CLEVELAND — LeBron James took the first step Monday. Now he wants to take another one and earn NBA All-Defensive team honors.
The Cavaliers small forward received one first-team vote and two second-team votes in balloting done by the league’s coaches, who were not allowed to choose players on their team.
“It would be very rewarding,” James said of one day making the first or second team. “That’s something I came into this season trying to accomplish. I wanted to be one of the best defensive players in the league, but especially on our team.”
James has become the latter, especially late in games when he’s often used to lock down the opponent’s hottest perimeter scorer.
“He will definitely be on the first All-Defensive team,” Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. “The things he does out on that floor, nobody else can duplicate.”
Entering Game 4 against Boston at Quicken Loans Arena, James had helped hold Paul Pierce, Boston’s leading scorer during the regular season at almost 20 a game, to 12.3 points a night on .343 shooting.
“I know the concepts of playing defense,” James said. “I’ve been successful this whole season trying to lock down guys.”
The increased emphasis the 6-foot-8, 250-pounder has put on that end of the floor has gone over well with his extremely defensive-minded head coach.
“He is mentally trying to pick it up every time he’s on the floor,” Brown said. “I do see him being on the All-Defensive team very soon.”

More defense

Boston’s Kevin Garnett and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant headlined the All-Defensive team, which is sort of like winning a Gold Glove in baseball: Once you get the first one, a lot more usually follow.
Garnett, earlier named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year, earned his ninth selection, while Bryant made the team for the eighth time. Others on the first team were 2007 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Camby of Denver and San Antonio’s Bruce Bowen and Tim Duncan. Bowen made the team for the eighth time, Duncan for the 11th.
The second team was comprised of Houston’s Shane Battier, New Orleans’ Chris Paul, Orlando’s Dwight Howard, Detroit’s Tayshaun Prince and Phoenix’s Raja Bell. Boston’s Rajon Rondo tallied 11 points and three first-team votes, while Pierce had two points.

‘Boobie’ trapped

Cavaliers guard Daniel “Boobie” Gibson entered Game 4 averaging just 4.0 points in the series. He was 3-of-10 from the field, including
2-of-6 on 3-pointers.
“He’s not as aggressive as he should be,” Brown said. “You do have to give Boston credit, though. They’re doing a good job of not leaving him.”

Tight rotation

Brown used just eight players in his rotation in Game 3, leaving Sasha Pavlovic on the bench until garbage time. He said the move wasn’t planned, but came about because starting shooting guard Wally Szczerbiak was playing well.
“I just felt like I ought to go back to Wally,” Brown said. “I go into a game with my substitution sheet, but I very rarely follow it. I go off my gut.”

Hold your fire

NBA commissioner David Stern, making his annual tour of the playoffs, was in attendance for Game 4 and said he’d like to see teams across the league limit all the pyrotechnics currently involved in pregame introductions.
“It’s ridiculous,” he said. “The noise, the fire, the smoke is an assault we seriously need to reconsider.”
Cavaliers power forward Ben Wallace had to leave Game 2 in Boston due to dizziness he believes came about as a result of all the smoke inside TD Banknorth Garden.

TV time

The league’s television ratings are up substantially on ABC, TNT and especially ESPN.
“At the end of the day, we have a product people want to see,” Stern said.
Contact Rick Noland at (330) 721-4061 or rickn@ohio.net. 

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