Lebron Talks Tough

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- LeBron James didn't smile or crack any jokes. This wasn't the time.As his teammates finished shooting free throws after practice on Thursday night, Cleveland's superstar stood against a wall and fixed his eyes on an imaginary target moving closer by the minute. The postseason has arrived, and with it another chance at an NBA championship. "I am serious," James said about his sober demeanor. "This is the playoffs." James and the Cavaliers, who have spent nearly one year trying to get over last season's disappointing loss to Orlando in the Eastern Conference finals, will begin their run toward a title on Saturday when they host the Chicago Bulls, a team that beat them twice during the regular season and most recently on April 8. The Bulls, who in recent days have been dealing with ugly reports of an altercation between coach Vinny Del Negro and executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson, are huge underdogs against the Cavs -- the league's best team all season. But despite the perceived mismatch and Chicago's long odds, Bulls forward Joakim Noah James has other plans. said he and his teammates plan "to try to shock the world" and upset the Cavs. "We're ready for the challenge," James said. "I think Noah's a really good player. He's a really good talent. But, you know, he asked for us a couple weeks ago and he got us. So we're ready. It's a different monster they're going to be playing against on Saturday."

I don't wanna hate Lebron. I'd like to be like everybody else and yank on his jock strap and all that shit but I can't. Sometimes I feel like the kid in the locker room who doesn't have armpit hair yet. Looking around lost, pleading for answers from the back row of books in the library. I tried to fit in and embrace Lebron but it didn't work. Most probably read this quote and said "Oh no. Lebron is about to get silly." Well, I read it and claimed bullshit. I can't take the kid seriously yet. I don't think he has the balls of MJ or Kobe in crunch time. I point to the Cavs/Celtics game on easter when he brought the Cavs back from down 22. MJ would have finished the Celts off. Lebron stole the ball, ran down to the 3 point line and bricked it. He could've tied it up with an easy 2 but he wants to be something he's not. A cold blooded killer.