LeBron offering sage advice

When LeBron James was a rookie, he preferred to learn by doing.

He kept in touch with several friends around the NBA who were veterans, but for the most part, he wanted to experience everything for himself. But not every young star feels that way, including the Seattle SuperSonics' budding franchise player, Kevin Durant, and James is happy to oblige.

After getting to know each other last summer when Durant trained with Team USA in Las Vegas, James and Durant have built a relationship and often the Cavaliers' star serves as a mentor.

''I was in the same position Kevin was coming into the league and trying to be the face of a franchise and try to lead the team to victory,'' James said. ''He's having his difficulties in his first year, just like I had my difficulties.''

Durant and James talk or text message each other every few days, discussing everything from the game to their personal lives to injuries. Durant recently had a sprained finger and James, who suffered the same injury last month, gave advice about how to treat it.

''He's been like a big brother to me,'' Durant said. ''I'm very fortunate to have a relationship with probably the best player in the world, and I'm going to take advantage of it.''

James is embracing the role. Not only has he grown into the captain of the Cavs, but he's also built a core of friends around the league who come to him for advice, even though he just celebrated his 23rd birthday last week.

''It's kind of funny because sometimes I'll be a mentor to guys who are older than me,'' James said. ''But I was in the league before them, so I kind of know the ins and outs. It's kind of cool.''

In the locker room

• Zydrunas Ilgauskas is averaging 14 points and a career-high 9.9 rebounds. Usual All-Star Shaquille O'Neal is having a bad year and is out with an injury, so there is a chance Ilgauskas could contend for his third career All-Star Game berth. But he doesn't think so.

''I don't think I've got the numbers for that. If they would consider me, that would be a great honor,'' Ilgauskas said. ''But I also look forward to having those days off, too.''

• Anderson Varejao returned Tuesday after missing a practice with a right quad strain. The injury is likely to nag Varejao for a while, but the team doesn't think he'll have to miss any games. ''It bothers me a little bit when I jump,'' Varejao said. ''I am just going to have to warm up good.''

• Cedric Simmons will play his third game with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League tonight. In two games last weekend, Simmons averaged 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 blocks in 28 minutes per game.

No, LeBron James blog is not dead!!!

I just can't write as often as before because of my college duties...

So, what to say about LeBron so far this season? Hahaha nothing more than we already know - PERFECTION!!! :)


He missed 5 last games because of sprained left index finger and we can all see that he is tired of his team losing without him! So, he'll probably be in lineup tonight against Pacers but it's a game-time decision...


It can only get better for Cavs :)

'Saturday Night Live' Kicks Off 33rd Season With LeBron James, Kanye West

Fresh of its recent Emmy wins, NBC's "Saturday Night Live" returns for its 33rd season on September 29 (11:30 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. ET) for three consecutive shows with a diverse and star-studded line-up.

"Saturday Night Live" continues its historic run while breaking new ground, including recently taking home two Emmy Awards, including an Emmy for the SNL Digital Short-turned internet phenomenon -- "D**k in a Box."

The show kicks off its new season September 29 with one of the newest generation of NBA superstars -- Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James. Joining James in his second appearance on SNL (and second SNL Season Premiere) is hip-hop icon Kanye West.

October 6 brings the star of the two biggest comedy hits of the summer to SNL -- writer-producer-actor Seth Rogen. Joining Rogen in making their SNL debut is the critically praised indie band Spoon.

On October 13 , "SNL" will serve a double helping of rock with host Jon Bon Jovi and musical guest Foo Fighters.

James sees better than ever after eye surgery

LeBron James took another step toward improving his game last week, undergoing Lasik eye surgery in Beverly Hills, Calif.

The procedure, performed by Dr. Kerry K. Assil, is designed to improve vision and assures a faster recovery. James' vision has improved to 20/15, according to Assil, and he has already been cleared to resume workouts.

Lasik, which typically takes 10 to 15 minutes, involves a surgeon creating a corneal flap. The flap is then peeled back and a laser is used to reshape the cornea. Once the cornea is reshaped, light rays coming into the eye will properly focus on the retina for clearer vision.

James recently led the United States team to a gold medal in the FIBA Americas tournament in Las Vegas, which qualified them for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

He is scheduled to host the season premiere of "Saturday Night Live" from New York on Sept. 29. On Oct. 2, James and the Cavaliers open training camp and defense of their Eastern Conference championship.

James Is Just One of the Guys

Kobe Bryant was the first to track down LeBron James, elevating to chest bump the star after he made a ridiculous, 40-foot bank shot at the end of the first half of the United States' 113-76 victory over Brazil on Sunday.

James howled and scowled. Then, one by one, James's teammates rushed to bump chests with him to celebrate the just-inside-of-half-court heave that gave the United States a 19-point lead and kept Brazil at bay.

A day later, the United States looked lethargic and uninterested at halftime against Mexico until James anointed himself "the energy man" and scored 16 points, including three three-pointers, in the first seven minutes of the third period to spark another lopsided victory in the FIBA Americas Championship.

James hasn't been asked to score much, only to fill the gaps in this Olympic qualifying tournament. No longer playing the role as "King" of the Cavaliers -- the team he led to the last NBA Finals June -- James is relishing being just another member of the court.

"Whatever they need from me," said James, who averaged 13.8 points, 5.5 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals in the first five games of this Olympic qualifying tournament. "This is about the team."

Before exploding for a combined 40 points against Brazil and Mexico, James was content crashing the boards and being the team's best playmaker not named Jason Kidd. "If my teammates need me to score, or if I sense they need me to score, I'll do that," he said. "I'm still going to rack up the rebounds and assists."

If the Americans need a stop, James is reading the passing lanes like a defensive back to get steals and get the team off and running on the break. He is breaking up lulls in action with electrifying, Youtube-worthy dunks or finding Bryant and Carmelo Anthony cutting to the basket for slams. And, the 6-foot-8 James even played extended minutes at power forward when Tayshaun Prince went down with an ankle injury and Anthony was in foul trouble early against Brazil.

"For me, it wasn't such a bad thing," said James, who claims that he has beefed up to 260 pounds since the Spurs swept him out in the NBA Finals. "I'm used to playing big minutes and I put my body in good shape to do that."

With role players like this, who are the stars, again?

"Kobe, LeBron and a number of guys are saying, 'I'm willing to change my role from what it is on my current team to fit this team,' " U.S. Coach said. "It's called being unselfish.

"Our guys are only concerned about one score, the score on the scoreboard. You have two of the great players in the world in Kobe and LeBron and they're fine. They're fine. LeBron is more of a pass-first player anyway. You put him and Jason Kidd out on the court and you almost have two point guards, which is why our break is so good."

With the exception of surrendering 100 points against Mexico, the Americans' defense has been solid as well, holding opponents to just 36 percent shooting and 73.4 points through the first five games. Bryant has set much of the defensive tone by taking on the challenge of guarding the opposing team's best players, but James has been especially active on the defensive end, switching on picks and shouting out instructions. He also has a team-high nine steals.

"I want to try to be as aggressive as I can on the defensive end and that's one aspect of the game that I've gotten better at," James said. "Being a leader on the court, I'm going to let my game speak for itself but I'm going to go out there and try to help us communicate the best we can on defense."

James has two bronze medals in international competition, after third-place finishes in the 2004 Olympics in Athens and the world championships last summer in Japan. He said he doesn't use those losses as motivation for winning a gold in Beijing next summer.

"It's not about making up [for the past], it's a new beginning for us," James said. "For me 2004 doesn't mean much. I was part of the team but I really wasn't part of the team. This is a new group of guys and we understand how important this is and we are going to come out and play hard and try to win. We always chant: '1, 2, 3, Dominate.' We know we can go out and play the game of basketball. We know we can beat anybody."

I apologize

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LeBron James to Host NBC's SNL

Live from New York, it's LeBron!
Cavaliers All-Star forward LeBron James, fresh off co-hosting the ESPY Awards earlier this month, will host the season premiere of 'Saturday Night Live' in September, an NBC spokesman confirmed Wednesday.
The 22-year-old James will be the latest prominent athlete to host 'SNL.' His boyhood idol, NBA superstar Michael Jordan, hosted the show in 1991. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning appeared last season.
His 'SNL' appearance was first reported by Daily Variety.
James got positive reviews for his work co-hosting the ESPYs along with Jimmy Kimmel. The show honored the year's best sports moments and athletes.
James appeared in several skits and danced and sang a version of Bobby Brown's 'My Prerogative' with rewritten lyrics about his own fame.
Later this week, James is expected to report to mini-camp with the U.S. national team as it begins preparations for next month's FIBA Americas tournament, the regional qualifier for the 2008 Olympics.
Last season, James led Cleveland to its first NBA finals, where the Cavs were swept in four games by the San Antonio Spurs. He was the overall No. 1 pick in the 2003 draft, and in four seasons, James has become one of the league's star players as well as one of its most popular.

James' joke criticised

7:(

LeBron James threw the baby out with the bath wa ter when he co-hosted the ESPYs last week. In trying to make fun of his "King James" image, he created a worse one in a matter of seconds.
Shouldn't anyone be in hot water after slam-dunking a baby?
The criticism has been slight so far because ESPN broadcasts the similarly named ESPYs, and the "worldwide leader" isn't going to criticize itself. Also, the ESPYs audience skews to the young and attention-challenged.

No one except comedian Dane Cook acknowledged the ill-advised skit. Cook wondered if James' dancing in a Hammer/Bobby Brown send-up or "when he dunked the baby" was more tasteless.
In the skit, James stood at the side of the stage, holding a baby in a blanket in his arms. The baby looked too big to be his infant second son, Bryce Maximus, but who knows? It's hard to tell on TV. Then James jumped and dunked a doll wrapped in the same blanket through a basket. After it smacked off the floor, he said, "Let's see if Angelina Jolie can adopt that baby."
Jolie is an actress, a magnet for the tabloids and entertainment shows, and one half of the Brangelina couple with Brad Pitt. People magazine can't publish without them.
Jolie is comic gold to some because she is a serial adopter. But international adoption agencies say her celebrity status has brought increased awareness of the problems children face in such impoverished nations as Cambodia and Ethiopia, from which she had adopted children. Other parents have been encouraged to follow her example. It was tone-deaf to bash this kind of work.
By the most generous interpretation, the skit was part of a show-long attempt by James to mock himself while throwing criticism back at his detractors.
Some fret about his egomania because he likes to be known as basketball royalty. So the Cavaliers forward entered the show on a throne, borne by muscle-bound bearers, with what looked like the Imperial margarine crown perched on his head. Co-host Jimmy Kimmel knelt and kissed his ring.
Those of us who have been around him for years in the media like him for this. He can poke fun at himself. It is rare in a world in which players take offense at any perceived slight and speak of themselves in the third person. Later in the show, James mocked his nervous habit of biting his fingernails, chewing at them as if they were an ear of corn.
As for the baby slam, however, if it was supposed to be some kind of reply to fans wondering why he hasn't married his girlfriend, it didn't work.
And why drag Angelina Jolie in for doing a good deed in a world in need of it?
It was shock for the sake of shock. James was playing against type as the guy who wants everyone to like him. It also was an appalling lapse in judgment.
Blaming the people who wrote the script doesn't work. James has made almost no missteps in his endorsement and entertainment career. He chooses smart, funny commercials that let him "showcase," to use one of his favorite terms, his sense of humor. He has held his own with David Letterman.
It was up to him to say he would not do the skit. Because humanitarianism isn't the butt of a joke. Because child abuse isn't funny.

LeBron welcomes baby boy

LeBron James will have at least one good memory from the Finals.
James' longtime girlfriend, Savannah Brinson, gave birth to the couple's second son just before 1 a.m. Thursday at Cuyahoga Falls General Hospital. Bryce Maximus James weighed in at 8 pounds, 6 ounces and was 21 inches long when he came into the world at 12:51 a.m. Brinson chose the first name and James picked the middle name in honor of Russell Crowe's character in the movie Gladiator, James' favorite movie.
It was a long night for both parents: Brinson was in labor for nearly nine hours, and James was unable to sleep, getting no rest until after the Cavs' shootaround at 11 a.m.
``It puts everything in perspective,'' James said. ``I think this is definitely special for me, being a part of this, being a part of the NBA, being a part of the NBA Finals. Having my family is an exciting time also -- it's great. Win, lose or draw, this is special to my family. To have another James come into the family, it doesn't get any better than that.''
James was happy he could be present for the birth. He had said he would miss the birth if it conflicted with a Finals game. He and Brinson have been together for more than four years. James, who is a year older, took Brinson to her senior prom at Buchtel High in 2004. The couple had their first child, LeBron James Jr., in October 2004.
Dad is hoping his two sons can follow in his footsteps.
``Right now, they look like two small, small forwards,'' James said. ``Kind of like Tayshaun Prince.''

Bruce Bowen defense?! :-/

Bruce Bowen went into Game 1 of the NBA Finals taking sole responsibility for limiting Cleveland Cavaliers' star LeBron James.
James didn't get his first basket of the game until 7:15 remained in the third period. He missed 12 of his 16 shots and had only four assists.
Bowen, though, took minimal personal satisfaction.
"I'm happy with the victory," he said. "He didn't have a 48-point game, and I'm happy with that."
It was up to Bowen's teammates to give Bowen the credit he deserved.
"We do a pretty good job containing people," Tim Duncan said. "It helps a little bit to have somebody like Bruce. That's definitely not something you look past. He's guarded every position throughout these playoffs, and he's done a great job with it. So a lot of credit to him."
During this playoff run, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has used Bowen on Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, Deron Williams and now, James. He knows Bowen gives his team concept the best opportunity to succeed.
"He takes great pride in guarding the other team's best player," Popovich said. "He doesn't always stop him. Our team defense is what we count on, but team defense begins with individuals taking responsibility, and I think Bruce does that very well."
With four full days to prepare for the Cavs, the Spurs' coaches put together a defensive scheme to contain James that included strong hedging from the big men on pick-and-roll situations. That had the dual effect of double-teaming James while taking away his passing lanes.
Nevertheless, Bowen's approach was typically single-minded: Stay in front of James and prevent him from getting past to attack the rim and the Spurs' big men.
Duncan may be the NBA's best defender at the rim, but Bowen believes any defender that counts on him to clean up mistakes is defeated before he starts.
"If I rely on Tim, he gets past me, just like that," Bowen said, snapping his fingers. "Now it's LeBron with a head of steam against Tim Duncan. That's just a bad situation for Tim. Any time a big man is dealing with a guy coming at him with a full head of steam, it's difficult.
"So if I can do my job, in the process he can come over and help."
Midway through the first quarter, Bowen's defensive work on James forced the Cavs' star to give up his dribble, just as Duncan came over to help. A frustrated James ended up forcing up a shot that Duncan swatted right back at him.
Afterward, Bowen chuckled at the notion that Duncan might put a photo of the block in his locker. James has a photo of his dunk over Duncan in the Cavaliers' Nov.3 regular-season victory over the Spurs displayed in his locker in Cleveland.
"That's what our big fellow does for us," Bowen said, smiling. "Everybody here is trying to cover for one another. This is what happens at times."
Bowen knows what happened Thursday at AT&T Center is no guarantee the Spurs will have similar success against James in Sunday's Game 2.
"It's not something you can be too happy with at this point," Bowen said, "because at this point in the year it's about how you react after victories. I want to make sure I stay hungry and understand I can improve in some areas, as well."

LeBron James magic

Auburn Hills, Mich. -- LeBron James put on one of the most memorable playoff performances in NBA history on Thursday night.
James had dunks, fadeaway jumpers and he scored the winning basket in a thrilling 109-107 double-overtime victory over the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals.
James finished with 48 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in 51 minutes. He also scored 29 of the Cavs' last 30 points, including 25 straight. Cavs coach Mike Brown is glad he was a witness. "This was the single best game I've ever seen on this level and in this atmosphere hands down," Brown said. "He was absolutely phenomenal."
Despite his playoff-best performance, James was more satisfied with the victory.
"If I did everything I did tonight and we lost, it means nothing," James said. "The win is the most important thing for us, and we need one more win to reach our goal."
The Cavs are in the same position they were in last season in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Pistons. This time, however, the Cavs hope for different results. The Cavs can close out the series and the Pistons' season on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. in Game 6 at The Q.
"Willing my team to victory is definitely pleasing to me," James said. "This is one of the biggest wins in Cavaliers' history.
"But we have a goal. We can't dwell on this when we have another game on Saturday. We'll do our best to try to win that ball game and get where we want to be all year."
Just like last year, the Cavs trailed, 0-2, in the conference semifinals against the Pistons but roared back to win three straight. The Cavs forced a Game 7, but lost the series. Now, they're one game away from advancing to the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.
The Cavs led by two points late in the first overtime, but Eric Snow fouled Chauncey Billups with 3.1 seconds left. Billups nailed the free throws to tie the score. Snow attempted a desperation shot at the buzzer to send the game into double overtime.
Late in the second overtime, James nailed a fall-away 3-pointer to tie the score. Moments later he scored inside on a layup for a two-point lead with 2.2 seconds left. Billups missed the final shot to end the game and James' spectacular moment.
"I feel terrible," said James, when asked how he felt physically. "I'm everything. I'm banged up, I'm winded, I'm fatigued, and I have all day tomorrow. "But it'll be tough to get some rest when you have a crazy 2-year old [his son James Jr.] running around the house. Hopefully, I can take him to one of his grandmother's house."
The Cavs struggled in the third quarter throughout the postseason. They have been outscored 10 of 14 times in the third entering Thursday's game. James also has struggled in the third (averaging 5.1 points in the postseason), but the Cavs turned things around Thursday. They outscored the Pistons, 19-18, in the third, although James still did not have a breakout third (2-of-6 for six points). However, he did enough.
The Cavs trailed by eight but a 12-4 run, capped by Anderson Varejao's layup, tied the score at 65.
Tayshaun Prince fired up the Pistons and the crowd with a reverse dunk for a five-point lead, but a James' turnaround jumper followed by a James drive and kick to Daniel Gibson for a 3-pointer tied the score at 70.
In the second quarter, the Pistons extended their lead to eight, but the Cavs went to an inside game and cut the deficit to two after Zydrunas Ilgauskas' tip-in. Varejao's dunk with 2:43 left gave the Cavs' their first lead of the quarter. James' tip-in extended the Cavs' lead to three. The Pistons tied the score at 50. The Cavs trailed at the half after two Jason Maxiell free throws.
James had 13 points at the half. Billups had 13 to lead the Pistons. Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes had three fouls each at the half.
Larry Hughes started his second straight game thanks to another shot of pain killer in his injured left foot. Hughes played well early. He nailed consecutive 3-pointers. He finished with eight points in the first quarter, but added only one point in the second half.
The Pistons, however, led, 21-15, with 4:13 left in the first. It was their largest lead of the series. The crucial moment in the quarter happened late. James made a no-look pass to Varejao, who was open in the lane. Antonio McDyess came over and clothes-lined Varejao on the layup attempt. Varejao hit the floor. James ran over but players from each side held everyone back.
McDyess received a flagrant two foul, and he was ejected. James received a technical but remained in the game.

King James is dethroned??!

The NBA, like most professional leagues, often takes on a ``what have you done lately?'' mantra. For the media that cover it, the answer concerning LeBron James seems to be a resounding: ``Not so much.''
In what was considered a surprise, at least in Cleveland, James was left off the All-NBA first team, which was announced Thursday. James not only made the team last year but led in overall votes. This time, though, he wasn't all that close. The San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan edged him for the last forward spot by getting 30 more first-team votes. James landed a spot on the second team.
The Phoenix Suns' Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire, the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant and the Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki also were on the first team.
James' scoring numbers were down this season, but he became the first player since Oscar Robertson to average at least 27 points, six rebounds and six assists for three consecutive seasons. James, as he usually does, downplayed the significance of individual honors.
``It doesn't matter for me. I'm happy to be part of an elite group, it doesn't matter first or second team,'' James said. ``I've just got to play well for my teammates and continue to get better.''
James' teammates and coaches weren't as diplomatic.
``Not to mention he's one of the best individual talents in the game, he's also on a team that won 50 games,'' Larry Hughes said. ``That's definitely a knock on us and a knock on him, because he's done everything asked of him to make us one of the best teams in the league.''
``Wow. I'm shocked. Do I look shocked?'' Drew Gooden said. ``A lot of people are shocked. We'll see what happens.''
Perhaps it isn't all that surprising, considering this awards season has shown a general lack of appreciation for the Cavs' season.
``LeBron is our guy, so I'm a little biased,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. ``What he does I truly believe a lot of people take for granted. I guess that's how the business is.''
If there was any solace to be taken by the Cavs, it's their 2-0 lead over the New Jersey Nets in the conference semifinals. James focused on that and alluded to the fact that all the other players on the second team and two players on the first team are out of the postseason.
``I know we're still in the playoffs, and we won 50 games,'' James said. ``There's a lot of guys on the first team and the second team (who) are out of the playoffs -- you can take it from there.''

The Cleveland Cavaliers are still LeBron James' team, but at least at the moment he has a strong supporting cast. Guard Larry Hughes scored 27 points in Game 1. Forward Drew Gooden was the key player in Game 2, finishing with 24 points and 14 rebounds. And 7-foot-3 center Zydrunas Ilgauskas is having an excellent series, scoring 24 points on 10-for-13 shooting in Saturday's Game 3. "Last year, especially in the playoffs, if LeBron wasn't getting it done, we weren't getting it done as a team," Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. "It takes some of the pressure and load off of him and our team when other guys are able to step up. The offense is evolving to where not every play is called for LeBron. Sometimes LeBron gets action on the backside." James has been outstanding as a playmaker, drawing extra attention from the defense and finding open teammates. Ilgauskas has stepped out and made open jumpers. The same is true for Hughes and Sasha Pavlovic, whose 3-pointer off James' drive-and-dish clinched the Cavaliers' Game 3 win. "We do a lot at practice knowing I am going to receive double-teams and triple-teams sometimes. How do we react to it?" James said. "Drew had a great cut baseline last night to put us up five. Ilgauskas was able to find a comfort zone out there, and I was able to find him for a jump shot. And Sasha hit one of the biggest shots of the season, making the corner 3. Guys are making themselves available and knocking them down." Nothing special for Hughes .Hughes said he will take no extra satisfaction if the Cavaliers close a series sweep on his former homecourt. The 6-5 guard left Washington after the 2004-05 season for a five-year deal worth a guaranteed $12 million a season, with incentives that could push the deal to $14 million annually. "Not really," he said. "These are definitely my friends here. This is where just the basketball game comes into play. There is nothing extra going on." Hughes averaged 22.0 points and 2.9 steals a game and was named to the NBA All-Defensive first team in his final season with Washington. "It was a good experience for me," he said. "It allowed me to be who I am and realize what I can do. I have a lot of thanks for the guys. That's why I play the way I do."

James Scores 35 As Cavs Beat Nets

LeBron James looked playoff ready. The New Jersey Nets aren't quite there yet. James scored 35 points in 36 minutes and the Cleveland Cavaliers secured home-court advantage for the first round of the NBA playoffs with a 94-76 win Thursday night over the Nets, who blew a chance to inch closer to a postseason berth.
Larry Hughes added 19 points for Cleveland (47-32), which tied idle Chicago (47-32) for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Cavs have three games left, and they'll probably have to win them all and hope the Bulls _ who own the tiebreaker between the clubs _ stumble to avoid a possible first-round matchup against the Miami Heat.
With a few trademark dunks, and more energy than he's shown in recent weeks, James took over in the third quarter, scoring 15 points when the Cavaliers shot 82 percent (14-of-17) from the field to blow the game open.
Vince Carter scored 26 points to lead the Nets (37-41), who came in as the East's No. 7 seed.
A victory would have reduced New Jersey's magic number for clinching a sixth straight playoff appearance to one. However, the Nets were out of synch offensively and got just five points from Richard Jefferson and only eight from Jason Kidd.
Jefferson, who was coming off a season-high 35-point performance against Washington, was only 2-of-13 from the field.
New Jersey's next chance to lower its magic number will be at home on Friday against New York.

LeBron and Marbury in Shoe War

Stephon Marbury gave his sneaker rebuttal to LeBron James and said the Cavaliers superstar didn't do his "homework."
James, who has a $90 million endorsement contract with Nike, took a shot at the quality of Marbury's sneaker/apparel line before Wednesday's Knicks game. The discounted Starbury shoes go for $14.98 and his T-shirts and sweatshirts for $9.99. By comparison, James' Zoom LeBron IV retails for $150 and a James' T-shirt for $55.
"I laughed," Marbury told The Post when he saw the remarks. "I'd rather own than be owned. When he retires, he's not going to own anything.
"I don't think he did his homework," Marbury added. "We're putting out the same stuff he's putting out, just at an affordable price. But I understand that he's got to say that because it's part of the business."
James said Wednesday he would never have a discount line.
"Me being with Nike, we hold our standards high. And we do a great job of putting out great merchandise, great shoes. It does come with a price that is pretty high, but at the same time you're getting great quality for it."
Marbury, who makes $17 million this season on his Knicks' contract, said he's not in it for the money. James is making $5.8M on the tail end of his rookie-scale deal.

Cavaliers beat Knicks

LeBron James scored 21 points with 10 assists and the Cleveland Cavaliers were barely threatened in a dull 90-68 victory over the sluggish and sloppy New York Knicks on Friday night.
The Cavaliers, who were humiliated in an overtime loss to Charlotte and humbled by Dallas on consecutive nights earlier this week, took control in the first quarter and handled the Knicks with ease.
Larry Hughes and Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 16 points apiece for Cleveland, which has won nine of 11 to keep pressure on Detroit for the best record in the Eastern Conference.
The Knicks are going in the other direction.
Eddy Curry scored 27 points with nine rebounds to pace New York, which lost for the fifth time in six games and is running out of time to make a playoff push. The Knicks scored just 12 points in the fourth quarter, only 30 in the second half and had their lowest-scoring game this season.
Rookie Renaldo Balkman added 12 points for the Knicks, who had 20 turnovers.
James, who was dazed after banging his head on the floor in a nasty fall against the Mavericks, seemed to be himself while scoring 14 points in 18 minutes of the second half. When Cleveland pushed its lead to 21 in the fourth quarter, James came out and spent the final 5:47 on the bench.
He grabbed a seat just before his 2-year-old son, LeBron James Jr., threw a plastic orange ball from his courtside seat onto the floor for the second time this season.

LeBron back after sitting for a game

After missing Tuesday night's home game against Sacramento with back spasms, James flew here with the team and felt much better when he woke up. He got some rest, put some heat on his back and then after a long pre-game massage, declared himself ready to go against the Grizzlies.
"If I didn't feel like I was ready to play, I'd do what I did last night," James said about an hour before the game. "I'm definitely ready to play. I won't hold back. My back is a little tight, but it's not going to stop me from doing what I can do on the court.

"A back is off and on. Sometimes it flares up. An ankle's a little bit different. If you're out and try to come back after an ankle injury, sometimes you are a little hesitant. I'll definitely try to be myself out there tonight and go out and get a win."
After Tuesday, the Cavs are 9-2 without James, 3-0 this season.
"I told them if they want me to sit out the rest of the regular season, I would," James said with a laugh. "Then they straightened their faces out."
Ira paying off:
James' return cost Ira Newble his second straight start. But Cavs coach Mike Brown said he would try to find him some minutes.
"He's been showing he deserves some time on the floor," said Brown, who started Newble against Sacramento. "But I looked also at who our opponent was, and I saw No. 93 [Ron Artest] in the other uniform. Our best and biggest and most physical perimeter defender is Ira."
Shooting stars:
Tuesday night against Sacramento, the Cavs shot .541 from the field, .565 from three-point range and .905 from the free-throw line. The last time the Cavs shot .500 or better from the field and 3-point range and at least .900 from the free throw line was Dec. 11, 2001, at Houston (.554 field goal percentage, .538 3-point field goal percentage, .900 free-throw percentage.) Last night marked just the fifth time the feat has been accomplished by the Cavs in the past 10 seasons.
The last word:
From James, when asked if the Grizzlies, with the worst record in the league, could hope for a player like him - "I don't know if the Grizzlies will be able to get a player like me, but . . ."

LeBron and Wade rivalry

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade made like magicians that afternoon, causing eight players to disap pear. James and Wade entered a zone and locked the door behind them, seamlessly turning a team contest into a one-on-one showdown straight off the playground.
Basketball fans, whether at The Q, listening to the radio or watching on television, likely have clear mental images from April 1, 2006 - the most recent matchup in Cleveland between James' Cavaliers and Wade's Miami Heat. The Cavaliers rallied to win, 106-99.
Either player will be hard-pressed to top what he did that afternoon when the teams face each other tonight at The Q. James finished with 47 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists and two steals in 46 minutes. He originally was credited with a triple double, but the NBA office later erased an assist upon film review. Wade countered with 44 points, nine assists, eight rebounds and two steals in 43 minutes.
Given the quality of the teams involved, the competitiveness of the game and the skills displayed by the two headliners, it ranks among the NBA's most entertaining regular-season games in years.
"Honestly, we knew it would be an instant classic, the way we were going back and forth and competing and trying to help our team win," James said after practice Thursday.
"It was one of those games where it seemed like you could play all night."
For this classic, James and Wade wrote, produced, directed and acted - particularly when it mattered most. What elevated this game to epic status was their performance in the fourth quarter.
James scored 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field and 4-of-4 from the line in his 12 minutes. He had three assists. Wade stared back with 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field and 2-of-2 from the line.
Cavaliers coach Mike Brown found himself periodically reaching for imaginary popcorn.
"Sometimes you get caught up in the moment, where you forget what you're doing and just watch, and this was one of those times," Brown said. "It was a privilege to be there."
Heat coach Pat Riley, not one prone to hyperbole, seemed awestruck afterward.
"Dwyane made some incredible, incredible plays, as did LeBron," Riley said. "So from that standpoint, people got a view of absolute greatness. The bigger the moment, both of them stepped up even bigger. I haven't seen [two] players do that in a long, long time."
James and Wade, by point or assist, factored in 75 percent of the scoring in a quarter controlled by Cleveland, 37-26. They did so with a variety of moves and shots worthy of the Harlem Globetrotters.
"I remember one time after I scored, he scored, I scored, he scored, we kind of looked at each other and said, 'Hey, bring it home, let's see who'll bring it home,' " Wade said Thursday after the Heat's practice at The Q. "It was fun in the moment. He came out with the win, so I think he had a little more fun than I did. But it was exciting."
In a three-minute span early in the fourth, James was 3-of-3 for eight points and Wade was 4-of-5 for nine. In a three-minute span late, James was 3-of-3 for six points, plus two assists, and Wade was 3-of-5 with a free throw for seven.
"It was a case of, 'Can you top this?' where both players eminently succeeded in doing just that," said Michael Reghi, who called the action for WUAB Channel 43. "It was basketball theater at its finest, a ballet with a couple of Baryshnikovs."
As he processed what had unfolded, Reghi envisioned an even bigger picture.
"I'm thinking, these two megastars might be in the middle of a legitimate team rivalry," Reghi said. "For too long, the NBA has been devoid of big-time, bitter team rivalries. The genesis is a great player on each side."
The optimal place for a rivalry to get its sea legs is the playoffs. It almost happened for the Cavaliers and Heat last spring. The Cavaliers were one game from facing the Heat in the Eastern Conference finals - it would have been their first meeting since the April 1 game - but the Detroit Pistons won the last two games of a semifinal to advance.
Miami defeated the Pistons before disposing of the Dallas Mavericks for its first NBA title. Wade carried the Heat in the finals, becoming the first of the 2003 draft class's celebrated Big Three (Wade, James, Carmelo Anthony) to win a ring.
The Cavaliers were forced to wait until Feb. 1 to resume their dealings with the Heat. It did not go well. Wade scored 24 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter as the Heat came back to win, 92-89, at Miami. The Cavaliers were outscored, 34-23, in the fourth in part because James failed to hold up his end.
James, playing on a tender right big toe, finished 6-of-18 from the field and 3-of-8 from the line for 17 points. He accepted responsibility for the loss, saying, "I owe my team one."

LeBron takes responsibility for loss

A sprained right big toe couldn't keep LeBron James out of the Cleveland Cavaliers' starting lineup Thursday night vs. the Heat.

But whether it was the lingering effects of the injured toe or the Heat's defense, James wasn't himself in the Cavaliers' 92-89 loss at American Airlines Arena.

The NBA's seventh-leading scorer with a 27.2-point average, James was held to 17 points on 6-of-18 shooting from the floor.

James, who had missed two of the Cavaliers' previous three games, had a particularly nightmarish stretch over the game's final 1:02. He missed 3 of 4 free throws, was charged with a flagrant foul and missed a potential game-tying, three-point attempt at the buzzer.

"I take full responsibility for this loss," James said. "I had a lot of chances to put us up two or tie the game and I didn't make plays for our team to win. As a leader, I didn't come through. I owe my team one."

James' output was a far cry from his sizzling performance the last time he faced the Heat and Wade. In that April 1 shootout, James scored 47 points while Wade registered 44 in the Cavaliers' 106-99 victory.

Wade nearly matched that performance on Thursday with 41 points, including 24 in the final quarter as the Heat overcame an eight-point deficit after three periods.

James, 22, wasn't able to keep up. He scored three points in the first half and connected on only 2 of 5 shots from the field and 2 of 5 free throws in the fourth quarter as the Cavaliers wilted.

"We played three or four different defenders on him and they all did a pretty good job," said Heat center Shaquille O'Neal.

Asked if he were hampered by the toe, James said, "It felt pretty good. That was not an issue tonight."

James said he expects the injury to linger for the remainder of the season, adding that the only way to make it better is with long-term rest.

"But right now there's no rest to get," James said. "We have a lot of ballgames to play. An injury like this, you have to wait until the off-season where you can really stay off of it for two or three weeks, where you can actually do nothing. That's when it's going to get better."

The pain from his injured toe has not been "unbearable," according to James, but it has been frustrating. Given the choice, James said, he would rather deal with an injury that keeps him out for "two or three weeks" but heals in that period of time.

"When you have an injury where you feel good sometimes and you don't feel good other times, it's kind of frustrating," James said.

LeBron leads in All-star voting!

CLEVELAND - LeBron James got two pieces of good news on Thursday, one physical and one ceremonial.
The NBA officially announced James had become the first member of the Cavaliers to lead the league in All-Star voting, garnering more than 2.5 million votes (second most all-time), to edge injured favorite Yao Ming by about 1 million votes. James will make his third consecutive All-Star start and defend his game Most Valuable Player trophy on Feb. 18 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
He will be joined in the Eastern Conference starting lineup by Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade, Gilbert Arenas and Chris Bosh. The West starters will be Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and Yao, although he won't be able to play.
It was a special triumph for James, whose game always has had All-Star billing, but unseating Yao and his huge Asian following shows his popularity has reached international levels.
"Just getting the opportunity to be the leading vote-getter is kind of unbelievable,'' James said. "That's something I've never dreamed of. I've always wanted to be an All-Star, but being the leading vote-getter over guys like Vince Carter, Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade and Allen Iverson, you never think that's going to happen.''
On another front more important to the Cavs and their issues of late, James got a clear medical report on an issue with his right big toe. He injured the toe during the Cavs' West Coast trip and re-aggravated it in Wednesday's loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. That prompted an X-ray on Thursday that caused him to miss the Cavs' brief practice at Quicken Loans Arena.
The exam showed no damage and it's expected James will start when the Cavs play the 76ers tonight in Philadelphia.
James has been fighting a number of nagging injuries of late. His right ankle was hurt when the Denver Nuggets' J.R. Smith landed on him last Friday. He has a sore muscle in his side after he landed awkwardly after getting a rebound Monday against the Orlando Magic. He also banged his neck and back Wednesday crashing into the stands.
Earlier this month, he wore a sleeve on his right arm for a week to help clear up bursitis in his elbow and a brace on his left knee to help relieve tendinitis.
There is no break in sight, however, and there won't be over the All-Star Weekend, either. James already has hinted he will take part in All-Star Saturday, likely in the skills challenge competition. James finished second to Wade in the event last year, a night before he became the youngest All-Star MVP in history. He scored 29 points and had six rebounds in the East's 122-120 victory in Houston's Toyota Center. James had 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists in his All-Star debut in 2005 in Denver.
"It's always special to be a part of All-Star Weekend,'' James said. "I think the No. 1 reason is because the fans vote you in. It's the one opportunity in the NBA season where the fans can bring all the best players to one venue.''