Lebron and Darko - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

cdeleon · 10-08-2003, 08:41 AM

I saw the game last night on DirecTV Channel 722. It looked like a street ball game but Lebron had some nice passes. If not for a few missed layups he would have had over 10 assist. Darko looked really scared and it might take him some time to get adjusted to the NBA. I thought he looked really slow. The sound on the game really sucked and my Mavs were playing on Channel 721 so I watched mostly during timeouts and at halftime.

MavsFanatik33 · 10-08-2003, 08:56 AM

Lebron airballed 2 fadeaways. He's so over-rated in the dallas Morning News it said he "proved himself". He did have nice passes, but 4 for 12 from the field,8,points, is not too impressive to me.

ReDIRKulous · 10-08-2003, 09:11 AM

I thought he had an amazing game considering it was his first pro game and he is just out of high school. He is the real deal. IHe has more talent and athleticism than anyone in the NBA since Jordan. If he has a strong work ethic and stays out of trouble I think he will be a legitmate super star in the class of Jordan Bird and Magic.

dirno2000 · 10-08-2003, 09:14 AM

He'll struggle with his scoring at times because he can't shoot. His passing and athleticism alone will make him a good rookie. The way he's been hyped, it'll be hard for him not to be considered overrated.

Jeremiah · 10-08-2003, 10:52 AM

Epitome22 · 10-08-2003, 01:32 PM

I don't think LeBron will light up the scoreboard for awhile but I expect him to be averaging 14-15 points by season's end and bringing an immediate contribution to other facets of the game.

I think Darko will be a solid NBA player one day but it will take longer for him to develop.

MavsFanatik33 · 10-08-2003, 03:22 PM

14-15 points will not help out Cleveland at all...

steponhens · 10-08-2003, 04:29 PM

He had seven assists! That is awesome for any rookie point guard, and he is 6'8''. Remember, Magic couldn't shoot very wel coming out of college. With the mismatches he can cause playing pg all he needs to get is a set shot.

Dirk Nowitzki · 10-08-2003, 04:54 PM

With the amount of "flashy" players (James, Miles, Ricky Davis & Wagoner) the Cavs have, expect them to lead the league in turnovers this year. James did make some nice passes, but this guy is gonna have to put up 30 pts 6 reb & 6 assists per game while shooting around 50% to really live up to all the hype placed on him. I think that as long as he makes a few flashy plays per game, he will be praised. I call this the Vick factor. Mike Vick has the ability to be great, but I have yet to see an Atlanta box score in wich Vick has had a great statistical game. another quick footbal note, why are people still punting to Dante Hall???? 7 return TDs in the last 10 games is rediculous.

mary · 10-08-2003, 06:43 PM

Of course LeBron is going to be overrated this year. After the hype, the contracts, the media attention, it will be impossible to live up to the general public's expectations. During last year's media frenzy, I kept looking for a reason to not like LeBron, basically because I was just sick of hearing about him. But honestly, he seems like a good kid and I think it will at least be a couple of years before we can fairly pass any valid judgement about his talent.

ReDIRKulous · 10-10-2003, 10:02 PM

Article

Run Date: 10/10/2003
Silas impressed with James' learning curve
By Richard Walker/Freedom News Service

ASHEVILLE -- Cleveland Cavaliers rookie LeBron James might be the most scrutinized first-year player in NBA history.

His coach, Paul Silas, understands why James is drawing so much attention and feels confident his budding young star will fulfill those high expectations.

"The whole world is looking at him ... to see how he responds and progresses," said Silas, the former Charlotte Hornets coach in his first year with the Cavaliers. "I just want him to play within himself. But he will, at times, take over games.

"He has those capabilities. But, right now, he's content to let it come to him. I'm not pushing him. He's got to kinda find his way. Ultimately, winning is going to be what it's all about. If we win, it takes a lot of pressure off him."

The sold-out Asheville Civic Center was Wednesday's venue for James' second preseason game of his career.

Afterward, Silas talked about how James has pleased him so far in so many ways.

To start with, James' addition means the Cavaliers likely will improve on last season's 17-65 record.

For another, as Silas is quick to point out, unlike many players who come with high expectations, James seems content -- maybe even eager -- to play a complementary role to established veterans on the team like Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Ricky Davis and Darius Miles.

"He'll say, straight up, that this is Z's team or this is Ricky Davis' team," Silas said of James. "But it'll be his team eventually. It may not be his team yet, but it's destined for it to be his team."

Having sufficient surrounding talent to keep James from having to be the team's top player initially is something Silas, an NBA lifer, thinks will pay long-term benefits.

"He's going to be the real deal, in my estimation," said Silas, who has been an NBA player or coach for 35 of the past 40 years. "You know me, I don't use that word lightly. I would not say that if I didn't really mean it.

"But it's going to take time. It took Mike (Jordan) time. It took Kobe (Bryant) time. So he's not going to come out and average 20 points right away. That's not going to happen."

Silas' comments have been borne out in James' first two preseason games.

James has averaged a mere 7.0 points, albeit while shooting only 13 times. However, he's also averaging 5.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocked shots per game.

Yet, more than his unusual and diverse playing ability, Silas has been most impressed with how James has dealt will all the attention he's received.

"I am surprised at how he does it," Silas said. "But once you get to know him, you know he can do that. He's unusual in that he understands what to say at the right time. He's just beyond his years. I guess he's kinda been groomed for stardom since about the ninth grade, so he knows what to say and what to do and how to handle it."

James also has learned how to handle the kind of constructive criticism a rookie has to expect.

"He's treated the same as anyone else," Silas said. "He knows I'm gonna get on his butt just like I get on everybody else. The one thing I like about him is how he deals with it.

"I told him last night (Tuesday in Detroit) that he took a bad shot and he said, 'OK coach, my bad,' and went on out and played the game. That's the kind of young fella he is. He understands what it's about and he really wants to win, above all.

"Whether he scores and shines or not, he wants to win."

Dirk41= konsesjonen · 10-14-2003, 05:43 PM

Another rookie who is looking surprisingly good is Matt Carroll out of Notre Dame. He wasn't drafted and has been scoring a good deal with NY in the pre-season, and not just from behind the arc which was his MO. Richie Frahm and Daniel Santiago with Seattle and Phoneix also looking sharp, as is Pavlovic (Alexksander) with Utah.