NBA Playoffs: Prepare For a Different Side of LeBron Come Playoff Time

Kevin Garnett and the Celtics won the game on Sunday, but they may have done something much better for Cavaliers’ fans—they awoke a sleeping giant.

For seven years Cavaliers’ fans have watched LeBron James mature. 

They “Witnessed” his breakout performance in game one, sat on the edge of their seats as he single-handedly willed them to the NBA Finals for the first time, and idolized him even more when he finally won his first MVP award last season.

Through all of the amazing feats that LeBron has accomplished at the young age of 25, his game has lacked one thing. 

I am not talking about an improvement in his dismal 74 percent free-throw percentage. 

Nor am I alluding to a change in the constant pounding of the ball and taking an errant shot. 

The one thing that LeBron has lacked was the thing about Michael Jordan that opponents feared. 

The killer instinct.

LeBron has always been able to throw down thunderous dunks that send chills down the spine of his opponents.  His chase-down blocks have players looking over their shoulders while they are sleeping. 

But the one thing they never had to worry about was LeBron standing there looking back at them when they took part in the trash-talking or celebrating of a win. 

Well, that all changed on Sunday.

LeBron finally had enough of the trash-talking at the end of the game.  When the aging Kevin Garnett grabbed himself in order to signify that the Celtics had finally put the Cavaliers out of their misery, after nearly blowing over a 20-point lead, he finally pushed LeBron to the point that fans have been waiting for. 

To quote LeBron: "This game has lost a little bit of that over the years, all the talking and teams not liking one another. That is what I figured out last year when I walked off the court in Orlando. People were mad that I didn't shake hands. Why should I be happy? I'm disgusted that I lost. That is what the game has lost."

Since the Cavaliers have clinched home-court advantage after the Lakers loss on Sunday, the fans will probably have to wait until April 18^th to witness the more fiery, battle-ready LeBron James. 

This LeBron James will have something a little extra come this year’s playoffs. 

He will have that instinct that Jordan was known for.  The instinct will lead to the ability to finally reach into the chest of an opponent and rip their heart out with one breath-taking shot, or one unbelievable move.

The playful, family oriented James may be gone for the duration of the season.  In his place, there will be a man far more determined than anyone has seen before. 

He will now stare you down and make you fear that your next move will be your last.  He will instill something in his opponents that teams cannot plan for in practice, an intangible that cannot be solved through the use of the triple-team, or forcing LeBron into a jump shooter. 

Before Easter Sunday, LeBron was just one of the greatest basketball players on the planet. 

But from this day forth it will become his personal duty to bring his wrath upon every team that he faces. 

Kevin Garnett and the Celtics have brought out something in LeBron James, and the rest of the league will have to pay for it.