Sacramento 106, Cleveland 92
Kings Cool Cavaliers, Spoil LeBron's Debut
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 29 (Ticker) -- The only thing LeBron James
didn't do was win.
In a smashing debut, James lived up to the hype with a spectacular
25 points and 9 assists that were not enough to lift the Cleveland
Cavaliers, who suffered a 106-92 loss to the Sacramento Kings.
"I think I played well. Not well enough," James said.
The top overall pick in the draft, James was making the most
scrutinized debut in league history. As an 18-year-old prodigy from
Akron, Ohio, the fortunes of the woebegone Cavaliers could be riding
on his success.
James did not disappoint in any area. There was none of the hesitancy
he comically displayed in his commercial for Nike shot right here in
ARCO Arena, which has a loud and rowdy environment that can rattle
even a seasoned player.
"For a guy who's just 18, I'm really surprised, in a positive way,"
Kings center Vlade Divac said. "He's the real deal. He has a chance
to be on the same level as Kobe (Bryant)."
The 6-8, 240-pound James made 12-of-20 shots, knocking down tough
jumpers and sinking acrobatic layups. He threw pinpoint alley-oop
passes for dunks and showed poise well beyond his years. But most
of all, he had the Cavaliers believing they could win.
When James found J.R. Bremer for a 3-pointer early in the fourth
quarter, Cleveland had an 85-83 lead. But Bobby Jackson responded
with two baskets before finding rookie Darius Songaila for a hoop
that reclaimed the lead for good for the Kings.
"I think I was able to make a lot of the moves I used in high school
," James said. "I just had to use more power."
James had 6 rebounds and four steals as he shattered the record for
points by a rookie coming directly out of high school, a paltry 10
points by Indiana's Jonathan Bender on Dec. 10, 1999.
The wunderkind also missed both of his 3-pointers and got to the
line just once, drawing a foul on a 3-pointer late in the third
quarter and missing two of three free throws.
"Coming off a loss, I try to shy away from my individual stats,"
said James, who was as equally unruffled by a throng of 60 media
members as he was by his first NBA game. "I always say there's
something more I could have done to help my team win. Down the
stretch, I could have been more aggressive."
The Kings showed enough aggression on offense down the stretch to
emerge with their 10th straight home-opening win. But they came
away blown away by James.
"LeBron played pretty good for the first time out," Kings forward
Gerald Wallace said. " Basketball is basketball, no matter what
level you play it at, and he just has a feel for the game."
"He gets to the basket, he sees the floor, he's creative," Sacramento
coach Rick Adelman added. "For a first game, he has me impressed."
James may have been most impressive in the first quarter. He made his
first three shots, including a pair of tough jumpers -- an aspect of
his game that has been criticized. He had a steal and breakaway dunk,
then made a pokeaway and set up Ricky Davis for a circus dunk that cut
the deficit to 31-25.
"I like criticism. It makes me stronger," James said.
"I thought we got his blood flowing by turning it over three times
in a row and giving him those dunks, but he's got a lot of talent,"
Adelman said.
The Kings were scoring just as easily at the other end and opened a
65-52 halftime lead as James did not take a shot in the second period.
In the third quarter, James got back in the flow with three quick hoops,
including a beautiful driving lefthanded scoop shot. He added a lob pass
off penetration that set up Darius Miles for a dunk.
Cleveland closed to 83-78 entering the final period. After Jackson's
flurry, James made a jumper but took a seat shortly thereafter. He
made another scoop shot upon returning to cut the deficit to 97-92
with 4:17 left, but the Cavs did not score again.
Without injured All-Star forward Chris Webber, the Kings still had
plenty of offense with six players in double figures. Peja Stojakovic
scored 22 points, Mike Bibby added 19 and Divac 18. Jackson scored
eight of his 16 in the final period.
Bremer scored 18 of his 20 points on 3-pointers. Carlos Boozer had 14
points and 11 rebounds and Davis also scored 14 points for the Cavs,
who have lost five straight meetings with the Kings.
http://www.nba.com/games/20031029/CLESAC/recap.html
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James初生之犢獨挑大樑 騎士不敵國王
曹玉炯
10-30 15:24
雖然是超級新人 LeBron James 今年球季的第一場比賽，但對於國王球迷來說這
場的勝負他們幾乎可以提前確定。因此 17317 人進場，除了替主隊加油之外，
當然就要親眼看看LeBron James有何能耐可以成為天價合約的球員。
結果「King James」除了讓國王全隊隊員全場備受威脅，也打響他生涯的第一砲
，同時向世人證明他的巨額身價絕對物有所值。
年僅十八歲的James在這場比賽完全不見菜鳥的生澀，上半場頻頻有攻勢，雖然騎
士在中場結束時以五十二比六十五落後十三分。但下半場騎士開始反攻， James
率領球隊打出26-18的攻勢，三節結束騎士七十八比八十三追成只有五分的差距。
騎士在第四節一開始延續第三節的威力，曾取得85-83的領先，但隨後在國王防守
之下終於氣力放盡，兵多將廣的國王稍後隨即拉開比分差距，在全隊六人得分兩
位數的情況下，終場 106:92 勝出。騎士雖然輸掉第一戰，但 James 全場二十五
分(12-20)、九籃板、六助攻、四抄截的內容讓騎士球團與的球迷感到滿意。
騎士下一場前往鳳凰城踢館，James會繳出怎樣的內容，所有的人仍在期待。
http://taiwan.nba.com/news/article/200310/1233.html
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幾個大網站的 recap 焦點都是 James,
so, 就不轉貼其他的 recap 了.......
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