Every time that I have turned on ESPN for the past week, I have seen more talk about LeBron’s struggles than I have seen actual analysis of the NBA Finals series.
This infatuation with LeBron is something usually only seen in Cleveland, but ESPN seemingly loves talking about nothing but LeBron’s struggles in the Finals.
There is footage of every single shot that LeBron takes, which is simply laughable. If they show every shot that LeBron misses, why not show every miss by Bosh and Wade as well?
Being from Cleveland I hope the Heat lose and that LeBron never gets a ring, but at the same time I believe that more blame should fall on the rest of the Heat. However, I do see why ESPN and other media outlets are focusing on LeBron. It is because he left his “hometown” of Cleveland to join forces with two other stars. It didn’t help his cause that he was part of a lavish party only one day after he left Cleveland.
Because LeBron made such a spectacle out of his move to South Beach, everyone expected him to be the leader of the team. The problem is that Wade was and still is the leader of the team. He has proved this by being the Heat’s leading scorer in games 2-5 and coming back from an injury in Game 5.
Both Wade and LeBron are expected to step up in the end of games, but they still need help from the rest of the team. LeBron had a triple double in Game 5, but other guys could have done more. Bosh has shown that he is capable of hitting a clutch shot, as he did in Game 3, but it is tough for three guys to carry a team each and every game. The Heat only run an 8 man rotation, and LeBron rarely exits the game. This leads to the Big Three being fatigued by the time the fourth quarter comes around, possibly affecting their performance. Guys like Mike Miller, Mario Chalmers, and Udonis Haslem need to carry their weight in the end of games. Chalmers has become an expert at buzzer-beater threes, but he, along with Miller and Haslem, needs to score more earlier in the game.
I also see the other side of the argument where people say that the end of games should be won by star players like James and Wade. They are the best on their team, and they should close the games. This can be contrasted by the recent play of Jason Terry, who took over the game for Dallas in Game 5. Dallas’s star Dirk Nowitzki was able to take the backseat to Terry’s closing ability.
Game 6 is on Sunday and it will be interesting to see how James and Wade play. Wade might still be injured and LeBron has not shown up in the fourth quarter as of late. This should be a sign to the rest of the Heat, including Bosh, that they need to step up.
One thing is for sure: if LeBron does not score in the fourth and the Heat lose, ESPN will have a field day all summer long.
