LeBron James vs. Dwyane Wade: Which Miami Heat Star Deserves Blame for Loss?
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade didn't end the 2011 NBA Finals like they had hoped.
After taking a 2-1 series lead through the first three games against Dallas, Miami lost the final three straight contests and found themselves on South Beach without a victory party to throw.
Although the majority of the criticisms have been thrown onto the shoulders of LeBron James, it takes more than just one person to lose as a team.
Are we blaming the wrong superstar for the Heat's failure to win it all?
4th Quarter: LeBron James
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LeBron James' play in the fourth quarter didn't resemble anything close to royalty.
"King James" failed to show up at any point in the series for the final 12 minutes, and it really cost his team dearly in their shot to win it all.
James played more second-half minutes than any other player on his team in the postseason, and while this isn't just an open-and-shut case of physical fatigue, it's worth noting considering how staggering the drop-off in his production was.
Free-Throw Shooting: Dwyane Wade
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This one could've really gone to either Wade or James, but considering that Wade got to the line an astonishing 49 times during the Finals, his lack of execution there stings the team considerably.
Although he shot just 75.8 percent from the stripe for the season, his 34-of-49 (69 percent) represents countless missed opportunities throughout the series at extremely critical junctures.
With just paint separating Wade and the basket, Wade had a hard time finding the bottom of the net.
Defense: LeBron James
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LeBron James' defense has been lauded throughout the postseason run, but something happened in the final round to that lockdown defense we saw previously.
James simply wasn't his overpowering self on the defensive end of the floor, and rather than rising to the challenge like he had been previously, we were all witnesses to his shrinkage.
Championships are won through defense, and that's a major reason as to why Dallas triumphed over Miami.
Intangibles: Dwyane Wade
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Remember Miami-Wade County?
Remember that LeBron's signing didn't mean a new face of the franchise?
Maybe someone should remind D-Wade that his intangibles are a big reason as to why they were able to come back from an 0-2 hole in the 2006 series, because we certainly didn't see any sort of resemblance of them five seasons later.
If the Heat want to become the dynasty that they claim to be, it starts with understanding and executing the indefinable characteristics within the team's attack.
Aggressiveness: LeBron James
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LeBron James is at his best when he uses his extraordinary length and athleticism to drive to the hole with the ball.
Fortunately for the Mavericks and their fans, it appeared as if James forgot how to do that.
Rather than asserting himself on the basketball court, James settled for a variety of mid-range jumpers and easier shots when he could've really benefited his team by playing the role of the aggressor.
He can't be scared to make a mistake in the lane, and if he wants to play a perimeter-oriented style of basketball, the Heat have no chance at ever winning it all.
Leadership: Dwyane Wade
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While it's true that Wade was leading by example with his impressive play in the final round, we rarely heard much intensity from No. 3 in his postgame press conferences.
Rather than calling out his team to play their brand of basketball, Wade took the high road and always tried to find a silver lining with every loss or criticism that was thrown his way.
It takes a real leader to call it like he sees it, especially on the biggest stage of them all.
At the risk of alienating his teammates, Wade decided not to do that, but had he taken one bold step forward, it could've resulted in a much different outcome for his club.
Shooting: LeBron James
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James shot 43-of-90 from the floor while Wade was a similar 59-of-108 throughout the series, so it's not so much about the percentages here as it is about shot selection.
As alluded to earlier, James just simply didn't play the style of basketball that makes him most effective. Rather than being assertive and attacking the rim, James laid back comfortably in the zone and relied on his mediocre jumper to get the job done.
It's pretty incredible how much James has seemed to fall in love with his jump shot now that he actually has one (when he first came into the league it was non-existent), but he would be wise to remember what attributes of his repertoire elevated him to this echelon.
Desire: LeBron James & Dwyane Wade
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It's pretty rare when two superstars can shoulder equal blame for their desire to win a championship, but as the course of the series wore on, it appeared that both James' and Wade's will to win were shrinking by the game.
The Mavericks simply wanted it more, and it was evident in almost every minute of the series. There would be bursts of greatness between Wade and James, but rarely could those be sustained throughout the course of all 48 minutes.
In order to be considered one of the greatest of all-time, your work ethic has to be borderline psychotic, and although each put in a lot of practice time, in the end their body language on the court spoke volumes above anything else.
Conclusion: LeBron James
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It might be Dwyane Wade's team, but LeBron James plays the role of the villain flawlessly.
After last summer's The Decision and his welcome party to Miami, LeBron set the stage for himself to fail by stating the the season was championship or bust for the Heat.
It's a pretty stark 180 degree about face from a year ago, where James found himself atop the basketball world as the most coveted man in the entire league.
This summer, James finds himself humbled by defeat and singing a very different tune, still searching for a way to climb the championship ladder.
