NBA Finals 2012: Anyone Still Doubting LeBron James?

What does LeBron James of the Miami Heat have to do to convince his critics that he is worthy of every accolade bestowed upon him?

Win a championship? Or maybe he needs to win six or seven titles like he proclaimed the Heat would do when he signed with Miami in the summer of 2010.

Or maybe he doesn't have to win a championship at all. However, one thing is certain: Anyone who had any doubts about LeBron James and his place in NBA history obviously has great disdain for him.

What we are witnessing from James right now in the 2012 NBA Finals is a superstar that has taken upon himself the insurmountable pressure to win and has willed his team to believe that they can win a title. And, from the look of things after three games, LeBron James may just win his first title.

Game 3 in Miami on Sunday night was another example of the brilliance James has displayed in this year's finals.

Playing the first of three straight games at home, Miami—who stole home-court advantage from the Oklahoma City Thunder with their 100-96 win in Game 2—needed a victory both to take a 2-1 series lead and to silence a few of their critics.

Well, the criticism will have to wait because James led a fourth-quarter revolt against an OKC team that played well enough to win but succumbed due to missed free throws and turnovers down the stretch. The end result was a 91-85 Miami win.

As in the previous two games, James was the Heat's best player, scoring 29 points, grabbing 14 rebounds and playing stellar defense. Most importantly, James shut down OKC superstar Kevin Durant in the final stanza. Durant had scored totals of 17 and 16 points, respectively, in the fourth quarters of the first two games, but he scored only five in the fourth quarter of Game 3.

It was James's three-point bomb from the left wing that gave Miami a 69-67 lead near the end of the third quarter, and they never looked back. The three-pointer couldn't have come at a better time for the Heat, who trailed by 10 at one point in the quarter.

In his second consecutive finals with the Heat, James has played better through three games than in the six games he played in last year's finals. When Miami lost to the Dallas Mavericks 4-2, James averaged 17.8 points a game. After three games against OKC, he is averaging 30.3.

The other three areas where James has improved since last season's finals are rebounding (10.3 RPG), free-throw shooting (86.2 percent) and individual defense. Against Dallas, he averaged 7.2 rebounds and shot a dismal 60 percent from the line.

James received much criticism for his performance against the Mavericks. Before the start of this season's championship, he vowed that it would never happen again. So far, James has had the look of an assassin in his eyes. Name any part of his game and you will not find a weakness against OKC.

The media and fans alike complained for years about James developing a low-post game. Well, he's improved in that area, too. In Game 3, James repeatedly scored inside against the size of Durant, Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins. Furthermore, five of his 14 rebounds came on the offensive end.

His personal duel with Durant has been greatly hyped. Both players have battled each other like gunfighters, but James has won the personal matchup so far. In Games 2 and 3, James forced Durant to take off-balance shots in late-game situations, ensuring wins for Miami.

Now, with a 2-1 lead going into Game 4 on Tuesday, James has the Heat on the brink of a title. With two more wins, Miami could win its second championship in franchise history and James could win his first. Although there is still a lot of basketball to be played, James is halfway to his first title.

Love him or hate him, you cannot dispute that LeBron James is playing on a higher level right now. His game is much like the work of a fine artist—you may not understand it, but you can't help but love it.

Yes, James still has his critics. He probably will still have them even if Miami wins the championship. However, one thing you can't deny him of is his legacy.

Right now, LeBron James is the best basketball player on the planet. And that's a fact.