Miami Heat: When Will the Media Leave LeBron James Alone?

LeBron James is one of the best players ever to play the game. Point blank, period. 

He doesn't need to sport a ring on his finger to prove it. Although I believe at some point he will have the jewelry to back up this claim.

As of now yes, LeBron is ringless, but I guarantee you every player in the league would rather have him on their team, rather than match up against him.

Most recently, James is catching Heat for passing up the last shot against the Utah Jazz after almost single-handedly bringing his team back in the fourth.

Of course, Dwyane Wade and his 31 points had an outcome on the game, but it was LeBron who scored half of his 35 points in just the fourth quarter. 

But this is not about Wade. This about LeBron, who is playing some of the best basketball of his career, yet still continues to be attacked and scrutinized by the media.

With the Heat down 1 with about 4 seconds left, LeBron caught the ball on the left elbow. Mind you, at this point he was 8-of-9 in the quarter. That being said, Dwyane Wade is usually the closer, but clearly James had the hot hand.

He instantaneously drew two defenders and found Udonis Haslem, who stepped into a pretty easy mid-range jump shot that he will hit 9 out of 10 times.

Haslem hits, LeBron made a great play. Haslem misses it, we don't attack Haslem, we attack LeBron James for not rising over two defenders and chucking up a "bad shot."

Haslem missed it and the media frenzy begins.

Nobody is talking about the 3 he made to tie it up with a little over a minute left. Nobody is talking about the crazy jumper he made with 26 seconds left to take the lead. 

The Heat win that game and SportsCenter is talking about the crazy stat line he put up once again, but instead expect to turn on your television and see LeBron being blamed for making the perfect bounce pass to Haslem, one of the most consistent mid-range jump shooters in the game today.

I don't understand it; maybe I never will. All I know is that LeBron is unfairly scrutinized. Maybe that's the path he chose when he chose to leave his hometown and play alongside better talent. But I'm not sure people realize just how fortunate we are to watch James suit up every game. 

He's a once-in-a-generation talent. He can play every position on the floor, arguably the most versatile ever to play the game. Yet, instead of appreciating the player he is, we sit back and criticize the few mistakes he makes.

Ring or no ring, LeBron is one of the greatest ever to play the game. Let's start acting like it. 

Same people calling him LeChoke today will be front and center to watch him play when he comes to their town.