NBA Finals 2011: Will LeBron James Always Choke Away Championship Hopes?

2011 NBA Finals See LeBron Score 8 Points In Game 4 Loss, But Is King James Choking Away a Ring?

This was not how these NBA Finals were supposed to go for LeBron James. This was supposed to be the year he finally led a team to a ring, the year his sublime talents were actually appreciated as he used them to their fullest extent. 

Instead, after yet another no-show down the stretch (and throughout the whole game, frankly) in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, the Heat suffered an 86-83 loss that evened the series back at 2-2. 

James had been fading to a less scoring-oriented role down the stretch in the first three games of the series, scoring a grand total of nine points in the three fourth quarters prior to Tuesday's disaster area of a performance. 

However, basketball fans were quick to point out that while James wasn't filling up the basket, he was locking down defensively and creating shots for his teammates, displaying the kind of complete game we'd long known he was capable of.

He seemed genuinely committed to giving up offensive stardom to make sure his team won, and it was, frankly, refreshing. He was focused in his game, even if it wasn't putting the ball in the basket down the stretch, and looked dedicated to the cause.

But, Game 4 was a horse of a completely different color. James was a no-show across the board, despite his nine assists and seven rebounds in the contest. He scored just 8 points on just 3-of-11 shooting, but even the stats don't do James justice.

He seemed to be dazed and confused throughout, giving off the same sort of vibes he's had in other big games in his career (remember Game 5 against Boston last season? It's kind of like that).

The worst moments came in the fourth quarter, when James seemed to forget that he was allowed to shoot the basketball.

He turned the contest into a game of Hot Potato, looking to pass virtually every time he touched the ball, and seemed unwilling to take advantage of the fact that he was being guarded by DeShawn Stevenson, Jason Kidd and Jason Terry down the stretch. 

This series is hardly over at this point; in fact, at 2-2, it's just getting to the good part. But, after the way he left Cleveland, James had little margin for error in this series.

He and the Heat were expected to win this series, and only a herculean performance could save him from criticism if they didn't. 

But, after Game 4, James' margin for error is completely gone. Sure, he showed good skills defensively, on the glass and creating shots for teammates in the first three games, but the fact is, this team is much more dangerous when he's scoring.

In Game 4, he wasn't even all that good defensively, and it was without a doubt his worst showing of the postseason. 

James is going to have to bring the noise in a big way in the final three games of this series if he wants to avoid being the scapegoat, and the Heat have to come away with the title.

Otherwise, all of that "he's playing total basketball now" talk goes out the window, replaced by two very familiar words: "LeBron choked." 

Even if James is Superman in the final three games of the series and Miami loses, it won't matter: people will still point to Game 4, and it will become one of those career-defining moments that will haunt him for quite some time. 

All the pressure to perform is on James once again. If he continues to struggle, it won't matter how this series ends.

He has to play well, score points, and win the series if he wants Game 4 to be the exception, rather than a career-defining moment.

His play through the first four games has put his back against the wall, and another terrible showing will tarnish his legacy. 

No matter what, James will remain a great player; he's too talented not to be. But those kind of no-shows are enough to eliminate the superstar from the "Greatest of All Time" discussion, and another one would likely bring James' candidacy to an abrupt end. 

If he keeps playing the way he did on Tuesday, James will be choking away more than a ring; he'll be hurting his legacy.