Spotlight Loses Some Wattage

A month ago, on top of the basketball world, he was surrounded by 300 reporters.

On Wednesday night, in the bowels of the Staples Center, there were six.

“This is a good thing,” said LeBron James, trying hard to mean it. “Lets me come in here and do a job.”

A month ago, packed arenas bowed at his $90-million shoes.

On Wednesday during introductions, the place was half full, and the cheers were half-hearted.

“It’s a good thing, he doesn’t need it,” said his coach, Paul Silas. “He needs to concentrate on getting better.”

A month ago, an earnest 18-year-old basketball player was the beneficiary of the most substantial rookie hype in sports history.

On Wednesday, it was painfully clear he has become a victim of it.

In his first regular-season visit to the entertainment capital of the world, LeBron James yet again committed the cardinal sin of failing to entertain.

His Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the Clippers, and James lost to the hoopla.

In the first contest, the result was 90-80. In the second contest, the result was an ugly fourth-quarter benching.

James played like the growing rookie that he is, yet grumbling fans wanted the “Magic” that he was supposed to be.

James showed flashes of brilliance, yet his grumbling coach dimmed him during crunch time.

He had a team-high eight assists, but nobody was counting.

He had six rebounds, but nobody was remembering.

He missed 11 of 13 shots, and nobody saw anything else.

Where was the rainbow jumper? Clank. Where was the fast-break floater? Clunk. And, in the end, where was LeBron?

During most of the fourth quarter, with the game still in doubt, he was chomping gum and blowing bubbles on the bench.

For any other kid fresh out of high school, an average night.

For this living worst-case scenario of the problems with sports, it was nothing short of calamitous.

The guy flexing his biceps like Mr. America was not James, but Clipper Quentin Richardson.

The first-round draft pick getting all the cheers for hustle was not James, but Clipper Chris Kaman.

James’ number 23 was once worn by Michael Jordan. His Dec. 30 birthday is shared by Tiger Woods.

But destined was dusted, and it’s starting to feel like a regular event.

He arrived here with his team having lost more games in a couple of weeks than he had lost in all of high school combined.

He arrived here less than 24 hours after losing a personal duel with fellow rookie Carmelo Anthony in Denver.

Last winter, when he made his first visit here with his Akron high school team, he spent his days partying.

This time, he said he spent all day sleeping.

“You’re gonna be tired,” he said.

“I don’t care if you’re just 18, you’re never going to be used to this NBA travel.”

He’s the best rookie in the league -- yeah, his overall numbers are better than those of Anthony -- but lately folks are acting like he’s a failure.

He’s the best player on his team, and still probably headed for an All-Star appearance, but folks are wondering if he shouldn’t have gone to college.

The same thing they wondered about Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett, only much quieter.

On Thursday, Bill Walton ripped him on the Internet for not being more of a leader, a Denver sports columnist called him one of the worst players on the floor, and he walked into Staples Center with his coach frowning behind him.

“The whole thing has been unfair from the start,” said Silas. “Nobody could live up to that hype.”

That unfairness has made James and the Cavaliers plenty of money, the latest example being the news that his jersey is now the NBA’s top seller.

But on Wednesday, the unfairness actually lived up to its name.

He began the game with a bounce pass for an assist. A look-away pass for an assist. A rocket pass for an assist.

He was brilliantly unselfish. He was stunningly mature.

In the first quarter, he had six assists, played gritty defense, and his team led by nine points.

And the fans were disappointed.

“Looks like he’s really turned it down today,” said one.

In the third quarter, he had three rebounds, one steal, his team outscored the Clippers by four.

“Sit down, LeBron,” shouted one.

And, because he didn’t make his shots, he indeed sat down.

Silas was asked about Walton’s charges that James needs to be a more active and vocal leader.

“How can a rookie all of a sudden tell people where to go and what to do?” Silas wondered. “That happens in two or three years, not right away. Everybody wants him to speed everything up. It can’t happen.”

James was asked about improving his all-around game.

“Everything will come to me with time,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of years to be a go-to guy, a take-charge guy.”

At least until next week. The hype is gone. The heat is on.

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Bill Plaschke can be reached at bill.plaschke@latimes.com