MIAMI — Long ago, be fore mindless reality TV (“The Decision”) and premature jubilation about “five, six or seven” NBA championships and targeting oneself for full-frontal assaults, snipers and drone drops, fans used to pray for players whose faults stirred the seismograph with the world watching.
They would go to church and light candles (Gil Hodges almost going 0-for-the-World Series), maybe even feel somewhat sympathetic for a slumping opponent. Writers and commentators were even known, albeit intermittently, to express compassion for an elite athlete in free fall.
These days, we root for pin-up players — entertainers and politicians, the rich and the recognized — to live to be a hundred and have the gout every day. And often that’s even before they start to struggle or get caught doing something preposterously stupid or pathetically vulgar.
These days, it’s not pleasurable enough to make fun of the afflicted and taunt their struggle, as well as their success. The latest craze sweeping the nation is to spin yarns about players, their mothers, baby mamas and peeps, as if they don’t cause enough embarrassment on their own and aren’t eminently capable of more.
Another team, another vicious rumor:
Last season, during the Celtics-Cavaliers series, the Internet detonated with a tale Delonte West had slept with Gloria James and LeBron discovered his mother and teammate together in her Boston hotel room. A few days ago, there was an online allegation that Rashard Lewis slept with James’ fiancée, Savannah Brinson, a claim the Wizards forward felt compelled to publicly deny to the Houston radio station that ignited the baseless blaze and privately to LeBron’s people.
Another teammate, another fairy tale about a fractured relationship:
Supposedly, LeBron and Dwyane Wade exchanged abrasive words in the locker room following Game 4, when James went for a career-playoff-low eight points.
Another imperfect performance, another distorted media love-fest:
Before Game 5 imploded faster than a Newt Gingrich campaign, and the Mavericks — remember them? They’re in the Finals, too — reversed momentum and seized a 3-2 lead, ABC’s three commentators raved about LeBron’s triple double, gushed about his ingenious passes and commended his defense.
Five minutes later, Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy and Mike Breen criticized LeBron’s lack of scoring at crunch time, falling just short of maintaining he deserved a mere three-quarter playoff share.
Studio slug Stuart Scott branded LeBron’s 17 points (two in the fourth), 10 rebounds (three) and 10 assists (four), “the quietest triple-double in playoff history.”
At the same time, Dirk Nowitzki was praised to the highest by one and all, justifiably so. He notched 29 points and, again, emerged larger than legend in the heart of the matter.
Accordingly, Pitch White got big ups for closing while LeBron got accused of foreclosing.
Oh, really?
If you count points and assists, and I assume both indeed count toward the final score, Dirk out-did LeBron in the fourth by a whole point, 11-10. We already went over how LeBron got his. Dirk scored eight free throws and was an accessory to a Jason Terry trifecta.
But, hey, the Mavs won and the Heat lost, and we know how that goes, especially at this outrageously warped and scrutinized plateau.
Naturally, nobody is more under the microscope than LeBron. And why not? His 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 16 free-throw attempts and 11 fourth-quarter points in five outings hardly live up the greatness advertised on his body: The Chosen One. More like The Frozen One.
It’s almost understandable that LeBron is savaged when Miami loses. It’s not like Wade can be blamed; he’s producing Biblical portions and he already has his hardware. It gets to be a bit much, though, when LeBron can’t even win when Miami wins.
Even Lenny Cooke got the better of him in Game 4 . . . easy as ABCD.
This is what happens, of course, when you pat yourself on the back before actually accomplishing something worth celebrating, when you choose the situation and summon the spotlight to be shined smack-dab at you.
This is what happens as a result of LeBron making it “All About LeBron,” when world-wide adulation, money-to-burn and preferential treatment is heaped upon him before he ever tastes the intoxicating fragrance of total triumph.
Tonight’s Game 6 is not just one of survival for Miami; in the eyes and minds of most, it’s a reputation-definer for LeBron. Imagine people’s contempt for him had the Heat been harpooned in an earlier round.
Still, back up from the stats for a second . . . and don’t even think about giving the Mavs a sliver of credit for The King’s princely sums. Instead, think about what LeBron said were his biggest reasons for leaving Cleveland. He wanted to win. And he didn’t want to have to do it all by himself. Both things (to this point) are present and accounted for in Miami.
In fact, you could legitimately suggest, when he does try to do it by himself, he reverts back to Cavalier habits — over-dribbling and hoisting from the hoosegow.
Incredible as it seems, Miami may be tougher to beat in the fourth if LeBron is playing ‘D’ and facilitating on ‘O,’ scoring within the flow and in transition, rather than dominating the shot chart.
I suspected LeBron might stay in Cleveland because there would never be real pressure to win. He could launch all the scud duds he pleased, attribute failure to a non-supporting cast and be absolved of responsibility. Instead, he put himself squarely in a spot where winning it all is the only acceptable outcome.
I respect him for backing up his words.