One Down, Two to Go

Another out-of-this-world performance by LeBron James allowed Cavs fans to exhale Thursday night as Cleveland topped Orlando 112-102, to stay alive in the Eastern Conference Finals. This ridiculous stat line: 37 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists.

Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith cautioned on the TNT postgame show that LeBron can't possibly do that every game; it will simply wear him down. In the fourth quarter, he scored or assisted in 32 of the team's 34 points. But as James said to Craig Sager after the game, losing just wasn't an option.

So it's back to Orlando for Game Six on Saturday night. If you're the Cavs, you know you did what you had to do, battling out a win. If you're Orlando, you feel confident knowing you're going home with a chance to close it out.

You have to pay attention to what Barkley, Smith and Reggie Miller said after the game, however. They played in the NBA and know first-hand the rigors of the pro game. Their concern: Have you ever seen anyone do what James did -- dominate the fourth quarter completely and control every offensive play in the period -- for three straight games?

Miller added a great observation about Daniel Gibson, Wally Szczerbiak and Mo Williams: Is their game going to travel? Will they be able to contribute in a do-or-die game against a hot team on the road?

Williams, in particular, was superb Thursday night, with 24 points, including six three-pointers. Can he do it again Saturday? Gibson tossed in three triples. Can he do the same in a hostile arena? If so, the Cavs have a chance. If not, it may be too much to expect James to hoist the team onto his shoulders yet another time.

Speaking of Gibson, it was great to see him finally resemble the player he was supposed to be this whole season. So is it really necessary for him to mug with the three-finger salute and grin on his face after making his shots? Really? We've all gone from expecting him to hit those shots, to holding our breath when he pulls the trigger. He's as relieved as we are when they go in. So, ditch the mugging, Daniel. Win this series first, OK?

And as for Barkley, Smith and Miller on TNT; when you stop and think, they're a living, breathing illustration of how hard it is to win an NBA championship. Guess which one of the three did it? Kenny Smith. Look again. Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller, as great as they were, never won a title. It's not an easy thing to do, and individual greatness only goes so far in such a team sport.

The Indians: Remember Them?

It's been too easy to ignore the Cleveland Indians thus far this spring. A terrible start has had them languishing in the A.L. Central cellar since Opening Day. However, they just completed a four-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays, including an improbable ninth-inning comeback in an 11-10 win on Memorial Day. They're still in last place, but a sweep's a sweep, and they're showing signs of life. Still, it's a little depressing to think about the prospect of the Cavs bowing out right now and our having to endure a long, hot summer with the suddenly feeble Tribe.

Go Cavs. Please.

Farewell, EJ, Kenny and Sir Charles

Ah, the end of the broadcast season on TNT. My basketball viewing will drop off significantly, Finals or no.

That's because, like most other people, I tune in TNT on game nights not for the games, necessarily, but for the pre- and postgame shows, and halftime. There's simply no other studio show on TV quite like that of the NBA on TNT.

Simply put, these guys are great: Ernie Johnson, the traffic cop of a host who knows when to enforce the rules and when to let his guys off with just a warning; Kenny Smith, the straight man who has mastered the art of getting in his observation before all hell breaks loose; and Charles Barkley, the most refreshing voice on television, period. Charles is at once someone to be taken seriously for his basketball knowledge, and a comic relief from all the staid and stuffy commentary that takes place on televised sports.

Spencer Hall wrote a great piece about the trio in the June 2 issue of The Sporting News. It captures perfectly the controlled chaos that is the TNT studio set, and provides more than a few laughs. That's because the things he writes are things we can identify with, things similar to what we've seen and heard while watching the show over the years. And it all revolves around Barkley -- as Hall points out in the last few paragraphs by offering a few of Charles' best lines. (Perhaps my favorite, a reference to the constant stream of promos for "The Closer," TNT's hit series: "If I see Kyra Sedgwyck one more time, my head's gonna explode.")

Kelly Dwyer alluded to the same magic in a 2005 article in Sports Illustrated. As Dwyer pointed out, the TNT show is just fun (unlike ESPN's, which he called "depressing"). No pretense, no maliciousness, just fun. And Barkley's blatant honesty, which has rubbed off on Smith. During this year's Cleveland-Boston series, Barkley complained loudly about the Cavaliers' "crappy offense" and Smith quickly, and enthusiastically, agreed.

The key to Barkley's appeal is his total transparency, his willingness to be honest with himself and with others. As Phil Taylor wrote in the June 3 issue of SI, "Part of the reason Barkley gets away with outrageous statements and acts...is because he doesn't deny, deflect or dissemble, like so many other sports figures do when caught in a sticky situation." It's that singular characteristic that makes Barkley so genuine, so believable, and so successful.

Some critics have lamented the guest appearances by Magic Johnson next to TNT's dynamic threesome over the years, but he's clearly grown as a TV commentator, primarily because the TNT format (and personalities) encourage him to simply be himself. He doesn't have to carry the show; he need only fit in. In fact, Magic now comes across as an elder statesman, and his simple insights add to the show's appeal.

I'll be checking in on the rest of the postseason, obviously. But I won't go out of my way to watch the studio shows, which pale in comparison to the lively banter and honest insights of the guys on TNT.

Barkley Is Right

Charles Barkley is perhaps my favorite television personality, let alone commentator. I actually tune in the TNT pregame, halftime and post game shows just to listen to him. I suspect I'm not alone. His mixture of insight and humor is refreshing.

At the start of the season Barkley suggested that the lack of a point guard would keep Cleveland out of the playoffs. When the Cavs made their big multi-player trade, he praised it, including the acquisition of Delonte West. But he has continued to point out that the team still needs more production and leadership from the point.

Shift gears to the Hornets-Spurs series for an example of what Barkley is talking about. As of this writing the Hornets are up 2-0. Why? Chris Paul. The Hornets eliminated the Mavericks in Round One. Why? Chris Paul. The kid is simply amazing.

The point guard doesn't have to be as dominant as Paul has been in order for a team to succeed (see MJ, Scottie and the Bulls), but there's no question that he has shifted the focus back to the position. "Bigs," as post players are now euphemistically called, are vital. But seeing Paul dominate the floor recalls the days when Magic led the Lakers, and Isiah the Pistons. It's refreshing.

The Cavs have lacked that kind of leadership since Mark Price and Terrell Brandon patrolled the position a decade or two ago. West has teased Cavs fans with flashes of strong play since his arrival. He -- or someone -- will need to make it a regular thing for the team to "rise up" to true champion status.

Barkley's assessment of the Cavs has been right on target. He remains the most compelling sports commentator on TV.