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LeBron shows his defensive value in battle with Rose

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-05-25 17:45

Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose (C) is blocked by Miami Heat's LeBron James (L) and Joel Anthony during Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Finals NBA basketball series in Miami, May 22, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

Role reversal

The television highlights usually show James making spectacular dunks, delivering crucial three point shots and twisting and turning to make jump shots but his work at the other end of the court can often be just as crucial.

On Tuesday he displayed the pace to get back down court quickly, the positional awareness to get in the way of shots and the physical attributes to get in a scrap for the ball when needed. And he loved every minute.

"I play both sides of the floor. I love defense much more than I do offense," James said. I just take pride in that side of the floor. It is great when you have guys behind you that also love to play defense, you know that you have got help if you get beat."

The key play in the game came when Rose, with James astride in front of him, failed to make a potential match-winning shot, forced into a fade-away jump shot, with the final play of regulation.

"On the last shot - all you could do is contest," James added.

"There are not too many guys that are going to block his shot on the jump shot. But I just tried to make it hard on him, get the contest and I made him take a tough one".

James is now a game away from the NBA finals but he said Thursday's Game Five in Chicago is going to be tough. "We are looking at it as a must-win for us. We know it is a challenge going back into the madhouse.

"It is going to be extremely loud. They're going to feed off their fans and we are going to play as desperate as we've played the last three games."