Antawn Jamison is what the Cavs need (Chris Broussard)
-
hoops23
I'm happy for Antawn, because he is a great guy (and a Tar Heel) and to finally be in a good situation after all these years must be a huge sigh of relief for him... He's had a great individual career, and obviously a championship would be the icing on the cake for him.CHICAGO -- No one in the NBA has a game like Antawn Jamison. Other players shoot the ball in odd ways. Other guys have unconventional styles. But no one plays basketball like Jamison.
Contest him in the paint and he'll swing his arm 180 degrees and toss in a scoop shot underneath your armpit. Guard him on the wing and he'll go by you and finish with a one-hander across his body, even though he could have squared up and been a lot more "textbook.''
But don't knock it. It works for Jamison and now it's working for the Cavaliers.
Sunday, in a game Cleveland needed badly in order to put the stubborn Chicago Bulls in their place, Jamison scored 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds to help the Cavs gain a 121-98 victory and a 3-1 lead in the series.
Jamison wasn't The Show. We all know that's nearly impossible considering who he is teammates with. But he was a superb supporting actor to LeBron James, who channeled Oscar Robertson in earning his fifth career triple-double in the postseason. It was a Man's 3-D too: 37 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists.
"It came down to LeBron and Jamison,'' Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said.
How often have we heard that -- that it came down to LeBron and someone else? Usually, it's just LeBron.
But with LeBron pushing 40 and Jamison 25, the Cavs were a load Sunday. And it's no surprise. Since 2006, Cleveland is 9-1 in the playoffs when one of James' teammates scores 24 points or more.
Jamison, who's averaging 18 points and eight rebounds for the series, did his damage in smorgasbord fashion. He sank a 3-pointer, scored in the post, put back offensive rebounds and drove for layups, often, of course, finishing with a strange-looking shot that hit nothing but net.
"Of all my seven years in the NBA, I've always said Tawn is the most unorthodox guy we have in our league,'' said James, who called Jamison "the X factor'' in Game 4. "He makes shots that I've never seen before. It's unbelievable some of the shots he makes -- the flip shots, the underarm shots. It's hard to guard a guy like that, and it's really effective. I'm glad he's on our side now.''
So is Jamison, who battled and lost to James in three consecutive postseasons while playing for the Washington Wizards. While much has been made about LeBron's pursuit of his first championship and Shaquille O'Neal's quest for his fifth, Jamison's thirst for a ring has gone overlooked.
For him, a title would cap a great career and also be a just reward for a two-time All-Star who's averaged 19.8 points and 8.1 rebounds over his 12 seasons. One of the most admired and respected players in the league, Jamison has spent much of his career amid dysfunction, toiling in Golden State for five years and Washington for five and a half. To finally have a shot at winning it all is like being in some sort of Wonderland for the 6-foot-9 forward.
"It's the opportunity of a lifetime,'' said Jamison, 33. "It's been 12 years, and I've accomplished a lot on the individual level, but as far as the team level, I haven't gotten past the second round. It seems like every year around this time I'm sitting and watching other teams and other guys get an opportunity and come June, I'm sick. It's frustrating.
"[Winning a championship] is the only thing that drives me. It's the only thing left for me to accomplish. My name has been associated with being a good guy, a great teammate, a good guy in the locker room, but the one thing I want that name to be associated with is being a champion. I haven't done it on the college level, and it's been difficult the last 11 years, so hopefully this is the opportunity. I think it's a great one.''
With the Cavs coming off a sorry performance in Game 3, Jamison seemed a bit more aggressive than usual. Many of his plays were game changers.
In the second quarter, he scored nine points to help the Cavaliers take a 62-52 lead into the locker room. Less than two minutes before intermission, he drove down the left side of the lane and hit a one-handed shot with his right hand while being fouled by James Johnson. His ensuing free throw pushed the Cavs' lead to eight, their biggest margin to that point. In the third quarter, Jamison scored 12 points to help Cleveland turn it into a laugher.
Now about all those weird ways of shooting.
Perhaps Jamison developed his style in middle school, when his dad, Albert, accidentally made the family hoop 11 feet high rather than the standard 10 feet. Jamison's not placing culpability on Dad, but even if he were, it'd be credit, not blame.
"Once I got to college I was still the skinny little kid and everybody outweighed me by 30, 40 pounds and two or three inches, and it's just something that comes natural,'' said Jamison, who played his college ball at North Carolina.
"My teammates joke with me all the time, [asking] do I be in the gym in the summertime working on those shots? I do not. But it's been successful so far and I'm really comfortable with it. It throws my opponent off. I have no idea how I developed the unorthodox style, but as long that ball keeps going in the basket, I'm happy.''
So are LeBron and the rest of the Cavaliers. -
SQ_CraziesI'm glad he's on our side as well because he really helps the cause and he was the only Wizard I liked during all that crazy business--only reason I had not to like him was that he aways killed us.
He's pretty underestimated in the grand scheme of things but he's just never been THE GUY on a team. Aside from a very short stint at the end of his Washington days. But he's 59th overall in career PPG in NBA history. That's elite. 16th among active players. Ahead of guys like KG, Magic, Gasol, Cousy, Reggie. Not saying he's as good as some of those guys--but the numbers are what they are. It will probably be lower after his later years are over, but he'll still be top 100 (top 100 makes you one of the best players that ever lived). Been in the league 12 years is it? And he's 59th overall...he is the guy that LeBron never had. Funny how FW didn't see it. -
newarkcatholicfanI can remember reading several post saying that he was not what the Cavs needed.
Funny how things change. -
Midstate01
nothing changed, you were reading footwedge's comments. He'd probably still stick to them too. Don try to make it something it isn't. Worry about your own team. You guys have been saying the lakers were just waiting for the playoffs, well the playoffs are here. You're all tied up 2-2.newarkcatholicfan wrote: I can remember reading several post saying that he was not what the Cavs needed.
Funny how things change. -
newarkcatholicfanI do not remember anything by footwedge not saying he did not say anything. I know it was more than one post and am sure their were more than one poster doing the posting.
-
devil1197It was Footwedge only, multiple pages of his BS.
-
Fly4FunNCF... it was ALL footwedge. He was the only person who didn't like the trade. He was vehemently against the trade for weeks after. And he let it be known multiple times on every thread.
Don't confuse what footwedge says with what everyone else thinks. -
Scarlet_Buckeye
Really? Who said this? I'm pretty sure as soon as it was announced the Cavs landed Jamison just about every Cavalier fan needed to change their underwear... and not for brown reasons.newarkcatholicfan wrote: I can remember reading several post saying that he was not what the Cavs needed.
Funny how things change. -
cviewAntawn Jamison is a pro's pro. This article was spot on--- he doesn't have a pretty game and he's probably not the guy you'd look at and say "Hey! That's how basketball is played!" But he's very effective and I think in Cleveland he is finally in a spot where he belongs: as option B. If he's the guy that's option 1a or 1b like he was in Washington, then you're not going to be winning much of anything (much like Gasol in Memphis, Ray Allen in Boston, Ginobili in SA. Great players, possibly/probably HOF'ers but not the guys that can just say fuck it and go win a game by themselves). But you put him in a situation where he doesn't have to carry the load and can simply be what he is- a complementary player- and dude will thrive.
-
Benny The JetIs it just me or is Antawn one of those guys that you don't really notice him scoring throughout the game, but then you look at his line at the end of the game and he's got 18 and 10? I like it.
-
SageChris Broussard sure does love the Cavs, lmao.
-
jpake1Broussard does seem like a big Cavs supporter. That's absolutely cool though.
-
fiver
Absolutely and that's what I love about him and it's what the Cavs needed. A solid 2nd to 3rd option and he is certainly doing his job well.Benny The Jet wrote: Is it just me or is Antawn one of those guys that you don't really notice him scoring throughout the game, but then you look at his line at the end of the game and he's got 18 and 10? I like it. -
SQ_CraziesSage wrote: Chris Broussard sure does love the Cavs, lmao.
He went to high school in Cleveland and his first writing job was at the Plain Dealer. If you read his stuff often, or see him on ESPN often, you'll hear him talk about how he's a bit of a Cavs homer--he doesn't really try to hide it. I mean, he ain't Windy, but he definitely supports the Cavs.jpake1 wrote: Broussard does seem like a big Cavs supporter. That's absolutely cool though. -
SageAh, that makes sense then.
-
jpake1Yeah I've read and seen his stuff. Never knew he was from the area though.
-
wes_mantoothBroussard is always a guest on the Cleveland sports talk shows.
-
2quik4ulol
-
Society
Funny how things have changed even more.newarkcatholicfan wrote: I can remember reading several post saying that he was not what the Cavs needed.
Funny how things change. -
jordo212000Jamison crapped the bed tonight. What a "little game" player
-
hoops23Yeah he did.
It hurts me, because I'm a HUGE UNC fan and was ecstatic to get Antawn.. He choked big time. -
SQ_CraziesHe sure did.
-
JugheadMidstate01 wrote: nothing changed, you were reading footwedge's comments. He'd probably still stick to them too. Don try to make it something it isn't. Worry about your own team. You guys have been saying the lakers were just waiting for the playoffs, well the playoffs are here. You're all tied up 2-2.devil1197 wrote: It was Footwedge only, multiple pages of his BS.Fly4Fun wrote: NCF... it was ALL footwedge. He was the only person who didn't like the trade. He was vehemently against the trade for weeks after. And he let it be known multiple times on every thread.
Don't confuse what footwedge says with what everyone else thinks.
Ahem...
http://www.ohiochatter.com/Thread-Cavs-Bobcats-2-19?page=3
I did not give a valid reason to not like the guy, but something told me it was a bad trade even though we got Z back. -
SQ_CraziesHe didn't play poorly all series. Just didn't have it tonight. And it didn't help that KG had it going. Give KG the credit he deserves. He's always been a player that can do certain things that are unstoppable--when he's on you just have to have an answer. Nothing you can do about that 10 foot fade away...literally, nothing you can do except get lucky every once in a great while and block it.
-
hoops23Yeah, nobody could have guarded KG tonight. Not when he's hitting fade-away 10 and 15 footers. Antawn did a good job of forcing him into those shots.
Really, it's not even Antawns fault. Mike Brown TRIED to make him a spot up shooter, which he is NOT.
We never did put Antawn in a good situations offensively.