The world will watch the Heat and Pacers with bated breath Thursday night. Not watching to see either team win or lose, but watching to see if LeBron James pulls another disappearing act down the stretch.
So, in other words, they’ll be buying into a wide-spread misconception.
James is not a choke artist. He’s a three-time league MVP with a chip on his shoulder and a reputation he can’t shake, and will not shake, thanks to the powerhouse forming in South Beach he helped orchestrate.
But is that entirely fair? After all, it’s one thing to claim he sold out, it’s another to peg him as a failure when it matters most.
Did James miss two huge free throws in the final minute of Miami’s three-point loss to Indiana in Game 2? Yes, he did. But was that choking at its best. Absolutely not.
In all fairness, those are the points James is compensated to score. His stat line of 28 points, nine rebounds, six steals and five assists doesn’t mean much in the scheme of a loss, yet is it completely worthless?
James seemingly dominated that game, but couldn’t deliver in the clutch. And yet, while those are the points he’s paid to score, the moments he’s expected to deliver, it is also the time when shots will go awry.
Not every big shot or key free throw is going to fall. Sometimes the moment is just too big, or sometimes, the mechanics just aren’t right. But does that make James a failure? His absence of a championship ring is devastating to his reputation, but does that change the fact that he’s more talented than any other individual in the NBA?
No and no. Every miscue, botched free throw and missed opportunity are magnified when it comes to James, and rightfully so, to a certain extent. However, increased scrutinization does not justify making allegations that simply aren’t true.
James may be ringless, but what does that have to do with choking? Championships are won as a team, so if anything, the absence of one from his resume would be more of a testament to his ability to succeed within a collective, and even that’s a thin argument.
But a choke artist? No, not at all.
James’ failures on the court are the result of his flaws as a man, as a human being. He is not God.
And you know what? That’s just a reality we all must come to accept.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His basketball musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com. Follow @danfavale on Twitter for his latest posts and all things NBA.
