither Varejao or Ilgauskas offer what Shaq does inside, however. O’Neal’s brute strength still poses problems for every center in the league. Howard couldn’t stop him one-on-one earlier this year. Neither could Amare Stoudamire, Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol, to name just a few.

Mind you, O'Neal isn't complaining. He's been a model citizen for the Cavs. He's playing about 25 minutes a game and has accepted a reduced role, knowing that it will leave him rested for the playoffs.

Cleveland’s offense will continue to revolve around LeBron, but Shaq offers a legitimate option underneath. Brown has four months to figure out how to capitalize on it.

As well as they’ve played, there is still significant room for improvement for the Cavaliers. The thought of James employing his breathtaking athleticism on the offensive end, while simultaneously involving the strengths of O'Neal and the rest of his teammates, is a frightening prospect for the rest of the league.

Recent Articles on BleacherReport.com

Since the Kobe-LeBron / Christmas Day article post in late December, here are some others that I wrote for BleacherReport.com:


December 30: Defense and Depth Are Positioning Cavaliers for a Serious Title Run

January 1: Ohio State's Sustained Excellence Is Underappreciated (a re-post of an article I had originally posted here a year ago)

January 2: The Cleveland Cavaliers, On a Mission, Start 2010 With Most Wins in NBA

January 4: Eric Mangini Does the Impossible; Cleveland Browns Fans, Media Thinking Twice

Hope you enjoy reading them. Remember, you can register at BleacherReport.com for free and then comment on my stories, or others that you read -- or even start writing yourself.

Happy New Year!