The Cleveland Cavaliers are off to a slow, 1-3 start. And because LeBron James is involved, every loss brings out a need to do some soul-searching.
James has been largely concerned with unselfish play and the eradication of certain teammates’ bad habits, which has taken his focus off his own need to shoot and score the basketball.
LeBron, as promised, played much more aggressively Wednesday night in Utah – finishing with 31 points – but it wasn’t enough, as the Jazz handed the Cavs a crushing last-second defeat.
Per the NOMG:
“I’ve had two games where I played a little passive and been more of a setup guy and it resulted in two losses,” James said Wednesday, prior to the Cavaliers’ game against the Utah Jazz. “And I’ve had a game where I’ve been very aggressive and we won. Is winning the ultimate thing of being the best team we can be or (do we need to win) one game? That’s something going on in my mind right now.”
James took just 12 shots and scored 11 points in a 19-point loss to the Trail Blazers. Last week in Chicago, he scored 36 points on 30 shots and the Cavaliers won in overtime. The night before, he scored 17 in a similarly passive performance when his team lost to the Knicks.
James said he thinks [head coach David] Blatt is on the same page with him, though he hasn’t asked. Blatt declined to criticize James both after Tuesday night’s game and again Wednesday. […] “I’m not OK with how we used him, I told you that (Tuesday) night,” Blatt said. “I’m not holding him responsible, I’m holding us responsible.” […] As James preaches patience, he continues to refer back to the team’s slow start with the Miami Heat his first year there. He said one difference between then and now is “the questions were angrier” in Miami.
