LeBron James and the Boston Celtics ghost
For LeBron James, judgement day has arrived. In a few days time, the two times reigning MVP, is all set to face the very team that prompted him to leave his hometown
and come to Miami in an attempt to mount a serious challenge at the NBA title.
James was always the chosen one; one who was destined to be the biggest thing in the NBA since Michael Jordan, even before he got drafted. He has since gone on to
become a great player, however he has not become the great champion that he should have been. On Sunday, he will come face to face with the team that has been his biggest challenge in doing so – the Boston Celtics.
Celtics were the very reason; King James and his Cleveland Cavalier were shut out in the playoffs in 2008 and 2010. The second of those loses ended his career at
the Cleveland Cavaliers. His performance in the final game was criticised, his attitude was questioned and his body language was ridiculed. Even the home crowd turned on James, as he was booed on court.
That night hurt LeBron James. The Celtics had ended his championship dreams yet again. He decided that in order to get past them, he needs to relocate to a stronger
roster. He came out with “The Decision” and upon arriving in Miami, made his intentions clear, he wanted the NBA crown. For that, James knew from the very beginning that he would have to go past the Celtics. The moment of truth has finally arrived.
Now with superstar teammates Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, he is one of the Big Three of the Miami Heat. And on Sunday night, when this explosive trio comes face to
face with their counterparts -the Big Three of Boston Celtics- sparks are expected to fly.
Revenge certainly is a theme, the Celtics knocked out both Dwayne’s Heat and LeBron’s Cavaliers and the two players now have a chance to set things right. But Dwyane
is not under anywhere near the same pressure as LeBron. Dwyane has a championship ring, James does not.
This can be a career defining series for LeBron James; he needs to win this more than anything in the world. He cannot crash out again at the same stage and to the
same team which has been his Achilles heels. If he is the best player around, he needs to prove it to himself and the world in this series.
In the end, the matchup could be decided on mental strength, something the Celtics have an advantage in. Even James accepts that fact but, deep inside he also has
a belief that his team will come through,
“When you talk about mentally strong, they’re one of strongest we have in the league because they’ve been in situation after situation after situation in hostile
environments,” James said. “They’ve been in every situation together. Not like me being in Cleveland or D-Wade being here. They’ve been together. We have to be mentally strong as well.”
LeBron will also know that he cannot win this on his own. If he had the guts, he would have done it last year and probably still have been at Cleveland. The reason
he came to Miami is to have a strong team that can help him out. Now, he will have to trust them, play with unison and let it be team Miami rather than team LeBron. He cannot attack all the time, he has to pace himself and try to create rather than score.
He will put up big numbers against the Celtics, he has done it before and he has done it this season. But fittingly enough, the series, and LeBron’s legacy, will be decided not by him but his team-mates.
LeBron James alone cannot prove his pedigree; he cannot answer the jibes of so many that have questioned his strength, character and ability. The Miami Heat will
have to do it for him.
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