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The Associated Press reminds us that three years into his thus far impeccable pro career, Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James will take center stage for the first time where legacies either grow or get swatted away like a weak layup. In the NBA playoffs, nothing comes easy.
The fouls are a little nastier. The whistle blows a little less frequently. The intensity is ratcheted to an extreme level. The stakes, well, they’ve never been higher for Cleveland’s 21-year-old superstar. Everything is bigger — just how James likes it.
“It’s a different ballgame,” he said. “The crowd is into it for 48 minutes strong. The lights in the arena look brighter. It’s a different feeling. Now to be a part of it, it’s going to be great.”
James makes his playoff debut today as the Cavaliers host the Washington Wizards in Game 1 of their best-of-7 Eastern Conference series. Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday night at Quicken Loans Arena. For championship-deprived Cleveland, the wait is over. A city fueled by sports is at last embarking on another chance at winning a world title. The Cavaliers are the first of Cleveland’s three pro teams to reach the postseason since 2002, and the first to host a playoff game since 2001. No Cleveland team has finished on top since the Browns won an NFL title in 1964. James intends to change that.
“It’s my goal,” he said. “Guys are talking about making the playoffs. I want to win a championship.” That might not happen this year, but there’s no reason to think an NBA title — or several championship rings — aren’t in James’ future. In his first three seasons, he has impacted the league like no other player.
None before have scored, passed and rebounded like him at such a tender age. With MVP-type numbers, he has carried the Cavaliers, taking them to just their fourth 50-victory season and back to the postseason for the first time since 1998.
Now, it’s time to see if James, who joined Oscar Robertson (1963-1964, 1965-1966 ), Jerry West (1965-1966 ) and Michael Jordan (1988-1989 ) as the only players to average at least 31 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in a season, can do it in the playoffs. First-year Cavs Coach Mike Brown expects James to soar higher than ever.
“Not comparing him to Michael Jordan, but LeBron has the necessary talent to take his game to another level,” Brown said. “And on a stage like this, it would be a great time to do it. It’s interesting to note that when you bring up Jordan and the great ones, I don’t know if any of them got it done right away. “ It will be interesting to see if LeBron can.” As great as he was, Jordan, who scored 23 points in his playoff debut, didn’t advance in the postseason until his fourth trip, when he hung in the air and made the famed “Shot” over Cleveland’s Craig Ehlo to oust the favored Cavaliers from the 1988-1989 playoffs. That moment, as much as any other, defined Jordan in the clutch. Of course, he would go on to have other magical performances in the postseason, but it all started with one game-winning shot.
In order for James to one day be placed in Jordan’s class or alongside Magic Johnson or Larry Bird, he’ll have to win championships. And not just one. The Wizards, who won 3 of 4 against Cleveland during the regular season, will have their hands full with the 6-8 James, who can be as devastating shooting three-pointers as he is turning the corner and finishing at the rim.
A possible plus for Washington could be that James will try to do too much, forcing the action and making mistakes. But Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas doesn’t expect nerves to be a problem for James. “You know, the way he plays the game, he didn’t have no jitterbugs the first game he played in the NBA,” Arenas said, referring to James’ arrival with a 25-point, 9-rebound, 6-assist rookie debut in Sacramento. “So I don’t think he’ll have any.”
James sloughs off any talk of pressure with the same ease he uses to shake free from double teams. “I don’t believe in pressure,” he says defiantly. “I’m going to go out there like it’s a regular season game. I’m not going to change my routine or try to tell my teammates to change their routines. We’re going to go out there like it’s the regular season and just try to win a ballgame.” But it’s on his shoulders to advance the Cavaliers deeper into the NBA’s spring, a place where they have seldom ventured. He’s ready for the challenge.
“They say you get your name during the season, you get your fame in the playoffs,” Cavs forward Drew Gooden said. “LeBron James is one of the faces of the NBA and he has done so much in his short career, I don’t think the playoffs will be any kind of added pressure for him.
“ He’s going to pick up his play — if that’s even possible.”

Now the regular season is over and the Cavaliers with (50 wins) have clinched their first trip to the playoffs since the 1997-98 season and home court advantage for the first round.
Now the MVP ballots are due tomorrow and of all the candidates, James is the most well-rounded. He is just the fourth player in league history to average at least 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists – the others being Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and Jerry West. He has become known throughout the league for his unselfish play and elevating the play of his team collectively.

Here is a collection of links of what others are saying about LeBron:

2006 NBA MVP Candidate – LeBron James

And the winners are

Yes, a 21-year-old MVP

All eyes on King James

James deserves MVP

ESPN.com’s award winners

I will be adding more to this list. If you would like to contribute send me an email

The Cleveland Cavaliers have recalled forward/center Martynas Andriuskevicius from the Arkansas RimRockers of the NBA Development League, Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry announced today.

Andriuskevicius was reassigned to Arkansas on March 16, 2006. In eight games (three starts) during his third stint with the RimRockers, he averaged 7.3 points and 4.8 rebounds in 20.4 minutes per game. He scored his D-League season high of 18 points on 5-8 shooting on March 17 at Fort Worth.

The 7-foot-2 rookie played in 15 total games (four starts) with the RimRockers this season and averaged 7.0 points on .500 shooting (37-74) and 4.2 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per game.

He has played in six games with the Cavaliers.

Washington Post Staff writer Michael Lee writes When LeBron James crashed to the floor at The Palace of Auburn Hills on Wednesday, Cleveland Cavaliers Coach Mike Brown said his heart skipped a beat. Brown sprinted down the court to check on James as the franchise crawled around on his right knee, writhing in pain, with his left foot elevated.

In that brief moment of despair, discussions of James’s late charge at the league’s most valuable player award, his string of nine consecutive games with at least 35 points, and his recent success at hitting buzzer-beating jumpers didn’t matter. As James limped off the court late in the third quarter of a loss against the Detroit Pistons, they were replaced by thoughts of another LeBron-less postseason. To review the complete story CLICK HERE

Below is a Q&A from Friday’s Cleveland PD that you might have missed.

Q: What is the purpose of professional athletes having a “entourage” or “posse?” Do all athletes have one? Is a posse more prevalent in the NFL, NBA or major league baseball? – Richard Norman, Fairview Park

A: Posse members are friends of the athlete, people he likes and trusts. They keep him company at home and on the road, run errands, keep him amused, screen phone calls, protect his privacy and act as court jesters, philosophers, bodyguards and advisers. In return, they enjoy the reflected glory that comes with being confidants of the athlete. Posses are most prevalent in the NBA, where the travel is continuous and erratic, and where the athletes have the gaudiest salaries. Juan Gonzalez, former Indians outfielder, was one of the few baseball players with an entourage. NFL players, who are on the road only eight weekends a year, seldom have an entourage.

Cavaliers guard Damon Jones won’t be charged in the investigation of an Arizona woman’s claim that he committed a sexual offense against her.
“Barring any new information, our investigation is closed with no charges,” Westlake police Capt. Guy Turner said Wednesday. The 23-year-old woman, who was visiting Cleveland, filed a complaint against Jones when she returned to Chandler, Ariz., alleging an offense was committed March 3.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety analyzed evidence and results were negative for the presence of male DNA. The woman was unable to describe any sex act, where it may have taken place or who was involved, police said. “Numerous interviews with witnesses, including a professional athlete, consistently have not revealed an opportunity for a sex offense to have occurred,” Turner said.

Police would not identify the person who filed the complaint or say if Jones was the athlete accused. Jones, however, confirmed last month he was interviewed by police. He called the accusations false and said he would be vindicated when the investigation was over.

“Damon fully cooperated and the facts came out, which were Damon did absolutely nothing wrong,” said Jones’ lawyer, Patrick D’Angelo.

I think we all Cavaliers fans know that LeBron deserve the MVP award this season. With the way he carried this team and clinched their first playoff spot and on their way to clinching the fourth seed and home court advantage, I personally don’t see any other player more deserving of this award than LeBron James.

Go to ESPN.com and on their home page, they have a poll of “Who is the NBA’s Most Valuable Player” and vote.

Currently LeBron hold the highest percentage with 33%, then Kobe with 22%. Steve Nash has only 8%.

Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas sprained his left ankle early in the first quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night.

X-rays taken in the team’s training room were negative, but the veteran center did not return to play.

Ilgauskas became tangled with 76ers center Samuel Dalembert about 10 feet from the basket and landed awkwardly on his left foot with 9:34 to play in the first quarter. Ilgauskas, who has had a history of foot problems throughout his career, fell hard to the court and rolled around in pain.

After a few moments, the-7-foot-3 center got up and walked on his own to the locker room for examination.