You got the sense during the rough and tumble series between the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers, that LeBron James began to see the light—that all of the poor shooting blended with the flashes of brilliance were all a big set-up for his future success.
So he decided to soak it all in.
He knew there would be no Eastern Conference Finals appearance courtesy of a Boston Celtics' home court loss, so it became time to direct the next episode of "The LeBrons."
He cursed at his mom on national television and we called it playoff intensity.
He referred to himself several times in the third person, mostly addressing concerns that he and the Cavaliers getting their behinds kicked was not a question of if, but when.
LeBron James is so physically talented, he has no scoring help whatsoever, and you think to yourself, "the kid has no help, and he's keeping his team alive in the playoffs every year."
- B/R Ticket Guide
But then you realize that you have the view of LeBron James that he wants you to have—a vision of a poor superstar with no help.
And if you are truly introspective, you realize both he and you are screwed up in the mind.
LeBron won't hear the replays of him saying, "A LeBron James team never gets desperate." He'll mostly hear the sound bite of "we have to get better."
But deep down he knows the truth is that he has to get better.
Deep down, LeBron James knows he's already been surpassed by the likes of Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Joe Johnson in terms of making his team better.
And you know it, too.
You know just from watching games that there's no way Chris Paul can do with Tyson Chandler what LeBron James can't do with Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
That Joe Smith could be the versatile forward to LBJ as David West is to CP3.
That Daniel Gibson, Delonte West, and Wally Szczerbiak could play every bit the part of Jannero Pargo, Peja Stojakovic, and Morris Peterson.
And you both know that the difference is the will to make everyone else better.
You both know that LeBron is too talented not to take all of the meaningful shots, but that he's too young to differentiate a meaningful shot versus a bull rush to the basket hoping for a foul.
You both know the shooters need to shoot, and not just when it suits LeBron's pass out of a triple-team in the paint.
No, LeBron James won't come out and make the excuses of a petulant star. He won't name names, blame coaches, blame refs or any of that. He's been raised in front of cameras and had enough handlers to know that complaining and whining doesn't make for good shoe sales or Vitamin Water pitches.
But he'll do and say the things that make you believe that he's not as much at fault as he really is.
And you'll believe him, because you are a witness.
Or are you?
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7 months ago
LOL
this is horrible - Z is a lot less athletic than chandler. he can't jump as high, he can't run as fast...horrible comparison.
joe smith to david west?? joe smith is past his prime, getting old. david west is an ALLSTAR and is a rising star in this league.
wally is just flat out not hitting any shot. lebron gives him a wide open 3, and he misses it. lebron does make gibson better. and delonte west is only an above average 3 point shooter.
you clearly don't watch the cavs enough to make any comparison. lebron absolutely does the most with the least.
from 7 months ago
Are you saying the Z is not better than Chandler offensively? Imagine Chris Paul with Ilgauskas and you tell me if you don't see them dominating the Spurs with more than just a lob at the rim.
Joe Smith clearly isn't past his prime, and has the same 18 feet-and-in game that West just got this season with Chris Paul. Gibson helped the Cavs get by the Pistons last season, and Delonte West can shoot and create his own shot.
But LeBron can't do this with these players?
Maybe you should witness more Cavs games.
7 months ago
I agree CP is a great point guard, and maybe LeBron wasn't on fire this past series. But Jon is right on with his analysis. LeBron maybe a little arrogant, but last time I checked the guys you mentioned didn't make their teams into the conference finals either. Plus tell me how Joe Johnson and Deron Williams are better players than LeBron.e led the league in points this season with 30 points a game. Plus CP is a point guard, and LeBron is not,yet James was 4th in assists this season. and in the same thought as jon, you need to "witness" more cavs games.
7 months ago
I totally agree with this story. It's about time someone told the truth. Today's NBA players are held to a different standard. Back in the day, the NBA didn't spend all of it's time marketing it's superstars and forcefeeding us the next great thing. They allowed the player to make his own way and write his own history. LBJ might very well end up breaking every record held in the NBA, but just let it happen. We don't need the media or fanboys telling us everyday that he is better than Jordan, Magic or Bird. Let history decide who is better. LBJ is a great player by today's standards so just stop the comparison against historical greats. Let him win a championship before he is elevated to superstardom. We have already been told by ESPN that he is the second coming. Ok, the second coming of Jordan got swept in the finals last year and had one great game out of seven with Paul Pierce (which I guess is the second coming of Dennis Rodman) checking him.
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