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COLUMN: No love for LeBron, the District's villain

'Terrific' James finishes Wizards

By Bob Cohn
May 3, 2008

Peter Lockley / The Washington Times LeBron James: "I always try to see what's going on with their defense. They threw a lot of things at me."

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There is a new rite of spring here in the nation's capital. But unlike, say, the bursting of the cherry blossoms, this one smells a lot worse to the locals. Once again, LeBron James has personally ruined the playoff hopes of the Washington Wizards.

It happened for the third straight year last night, when James and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Wizards 105-88 at Verizon Center to win the first-round playoff series 4-2. As usual, James was the dominant figure. But this time, the superstar who some like to portray as an emotive, play-acting diva played the role of maestro. He orchestrated. He conducted. He finished with 27 points, 13 assists and 13 rebounds — a triple-double.

"My whole game has always been built around what the defense gives me," he said. "At no point in this game did I ever force anything. ... I always try to see what's going on with their defense. They threw a lot of things at me."

James threw it right back, even though he had just two points at the end of the first quarter.

He ended up with more points than anyone, but he had help. James had more assists than the entire Wizards team.

"He's our best player," center Zydrunas Ilgauskas said. "But he can't do it all by himself."

Cleveland coach Mike Brown described James succinctly, using one word, although he did use it over and over again. "Terrific. Terrific," Brown said. "Terrific, terrific, terrific." For good measure, he added another "terrific."

"It was a total team effort," Brown said. "We keep telling guys on our team that when [James] has the ball he is gonna get a lot of attention. We just have to be ready to be ready to shoot the ball."

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