One could say that he was the real reason for the championship repeat. His Game Six heroics, dropping in a three pointer with 5.2 seconds left in the game and forcing overtime, will go down as one of the most historic shots in the archives of the NBA. A miss would have been doom-and-gloom for a Heat repeat.
In Game Seven, LeBron was uncharacteristically accurate from three-point range, making the Spurs strategy of allowing him to shoot from the arch to become their demise.
I’m not a huge fan of the NBA style as much as I am with the college game, but I thought the finals were part of one of the most entertaining NBA playoffs I have seen in years. The Spurs had their chance to be champs in Game Six, being ahead by five with about 30 seconds left to play, with the great play of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and the outside shooting of Danny Green (who set a new NBA record for most three pointers in the playoffs).
San Antonio gave Miami all it could handle, but it wasn’t meant to be as the King, a dominant factor, had 37 points, 12 rebounds and four assists, with plenty of help from Dwayne Wade (23 points, 10 rebounds) and Shane Battier (18 points, 6-for-8 from three). The trio shot extremely well, mostly in a timely fashion when the Spurs seemed they might make a run. But it was Ray Allen, who proved his worth as a free agent investment, who enabled the King and his court to prevail as champs.
There has been much discussion about LeBron. One being that he is characterized as possibly the best player in the NBA. If he isn’t, then who is? I think, for a young man who came directly from the high school ranks, he has matured very well as a professional basketball player. I refuse to compare him to one of my favorites, Michael Jordan, because every era is different and when MJ played (six NBA MVP finals awards), the NBA was made up of different types of players—Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Scotty Pippen and a young Kobe Bryant. In today’s NBA, there aren’t many dominant inside players.
LeBron’s growth has shown in his assertiveness, which has paid big dividends for him (off-season earnings last year of $42 million). A contrary to that, for example, is Tim Duncan, who is a silent leader for the Spurs. His off-season earnings from last year were a mere $2 million. I find that very interesting. Duncan is 37 years old with a reputation of being a leader and seasoned pro, and James is only 28.
Here’s a note of interest. King James prepared for the finals by watching Jordan highlights.
As his career moves forward, James could stand alone with the possibility of being the best NBA player ever, mainly because he has plenty of time left in his NBA future. He is every bit of the athlete he is portrayed to be and he stands to continue as a dominant force at the age of 28.
Like Jordan and Bryant, he can score in many different ways—outside, inside and in between and with many triple doubles to his credit, which seems to be a big part of his legacy. LeBron is a determined young man who understands that there is a process to greatness, and that never ends. The King will defend his throne for seasons to come.
