The Cavs couldn’t have had two more inverse weeks than the last two. After going 0-4 and facing an avalanche of criticism during four consecutive losses from Nov. 17-22, the Cavs bounced back and went 3-0 last week with LeBron James averaging 25.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 8.7 assists rebounds and 2.3 steals per game in that span. But after bringing the chalk toss back for his move to Cleveland — following a fan vote — he’s nixed the iconic pre-game ritual.
Per Joe Vardon of the Northeast Ohio Media Group comes news of the two small changes James has made in-between the divergent weeks:
LeBron James now shoots with teammates about an hour before the game and he has apparently stopped doing the chalk toss.
[…]
Most players shoot before games, usually somewhere between 90 and 50 minutes prior to game time. James hadn’t done it once all season until Monday night, choosing instead to stretch and go through rigorous calisthenics and body maintenance with trainer Mike Mancias, who’s followed him from Cleveland, to Miami, and back again.
Perhaps shooting before games was a way to help James begin games with a better feel for his shot.
Doing away with the chalk toss – in which he tosses talcum powder into the air from the scorer’s table before each game — has very little to do with playing better.
So much about the Cavaliers revolves around James. He garners the most attention from the press, gets the loudest cheers from the fans, is most prominently featured during the team’s pregame introductions…and all for good reason.
The chalk toss was one more thing that put James on a different level from his teammates. That may not be why he dumped it — there was no chalk toss prior to at least the last two games — but the result is another in which James can lead by example.
Shooting with his teammates before the game and doing away with the chalk toss aren’t related. One has to do with finding some comfort shooting the ball before the game starts, the other has to do with routine and superstition. Whatever works for James, he’ll stick with, and if that means he doesn’t throw some talcum powder in the air at the scorer’s table before the game starts, Clevelanders won’t really care so long as he wins. Right now they’re winning, so the chalk toss should — and does — take a big back seat.
Does this really matter?
Follow Dime on Twitter at @DimeMag.
Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook HERE.
