James refuses to make excuses

The Cavaliers will try to climb out of a 2-0 hole Sunday in Game 3.

CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James laughed when asked about the gauze bandage covering a nasty scratch on his left forearm.

“This one’s from my teammates,” he said Friday.

The Detroit Pistons have left deeper wounds.

Two games and two last-play losses into his first trip to the Eastern Conference finals, James refused to offer any excuses for himself or the Cleveland Cavaliers, who find themselves in an 0-2 hole going into Sunday’s Game 3.

James, criticized for passing up the final shot in Game 1, didn’t complain about a non-call in the closing seconds of Game 2 when it appeared he was fouled while driving on Rip Hamilton for a shot in the lane.

Instead, James chalked up Cleveland’s second consecutive 79-76 loss as another step he and his teammates have to take.

“It’s about us paying our dues,” he said.

Preparation

Friday, the Cavaliers were talkative and loose as they prepared to study film and get in a light practice following Thursday night’s punch-in-the-gut loss, which followed an eerily similar script down the stretch as the final act of Game 1.

Once again, James had the ball in his hands with the game on the line. But unlike the series opener, when he drove and dished to a wide-open Donyell Marshall in the corner, James took it upon himself to take the last shot.

The superstar was stepping up — like everyone wanted.

He drove to the left on a backpedalling Hamilton, whose first reaction was to reach and grab at James. On the initial contact, Cleveland’s superstar forward said he expected to hear a whistle for a foul.

None came.

Explains the rule

“You are not allowed to use your hands on the perimeter once the guy starts penetrating toward the basket,” James said. “There was a lot of physical contact throughout the game, so I don’t want to look back at that one play — but it could have made a difference.”

James’ shot came cleanly off the glass to Larry Hughes, who had a chance to erase what has been a mostly disastrous postseason for Cleveland’s point guard.

But Hughes, shooting just 27 percent (6-of-22) in this series, misfired from 10 feet and Anderson Varejao couldn’t direct in a last-gasp tip.

James stopped short of complaining about the officiating. However, in describing the climactic play again, he made it clear that he felt he had done enough to earn a trip to the free throw line.

“Once I went up for my shot, I felt some more contact,” he said. “But I guess you call this playoff basketball. I do the best I can do and hopefully we get some respect at some point.”