SEATTLE – Jerome James knew he did not play well Tuesday night against the Miami Heat. Certainly his coaches and teammates, not to mention the media and the fans who watched at KeyArena, also realized that one rebound in 20 minutes is a paltry total for someone who stands 7 feet, 1 inch.
But the next day he heard about it from a person who really counts – his mother.
During a telephone conversation, James related, “my mom told me, ‘You didn’t play good the other night, son.’ She said, ‘What were you thinking?’ … Even my mom was telling me to get (more) rebounds.”
If a scolding from Mrs. James helps get the message across, Sonics coach Nate McMillan and others in the organization would obviously be delighted. Because as promising as young forwards Rashard Lewis and Vlade Radmanovic are, as surprisingly well as second-year guard Flip Murray has played this season, and as much as the team will benefit when a healthy Ray Allen returns from ankle surgery sometime next month, Seattle needs better play around the basket to have any chance for a successful 2003-04 season.
Evidently, his mother’s admonishment had an impact because James on Thursday sounded very much like a repenting sinner.
“You feel like (bleep) when you’re this big and this strong and you get one rebound in 20 minutes,” he said. “It’s almost like I need to give some (salary) back, you know what I’m saying? A guy who has barely played in the NBA and is just trying to make the team could come in and get one rebound. But you don’t expect a 7-1 center to get just one rebound. You expect him to get 10 or 12, especially in 20 minutes. But not one.
“There’s no excuse,” he added. “I need to be ready every night no matter what.”
In fairness, James was by no means the sole culprit Tuesday night. Lewis played 40 minutes and managed just four rebounds, while Radmanovic had five rebounds in 32 minutes. Conversely, two of Seattle’s hardest-working players, backup forwards Reggie Evans and Ansu Sesay, matched those numbers in fewer minutes. Evans had five rebounds in 17 minutes, Sesay four in 11.
A 48-31 rebound deficiency was the primary reason the Sonics lost to the visiting Heat, 105-98. Miami had two players in double figures, another with nine and a fourth with eight, while Seattle’s leader with six rebounds was guard Brent Barry.
That kind of output must change, McMillan emphasized Thursday after the team’s midday practice.
“We have to do a better job,” he said. “Our big guys who are playing 20 minutes with one, two or three rebounds, we can’t accept that. I think sometimes the attention is on scoring, but I want my bigs to defend and rebound, and any points we get from them are a bonus.
“Rebounding is about wanting the ball. It’s about going and getting the ball. And when you focus on rebounding, you can get more rebounds. At times we get distracted and our minds are in other places, as opposed to what the team needs us to do. But Reggie Evans (Seattle’s top rebounder) goes and gets the ball because he thinks that way.”
While McMillan is plainly dissatisfied with his team’s recent rebounding, he is willing to show patience. For now, that is.
“It’s really early to make changes,” he said. “It’s too soon for that. So our (approach) is to give them the confidence and to work with them and show them what is needed. Hopefully they’ll pick up on that and make an effort to improve.
“And if not, then the next move is to try to find someone who will do it.”
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