LeBron James' Disappearing Act Continues to Doom Miami Heat

The Miami Heat had the Warriors right where they wanted them, and then the old LeBron James showed up to allow an epic choke job to go down in Oakland. 

First, we will of course temper the vitriol by saying that this was an early season game against a Warriors team that was starved for a win. That being said, James has to once again answer for something we were sure he had grown out of. 

The Heat had a 17 point lead at one point in Tuesday's game against the Golden State Warriors. King James was having yet another great game.

Through three quarters, James had 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting. It was looking to be another night where the Heat would roll and James would continue to alter his image as a soft superstar. 

Instead, James re-established himself as a star player that has trouble closing out. In fact, he pretty much showed that he has no interest in chipping in when things are going south. 

After putting op a solid three quarters and seeing his team get hit hard by a ravenous Warriors attack, James attempted no shots. Not one ball left James hands in the hopes of bringing his team back. 

After taking a fourth quarter breather, the Warriors enjoyed a fine comeback that ended with them getting the win in overtime. 

James once again looked tentative instead of poised in the fourth and crucial quarter. The reason that this matters is that we have seen this look before. 

Who cares that it is January? This is an issue that can very well become a tremendous issue when the games really count. 

You want your franchise players to demand the ball and that just isn't the King. We discussed this last season after consistent fourth-quarter collapses. James looks to get others involved to a fault. 

This is a team game and James is pretty damn good at it. However, his role can not be as facilitator when things are going downhill. He has the most talent on the court and should use that to dominate. 

Instead, he took his foot off the gas at the wrong time. James will never be the greatest to ever play until he learns how to play with a little reckless abandon and invoke some measure of selfishness. The Heat cannot win a title with James subjugating himself like he did on Tuesday night. 

The old King was back on the floor last night, and it was ugly. 

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