LeBron James and the Heat wrapped up the NBA championship Thursday in Miami with a big 121-106 win over the Thunder. There is no doubt James came to play during the playoffs. He was spectacular and certainly helped erase the view that he was not a closer or could not perform in big games. James averaged 30.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game during the playoffs. I didn't get to watch much of the finals, but I don't think James ever got that glassy-eyed look like he did in last year's finals. He was much more assertive and aggressive in this finals than in last year's finals, when he seemed scared and wanted to run from the big moments.
James won't be known for any longer as the best player in the NBA without a ring. That burden now falls on the likes of Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose, and Kevin Durant. Now that James has one, it could be easier to get more. Stars in other sports have done the same thing. Phil Mickelson went for a long time with no major wins, now he has four. John Elway was unable to win a Super Bowl until the twilight of his career, then won back-to-backs and retired on top.
And the Heat are a stacked team. Everyone stepped up in the finals. In the deciding Game 5, six Miami players scored in double figures. When James cramped up near the end of Game 4, his supporting cast still got the job done. The team went through some tough stretches in the playoffs, but a lot of that seemed to be remedied when Chris Bosh got back from his injury and was playing more regularly. There's no reason that Miami cannot win another ring. Other teams might raise their level of play,but I see the Heat being consistently at the top of the Eastern Conference for awhile.
There is no doubt that some of the hate for James has dissipated. Now that he has won a title, it is almost like there's no entertainment in making fun of or hating LeBron anymore. I, for one, as I said in an earlier post, did not hate him as much as last year. And I don't know if "hate" was the right word ever. I disliked him and the way he went about switching teams but still liked watching him play when he was at the top of his game. Watching him clam up in the finals was icing on the cake after he said the Heat would win, "not five, not six...." titles in the celebration the team held for landing The Big Three of James, Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. But after he failed the first year with the Heat, I guess it was kind of time to forgive him and let him try and go win a title. I would have rather seen the Thunder win, but I don't mind seeing the Heat win it as much as I would have last year. And if it had gone on for a few more years -- LeBron not winning a title -- eventually you want to see the best win a championship and people probably would have ended up wanting James to win one.
James has a chance to build on his legacy now with more titles. Whether he ends up being a great player with one ring or an all-time great with multiple rings remains to be seen. What we do know though is he won't be known as one of the biggest flops and failures in NBA history, we can be sure of that.
James won't be known for any longer as the best player in the NBA without a ring. That burden now falls on the likes of Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose, and Kevin Durant. Now that James has one, it could be easier to get more. Stars in other sports have done the same thing. Phil Mickelson went for a long time with no major wins, now he has four. John Elway was unable to win a Super Bowl until the twilight of his career, then won back-to-backs and retired on top.
And the Heat are a stacked team. Everyone stepped up in the finals. In the deciding Game 5, six Miami players scored in double figures. When James cramped up near the end of Game 4, his supporting cast still got the job done. The team went through some tough stretches in the playoffs, but a lot of that seemed to be remedied when Chris Bosh got back from his injury and was playing more regularly. There's no reason that Miami cannot win another ring. Other teams might raise their level of play,but I see the Heat being consistently at the top of the Eastern Conference for awhile.
There is no doubt that some of the hate for James has dissipated. Now that he has won a title, it is almost like there's no entertainment in making fun of or hating LeBron anymore. I, for one, as I said in an earlier post, did not hate him as much as last year. And I don't know if "hate" was the right word ever. I disliked him and the way he went about switching teams but still liked watching him play when he was at the top of his game. Watching him clam up in the finals was icing on the cake after he said the Heat would win, "not five, not six...." titles in the celebration the team held for landing The Big Three of James, Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. But after he failed the first year with the Heat, I guess it was kind of time to forgive him and let him try and go win a title. I would have rather seen the Thunder win, but I don't mind seeing the Heat win it as much as I would have last year. And if it had gone on for a few more years -- LeBron not winning a title -- eventually you want to see the best win a championship and people probably would have ended up wanting James to win one.
James has a chance to build on his legacy now with more titles. Whether he ends up being a great player with one ring or an all-time great with multiple rings remains to be seen. What we do know though is he won't be known as one of the biggest flops and failures in NBA history, we can be sure of that.
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