Cleveland (3-3) at New York (1-4)

Cloudy Currently: New York, NY
Temp: 51° F
  • Game info: 8:00 pm EST Fri Nov 6, 2009
  • TV: ESPN, MSG

By BRIAN MAHONEY, AP Basketball Writer Nov 6, 1:08 am EST

Preview | Box Score | Recap

GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) - LeBron James(notes) is coming to town, and New York is throwing a parade.

A little early to start the recruiting pitch, isn’t it?

Actually, the parade is for the Yankees, but James won’t mind. He’s a huge fan of the World Series champions.

Besides, Broadway is all his after that.

“My parade starts at 8 o’clock tomorrow night,” James said Thursday before Cleveland hosted Chicago.

The Cavaliers (3-3) visit Madison Square Garden on Friday night, James’ only chance this season to put on a show at the arena he adores.

Watch out Knicks.

“He’ll be glowing. He’ll be ready,” said New York guard Larry Hughes(notes), a former Cleveland teammate who keeps in touch with James. “He may not say he’s ready, but he’ll be ready to perform.”

James seems to do something spectacular whenever he plays in New York. Last time it was a triple-double - for a couple of days, anyway.

He lost one of the rebounds after a video review but still scored 52 points, joining Michael Jordan as the only visiting players with multiple 50-point games at the present building.

This season’s NBA schedule sends James to Madison Square Garden only once.

Knicks fans hope it’s the last time he plays there as a visitor.

James can become a free agent on July 1 and the Knicks have cleared enough cap space to offer him a maximum salary contract. He’s never said he wants to leave Cleveland, but he’s never ruled out coming to New York, either, so his future will be hotly debated until then - especially Friday.

“There will be a lot of intensity,” James said. “The fact that we only play there once, there’s going to be a lot of energy to the see the team and see us and see me. July 1 is right around the corner so it’s going to be really exciting.”

Friday’s itinerary figures to feature 48 minutes of basketball and at least as much talk about free agency. James can tempt the fans, torture the Knicks and tease the media. And as usual, everyone will hang on his every word, hoping he drops some hints about his plans.

“Guarantee you first time he comes here, if he goes down the corner and has a bagel and says that was good, headline’s going to say, ‘Hey, LeBron loves New York food,”’ TNT studio host Ernie Johnson said last week.

Larry Bird, Charles Barkley and commissioner David Stern are among the NBA heavyweights who have said they hope James remains in Ohio, where he shot to stardom as an Akron schoolboy before turning the formerly losing franchise down the road into a powerhouse.

Others think he won’t be able to resist New York, where he can make the Knicks relevant again on the court while making millions more off it in a much bigger market.

Kenny Smith agreed with Barkley, his TNT partner, that it would be nice to see James stay home. He isn’t sure that will be the case, though.

“That’s a great story, but obviously that story might not play out,” Smith said. “If it was going to play out, I think it would have played out already. I think we would have known last year what’s going on. I think he’s really entertaining moving. He’s not a sentimentalist like we are right now.”

James could refuse to talk about it, but he seems to enjoy the flirtation, meeting the media before games in New York when many superstars prefer to wait in the restricted trainer’s room during pregame availability. He always makes sure to leave New Yorkers hope, such as last season when he said, “You have to stay open-minded if you’re a Knicks fan.”

“I don’t tease,” James said Thursday. “I have never teased the New York media by saying I was coming to New York or playing for the Knicks. I say the same thing every time. When July 1 gets here, I’m going to approach it like a businessman and approach it the best way for LeBron and his family, but I’ve been a Cav for seven years now and I’ve never given any indication of leaving.

“For me to say I’m not going to be a Knick or I’m going to be a Cav, or I’m not going to be a Cav and be a Knick, I’m not going to say that right now because I did a three-year contract for a reason. I want to keep my options open.”

Hughes said the Knicks (1-4) get a kick out of the LeBron speculation, too.

“It could be anything. If we have a bad meal on the plane, ‘Hey, meals would be better if ‘Bron was here.’ It’s things like that,” he said. “We have to have fun with it.”

Friday is probably the hapless Knicks’ most anticipated game of the season, their first nationally televised one at home since March 19, 2006. They risk being embarrassed in front of ESPN’s audience if James is as good as he’s been in recent visits.

He had 50 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in his last 2007-08 trip, then finished with 52 points and 11 assists in February. James scored only 26 in the first matchup last season, but that was only because he sat out the fourth quarter of a blowout.

James averages 30.1 points at the Garden, just slightly behind Kobe Bryant’s(notes) 30.5 for most by an active player, according to STATS LLC.

“I don’t want to be cute or flippant, but there’s a lot of arenas that he goes into that he has big games,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said. “So we notice it because we’re here, but I’m sure if you’re in Sacramento, you go, ‘Man, every time he comes in here he’s killing us.”’

And if James does it again Friday, Knicks fans will cheer him like he’s one of their own.

They hope someday he will be.

AP Sports Writer Tom Withers in Cleveland contributed to this report.

Updated Nov 6, 1:08 am EST
digg del.icio.us
more

Team Comparison

Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Cleveland 10-4 1st Central / 4th East 99.1 95.1 Road 5-2 Won 2 8-2
New York 3-11 4th Atlantic / 14th East 100.6 107.4 Home 1-7 Lost 2 2-8

Notes

F LeBron James banked in a 41-foot shot to beat the halftime buzzer, capping a 20-9 run that gave the Cavaliers a 12-point lead. ... C-F Ben Wallace, who missed Cleveland's final two regular-season games with a strained knee, played 11 minutes Saturday. He collected just one rebound while failing to take a shot. ... The Cavs are only one of five teams to win 39 regular-season home games.

Apr 18, 6:45 pm EDT

Before the game, USA Basketball presented Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni with a ring to commemorate the Americans' gold medal-winning performance at the 2008 Olympics. D'Antoni was an assistant coach on Mike Krzyzewski's staff. ... F-C Chris Hunter, a former NBA D-Leaguer who signed with the Knicks on Tuesday, did not dress because of a sprained left ankle.

Apr 15, 10:42 pm EDT
NBA

81 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. fritzel
    81. Posted by fritzel Mon Nov 9 8:25am EST

    Report Abuse

    soon..watch it out
  2. bluemoon
    80. Posted by bluemoon Sun Nov 8 10:42pm EST

    Report Abuse

    hate to say it to you clevland fans lebron is gone next year, he love new york it is his dreram to play for new york ,i mean he wore a yankee blue logo a week ago , that just show you how much he want to play for new york!lebron is as as gone after this season ,if you cleveland fans knows he is gone by next year would trade lebron to new york for 2 first draft choice if you know he not coming back this year by mid or three quarter of the year gone and cleveland can't win it thia year year
  3. Steven
    79. Posted by Steven Sun Nov 8 10:04am EST

    Report Abuse

    daniel just watch gossip girl with 50 cent and that gay ass soulija boy.
  4. fritzel
    78. Posted by fritzel Sun Nov 8 1:25am EST

    Report Abuse

    lebron kobe team up,unbeatable
  5. daniel
    77. Posted by daniel Sun Nov 8 12:48am EST

    Report Abuse

    hey little timmy boy your man lbj cant win a championship if you gave it to him on a silver platter, kobes the best along with mj check out the history dumb ass, i didnt see your man who just as much loves to hog the ball as anyones else, you could tell from the begining of the game that he wanted to break kobes 61 point game at the garden but he got benched and knew he couldnt do it, only man that can is kobe remember when kobe beat dallas in 3 quarters of play, 62 to 61 lets see if your man can do it , NOT, and by the way kobes was not guilty of any crime dont you watch the news, guess not cause your head is so far up lebrons ass thats why, i bet if lebrons wanted to rape you you would say yes LOL, try a new sport to follow there timmy boy cause you just dont know @#$% about this game.
  6. jaymee
    76. Posted by jaymee Sat Nov 7 4:13pm EST

    Report Abuse

    #61....you hit it right on the nose. he could average 50 a game and cruise to the nba championship and I will still say good riddance when he leaves at year end. he throws words around like 'humbling' yet is fast becoming one of the most arrogant pro athletes to (as you say) ever lace 'em up in that or any other sport. I'll start attending cavs games again after he departs. they might not win as many but they'll be playing as a TEAM once again.
  7. Steven
    75. Posted by Steven Sat Nov 7 4:09pm EST

    Report Abuse

    michael f you just jealous of him because everybody likes him and he is rich while you just hang out in your car on the computer every day.
  8. kevinc
    74. Posted by kevinc Sat Nov 7 4:07pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Cleveland is a s-hole city but there is no way he signs with New York. What a pathetic franchise. Maybe they had an outside shot, some hope around this time last year but this game showed the pitiful desperation of their fan base. Just look at some of the pictures that accompany this story, these Knicks fans are CLOWNS. They show it every year at the NBA Draft. New York is just a tacky city full of attention-whore loudmouths. WOW LOOK AT ME I DRESSED UP LIKE A MORON AND WROTE OUT A SIGN AND ALREADY PIECED TOGETHER A MAKESHIFT LEBRON JAMES JERSEY AT HOME HE'S GOING TO BE SO IMPRESSED THIS IS DEFINITELY GOING TO SEAL THE DEAL.
  9. cali native
    73. Posted by cali native Sat Nov 7 4:03pm EST

    Report Abuse

    get em lebron
  10. hot shot
    72. Posted by hot shot Sat Nov 7 3:49pm EST

    Report Abuse

    even though i am a celtic fan i say if lebron's jumper gets better he will be unstoppable bt he first need to win a nba finals then he will be in the talk witl larry bird and micheal jordan
  11. matt
    71. Posted by matt Sat Nov 7 3:31pm EST

    Report Abuse

    wow # 70... u just wake up from hibernating or are u just stupid..or both..lol
  12. evelyn
    70. Posted by evelyn Sat Nov 7 3:11pm EST

    Report Abuse

    hey I just heard that Shaq is going to play for the cavalers so now Labron wants to leave can't stand a little compation. I love the cavalers my daughter works for danny gilbert.
  13. <i>janice1201</i>
    69. Posted by janice1201 Sat Nov 7 2:33pm EST

    Report Abuse

    The Knicks horrible. However, Lebron will fall fast because he basically always wants to show out and be the star of the team like he's the only one who can shoot threes. He passses only when extremely needed and sometimes he barely cares. Lets get serious the only reason we won yesturday is because Jay-z (his Bestfriend) and the yankees (his favorite team) were in the audience cheering him on. It has notin to do with wanting to score for the garden. he put on this show and this win for his friends. And for who ever left a post about cleveland never winning anything i bet we a beat ya mama's ass!!!!
  14. <i>jlp518jcu</i>
    68. Posted by jlp518jcu Sat Nov 7 2:25pm EST

    Report Abuse

    the only reason NY wins anything is because they throw a huge amount of money at a bunch of greedy players (too bad for the knicks on that one-thank god for a cap) oh and your city is filled with a bunch of snobby rude people that make the city trash - ya please I want to live there!
  15. MarkK
    67. Posted by MarkK Sat Nov 7 2:02pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Can't believe he only scored 33 against a horrible Knicks team. Just because James might go to New York doesn't mean he's going to win anything. He's going to need more help than what they have there now. He better hurry up he'll be on his way down soon.
  16. MarkK
    66. Posted by MarkK Sat Nov 7 2:02pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Can't believe he only scored 33 against a horrible Knicks team. Just because James might go to New York doesn't mean he's going to win anything. He's going to need more help than what they have there now. He better hurry up he'll be on his way down soon.
  17. <i>robbrewstir</i>
    65. Posted by robbrewstir Sat Nov 7 1:08pm EST

    Report Abuse

    All we hear about is this love affair that New York has with LeBron......then how come these New Yorker's failed to go see his movie More Than A Game, this fall, and how come all the film critics in NY only, gave it reviews like they hadn't even seen the film? Probably because they didn't. Probably because New York really doesn't like LeBron as much as the media would like to promote. In fact, based on how really fantastic the film is and how really bad New York supported it, I think New Yorkers are closet haters of the King. Tha't's right New York, I'm calling you out..... New York or any franchise would be lucky to have LeBron, and to deserve him, means supporting him and his endeavors, whether you like him or not. the way Cleveland does. So far, LeBron has given more to yNew York, like gyms for kids, than they have given to him. You showed disrespect when you didn't support his film. It just happens to be your loss, New York, again.
  18. leryz
    64. Posted by leryz Sat Nov 7 12:49pm EST

    Report Abuse

    there is no doubt lebron is one of the best if rated in their rookie years. He is like a red hot chilli pepper, instant hot. But if you surrounded him with teammates who don't have the heart to win, sad to say he probably end up like barkley who always looking up the stars waiting where to fall to catch them. Total package wise he is. the best. Teammates wise he is unfortunate.
  19. benard
    63. Posted by benard Sat Nov 7 12:38pm EST

    Report Abuse

    After losing a game to Obama's home team the chicago bulls,LeBron came back breathing fire with 33 points to help the cavs beat the Newyork Knicks
  20. Texas_Hurricane
    62. Posted by Texas_Hurricane Sat Nov 7 11:54am EST

    Report Abuse

    Congratulations Cleveland Fans,

    Your Team Beat The Worst Team In The NBA!

    Hold Your Heads Up High And Be Proud....
  21. Cublover21
    61. Posted by Cublover21 Sat Nov 7 11:43am EST

    Report Abuse

    LeBron James care more about his image, and being world known, more than any "superstar" that has laced them up.
  22. Antigua108
    60. Posted by Antigua108 Sat Nov 7 11:13am EST

    Report Abuse

    Impressive win? In the last two or three years the only team that has a right to call a win over the Knicks impressive should be Memphis. The Cavs are supposed to beat "no Talent" team like the Knicks with regularity. "King" James can only muster 33 points? What's that about? The little cry baby "king James" sure is racking up those wins now that Shaq is there... The Cavs had its best year... and I'm not sure it was last year either.
  23. Daniel
    59. Posted by Daniel Sat Nov 7 10:43am EST

    Report Abuse

    your the best idol James
  24. Shizhong
    58. Posted by Shizhong Sat Nov 7 10:29am EST

    Report Abuse

    23i llike you but i love 24more
  25. Michael F
    57. Posted by Michael F Sat Nov 7 10:27am EST

    Report Abuse

    Chris Rock bout as funny as a rubber crutch.
Sign in to post a comment, or sign up for a free account

Team Stat Leaders

Points
Rebounds
Assists

Scoreboard

Friday, Nov 6

YAHOO! CANADA SPORTS

ALSO ON YAHOO! CANADA

THINGS YOU CAN DO

- Site Map

Copyright © 2009 2009 STATS LLC and The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the STATS/AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of STATS LLC and The Associated Press.