Dallas Mavericks have a lot of hurdles to overcome for the Championship repeat – NBA Special Report (Part-2)
LeBron James
The Dallas Mavericks no doubt won the NBA Championship fair and square last season, but they did so by pissing off a guy by the name of LeBron James.
James was phenomenal through the playoffs and was the major reason why Miami took the likes of Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and then bowled over Derrick Rose and his Chicago Bulls in the battle of the East.
However, such is the reputation that James has developed over the course of the last year that if he puts one foot in the wrong direction, his bashers come crashing down at him.
It is an open secret that James did not deliver as expected in the NBA Finals. In fact, in the game-4, he was a non entity. However, no one can deny the fact, that James was the best passer, rebounder and play maker throughout
the series. Had it not been for him, Miami would have been swept away by the resurgent Mavs.
You may not agree with what I am about to say, but I assure you that it is a fact.
James as it turned out was given the responsibility of anchoring the team on the defense and at the same time assist Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the front court. It primarily put the spotlight on Wade and James despite being
the best player in the team, played under his shadow. He laid back on the offense only to lure the Mavs defense and give more open looks to his other two illustrious team-mates.
In a nutshell, offense was the one thing in which James was dependant on Wade and Bosh.
One thing only!!
And yet when James left the court with a triple double in the game-5 of the Finals, there was a criticism that he had scored only 17 points and that was the reason that the Heat lost.
I had only one feeling at the time.
OK, we all didn’t like James’ antics in ‘The Decision’, but blaming a defeat on a player, who had just scored a triple double against the most robust and well shored defences of the league.
You have got to be kidding me.
It has been more than three months since Heat lost the Finals and about two weeks ago James said that the week after the Finals heartbreak was the most difficult in his career.
So, when the Mavs come across the Heat next time around (and believe me they will, if they have to win it again) they will come across a James, who will be angrier, stronger, hungrier and more rearing to go than ever. He is one
of the greatest players in his generation, but he has nothing to show for it as yet.
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