The world is 48 NBA minutes away from witnessing a paradigm shift. In 48 NBA minutes the idea of
LeBron James being a choker, overrated, not clutch and a loser will be a thing of the past. Of course, haters will hate. But in 48 NBA minutes, LeBron James and the Miami Heat have an opportunity to render the slander null and void. The team as a whole has overcome the whirlwind of negativity that has engulfed it since July 2010. After the premature celebrations after their notorious free agent haul, the Miami Heat are 48 NBA minutes away from accomplishing the mission they set out on almost two years ago. However, this team would not be where it is without the Herculean efforts of LeBron James.
Some of the greatest legends the game has ever seen have felt pain before obtaining the prize that they worked their whole lives for.
Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, Larry Bird, Hakeem Olajuwon, Isiah Thomas, Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, and
Kevin Garnett are just a few legends that felt the pain of defeat before the joy of being a champion.
Some legends ended their careers without ever capturing that prize.
Elgin Baylor, Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone and
John Stockton are just a smattering of legends who never tasted ultimate victory. Despite what many felt would be inevitable for LeBron, the past few years began to appear as though he would toil and strive in vain.
LeBron's greatness thus far has been dumbfounding. How can a player so great
not be a champion yet? Interestingly enough, he probably felt the same way. The prevailing theme of his basketball career has been his 'cart before the horse' mentality. He was on the
cover of Sports Illustrated while he was in high school. His high school games were aired on ESPN. He drove a Hummer during his senior year of high school.
He didn't take an R&B starlet to the prom, though. He had an eight figure shoe deal with Nike before he was drafted by an NBA team. He was easily the most heralded basketball player coming out of high school since Lew Alcindor. The general public tends to prefer to see athletes earn their accolades and the sense is LeBron hasn't lived all the way up to the hype. Too many people simply assumed that he would ascend the heights of the basketball world and he'd win championship rings by the fistfuls. There's a generational divide as well. Younger people are LeBron fans because he's the icon of their era and his rise matches the times now - the era of the instant 'classic', real time updates, constant feedback, Tweets, ESPN highlights and 'debate' shows.
He fulfilled his contractual obligations to a Cleveland team that only continued to regress after unexpectedly reaching the Finals in 2007. Of course, with one Finals appearance under his belt the expectations only accelerated for him. His gameplay never diminished but his teams never lived up to those expectations, flaming out in '08, '09 and infamously in 2010. His free agency dominated the headlines even during the 2010 NBA Finals. So much attention was paid to the ringless "King". The ensuing pep rally the day after "The Decision" threw the "hate" into overdrive (I highly doubt anyone "hates" LeBron, by the way; they might "hate on" him, but he's not exactly a member of the Axis of Evil). The proclamations of "not five, not six, not seven"? A pseudo-championship celebration before the season even started? Receiving the keys to the city of Miami within 24 hours of his arrival? Cart before the horse.
After a tumultuous 2010-2011 season, his much criticized "Decision" brought him back to the NBA Finals in the first year of this grand experiment. The funny thing is that the juggernaut that is LeBron James was conspicuously absent during that most critical time. Eighteen total points in six NBA Finals fourth quarters. Two wins from a coveted NBA Championship and the "King" appeared to have abdicated the throne, allowing the Dallas Mavericks to pull off a coup that not many expected. The vitriol that built after the night of the "Decision" came pouring down on LeBron with the force of an avalanche. All the front running, the sideline dancing, the fake pre-game photo ops reduced the "King" to a jester in the court of public opinion. Not to mention the incessant excuses and downright ridiculous stories that were "leaked" to explain his inability to win a championship. All the while he's put up insane numbers, but the public only remembers that the numbers don't mean a thing 'cause he ain't got that ring. A lesser man would have remained buried under the weight of the criticism. Not this time.
The 2011-2012 campaign showcased a new and improved LeBron James. He spent time training with Hakeem Olajuwon and returned with some semblance of a post game. He trained with Kevin Durant during the lockout to improve his game and stay in shape. He then went about spending a good portion of the season threatening to have the best statistical season of all time. The season was not without bumps in the road. The Heat finished with the fourth best regular season record in the NBA after finishing third in 2011. Once the playoffs started, things started to line up for James. One by one, he knocked down every team in his path, each step in the road harder than the last. Where he faded down the stretch last year, he has continued to build momentum this year. He knows these chances don't come along every year. He knows he let a great opportunity slip through his grasp last year.
Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder are all that stand in the way of LeBron James and basketball immortality. They have also felt the sting of defeat in their young careers. They don't care that others had to wait to win nor do they want to wait to win. However, this moment and this time feels like it finally belongs to LeBron James. With a 3-1 series lead, the young Thunder are undoubtedly sick to their stomachs knowing this series could easily be 3-1 in their favor. Again, LeBron James faces another moment of truth tonight. After marching through the Eastern Conference, James has to defeat the player that everyone has been comparing him to this season.
The truth is that LeBron has no peer. He has a skill set that no other player in the game has. One win is all LeBron needs to be 'certified'. Kevin Garnett knew what a ring would do to 'certify' his career and actually gave LeBron advice that led to his departure from Cleveland. LeBron James is 48 NBA minutes away from his 'certification.' The series is not over but in 48 NBA minutes, some stars may fade away into the night while one star can shine brighter than it ever has before. The world is ready to bear witness.
Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder are all that stand in the way of LeBron James and basketball immortality. They have also felt the sting of defeat in their young careers. They don't care that others had to wait to win nor do they want to wait to win. However, this moment and this time feels like it finally belongs to LeBron James. With a 3-1 series lead, the young Thunder are undoubtedly sick to their stomachs knowing this series could easily be 3-1 in their favor. Again, LeBron James faces another moment of truth tonight. After marching through the Eastern Conference, James has to defeat the player that everyone has been comparing him to this season.
No comments:
Post a Comment