So, as I’m waiting to flotilla out of Florida, I felt compelled to support the newspaper industry by purchasing some of the local periodicals to get their take on what I had just seen.
Not surprisingly, I guess, nearly every editorial “celebrated” the launching of LeBron James’ shamelessly prophesied Title Wave, and admonished, let us say, the non-supporters of the King’s coronation, at long last, after nine seasons.
“’Bout damned time,” he concurred.
Ardently reeling with the feeling of LeBron’s incandescent MVP fireworks, South Florida’s paperboys claimed he had proven detractors wrong, when, in fact, he had proved them right.
Pretending like we had heard a disparaging word from them regarding LeBron’s passive presentation in last season’s NBA Finals and contemptuous conduct afterward, his cheering section got it butt backward.
By LeBron’s own admission of guilt, something uncommonly verbalized by athletes not caught in the act of something diabolical, he’d played the wrong way in his first season as ringmaster of the Heat’s three-ring circus and behaved the wrong way off the court.
By LeBron’s own outside-the-confessional-box-admission-of-guilt, something uncommonly verbalized by athletes not caught in the act of something diabolical, he had played the wrong way in his first season as ringmaster of the Heat’s 3-ring circus and behaved the wrong way off the court.
By his own admission, LeBron volunteered he had looked in the mirror following his fourth quarter fiasco against Dallas, in which he averaged three points in a half-dozen fourth quarters, he and realized he needed to alter his “hate” mentality and reverse his outside-in position.
Meaning LeBron began working on correcting personality and performance flaws. Meaning, either consciously or subconsciously, he followed the advice of critics who have been imploring him for years — not just since he took his talents to South Beach — to hang out less beyond the great divide and flex his muscle more underneath.
To his immortal credit, he went back to the drawing board after last season’s finals flush. Regardless of how he came to the realization, LeBron concluded he had spent way too much time in the isolation booth and not enough time in the painted pony.
So, LeBron reached out to dancing star Hakeem “Dream Shake” Olajuwon and asked to be taken down for a week and taught how to lambada in the lane.
As a result of the radical physical and mental adjustment, James became a force from all angles, as difficult to stop as the European debt crisis.
His playoff supremacy — 23 games, averaging 30.3 points (50 percent), 9.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists — stacks up against anyone in the annals.
Against the Mavs in 2011, he came up short (17.8 points and 7.2 rebounds) and tight (60 percent foul shooting). No June swoon this time. He stole the Thunder from the OKC, averaging 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 82.6 percent from the line.
LeBron did what MVPs do: became better, shepherded the Heat to the Promised Land and transformed role players (Shane Battier, Mike Miller and Mario Chalmers) into household names by setting them up for easy kills.
And, in the grueling, glorious process there comes alleged “vindication.” From what?
Detractors certainly were consumed in hoping LeBron’s choking would last forevermore and he would never win a title. But surely not even the half-wits actually believed it wouldn’t happen… igniting an inescapable landslide.
It’s fascinating how crown moulding changes perception. In Game 2 against Oklahoma City, LeBron furnished his first ever clutch points (less than five minutes left in a game, the team within five) in three finals appearances and was hailed a hero … though he could have just as easily earned a public flogging.
In the closing moments, LeBron committed a foolish turnover and took a terrible 3-point shot after killing the 24-second clock (comma here) standing still at the top of the circle. Then, with the Heat up two in the final seconds, he got away with fouling Kevin Durant three times on the same shot. Had the referees done their duty and Durant converted, OKC might’ve won by one.
Had that happened, LeBron might’ve reached out for psychiatric help. When you win, there are no sins.
In the end, LeBron had the fortitude to face his fears and flaws and conquer, no, vanquish them. He proved it, not to detractors, but to himself.