Thursday, May 12, 2011

King James' Return to Royalty



Can we talk about this guy LeBron James one time? For those of you who did not see Game 5 against the Celtics last night, the Heat were able to close out the series with a 10-point victory in Miami, advancing the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since Dwayne Wade and Shaquille O’Neal claimed the organization’s first championship in 2006. CAN YOU DIG IT? (Shaq voice) But I digress. Everybody holds a degree of familiarity with “The Decision” and the path Mr. James traveled from America’s darling to the most HATED man in sports or the new Kobe, if you will (I realize that was petty).

No greater story existed this NBA offseason than the rock star ascension to fame that was Miami’s “Big 3”. Perennial all-stars, Chris Bosh (the weak link) and LeBron James, joined Dwayne Wade in hopes of not only bring one, but a multitude of championships to the Sunshine State.  However, during the season, the media, as well as random people with biased opinions had a field day proclaiming failure on the offseason blockbuster siginings, as the Heat started off rough, displaying trouble in deciphering the roles of its players, specifically in the crucial moments of the game.  With just a month remaining in the regular season, the Miami franchise not-so-boasted the NBA’s worst final seconds FG percentage hitting just 1 of 14 (7.14%) game-tying or game-winning shots in the last 10 seconds of regulation and/or overtime, and the majority of those misses traced back to the hands (and crown) of King James.

Fast forwarding to last night, the Celtics led for virtually the entire game, which like Game 4, an OT victory by the Heat in Boston, was not decided until late in the 4th quarter. At that time, King James mounted his throne, playing like many had forgotten he was capable. James put Boston away orchestrating a personal 10-0 in the final two minutes en route to a 33-point, 7 rebound, and 4 assist performance complementing 34 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals by Wade. That late game exhibition reminded many of his unforgettable performance against Detroit, when in Cleveland. In that Game 5, coincidentally, he scored a playoff-career high, 48 points, but more impressively, the then 22-year-old racked up 29 of his team’s last 30 points in the victory.

Fans and critics of LeBron James, alike, must tip their hats to the captivatingly explosive athlete, who displayed his ability to make shots from outside, inside, and in between when his team needed him and the game was on the line. Kudos to LeBron James, as that performance earned him the “Gentleman’s Stamp of Approval”! 

2 comments:

  1. lbj is a piece of work. screaming like a gorilla and kneeling 'emotionally' after beating the rival celts? gimme a break. this team was set up (bought) to be the best team in the league. yet they disappointed in the regular season. they get into the playoffs and finally, bosh showed up in this series. but how sustainable is a team when the big 3 came up with 81/91 points in game 4? the rest of the team didn't do anything. once this team plays a more athletic/quicker/younger defense where 1 or 2 of the big 3 get shut down, the heat have no chance. you can't win a championship with 3 guys and a mediocre coach.

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  2. Valid points. LBJ has always been a showman, so the antics are not so surprising anymore. True, this team was purchased to breed championships but that is the nature of professional athletics, and the trend in the NBA is to get 2-3 guys to carry the team.

    While I do not have the stats readily available, I would venture to guess the Lakers who just came off back to back 'ships had a few games in that run that saw Kobe, Lamar, and Pau combining for about 80 percent of their team's points as well..

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