When the NBA Finals began, the Spurs was already a shoe-in for the championship. So should LeBron James be bashed like this? I am not trying to defend the kid, but simply giving what is due to the kid. He is just a four-year veteran with two years of playoff experience coming into this year's playoffs. You cannot blame any player who doesn't have enough experience for losing. You cannot blame a player who has to carry his whole team throughout the whole season into the Finals for losing. You cannot blame a player who tried to involve his teammates who didn't rise to the occassion for losing. However, the only thing that I think LeBron can be blamed for is the fact that he didn't take over the Cavs offense right away. It took too long and too late when LeBron decided to actually score. Last night's game was one of the nights where ballhogging was needed. As ABC commentator Jon Barry said during the halftime "LeBron doesn't need to be a Magic Johnson right now. Right now, he needs to be a Michael Jordan." Unfortunately, he didn't take over enough. But not to discredit San Antonio, they did play a hell of a defense on LeBron througout the series which made things tougher for LeBron and the Cavs.
Cleary, LeBron and the rest of the Cavs are not seasoned enough to be in this position [with the exception of Eric Snow and David Wesley (who I think Brown should've used for leadership experience in the playoffs)]. That's why I agree that they don't have any business to be in the Finals just yet. But the mere fact that, as inexperienced as they are they still reached the Finals, they should be given a lot of credit for. After all, they did win the Eastern conference. Say what you want to say as to how weak the East is. But at the end of the day, NBA history will write that the Cavs were in the running for a title, at least once. Truly a feat that is rare even to the most seasoned, and most sought-after superstar/s.
I am not a Cavs fan. I actually even wanted the Spurs to win so that Michael Finley can finally get a ring. However, the way LeBron is being discredited after what he has accomplished, i think, is just simply unfair. Look at this as LeBron's fall, just like MJ's fall against Detroit which was three years in a row. LeBron, with his basketball prowress and youth will win a championship down the road. He is still improving and is not even near his peak. Maybe it was too early for him to be on the "big stage." But he got there, gave it a shot, then lost. I guess that's what we call, basketball.
