LeBron James and the Miami Heat were embarrassed Tuesday night in San Antonio with a 113-77 loss. So, according to ESPN.com, James made a promise Wednesday for the next game.
“I guarantee I’ll be better for tomorrow,” the reigning MVP said before the Heat began practice at the AT&T Center.
"As dark as it was last night, it can't get no darker than that, especially for me," James said. “I mean, 7-for-21 isn't going to cut it. It's impossible for me to go 7-for-21, shoot 33 percent from the field and not have free throws. You have to figure out ways offensively that you can make an impact."
Many have called for him to be more aggressive, wondering why he isn’t taking more shots and driving to the basket. During a previous press conference he pointed to his days in Cleveland, saying he was scoring 35 points per game and they still lost. It seems he has had a change of heart, acknowledging he has to attack more.
According to Dwyane Wade, one of the other two members of the Big 3, James cannot take all of the blame. None of the Big 3, which is rounded out by center Chris Bosh, have eclipsed the 20-point mark in the 2013 NBA Finals.
"We have to try to do our best to make more of our opportunities," said Wade. "We're getting some shots that we want. You know, it's everybody. Obviously, it starts with us three. We have to do a better job of being that quote, unquote, Big Three and leading our team."
James acknowledged the great defense the Spurs are playing on him. However, Coach Gregg Popovich seems to be getting tired of all the focus being on the Heat superstar.
"Our team defense is just not [about] LeBron," the Spurs head coach said. "You all keep bringing up LeBron, but we're guarding other people with the same team defense that we're guarding LeBron. It doesn't change with every single individual every time down the court. Team D is team D."
Amidst talk of what he should do, James has taken his own look at game film to decide where he can be better.
"Getting the ball on the move, get some early offense, not playing against their set defense as much," James said Wednesday after looking at game footage Tuesday following the loss. "They're doing a good job when I come off pick-and-rolls, they have a guy shrink the floor at the elbow and getting a big in front of my body, and a guy guarding to pressure the ball as well. They are putting me in a position where they can crowd me a lot. I'm going to … do a better job of attacking their defense [Thursday]."
The next game of the NBA Finals is Thursday, June 13 at 9:00 p.m.
