INDEPENDENCE: First it was the mask, then it was the tights, now it's the glove.
LeBron James' various injuries in his career, from a cracked bone in his face to tendinitis in his knee to his current sprained left index finger, have required him to resort to all sorts of different devices for protection. Nothing has seemed as complex as the contraption he debuted this week when he returned after missing five games with the finger problem.
The black Velcro, nylon and padded glove covers the top of James' left hand while another piece of fabric protects his index and middle fingers. It looks like the cross between what a cyclist and bowler would wear and is not at all attractive. James isn't going for a Michael Jackson retro look, so he doesn't much care for its look. But he appreciates its purpose.
''I didn't like the mask, and I don't like this either,'' James said. ''I don't look good with it on, and I need to look good when I play. It's comfortable to the point where I can go out and play, and it hasn't been a problem.''
The glove comes from Cavs athletic trainer Max Benton's stock of braces and pads. Benton first saw the so-called ''impact glove'' at an athletic trainer's convention. It's mostly used for football lineman.
It has moveable padding that can be adjusted to protect certain areas, and it acts as a shock absorber. When there's pressure applied, the design disperses the force. Also, the wrap doesn't cover the palm, allowing for more feel when handling the ball.
So Benton, who has several backups with him at all times, rigged the glove so the padding covers the knuckle, where James is most sensitive. Then he paired it with a wrap for James' fingers, and it was enough to get the Cavs' star back on the court.
Total cost, about $40.
''It's weird,'' James said. ''But I'll wear it until I'm comfortable getting hit
on it and being able to go out and play the next day.''
Kidd dreaming
Recently there was a swarm of attention when Jason Kidd skipped a New Jersey Nets game amid rumors he was trying to force a trade, maybe even a trade to play in Cleveland with his new friend James. It has been a topic of conversation between the two for months.
Tonight at the Izod Center, James will be on the court with Kidd for the first time since last summer's Olympic Qualifying Tournament, and he's let himself dream about the pairing.
For now, that is all it is, a dream.
''If there's one guy in the world who says they can't play with Jason Kidd, they're drunk,'' James said. ''They've been drinking all day and all night. It'd be great for our team if you could land a guy like Jason Kidd, but you don't want to harp on it because you don't know if it could happen or not.''
Boobie update
Daniel Gibson was able to take part in practice Thursday, and the Cavs have upgraded him to questionable for tonight's game. But he was too shy to allow cameras to see his swollen face and jaw following surgery to remove a wisdom tooth Monday.
''It's been bad from the headaches and just feeling out of it, and I got a little cold from it,'' Gibson said with a towel wrapped around his face. ''I feel a little better each day. I've been getting a lot of ice cream and popsicles, but I miss my hamburgers and french fries.''
Dribbles
Cavs coach Mike Brown said that with James, Larry Hughes and Gibson soon all to be healthy for the first time in a month, there was going to be a playing-time crunch at the guard spots. Sasha Pavlovic will remain in the starting lineup, but Shannon Brown, Eric Snow, Damon Jones and Devin Brown all face cuts in playing time. . . . The NBA released its first batch of All-Star voting Thursday. James is second in the Eastern Conference with 597,768 votes, behind Kevin Garnett's 735,664. . . . James on whether he ever has been followed in his car in the wake of gunmen who followed Indiana Pacers guard Jamaal Tinsley last week: ''Every NBA player has been in a situation when you're being followed and you just don't drive home. If you got fast cars like I've got, for the most part you're not going to catch me.''
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brian Windhorst can be reached at bwindhor@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/cavs/.
INDEPENDENCE: First it was the mask, then it was the tights, now it's the glove.
LeBron James' various injuries in his career, from a cracked bone in his face to tendinitis in his knee to his current sprained left index finger, have required him to resort to all sorts of different devices for protection. Nothing has seemed as complex as the contraption he debuted this week when he returned after missing five games with the finger problem.
The black Velcro, nylon and padded glove covers the top of James' left hand while another piece of fabric protects his index and middle fingers. It looks like the cross between what a cyclist and bowler would wear and is not at all attractive. James isn't going for a Michael Jackson retro look, so he doesn't much care for its look. But he appreciates its purpose.
''I didn't like the mask, and I don't like this either,'' James said. ''I don't look good with it on, and I need to look good when I play. It's comfortable to the point where I can go out and play, and it hasn't been a problem.''
The glove comes from Cavs athletic trainer Max Benton's stock of braces and pads. Benton first saw the so-called ''impact glove'' at an athletic trainer's convention. It's mostly used for football lineman.
It has moveable padding that can be adjusted to protect certain areas, and it acts as a shock absorber. When there's pressure applied, the design disperses the force. Also, the wrap doesn't cover the palm, allowing for more feel when handling the ball.
So Benton, who has several backups with him at all times, rigged the glove so the padding covers the knuckle, where James is most sensitive. Then he paired it with a wrap for James' fingers, and it was enough to get the Cavs' star back on the court.
Total cost, about $40.
''It's weird,'' James said. ''But I'll wear it until I'm comfortable getting hit
on it and being able to go out and play the next day.''
Kidd dreaming
Recently there was a swarm of attention when Jason Kidd skipped a New Jersey Nets game amid rumors he was trying to force a trade, maybe even a trade to play in Cleveland with his new friend James. It has been a topic of conversation between the two for months.
Tonight at the Izod Center, James will be on the court with Kidd for the first time since last summer's Olympic Qualifying Tournament, and he's let himself dream about the pairing.
For now, that is all it is, a dream.
''If there's one guy in the world who says they can't play with Jason Kidd, they're drunk,'' James said. ''They've been drinking all day and all night. It'd be great for our team if you could land a guy like Jason Kidd, but you don't want to harp on it because you don't know if it could happen or not.''
Daniel Gibson was able to take part in practice Thursday, and the Cavs have upgraded him to questionable for tonight's game. But he was too shy to allow cameras to see his swollen face and jaw following surgery to remove a wisdom tooth Monday.
''It's been bad from the headaches and just feeling out of it, and I got a little cold from it,'' Gibson said with a towel wrapped around his face. ''I feel a little better each day. I've been getting a lot of ice cream and popsicles, but I miss my hamburgers and french fries.''
Dribbles
Cavs coach Mike Brown said that with James, Larry Hughes and Gibson soon all to be healthy for the first time in a month, there was going to be a playing-time crunch at the guard spots. Sasha Pavlovic will remain in the starting lineup, but Shannon Brown, Eric Snow, Damon Jones and Devin Brown all face cuts in playing time. . . . The NBA released its first batch of All-Star voting Thursday. James is second in the Eastern Conference with 597,768 votes, behind Kevin Garnett's 735,664. . . . James on whether he ever has been followed in his car in the wake of gunmen who followed Indiana Pacers guard Jamaal Tinsley last week: ''Every NBA player has been in a situation when you're being followed and you just don't drive home. If you got fast cars like I've got, for the most part you're not going to catch me.''
Comments (0)
Print
Tell friend
Top
