Say Ain't So: LeBron James Fails The City Of Cleveland Yet Again

The kid from Akron came up on the short end of the stick once again tonight in a must-win Game Six at TD Garden Center in Boston.  A game that James and the Cavaliers needed to win in order to stave off elimination one more day.

That wasn't the case as the Boston Celtics continued its total team effort performance in a critical 94-85 victory that sends them back to the Eastern Conference finals and a rematch against the Orlando Magic who defeated them in seven games of the semifinals.

LeBron James is now 25-years old and has played seven seasons in the NBA.  He is still without a championship ring and the closest he came to one was in 2007 when the Cavaliers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the finals.

Yes, James came out and scored 27 points, grabbed 19 rebounds, and dished out 10 assists, but how much do statistics mean if your team can't win?  This was a game that LeBron had to take over from the start and he failed to gain that control.

It's important to remember that James had nine turnovers and made costly mistakes with the ball at different points in the game.  For a player that has won the MVP Award the last two seasons, LeBron made some very questionable decisions with the ball down the stretch.

Everybody thought this game was going to go down to the wire when LeBron nailed back to back threes to cut the Celtics lead to four, 78-74 early in the fourth quarter.

The Celtics never let down their aggressiveness and intensity.  Boston answered with a 14-2 run that included three pointers by Paul Pierce and Rasheed Wallace.

Cleveland cut the lead to 92-85 but that was as close as they would get in the final minutes.  A period of time elapsed near the end where the Cavaliers looked dazed and confused to how little time was left in the game.

They didn't foul at the end, there was no sense of urgency, and just like that the game was over.  A game that LeBron and company had to win was over and the Cleveland fan base once again goes to bed full of misery and shame.

It's tough when the city you love and would die for hasn't won a championship since 1964.  It has been over 45 years for the city of Cleveland.

First there was the drive by John Elway, then the next year their was a fumble that cost the Browns a game-winning score.  Next thing you know Art Modell is moving the team to Baltimore where he would eventually win a Super Bowl in 2000.

Then there was Jordan's shot in Game 6 of the 1990 Eastern Conference Finals.  Let's not forget Edgar Renteria's rbi that gave the Marlins a World Series title over the Indians in 1996.

The trials and tribulations of Cleveland sports will only continue for now.  LeBron James was supposed to be the Savior of this dreaded sports curse, but it seems he has fallen victim to the bad luck that looms over this city.

What is even scarier for Cavalier fans is the proposition of this team without LeBron.  With free-agency looming and James having the option to test the free agent waters he could potentially have played his last game in a Cleveland uniform tonight.

There are those that say without question he is leaving for New York, New Jersey, or Chicago.  It would give him an opportunity to start with a new franchise and uniform with different teammates.

For the Cleveland fan-base let's hope he is committed to bringing a championship back home.  In the end, LeBron is going to make the best decision for him and his family.

No matter how many statistical records LeBron James breaks, in the end it will come down to his performance in the NBA Playoffs.  Something he has yet to shine under for the time being.  Luckily he is only 25 and he is just entering the prime of his career.  As scary as that sounds the sky is the limit for what James can accomplish.

But, yet again in this series he lacked the hustle and intensity when he needed to bring it the most.  There were moments in time when he shined such as the 21 point first quarter in Game Three.  Then there were moments when it looked like he had stopped trying in Game Five when his team fell behind by more than 20.

That was the point in time when the series turned and once Boston grabbed the momentum it never gave it back. That could be the defining moment of LeBron James last series ever in a Cavaliers uniform.

LeBron James has failed to deliver on his promise and desire to win a championship for the city of Cleveland.  Until he does that he has ultimately failed the fans who love him the most.  A sad sight it is, but maybe it's time for LeBron James to continue his career elsewhere in a new city.

Obviously, there is something about Cleveland that just doesn't fit right.  For a team that won 61 games in the regular season to lose a best out of seven series in six games to a Celtics team that is proved it could beat in the regular season is puzzling.

That's what makes the NBA Playoffs great.  It's a time during the year where the real winners move on and losers go home.

For LeBron this time next year he could be playing for a different home.  Only time will tell on where LeBron ends up, the clock has begun on the LeBron James free-agency sweepstakes.

This is a winner take all, because signing LeBron James almost instantly makes your team a championship contender.

As the Cleveland fans saw first-hand, it takes more than just one player to win a championship.  Keep that in mind when LeBron decides on where he wants to play basketball next season.