Miami Heat: Game 6 Against Boston Celtics Is Biggest Game of LeBron James Career

If you haven't heard, the Miami Heat are on the brink of elimination from the 2012 NBA playoffs, courtesy of the Boston Celtics.

With the last two games being decided by an average of just three points, it's clear that while the Celtics are up three games to two on the Heat, both teams are equally alive in this series.

On Thursday night the Eastern Conference finals will head to Boston for an absolutely epic Game 6 showdown. That game will not only impact who reaches the NBA finals, it will also impact the way that LeBron James is revered for the rest of his career.

There's no doubt that LeBron has been an absolute beast during the 2012 playoffs.  Just take a look at his playoff averages so far.

LeBron James (Playoffs)—29.9 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 5.3 APG, 2.1 STLPG, 49.6 FG%

Out of any player left in the playoffs this year, LeBron is averaging the most points per game, and he's doing so with the second-highest field goal percentage for players averaging more than 25 points per game—behind only Kevin Durant, who's shooting 50.4 percent with 27.4 points per game.

None of that will matter though if LeBron doesn't will the Heat out of the Eastern Conference finals.

The fact that LeBron won his third MVP award in nine years and that he averaged the highest combination of points/assists/rebounds this past season, with averages of 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game, all won't matter if his historical 2011-12 season ends on Thursday night.

I've written articles about games that would impact LeBron's legacy and alter the way the public views him, but there has never been a game as important to LeBron's legacy than Thursday night's game against the Celtics.

Against the Celtics, nearly the same team that was the bane of LeBron's existence in Cleveland, LeBron has certainly thrived.  Just check out his stats through five games against the Celtics in the playoffs.

LeBron vs. Celtics (5 games)—31.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 4.0. APG, 50.0 FG%

Not only is LeBron averaging a double-double against the Celtics, he's doing so while also managing to shoot 50 percent from the field.

Shockingly enough, that's not the kind of LeBron James the Heat need to help them beat the Celtics. Sure, LeBron's 30-plus point performances have helped the Heat win two games in the series, but that's not enough moving forward.

The Heat need the LeBron that dropped 40 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists on 51.9-percent shooting against the Indiana Pacers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.  That's also the LeBron that LeBron himself needs when it comes to the development of a lasting legacy in the ranks of the NBA elite.

The next two games in the Eastern Conference finals will absolutely define the legacy LeBron leaves once he leaves the NBA.

There won't be two games though if LeBron fails to have an absolutely epic Game 6 performance on Thursday night.

The kind of opportunity that lies before LeBron heading into Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals is one that comes by once in a lifetime.

Thursday night's matchup with the Celtics is LeBron's final chance to prove that he's the player we all know he can be.  It's his chance to prove that he's truly the most valuable player in the ranks of the NBA.

LeBron already knows what it feels like to walk out of TD Garden on the losing end of the Eastern Conference finals—it happened during 2009-10 season in Game 6.

The ball is in your court, LeBron.  What are you going to do with it?