(Sports Network) - Now that's what happens when you tug on Superman's cape.
If we're all being honest, win or lose, LeBron James has been the best player
on the floor in every single game of the Eastern Conference finals.
With his freakishly long arms that can seemingly reach around any defense,
Rajon Rondo does a nice Mister Fantastic impression now and again, but as good
as Boston's point guard is at times, comparing him to James is like saying my
2008 Saturn Ion is comparable to a Lamborghini.
The three-time and reigning MVP, however, is held up to a ridiculously high
standard ever since his ill-conceived ESPN hour-long vehicle called "The
Decision," in which he spurned Cleveland to take his talents to South Beach,
turned him from one of the most loved sports figures in this country to one of
the most reviled.
Comedian and talk show host Jimmy Kimmel summed up the country's dislike of
James when he and the Miami Heat came up short to Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas
Mavericks in last season's NBA Finals, Tweeting "70 years after WW2, LeBron
James has America rooting for the German. Congratulations."
James is a big boy and made his own bed so this is not a plea to feel sorry
for "The King," it's simply a recognition of his greatness whether you like
him or not.
Championships don't define careers completely. If they did, we would recognize
solid role players like Derek Fisher and Robert Horry as better than
superstars
like Elgin Baylor, Charles Barkey, Karl Malone and John Stockton who never
grabbed the brass ring.
Basketball is a team sport and always will be. Sure, James' legacy likely will
never be complete until he captures the Larry O'Brien Trophy, but we're
talking
about a legend in comparison with Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Kobe
Bryant.
If James retired today with nary a championship, he would still leave the game
as one of the best who ever lived, and he proved it again on Thursday during
Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals in Boston when he turned TD Garden
into
a House of Horrors for the hometown Celtics, who were run off their own floor,
98-79.
James set the tone in the opening moments and compiled 45 points, 15 rebounds
and five assists, numbers that haven't been seen since Wilt Chamberlain did it
in 1964.
"He was absolutely fearless tonight," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "And it
was contagious.
"He is arguably the most skilled player in this league and he was able to
showcase a lot of that tonight. We needed every bit of it."
LeBron shot 6-for-7 from the floor and netted 14 points in the first quarter,
helping the Heat to a 16-point lead. There would be no deferring with the
Heat's season on the line and James amassed 30 points by the half.
"I was aggressive from the opening tip. I went out and played as hard as I
could," James said. "I just tried to make plays and give our team a chance to
win, and I think I did that tonight."
By the end, LBJ was a sensational 19 of 26 from the field and never saw the
bench until Spoelstra decided a 22-point lead with a little over three minutes
remaining was enough breathing room to give his superstar a rest.
James' 45/15/5 was better than Boston's entire Hall of Fame "Big Three" of Ray
Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce (31 points, 13 rebounds, two assists).
His
main antagonist in the series, Pierce, was held to nine points on a dismal 4
of
18 performance from the field.
The lift was there on Thursday for James and everything was splashing through
the net -- jumpers, fadeaways, contested shots, it didn't matter.
"I don't know. I will tell you every game is its own (thing)," James said of
his performance. "I will continue to try to be aggressive. I will continue to
try to play at a high level like I have done this whole postseason."
The dirty little secret for Miami, however, is that the Heat are completely
reliant on their superstars and aren't a very good basketball "team." It's a
three-man club down to 2 1/2 as Chris Bosh continues to try to get back in
game shape from his lower abdominal injury.
The Heat will need another superlative effort from either James or Dwyane
Wade, who has been ordinary in this series, to win a Game 7, whether it's on
the shores of Biscayne Bay or not.
Normally a brilliant coach like Boston's Doc Rivers would head to the film
room and start thinking about adjustments after a loss like the Celtics
suffered in Game 6, but Rivers should know this isn't about a defensive tweak
here or there.
When James' jumper is falling, it's shock-and-awe time for any opponent. You
might as well waive the white flag, keep your head down, wait for the storm to
pass and assess the damage afterwards.
So Rivers' lone adjustment for Game 7 will be to try to get people to stop
tugging on that cape.
"I hope now you guys can stop talking about LeBron and how he doesn't play in
big games," Rivers said. "He was pretty good tonight. Now that's to bed."
And that's Doc's best chance -- hoping the giant who shows up on Saturday is
sleeping.
The Sports Network