LeBron James’ block on 6-foot-11 Spurs forward Tiago Splitter in the fourth quarter Sunday was monstrous: pure power, grace, athleticism, brilliance. It was one of the best, cleanest blocks I have seen live.
But James was still taking bows on the interview podium for a rejection that basically was accomplished at the fringes of Game 2 garbage time. The Heat were up 19 points with 8:20 left, having overwhelmed the Spurs for the last seven minutes.
James posed, flexed and didn’t run upcourt after his rejection as Ray Allen drilled a 3-pointer that put the Heat up 22.
Yes, it was Allen, Mario Chalmers, Mike Miller and even Chris Andersen who carried James on Sunday night when King James looked too much like he did in the 2011 Finals, unable to make a shot. He finished with a playoff-low 17 points.
The first question asked of James in the post-game press conference was about the block. Rather than downplay it and praising his teammates for winning the game, James basked it in, saying he knew he would wind up on “SportsCenter” one way or another.
“I just wanted to make an impact some way,” James said. “Just wanted to make some play and try to help our team, and I was able to protect the rim on that one.”
James later reminded us the block led to Allen drilling a 3-pointer, in case we forgot “the impact.”
Impact? Try Pacers center Roy Hibbert rejecting Carmelo Anthony at the rim in the fourth quarter of Game 6 — a block that directly led to the Knicks’ season-ending defeat. That’s a block.
LeBron still made it all about LeBron, even on a night when it wasn’t, when he was 2-for-12 shooting deep into the third quarter.
“I will continue to find my shooters if they’re open,” James said. “If I draw two, I’ll find my shooters.’’
If Tim Duncan was asked about a garbage-time block as his very first question, the understated Spur with four championship rings may have smirked, said something about the play having no bearing on the game’s outcome. But what does Duncan know?