LeBron James is back in Cleveland’s court, and a new book The Redemption of the King just hit the shelves. Author Vince McKee covers James’s entire journey in every detail both on and off the court — from the start of his career with the Cavaliers in Cleveland to his departure to Miami, his time with the Heat, and finally, the highly anticipated return of the “King.”
The Redemption of the King is a story that revolves more around hometown pride and character than money or celebrity. Over the next five days SheridanHoops.com exclusively will bring you excerpts of the new book, published by Clerisy Press. Click here to purchase.
Chapter Six: Taking His Talents to South Beach
LeBron began to feel the pressure of the expiring contract well before game four in the Boston Celtics series. He had heard it from the fans and media for the past three years, and everyone wanted to know if he would stay in Cleveland when the contract was up. The bigger question, however, was would he take Cleveland to their long-awaited championship win before decision time came to stay or to go? So much pressure and so many questions were on the line as the Boston series intensified. Up until this point the organization and LeBron had done a great job of ignoring the questions and the pressure about his possible departure. The focal point always remained the same: to win a championship. All that would change, though, heading into game five.
Click on this photo of “The Redemption of the Kings” to purchase.
The Cavaliers had dropped game four of the series a few days earlier, which brought the series back to Cleveland tied at two games apiece. There was a slight chance that if the Cavaliers failed to win, it could be the last time LeBron would ever play at home in front of Cleveland fans as a member of the Cavaliers. Many people dismissed the chance of that actually happening, but for the first time ever, it seemed that immense pressure had finally gotten to LeBron.
Things started off smoothly, with the Cavaliers leading at the end of the first quarter, 23–20. It was in the second quarter that things started to go horribly wrong: Boston outscored the Cavaliers 30–21 and never looked back from there, as the Cavaliers simply went into
self-destruct mode. All five starters from Boston scored in the double digits, including Glen Davis, coming off the bench to score 15. The Cavaliers defensive effort was terrible, and they seemed to sleepwalk through the final three quarters of the game. By the time the game ended, the Cavaliers were on the losing end of a 120–88 blowout. The fans in attendance were shocked by the poor play of their team in such a crucial game. Even worse was the subpar effort of their best player. Everyone was left wondering what had gone wrong.
It would forever be remembered by Cleveland fans as the “Game Five Debacle,” or, in not-so-flattering terms, “the night that LeBron choked.” LeBron, who was one of the best playoff players in the NBA for several years, had his worst game in his playoff career. He seemed slow and uncaring the entire night. He wasn’t his normally aggressive self and passed off many shots instead of driving to the hole. He finished with only 15 points, shooting a meager 20 percent on 14 shots, and he was also low on attempts. It was, without question, his worst overall night as a pro. He simply didn’t seem to care and played without his best effort, leaving the task of winning up to his teammates. Shaq did his best to try and help out with 21 points, but it wasn’t nearly enough. Rumors exploded almost immediately following the game that a pregame locker-room scuffle had thrown the team off balance.
Considering LeBron’s total body of work, the opposite argument could be made that he did not choke and simply had an off game. If it weren’t for LeBron, Cleveland wouldn’t have gotten as far as the team did. The guy had one bad night—that doesn’t erase seven prior years straight of great nights! If it weren’t for him in the Orlando series the year before, Cleveland would have been swept and lost each game by at least 30 points. The fact that people still crucify the man for one bad game is insane! Referees in basketball can fix a game—as can be demonstrated to happen—but this was not LeBron throwing a game. Something was clearly wrong in his head that night, and he let it get the best of him. The fact that anyone would even think he would throw the game because he knew he was leaving is a major point of contention.
With the misery of game five still fresh, the Cavaliers headed back to Boston for game six, clinging to hope that LeBron would reemerge and force a game seven. LeBron answered his heavy critics from game five and responded with a great effort, scoring 27 points with 19 rebounds and 10 assists. It was another incredible playoff triple-double performance from LeBron, but it was too little too late and the Celtics were simply unstoppable. Boston ended Cleveland’s playoff run by a score of 94–85.
For the second straight year, the Cavaliers had the best record in the Eastern Conference. For the second straight year, they had the league’s MVP. And, sadly, for the second straight year, they failed to reach the NBA Finals. It was clear that the specter of LeBron’s possible departure from Cleveland made for too much of a distraction. In the end, it may have been their biggest downfall, and now they had to anguish through the rest of the postseason at home, as well as the early part of the off-season, wondering and waiting to see if LeBron would resign from the team.
Click here to order your copy of “Redemption of the King” for $18.95.
PART I: Introduction
PART II: Beating the Pistons
PODCAST: Vince McKee discusses his new book on Cleveland’s TheSportsFix.
Vince McKee is a growing force in the world of sports literature. His first four books, Hero, Cleveland’s Finest, Jacobs Field, and The Cleveland Cavaliers: A History of the Wine and Gold, all helped build his credibility as a top-notch chronicler of the impact of Ohio sports. He currently travels the country meeting with the public to spread the message of Hero. Vince is an avid Cleveland sports fan who enjoys spending time with his wife, Emily, and their daughter, Maggie. He is always willing to speak with his fans and critics and can be contacted by e-mail ([email protected]) or followed on Twitter (@vincetheauthor).