LeBron James, Ready to Take Over

LeBron James is finally ready to take over the NBA.

Finally, just weeks away from his 24th birthday, LeBron James has the knowledge, experience, and awareness to take his team to the NBA finals and WIN.

I  have argued that LeBron James has been the best player in basketball for over a year now, but I can now say confidently that he is the best in the world. LeBron's emotional impact is getting close to that of Kevin Garnett's on any team.

LeBron has looked like a man-child for about ten years now, but right now he looks like a man's man. Did he beat the defending national champions on opening night? No—in fact with the game on the line, he missed pivotal free throws that could have pushed the game into overtime.

So what am I getting at? What is new with the phenom that sets him apart right now? First of all, his gold medal.

LeBron James was the leader of the Olympic team, like it or not. He played the soundest basketball out of anyone on the team. Sure, D-Wade had some pretty fanatic dunks and crossovers, Kobe had his quickness, Deron Williams got his assists, and Dwight Howard his throw downs—but it was LeBron's impact that won the gold medal.

He wasn't concerned about showing off dominating dunks, or spectacular athleticism, or take over ability.  He was concerned with winning, no matter what that took.

What I watched in LeBron James this summer was a transformation of not trying to win every game all by himself, but rather playing the game of basketball like it is supposed to be played. This has to carry over to the Cleveland Cavaliers winning an NBA championship.

Specifically, he has learned how to stay calm in all situations. Sure, LeBron has seemed to remain calm all of his career—and don't get me wrong, it is an asset when your leader does not get rattled easily—but it was all show. I can guarantee you LeBron knows what the world expects from him, and he thinks about it more times than he reveals.

He has now learned what the NBA is about, and how to handle almost every situation the way Michael Jordan would.

While his mind has finally caught up with his ability, believe it or not, LeBron's body has gotten bigger. Whether he has been lifting this offseason a ton or not, only LeBron and his trainer know that, but its almost as if he's gone through another growth spurt somehow.

We all watched Kobe go from a scrawny high-school kid, to an athletic playmaker, to the athlete he is right now—and LeBron is reaching that final leg in his career right now.

He is not concerned anymore with making spectacular plays, or scoring 55 points, or taking over games just to prove to the world that he can.  He is concerned with winning and now understands how to do it.

Combine that with offseason acquisition Mo Williams.  Williams' ability to shoot the ball consistently, as well as run the offense, will allow LeBron to focus solely on rebounding, scoring, and playing defense.

Mike Brown had the Cavs in a zone defense during their first game at Boston, which I would consider a huge mistake. Sure, the Cavs have a lot of guards, but they need to be able to man up and play defense—instead of playing lazy D and watching the LeBron show on the other end.

LeBron is a great defender, believe it or not, which is definitely the most underrated part about him. Sure, Paul Pierce scored a few times on him, but that's because LeBron is so concerned with playing team basketball that he isn't worried about Paul Pierce.

LeBron's anticipation and awareness are at an all-time high right now, like a great defensive back in the NFL waiting for the QB to throw the ball to his receiver.

Mike Brown, let LeBron James play defense on JUST Paul Pierce, Kobe Bryant, Luol Deng, or Joe Johnson. Watch him shut them down, while your small guards rotate over when needed.  See LeBron take control on the defensive end, and set the tone for the game and season.

Another reason why Mike Brown needs to let LeBron shut down the opposing teams' main scorer is because Z and Ben Wallace aren't quick enough to rotate down low any more. They need to man up and lock down who they're covering.

Sure, maybe they need to double over on guys like Emeka or Garnett—but, again, that just means rotation on the outside by the quick smaller guards.  This sounds like a zone, but it will allow LeBron James to play great defense, get a lot more steals, and lead the team to a championship.

Believe it or not, but LeBron James is absolutely ready this year to take his team past the "revamped" East, to the Finals, and pick apart the best in the West.

With his body growing, awareness expanding, and anticipation leading, he is the deadliest player in the game—and he will play the game of basketball as it was created to be played.