LeBron on taking hard fouls: 'Maybe I got to protect myself a little bit more'

LeBron James put on a clinic in the fourth quarter against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night, pouring in 15 points – including two late-clock, back-breaking triples – and dishing three assists for good measure. 

He had a little extra fuel to work with heading into the final frame. On the last possession of the third quarter, James was mauled by Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas, the second flagrant foul in three games that he's been on the receiving end of. 

"Maybe I got to protect myself a little bit more, too," James said, after finishing with 29 points and 14 assists in the Cavaliers' 120-112 win. 

James, who'd taken a kick in the nether regions from James Harden two games prior, stopped short of pledging retaliation, the way a similarly battered Blake Griffin did during the preseason. But he also didn't hide his frustration with what he feels is becoming a disturbing trend. 

"I don't want to get too much involved in it because I don't want to cry about it because it's not like I'm not able to get back up," James said. "But it's a lot of plays that are just not basketball plays.

"And I've said it before, it's just not basketball plays. But the referees, they take care of it. They decide what (type of foul) it is or not. That's what we got rules for. And for me, I need to maintain my focus and understand how important the game is, but at the same time, protect myself as well."

The totally unnecessary Harden kick aside, it's not hard to see why James is a target for hard fouls. Much like Griffin, there simply aren't many other options available to stop him from getting to the rim. A bump to the chest or a hand on the wrist simply won't do when it comes to diverting James' path to the basket. 

"I wasn't trying to hurt him," Valanciunas explained. "I was just trying to stop him from dunking the ball and I was protecting the rim and that's it. I was just doing my job, protecting the rim, and it doesn't matter how. I wasn't trying to get anyone's attention. An easy foul is not going to work on that player."

"I don't think it's something new," said Cavs head coach David Blatt. "I think that's something that's been going on for years. And because LeBron is so powerful and so aggressive and so strong, a lot of stuff happens to him that goes either unnoticed or unaddressed."

Even as James makes a case for protecting himself, whatever that may mean, he recognizes the importance of keeping a cool head. 

"You understand that the game is more important than trying to deliver a hard foul. At that point, we all know that everyone is looking for the reaction. It's the old elementary schoolhouse rule that the second guy always gets caught. So, you just relax and play the game."