It seems that at least once a year LeBron James leaves us shocked, awe’d, jaw dropped and questioning reality.
Last years infamous 46-point performance for the ages in Boston to save Miami’s season — and his reputation for that matter.
2011’s complete dominance of the MVP, Derrick Rose, and the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals.
2010’s nightmare series against the Celtics, his last as a Cavalier.
2009’s Dwightmare series, when LeBron averaged 38.5 points eight assists and eight rebounds, but couldn’t push the Cavs over the hump against the underdog Orlando Magic.
2008’s epic Game-7 clash against Paul Pierce and the original Big-3, when LeBron’s 45 points were outmatched by 41 from Pierce.
And we can’t forget 2007’s extraterrestrial 48-point classic against the heavily favorited Detroit Pistons, otherwise known as the “LeBron Has Officially Arrived Game.”
LeBron’s impeccable solo act has been under heavy scrutiny since his evil alliance with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. Sure he’d get his numbers, a few easy triple-doubles — and maybe even a couple of rings — but it wouldn’t be as validated as with Cleveland, or as the undisputed leader of any team for that matter.
In a strange way, last nights Game 5 against the Indiana Pacers was a culmination of all of those past performances: strangely uninspiring at first, but ultimately unparalleled, unbelievable.
LeBron is no longer being flanked by his Hall of Fame counterpart (Wade) and perennial All-Star (Bosh). With Wade, Bosh, Battier and Ray Allen struggling, he has been reverted back to the end-all, be-all that he grew up as in Northeast Ohio. Watch any of Miami’s playoff games against Chicago and Indiana. It’s obvious.
Which is why last nights third quarter — while a relatively small sample size — still ranks up with the best of All-Time LeBron performances. You didn’t need to see more. That’s all there was to it.
12 minutes. My game. We aren’t losing.
It was a single-handed shellacking by all accounts. LeBron’s fist of power versus the brute force of Indiana.
You know the numbers: the Heat trailed by four, LeBron outscored Indy 16-13, scored or assisted on 25 of 29 straight Miami points and by the time his reign of terror ended, the Heat had turned a four-point deficit into a 14-point lead.
He read the same Pacers defense that had stifled him all series without flaw. Whether it was an open lane to the hoop, enough space for a jumper or a wide-open teammate (usually Udonis Haslem), James saw it. And if it wasn’t there, he created it.
Game.
I could sit here and continue to describe it for you, but Andrew Sharp of Grantland already did so, quite elegantly I might add:
Everything we ever wanted from LeBron is happening here. It’s been happening since Game 6 in Boston last year, or the Pacers series beforehand. He could always do this stuff, but with each passing year, he can control it a little more. Turn it on when his team needs it, and be unstoppable in the biggest moments possible. This Heat team’s more vulnerable than anyone would’ve imagined a few months ago, and that was made clear again Thursday night. But this could be a blessing for us. Because if Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh keep struggling, it means LeBron has to turn it on more than ever. And he can. He’s harnessed all his powers, and every challenge from the Bulls or Pacers or Spurs is one more opportunity for him to unleash hell.
And more from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who never fails to put LeBron’s journey into perspective:
Back to Cleveland: More Michael, less Magic. Back to Cleveland, where the burden hung like an anvil over him. James dictated terms of engagement in the third quarter Thursday night, a magnificent, moving tribute to his historic talent. James was everywhere. James did everything. James had 16 of his 30 points, four of his eight rebounds and four of his six assists in the quarter to obliterate the Pacers.
How about from SheridanHoops’ Chris Perkins: “That means in the third quarter, and in the game, James out-shined Indiana’s Big Three of forwards Paul George (27 points, 11 rebounds, five assists), David West (17 points, eight rebounds) and center Roy Hibbert (22 points, six rebounds). And it was much-needed. Hibbert, George and West were killing the Heat in the first half. They combined for 39 of the Pacers’ 44 points and appeared set to do serious damage the entire night. Hibbert and George scored all 23 of the Indiana’s first-quarter points. The Heat couldn’t stop them.”
Wojnarowski says, “More Michael, less Magic,” which has forever been the debate with LeBron. Who does he resemble most?
But why does it matter? Great players have an array of ways to take over and dominate a game. They pick and choose how to do it depending on the circumstance, but they always have it in their back pocket. More often than not, they leave us wanting more, which is why a LeBron’s no-show against Boston in 2010 or Dallas in 2011, or an uninspiring first half cause us to question his true greatness.
Last nights third quarter was our answer.
If you’re going to evolve, you must understand your weaknesses. James avoided a fatal flaw in Game 5: stretching into a place where he’s just not comfortable.
That place used to be shouldering the load without a helping hand. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Once again, it was that type of game for Lebron. It used to be his greatest burden. And we all made the mistake of thinking it still was.
And now that he’s clearly evolved past that?
He’s a burden for everyone in his way.
With or without help.
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Give me a break. Lebron had a really good third quarter, but that was by no means an “All-time” performance. Sports writers are too often slaves of the moment. He hit some shots with a hand in his face. He wasnt double teamed (because the Heat are loaded) and he made them pay for it, that’s all.
Lebron has no help? oh boy.
H e has done it all alone in the Chicago and Indiana series, and Wade is dead, and Bosh is no longer any good.
The supporting cast that everybody deemed the best bench in the NBA no longer exists.
What kinda crap is this? This actually got written?