"So what?"
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 14 May 2018
That, more or less, was LeBron James? reaction to the Cleveland Cavaliers? 83-108 blowout loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of their best-or-seven Eastern Conference finals Sunday.
?Game 1 has always been a feel-out game for me,? James told media men during the usual post-game press conference.
?I have zero level of concern at this stage,? James added, implying he wasn?t worried at all at what happened. ?I didn?t go to college, so it?s not March Madness. You know, you get better throughout the series.?
?You see ways you can get better throughout the series. I?ve been down 0-1, I?ve been down 0-2. I?ve been down before in the postseason,? he reminisced. ?But for me, there?s never a level of concern no matter how bad I played tonight, with seven turnovers, how inefficient I was shooting the ball. I?m just as confident going into a series whether it?s a 0-0 series or I?m down 0-1.?
James shrugged at reporters trying to get into the root of Sunday?s blowout. ?I?ve seen every coverage, pretty much,? Bron said in reference to the Cavs? awful 15.4 percent three-point shooting. ?We?re going to take those same looks in Game 2, if the opportunity presents itself.?
Later, James was asked to explain the start of the fourth quarter, when the Celtics stretched a 14-point lead to 21 in the first 68 seconds. He replied by recounting Boston?s first three offensive possessions.
In Game 2 of the Conference quarterfinals when the Indiana Pacers were threatening to take a 2-0 lead after winning Game 1 at home, LeBron shot 46 points on 71 percent shooting in a three-point win.
Boston though isn?t Indiana and allowing the Celtics to go 2-0 would look nearly insurmountable given the way the team has been playing. ?Totally different team, different series,? Cleveland?s J.R. Smith said.
On the eve of Game 1 on Saturday, Marcus Morris declared himself to be the best ?Bron defender? this side of Kawhi Leonard. On Sunday, he backed it up, limiting James to 15 points, while chipping in 21 points and 10 rebounds.
?I?m a competitor,? Morris said. ?He?s the best player. I?m going to be able to tell my kids this one day. It?s exciting. I love the challenge. But it?s a team effort.?
Morris couldn't have been a factor. A few minutes into the first quarter, Morris picked up his second foul. Many coaches would have pulled him out. Brad Stevens didn?t and Morris picked up just one more foul the rest of the way. ?If he fouls out in the first quarter, somebody else has to play,? Stevens said. ?That?s the way it goes.?
?Boston showed James two bodies all night,? Cavs coach Tyronn Lue noted. ?When they thought he had driving lanes, they helped, making him kick it out to our shooters.?
The Cavs? shooters, however, missed, 14 straight times from 3-point range, to be exact. The Cavs made just 36 percent of their shots, were outrebounded (48-40) and surrendered 60 points in the paint.
Asked what Cleveland can improve on, Kyle Korver said, ?Pretty much everything.?
In Game 2 on Tuesday, James can expect a Boston team bracing for a superior performance. ?We?ll get a heavyweight punch on Tuesday night,? Stevens told Yahoo Sports, adding the Celtics will make James defend to slow him down by encouraging youthful Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart to attack when James are guarding them.
Stevens admitted that Boston struggled against Cleveland last season. This year, this team might not.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Controversial Judges from Pacquiao-Barrios Fight Tapped for Canelo-Crawford Showdown
By Dong Secuya, Sat, 23 Aug 2025Levinson’s Gift: Runyon’s quiet revelation, Lawton’s last battle, and the first Filipino boxer
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Sat, 23 Aug 2025Rodrigo to challenge undefeated Sandoval in US
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 23 Aug 2025Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimàn: Call to Action 12 Items for Boxers' Safety
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Fri, 22 Aug 2025Libranza vs Pangga headlines Elorde card on Aug 24
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 22 Aug 2025GM Antonio to compete in P100,000 top prize Rapid chessfest this Sunday in Roxas City, Capiz Province
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 22 Aug 2025AISAT Basic Ed football training starts
By Kim delos Reyes-Teves, Fri, 22 Aug 2025Josh Navarro Scores Another Win in Pomona, California
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 22 Aug 2025UNDEFEATED CRIZTIAN PITT LAURENTE SET TO FACE HEBI MARAPU FOR IBF PAN PACIFIC TITLE
Fri, 22 Aug 2025Dare To Enter: Undefeated WBC Interim Champion Vergil Ortiz to Defend Super Welterweight Title From Number 1 Contender Erickson “The Hammer” Lubin
Fri, 22 Aug 2025Euri Cedeno Takes on Willie Jones on Friday, September 5th at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem, PA
Fri, 22 Aug 2025COE AND HART CLASH ON BOOTS ENNIS CARD IN PHILADELPHIA
Thu, 21 Aug 2025‘There's nothing that he brings to the table that I've not got an answer for’ Sam Rennie on upcoming fight at Thunderdome 51
Thu, 21 Aug 2025JAMAINE "THE TECHNICIAN" ORTIZ TRAINING CAMP NOTES
Thu, 21 Aug 2025Gervonta Davis vs. Jake Paul: Exhibition Bout Announced for November
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Thu, 21 Aug 2025