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The story of LeBron James is well documented. Whether you love him or hate him, you would agree that he is a superstar of the NBA.
He has battled his way through plenty of criticism, failed playoff campaigns, the infamous Decision and the fallout from the super team formation.
Now with two championships under his belt and a host of MVP awards it appears that LeBron has found his groove and is comfortable with his game and life in general.
With the weight of the world now off his shoulders and nothing really to prove, is he now a bit boring to watch?
This of course is a subjective theory based on preference and I’m sure there will be plenty of disagreement but hear me out first.
My reasoning for this theory is based on what the main theme for this season is, what I want to see when I watch an NBA player and of course what LeBron actually does on the court.
Watching LeBron in his Cleveland and early Miami days was interesting because there was a story there. He was the basketball prodigy from Akron that dominated everyone in his path and declared for the NBA Draft straight out of high school.
The spotlight was on him since day one and the ongoing saga around whether he was good enough to lead his team to an NBA title and his occasional disappearance in big game moments was fascinating.
It was a curious experience to watch LeBron play. He was out-of-this-world talented and you wanted to see how good he could be on every night.
Was he the next Michael Jordan? Could he lead his Cavs into the promised land?
Fast forward to 2013 with Miami winning the last two titles and LeBron the last three MVP awards and my enthusiasm to see him play is at an all time low.
Given he is at the peak of his prime and playing on a winning team I began to wonder why I don’t view him as one of the most watchable players in the NBA right now.
The story following LeBron and Miami around is all about the three-peat and this of course mainly has nothing to do with the regular season.
Miami are expected to walk through the season without a problem so why bother watching them during the regular season if LeBron isn’t producing historic numbers?
I look at his very impressive numbers, 26.0ppg on 59.5%, 6.3apg and 5.8rpg and I’m not really that impressed.
This is meant to be a walking triple double with the best all round game since Jordan and yet per 36 mins he isn’t having his best season (apart from FG%/3P%).
He is wildly efficient with his scoring but no one buys a sports car because it is efficient, they buy it for the amazing things it can do and I feel LeBron is sleep walking through this season on cruise control.
I understand that it’s a long season and the playoffs are important but the NBA is in the entertainment business and I know this is a simple way of looking at it but the players are essentially paid to entertain the fans.
Watching a guy play at what feels like 80% of his potential is disappointing and almost a slap in the face to the fans.
Another contributing factor is the sheer size of him. At 6ft8 and roughly 280lbs he is a physical specimen with the size of a PF and the speed of a PG.
When he gets up a head of steam, players are just getting out of the way now instead of trying to contesting the shot.
This means that his dunks, while spectacular, are sometimes a bit hollow.
He doesn’t posterise anyone because everyone vacates the paint quicker than the Miami crowd with a minute left in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals.
This isn’t a criticism of him because he can’t ask players to step in and contest his drives; it’s more of a frustration at the players “defending” him.
I guess it all comes down to expectation and reality. If any other player was posting these numbers (Durant is close) then they would be the talk of the league and praise would be flying in from every corner of the planet.
Numbers aside I would rather watch a Steph Curry, Kobe Bryant (when healthy), Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant or even a Michael Carter Williams because they are entertaining on most nights.
Crazy shots, hot scoring streaks, flashy passing (not due to their size) and impressive dribble moves are what I want to see.
Having said that I am one to enjoy just watching a Kyle Korver or Ray Allen fight through a dozen screens just to get a half second window to catch and shoot a three ball.
Do I want LeBron to knock down 60+ points and stand in the middle of the court screaming “Are you not entertained?” while tigers roam the sidelines?
Sometimes it would be nice if he forgot about the team objective and proved to us fans why he is one of the greatest players of all time.
I want more Lamborgini excitement and craziness and less Toyota efficiency and practicality LeBron!
Roarers, do you see LeBron’s game as slightly boring or do you enjoy what he is doing this season?
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