Thursday, May 13, 2010

Defining Game for LeBron

As a longtime LeBron James supporter and advocate that he is probably the most talented player ever born, I thought this season and these playoffs would begin to define him as a basketball player. When I say “most talented” I do not mean the “best”. He has been the “best” player in the NBA for two or three seasons now, and with apologies to Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, and Dwight Howard among others, it really has not been all that close.

But to be considered historically great along the lines of Jordan, Magic, Bird, Russell, Wilt, Kareem and even Kobe from a historical perspective, LeBron needs to make the next step into greatness: the ability to will yourself and your team to victory and eventually, championships. All of the others that I mentioned have done this. They have led their teams to new heights and championship rings. LeBron is now 25-years-old, in his seventh season and his time has come to make the transformation from great player to historically great player.

That is why I thought this playoff run would be a defining moment in LeBron’s career. I just did not think that the defining moment would happen in the second around against the Boston Celtics. I believed it would occur in a rematch of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Orlando Magic or against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in the NBA Finals. I thought at some point that we were going to see the competitive zest that makes great players great come out in James as he led his team to their first of what would become many NBA Championships. Instead, after what is being considered his worst NBA playoff game of his career, James’ Cavaliers face an elimination game on the road in the 2nd round.

I hope as a fan of LeBron’s, as a fan of basketball, and as a fan of greatness that “LBJ” steps up in Games 6 and 7, leads his team to victory, and goes on to win his first of many championships. If he is unable to come through tonight, however, or in a game seven at home against an inferior opponent, I and everyone else that has anointed him will have to start reevaluating what his career might end up looking like. That is why tonight’s game could begin to define LeBron James’ career and his legacy one day.

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