Cleveland Should Forget LeBron and Focus Anger at Their Own Team

      So LeBron James’ return to Cleveland finally happened. After the most hyped free agent decision in sports history, after all the vitriol directed toward James for the way he handled making that choice in joining the Miami Heat, and after all the public buildup to his eventual return to Cleveland, it was over within one quarter. The Heat may have only led by eight points after 12 minutes, but we all knew what the outcome was. Say what you will about LeBron since “The Decision” (and if you are anything like me, which in this case most of you are, the things said about King James haven’t been very amiable), but at least for one night, the disgust has to be aimed elsewhere: the Cleveland Cavaliers.

     For the Cavs team to virtually no-show in this game, considering that it may have been the only game this season in which their fans needed them to play their hardest, was absolutely indefensible. And make no mistake about it; the fans were excellent and showered LeBron with boos and insults at pretty much every chance they got. After watching what their home team allowed what their former hero to do, those fans shouldn’t return to another game this year. I watched this game with a bunch of friends while cruising through various other games via dual televisions, then cruised through it again later on to make sure I didn't miss anything, because I was almost sure I did. However, the second viewing simply reconfirmed what I believed, which is that the Cavs could have done so much more for their fans.

     
     Look, we can say what we want about whether the Heat are good as a whole (they aren't) or if the Cavaliers just plain stink (they pretty much do). I can't honestly tell you that the Cavs had to win that game, because that's not fair considering they aren't the better team. But the one thing they could have done for their fans if they weren't going to win was make sure LeBron James didn't impact the game. They should have double-teamed LeBron and made Dwyane Wade score 50 points before James even scored eight. And when he still scored, tripled-teamed him; any time he went to the basket, hard foul him. I firmly believe that the Cleveland fans would have barely minded losing, if it meant that James was shut down. Allowing James to drop 38 while losing so badly that he could sit back and relax in the fourth quarter is unacceptable.

     Make no mistake about it, LeBron James is one of the top two players in the NBA, depending on who you ask. He's not an easy guy to contain. But for the Cavaliers, knowing how much stopping him meant to their fans, they should be apologizing to them for the next month for what they allowed LeBron to stomp on their hearts again. Except this time, it was right in front of their own eyes.