Thunder vs Heat: LeBron James' Courage in the Clutch Should Scare NBA

In terms of sports, the word "clutch" is defined as performing well under extreme pressure.

Over the last calendar year, Miami Heat superstar LeBron James has failed to come through in those moments.

Yet in terms of basketball, the word doesn't just necessarily refer to the final seconds of a game. LeBron's struggles in those moments have been well documented.

Clutch moments happen throughout big games, not just when the clock is winding down. Several players have made game-winning shots and not every one of them is considered great in the clutch. Great players in the clutch can put a team on their back when the team needs them the most. The pressure doesn't faze them.

However, the knock on LeBron for the last year hasn't necessarily been that he doesn't come through in these pressure-filled situations, it's that on the surface, he often appeared to lack the courage to fail in such spots.

That is, until last night in a big win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, when James showed the courage to be that type of player.

In what many view as an NBA Finals preview, James scored a game-high 34 points Wednesday and created an additional 24 points off of his assists. He accounted for 59.2 percent of the Heat's points (58 of 98), his highest percentage in any game this season.

He also shot 50 percent from the floor, which is something he's struggled with as of late.

But throw out all of the numbers. They mean nothing. It's what James did in the clutch that was big and if he can continue to show the courage to take his game to another level in these type of moments, the rest of the NBA should be very afraid.

James didn't do much the final three minutes of the game, but it's what he did from the seventh minute down to the three-minute mark that should have the rest of the NBA paying attention.

The clutch moments in last night's game didn't come while the clock was winding down, but they came during that four-minute span in the fourth quarter when more than once it was a two-point game. LeBron turned into an unstoppable force, using his strength to get to the basket and making three layups that extended the Miami lead to two possessions.

Without LeBron there, it's very possible Miami loses that game.

What the rest of the NBA should fear is that James didn't think twice about it. He wasn't afraid to fail.

Now, a regular season win, as big as it may have been, isn't really where we need to see James step up in the clutch.

But what he showed is that if he can come through in such moments routinely, he is without a doubt the best player in the NBA.

If he can do it in the postseason, the rest of the NBA doesn't stand a chance.