Breaking Down LeBron James' Crunch-Time Failures

LeBron James is one of the most dominant players to ever suit up in an NBA jersey. It just so happens that doesn't translate to the waning moments when legends are known to take over. 

That's just fine. 

It's not like Miami needs a closer to lift them in the waning minutes. They have a perfect player with the killer instinct in Dwyane Wade, making James unnecessary in the clutch. We just need to stop waiting for the King to become something he's not. 

The man is built like a football player and has the most talent and athleticism of any athlete we have seen in the NBA. It was as if he was built to dominate another sport. 

The man may be built like a "me-first" superstar that wants to dominate the ball, but he is far more a Magic Johnson, trying to get others involved and the team better. 

And that is when some very nasty stuff hits the fan. 

Let's stop asking for James to be something he is not—a waning moment clutch superstar with ice in his veins—and here is the evidence. 

1. Utah Jazz - March 2nd - Regular Season Game

Let's begin with the most recent and egregious show of passive nature late in a game. Sure, this is a regular season game taking place in what could ultimately be the King's first title year, but Jordan would want this shot. Kobe would want this shot. 

2. Dallas Mavericks - 2011 NBA Finals 

LeBron James and the rest of the Heatles went to the Finals well ahead of schedule. It really should have been a time to celebrate how dominating they would be over the next few years. 

Instead, we saw James pull of a disappearing act late in several of the games and an underrated Dallas Mavericks team won the title. 

LeBron James did not score once in that series within the last five minutes of the fourth quarter/overtime with the score within five points, a period known as "crunch time."

3. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers - Feb. 27th - Regular Season

Here is LeBron James actually taking the shot, and a wide-open one at that. Every great star misses buzzer-beaters, but James is the only one that take a great deal of heat. 

It may be that his decisions on a whole in the waning moments don't jibe with what we think he should do or who he should be. 

4. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics - 2010 NBA Playoffs 

LeBron James was clearly in some other planet during this series and seemed far more human than we were used to. 

Here is Charles Barkley recapping just what most fans were feeling after seeing that display. 

Again, this is to merely highlight that James is simply a remarkable player that will one day be among the best to ever suit up and play this game. 

However, he is not the cutthroat player that wants to kill you all by himself. He wants to get others involved. 

Once we accept that, we will stop being shocked by these outcomes. 

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