Empty the Bench

There’s a lot to process from last night’s thrilling double-overtime win by Lebron James over the Detroit Pistons. And that’s what it was, from midway through the fourth quarter on: the 22-year-old superstar taking the weight of his team, his franchise, on those impossibly broad shoulders and single-handedly defeating a squad of determined veterans. He beat a group of vets that have collectively defied the NBA’s concerted efforts to re-establish itself as a league led by amazing superstars, not amazing teams.

For the past five seasons, these Detroit Pistons have not been beaten by one player. Not Tracy McGrady. Not Jason Kidd. Not Kobe, Shaq, Wade, Dwight Howard, or Reggie Miller. When they’ve fallen, it was to teams employing multiple weapons: the San Antonio Spurs in 2005, the Miami Heat in 2006. For the first time last night, however, a “super star” beat this “super team,” and the end result carries all kinds of ramifications and consequences. And the series isn’t even finished yet, though I have a sneaking suspicion it will be come Sunday morning. Let’s hope we’re treated to a deciding Game Seven.

There’s a few other stories in the sports world today that we’ll try to get to–is TNT broadcaster Steve Kerr really the new GM of the Phoenix Suns–but last night was a game for the ages. More specifically, that was an individual performance for the ages, and we’re going to dedicate the bulk of ETB’s content today to covering it. But since we do have day jobs–surprise!–we’ll have to lean on our fellow writers for some help in trying to make sense of everything.

Part I of our look back at Cleveland’s double-overtime win in Detroit last night starts off where it should: in praise of Lebron James’ Superman imitation. For the record, his quest to become the biggest marketing machine of all time is more than a little sickening, and I think his antics on the court can be very obnoxious at times. But we’re not going to shy away from giving credit where credit is due: that’s probably the best one-man show I’ve ever seen in the postseason. Ever. Here’s a round-up of reactions to Lebron James scoring 29 of his team’s final 30 points, 25 points in a row, and all of the Cavs’ points in the overtimes (17).

As a Pistons fan, it’s a tough, tough day. As a basketball fan, last night was something special.

Matt, Detroit Bad Boys:

Double-teaming him doesn’t work, man-to-man doesn’t work. There is no fair way to stop this man. After watching the play, my immediate reaction (after picking my jaw up off the floor holding back some tears) was that I wish someone had put him on the floor and made him earn it from the line. Not just a hard foul which might have resulted in a three-point play; no, I wanted somebody to hurt the guy. Yes, physically hurt him, go beyond the rules of the game and give him a bruise in two different places: on his face from where someone would shove the ball into his huge nose and on his ass from when he would fall out of orbit and back to earth. Needless to say, my head was in a bad place.

Brian Windhorst’s Cavaliers Blog:

I’ve watched LeBron play roughly 500 games in person from places like Rehobeth Beach, Del., to Sapporo, Japan, to Bakersfield, Calif., to something like 17 times at the Palace of Auburn Hills now. Never have a seen a performance like that from him and never have I seen him be so calm. He wasn’t demonstrative and making all those primal faces, he was just coldly killing the Pistons. It isn’t often you know you are experiencing history at the moment it is happening. It doesn’t matter which team you cover as a journalist or which team you root for as a fan, there was no way you could watch LeBron score 25 straight points and think you weren’t being given a gift of an experience.

Chris McCoskey, The Detroit News:

LeBron James unleashed a mighty shot and a mighty dunk, and then another, and another, and another. It was crazy and stunning and probably historic. And with that finishing flurry, surely one of the most amazing the NBA has ever seen, he pushed the Pistons to a truly bitter brink. The Pistons have teetered so long against the Cavaliers, you really can’t be surprised. James has risen so quickly, conjuring all the great superstar performances in playoff history, there might be no stopping him now. James and the Cavs attacked and attacked and wore the Pistons down. And the brutal fact is — he might have worn them out — with a knockout looming.

Fear the Sword:

Nothing I could say would give justice to what LeBron James did last night. There are different levels of greatness, a level where you realize after the game you witnessed something great, and another where you actually utter the words while the game is going on. Last night was the latter. Everyone watching the game knew they were watching something special, whether you were in the building or not. Several thousand Pistons fans didn’t want to leave, stunned and shocked at what they had Witnessed.

After the pain of this loss has subsided in Detroit, the fans in attendance will even grow to appreciate what they saw, what they were luck enough to Witness first hand. As for me, I didn’t want to turn the TV off. I watched TNT until their coverage stopped, then ESPN News well into the late night. I didn’t want the dream to end. That is how greatness is measured, and we were all Witnesses to it last night.

Drew Sharp, The Detroit Free Press:

Amass every superlative ever used in describing a clutch playoff performance, and it would still fall a few adjectives shy of accurately portraying LeBron James’ legendary, yes, legendary effort in what was already a memorable night at the Palace. The Pistons spent everything they had, fired every weapon in their arsenal, and it still wasn’t enough to offset James’ singular brilliance.

Vincent Thomas, SLAM Online:

Dude is 22. Unlike Young Magic, Bron is the only star on his squad. Bron was battling early-series criticism that challenged his mettle, fiber, mentality, manhood, desire and overall essence – emotional/mental foes tend be more daunting than the physical ones. Bron was playing the best team in his conference, his squad’s arch-nemesis. Bron was playing IN Detroit. Bron scored his team’s final 28 points in the midst of an ultra-close game where Cleveland was either clawing back or trying to maintain a small advantage. Bron hit two, late go-ahead buckets. Bron hit the game winner. LeBron James’ Game 5 blackout was The Greatest Playoff Performance In NBA History. Don’t argue this.

Drew Gooden, starting power forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers:

“I felt like I was playing a video game out there with the Cavaliers, just watching him take over like in a video game.”

Will Leitch (?), Deadspin:

Heavens to Betsy: We think it’s possible that LeBron James has proven himself in the fourth quarter. Or in overtime. Or in double overtime. Or, perhaps soon, in the NBA Finals. He scored the last 25 points for the Cavs. That, friends, is ridiculous. Consider our jaws officially agape.

Henry Abbott, True Hoop:

People have known what LeBron James is like on a regular night. Now, however, he has been facing extraordinary pressure. All the criticism after Games 1 and 2. The Conference Finals. Down 0-2. Is he the kind of guy who gets better or worse under that kind of pressure. This has been our first real chance to find out. I bet most of us thought he would wilt a little. But that would be wrong.