I’m not a LeBron James fan. In fact, since The decision last summer, I don’t remember writing anything positive about him. Regardless, I feel obligated to defend LeBron. This is why.
Following the Miami Heat’s victory in Game 3 of the 2011 NBA Finals, a CBS Sports reporter (Gregg Doyel) confronted LeBron in his postgame press conference. Basically, Doyel asked LeBron why he had dropped in the fourth quarter during the NBA Finals. To his credit, LeBron responded professionally, stating that while he wasn’t scoring, he was contributing, especially on the defensive end. LeBron also offered Doyel this gem; “You should rewatch the movie and see what I did defensively. Tomorrow you will ask me a better question.”
Doyel (obviously) didn’t change his story after the press conference. He proceeded to publish a column titled; LeBron James: Story of an Incredibly Shrinking Superstar. (We may need a “Project Improvement” for bullied youth like Doyel. But I digress.)
Doyel argued throughout his column that LeBron James is not a superstar. Which has always been a minor factor in the most crucial moments of the NBA Finals. That no superstar is only a defensive stop. To a certain extent, Doyel is right. Michael Jordan did it on both ends of the floor. So did Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Bill Russell and Kevin Garnett. But what Doyel forgets is that LeBron James is the reason the Miami Heat are in the NBA Finals to begin with.
How quickly we forget that LeBron mistreated the Boston Celtics, closing Boston’s season door with a 10-0 run to close Game 5. How quickly we forget that it was James, not Dwyane Wade, who terrorized Derrick Rose in the 4th fourth And he consistently buried crucial jumpers during the Eastern Conference Finals. When the Heat needed a bucket, they got it from LeBron. No Wade. How quickly we forget that LeBron is dealing with more scrutiny, backlash, and outright hatred than Wade and Chris Bosh put together, but he still should have won the NBA MVP award. How quickly we forget that LeBron struggled through a regular season in which he couldn’t close a game for his life only to become the best cold-blooded closer in the 2011 NBA Playoffs. Dirk Nowitzki included. And how quickly we forget that LeBron did everything he was supposed to do in Game 3.
That’s right. As I sat and watched Game 3, I was genuinely surprised by what I saw: LeBron devoted himself completely to Wade. In Game 2, even though Wade was off, LeBron forced his shot when Dallas made his run. As we all know, the Mavericks finally won.
Fast forward to Sunday night. LeBron resisted trying to take over the game. He knew it was not his time. It was from Wade. Wade was rolling. It was the player to ride. So LeBron did everything he could to facilitate and ensure that the ball went through Wade. How does that make it less star? Will we reprimand Kobe for putting the ball low on Pau Gasol or would we accuse Paul Pierce of cowering because he constantly found Ray Allen wide open in the corner? Hello there!? Isn’t this what basketball is all about?
LeBron can’t win. It’s as simple as that. Do you want to talk about the contraction in the 4th trimester? Let’s start with NBA darlings Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose. I don’t see anyone breaking down doors to antagonize them in their post-game press conferences. Rose was downright awful in the Eastern Conference Finals, ESPECIALLY when it mattered most. Kevin Durant wasn’t much better. But was he criticized for raising a terrible three and ignoring the offense at times? No sir. Russell Westbrook took the heat. Is anyone accusing Dirk of cowering after he literally threw Game 3 and then missed the game-tying shot? No. Doing so would be foolish. So why is it acceptable to drag LeBron through the mud when he did exactly what any coach would want from his player in a similar situation?
Like I said, I don’t really like LeBron, but I refuse to unfairly criticize his game simply because I don’t agree with his personality and the way he carries himself. LeBron has been incredible in the playoffs. He, Dirk, and Zach Randolph make up my top 3 (in some order) of the most dominant players in the 2011 NBA Playoffs.
While Wade has clearly become the Heat’s best player in the NBA Finals, LeBron has become the scapegoat of the cynical media. Big game, good game, bad game, win or lose; none of that matters. LeBron James will continually be called a fraud. To the loser. A shrinking superstar.
And that’s ridiculous …
… We are all witnesses.