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NBA Capsules: Memo to LeBron: MJ is doing fine without your help
Comments 0 | Recommend 0Memo to LeBron:
With all due respect, you're taking this "King James" thing too far.
Being a great player and one of the best talkers in the league doesn't mean every half-baked idea that pops into your head has to come out of your mouth. If all you want is a new number, say so. If it's more adulation, then just say that. There is enough of both left to go around.
If it's only the number, send a letter to the league office by March handing back No. 23, bring your marketing people into the loop and then show up next season — wherever that turns out to be — wearing No. 6.
It's that easy.
In the meantime, save your breath. Nobody is buying that cockamamie story about you wanting to make sure that Michael Jordan 's contributions to the game are "recognized in some way — soon."
Jordan already has one of the most recognizable faces on the planet. He also owns six NBA rings, every other line in the record book, two Olympic golds, an NCAA championship, a statue in Chicago, a bust in the Hall of Fame and a fortune — I could go on — but perhaps most impressive, his name is, and always will be, part of the conversation whenever and wherever basketball is played.
He's done fine without your help.
And as long we're being brutally honest, the one thing you could do for him is to hang onto your old number. More than a few of us see it on your back and think, "That No. 23 is incredible ... but he's no Michael Jordan."
If it's any consolation, neither is anyone else. Kobe Bryant tried going down that road — copying Jordan's walk, mannerisms and even his speech patterns — but it turned out to be a dead end. It took him a while to figure it out, but you can't be like Mike, either — at least not until you've got a half-dozen championships in the bag.
Being compared to him has to be more depressing still. My guess is that's what prompted this whole episode. You were in Miami the other night, with Jordan in the stands, yet all anybody talked about before the game was the announcement that Heat guard Dwayne Wade had been "hand-picked" by Michael to debut the 25th anniversary model of the popular Air Jordan sneaker line.
So you drop 34 points on the Heat, win the game, and come up with an homage of your own: a petition drive to get every player who wears No. 23 to give it up and retire the number league-wide. Never mind that NBA policy leaves the decision up to each team.
"I feel like no NBA player should wear 23," you said. "Nobody. If I'm not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it."
Maybe it's just coincidence the dozen other players currently wearing the number are rookies or scrubs; or that a new No. 6 jersey might be the only way to nudge you back atop Kobe on the merchandise-sold list. But the first maneuver makes you look like a bully, and the second like a pawn in some viral marketing campaign.
Then again, maybe it's just part of your preparations for what's already been dubbed "The Summer of LeBron." You'll be an unrestricted free agent then, with an unfettered hand to write your own ticket in a town of your choosing. The higher-ups in Cleveland won't tell you to button it up at the moment because they won't risk aggravating you.
Apparently, you didn't hear the word 'no' often growing up, and there's no chance you'll hear it from the assembly of yes men surrounding you now. But you're a smart kid and besides, it's never too late to exercise a little self-control.
So do the rest of us a favor: no more carrying on about how you want to honor Jordan by taking off No. 23, or how you plan to begin honoring Julius Erving by putting on No. 6. More than a few of us see that number even now and think of Bill Russell first.
That's the problem with your whole plan.
There are great players in every era, but nearly every one of them won a few titles before they began regularly holding court. You're in the headlines almost every day, but you've been to the NBA Finals exactly once. As Magic coach Stan Van Gundy tried to explain, a little perspective in such matters goes a long way.
When Van Gundy heard about the plan to retire Jordan's number, he started making up a list. Even the shortest one would have to include Russell, Wilt, Kareem, Oscar, Dr. J, Magic and Bird.
"There were guys who could play the game before Michael. LeBron James didn't grow up watching those guys play," Van Gundy said.
"Pretty soon our players will be wearing 373. All the two-digit numbers will be taken."
The great thing about being a kid is that by Tuesday night, you'd already moved on to another topic — offering to save the Cleveland Browns.
"If I put all my time and commitment into it, if I dedicated myself to the game of football, I could be really good," you said.
No doubt.
But the next time the temptation to talk about yourself arises, remember — leave a little oxygen for the rest of us.
Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke@ap.org
Magic would go along with plan to retire No. 23
NEW YORK — Magic Johnson would go along with LeBron James' plan to have NBA players stop wearing No. 23.
James said last week he would change jersey numbers next season in honor of Michael Jordan, and said no other players should wear it, either.
Critics of his plan said other players before Jordan deserved the honor at least as much, with some using Johnson and Larry Bird as examples. But Johnson praised James for showing respect to those before him, and said he and Bird would be supportive.
"We care about the game," Johnson said Wednesday. "We care about what's important and so if everybody votes in terms of nobody should wear 23, we're going to be the first ones to say it should happen."
A leaguewide retirement is unlikely, since the NBA leaves the decisions on retiring numbers to the teams. But if there was to be a change in policy, Johnson seems to agree with James that Jordan would be worthy of the honor.
"I think we all know how the game was and how it meant and who's made a difference in the game and Michael has definitely made a big difference in the game," Johnson said. "Larry and I started it off and then just like Dr. J and those guys passed it on to us, the baton, and we passed it to Michael and he took the game to a whole other level. So we're all in favor of that if that's what everybody wants to do."
Johnson also praised Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for coming forward with news that he has leukemia, saying his former Lakers teammate would help in the fight against cancer.
"It says a lot about his character and who he is to go out and then to come out publicly with his announcement and then willing to be the spokesperson and the face of cancer," Johnson said.
"He's going to help a lot of people. I think you'll see a lot of people starting to get their checkups, get their physicals, starting to check for it, and Kareem is a very committed guy, so once he makes a commitment he gives 150 percent and so you'll see him very involved. That's who he is. He cares like I care about people, so it's great."
Johnson spoke to a small group of reporters from his Los Angeles office via Cisco's WebEx video conferencing. He announced that he'll be using the technology in his Magic Johnson foundation's 18 community empowerment centers, allowing children to communicate with each other around the country.
The Hall of Famer said he would also use the technology in his many business ventures, allowing him to cut back on his travel.
"We're able to work faster now, more cost effective now," Johnson said. "So this has saved us a lot of man hours in terms of getting on planes and that situation where we can now see our centers and work with our centers and our directors every single day."
Shaq (shoulder) to sit out at least 1 more game
WASHINGTON — Shaquille O'Neal could miss the Cleveland Cavaliers' next couple of games with a strained shoulder.
O'Neal did not travel with the Cavaliers for their game at the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night, the third consecutive time he sat out.
Cleveland coach Mike Brown said O'Neal also will be out Friday at Indiana, and the center also might be sidelined for Saturday's home game against Philadelphia.
"It's early in the year. We all have a better comfort level than what we had in Game 1, Game 2, Game 3. And so in my opinion, it's an opportune time to let him get some rest and let him get his body back," Brown said.
Asked if it's that he doesn't want O'Neal to play every game, Brown replied: "I'm not thinking of, 'He's got to play 'X' amount of games.' Just like in practice, I'm not thinking, 'He's got to practice 75 percent of the time.'"
Then, pointing to his gut, Brown continued: "It's just right here, and if I feel it, I sit him down. If I don't, then I won't. If he feels it, hopefully he'll communicate it with me, and same with our trainers. We'll just kind of go from there. But really it's not anything I'm doing that's scientific or with a formula to it. I'm not that smart."
O'Neal is playing about 24 minutes per game this season, averaging 11.3 points and 6.8 rebounds.
Anderson Varejao has a bruised hip and also was inactive against Washington.
"If tonight was a playoff game, he would play," Brown said.
The Cavaliers entered Wednesday on a five-game winning streak.
LeBron James hurts left wrist on rim vs. Wizards
WASHINGTON — LeBron James hurt his left wrist by banging it on the basket while dunking late in the Cleveland Cavaliers' 108-91 loss to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.
"I hit it pretty bad on the rim," said James, who iced his wrist in the locker room after the game. "It's like you hit your funny bone, but it's not funny at all."
He said it happened on one of his driving dunks that closed Cleveland's scoring with more than 2 minutes left.
"Didn't feel good at the time," said James, who added that he hurt the same wrist earlier this season.
He finished with 34 points and nine assists.
Tinsley plays in first game since 2007-08
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Jamaal Tinsley saw his first NBA action since the middle of the 2007-08 season when the guard entered the Memphis Grizzlies' game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night in the first quarter.
The Grizzlies signed the former Indiana Pacers point guard on Saturday in hopes of bringing in a veteran playmaker to help run the Memphis offense. He joined the team Monday, worked out Tuesday and went through shootaround earlier Wednesday
"He's going to play," Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said before the game. "I don't know how much, but why wait?"
The Pacers bought out Tinsley in July. He had not played since the middle of the 2007-08 season when off-court issues led to Indiana telling him to stay away from the team.
In his seven seasons with Indiana, Tinsley averaged 10.4 points and seven assists. The assists average puts him seventh among active players.
Wizards F Antawn Jamison makes season debut
WASHINGTON — Wizards forward Antawn Jamison has made his season debut, starting against the Cleveland Cavaliers after missing Washington's first nine games.
Jamison injured his right shoulder during an exhibition game last month. After his shoulder healed, he was sidelined with the flu.
Jamison is Washington's captain and led the team in scoring and rebounding each of the past two seasons.
While he returned, the injury-hampered Wizards were without reserve forward Fabricio Oberto against Cleveland on Wednesday because of a hurt left hamstring.
Washington entered the night with a six-game losing streak and a 2-7 record.
Blazers' Outlaw out 3-5 months after foot surgery
PORTLAND, Ore. — Trail Blazers forward Travis Outlaw had surgery Wednesday to repair a stress fracture of the fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot.
The team says he will be sidelined three to five months.
Outlaw, who averages 9.9 points, hurt the foot during the first quarter of the Trail Blazers' game against Charlotte on Saturday night.
The 6-foot-9 sixth man averaged 12.8 points last season and has been dubbed "Mr. Fourth Quarter" because of his knack for making important shots late in the game.
MRI on Birdman's knee reveals no structural damage
DENVER — The Denver Nuggets say Chris "Birdman" Andersen is day-to-day with moderate patellar tendinitis in his right knee.
Anderson has been sore, so he underwent an MRI on Wednesday in Denver, and Dr. Steve Traina said the test revealed no structural damage.
Also, guard Anthony Carter is listed as questionable for the Nuggets' game Friday night against the Clippers in Los Angeles. He has sat out the last two games with a strained left hip.
Haslem sits out against Hawks with sore shoulder
ATLANTA — Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem is sitting out against the Atlanta Hawks because of an ailing left shoulder.
Haslem said before Wednesday night's game that his shoulder began hurting about a week ago after a stint in the weight room. He aggravated the injury Tuesday when he fell on his shoulder during a loss to Oklahoma City.
Haslem said he wanted to be on the court but the coaching staff decided to play it safe. The Heat hope he will play Friday at Toronto.
Bucks' Redd to give 150 dinners to families
MILWAUKEE — Bucks guard Michael Redd will start the NBA Cares' season of giving when he hands out 150 Thanksgiving dinners to Milwaukee families on Thursday.
Redd is purchasing and distributing 2,800 pounds of turkeys along with all of the traditional fixings and will hand them out at a Milwaukee community center.
Redd's effort is also being supported by several other Milwaukee companies and more than 2,400 individuals to give more than 1,500 dinners to deserving families in the area.
Arenas waiting for 1 million followers to tweet
WASHINGTON — Gilbert Arenas is waiting for an audience.
The enigmatic NBA point guard and former blogger extraordinaire finally signed up for Twitter, but he says he won't post anything on the social networking site until he has 1 million followers.
Could be quite some time: Arenas' feed had fewer than 1,700 followers as of Wednesday night.
"Once I get a million followers, I'll do it," Arenas said after his Washington Wizards beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-91 Wednesday.
Asked why he picked that number, he said because it's "so far-fetched."
When someone pointed out to Arenas that the way people tend to accrue followers is by tweeting, he replied: "I'm trying to do the opposite."
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