Lebron James

Until recently I never really gave Lebron much thought.  I saw a vastly talented player on a weak Cleveland team full of YMCA all-stars.  Yes.  He played with Shaq, but a shell of Shaq.  Although Boston fans would argue their version of Mr. O'neal was a downright fraud and was really Olden Polynice.  An argument few would disagree with.  Prince James, who I refuse to call king until he gets a crown. Not a ring, a crown. Also required would be a scepter, cape and subjects.  And do not forget lineage, subjects and a monarcial society.  Either way, Lebron has been forced to play with Antwan Jameson, Booby Gibson (Booby? For a grown man? Really?), Mo "Fuck the playoffs" Williams and a host of other players who just downright shouldn't be in the league.  It's actually amazing. The Cav's owner, Dan Gilbert, gave Lebron everything he could have wanted in Cleveland, except some help.  New jerseys? Check. Huge contract? Check. Someone to hit an open jumper when it mattered? Nope!

But as bad as it was in Cleveland, its not much better in Miami. With football season over and the playoff field much smaller (And watching more ESPN) I've had more time to see what Lebron is up to on the court. I remember everyone was talking about James being Robin to Wade's Batman.  Wrong!  Robins don't win MVPs. Robins don't carry their teams to 14-1 reg season records when Batman is M.I.A. Sure there is  a few chinks in James' armor.  He's human.  He can not live up to the media expectations.  We want him to be Magic, Oscar and Jordan all rolled into one.  The expectations are not a bad thing tho. Most people just want him to succeed and be the force that he can be on occasion, but he has to have a weakness.  He's not a great shooter.  It shows at the charity stripe.  He's not "clutch" but we seen him put teams on his back before (vs Detroit & Washington) in the playoffs.  But, no. He's not Kobe.  He's not Durant.  But you know what? Neither of them until recently (Kobe) has been asked to do what Lebron is over their careers.  Neither are asked to setup the offense, get teammates involved then required to score when all else fails.  Oh, and whether that succeeds or fails, he has to get back and defend the other team's best player. Kobe, Durant and even Jordan only had to do a fraction of those things.  Never all of them.  Or at least all in the same game. All the time. 

So yea, LBJ has failed to show up on the final play of a game for most of his career, but its 48 minutes of basketball.  From what I can see there are two ways to look at it.  Either he failed his teammates in the last 2 minutes or his teammates failed him the first 46.  When a player averages 27, 7 & 7; I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.  The way I see it; if his teammates have been absent for 47 minutes somebody with fresher legs should be able to make a shot.