There’s 12.6 seconds left. Magic 96-95 Heat. The Heat, defending NBA champions, down one to the second worst team record-wise in the league on their home floor. Time to panic, right?
Wrong. Not when you have LeBron James on your team.
You just watch the greatest player in the world go to work.
Wade inbounds to LeBron who receives the ball at the top of the key. Guarded by Arron Afflalo initially, and then DeQuan Jones.
I’m sure neither player was looking forward to defending the MVP.
LeBron dribbles over to the right wing and starts his isolation move on Jones. He begins to size up his defender, goes between the legs, and unleashes a killer crossover and blow-by, going past Jones as if he weren’t there.
He can get into the paint whenever he likes.
When no shot blocker comes to meet him at the rim, LeBron banks in a lefty layup, and the Heat go up one with 3.2 seconds left.
No need to panic. Just watch The King do what he does better than anyone else in the game.
As the clock winds down, the Magic inbound the ball to Afflalo, who runs down the sideline, pressured mercilessly by LeBron and Wade, and is forced to jack up an ugly half-court shot while falling out of bounds.
It doesn’t even draw rim. Ball game.
This is just another win for the Heat now, their 16th straight. Winning has become routine for Miami. And at the centre of it is LeBron James.
Leading the team in points, rebounds, assists, steals and field goal percentage, LeBron is the driving force behind the Heat juggernaut.
He is the best all around player in the league, excelling at scoring (27 points per game, good for fourth in the league, while shooting 56.2% from the field, 40% from three and 75.2% from the charity stripe) and facilitating (7.2 assists per game, tied for tenth in the league and the only non Point Guard in the top 20).
He’s also adept at rebounding (8.1 rebounds per game, best among non Power Forwards on Centres), getting steals (1.73 per game, 11th in the league), and consistently defending the opposition’s best scorer (seriously, the only player in the league that can guard anyone from Dwight Howard to Chris Paul).
There is nothing on the floor that LeBron doesn’t cannot do, and that’s what makes him the best player in the league.
He should be a sure thing to win his fourth MVP trophy this year.
Well, unless MVP voters give it to Kevin Durant – who’s having an outstanding year in his own right – because they are tired of voting for LeBron or don’t appreciate the show he puts on night in night out at both ends of the floor.
While I am also a huge fan of Durant, it would be a travesty if LeBron doesn’t win the MVP for what he’s doing this season. There is no other player in the league that can match what he brings to the court.
ConorHarvey1888
Roar Rookie
it's interesting to wonder how LeBron's game would have advanced had he stayed in Cleveland, whether he would still be winning scoring titles by being his team's only offensive threat, or if he would have seen the all around improvement in his game we've witnessed over the years
ConorHarvey1888
Roar Rookie
The Lakers with Chris Paul would have had a monster lineup in terms of personnel. However, would it have worked? Questionable, seeing Kobe and Paul's need to have the ball in their hands. Would Kobe have let CP3 run the team? Doubtful, seeing as he takes Nash off the ball a lot. Also, in reply to an earlier comment by someone, I believe Chris Paul to be an overrated defender, at least in a one on one sense. Sure he gets steals, and he's good at organising a team's defense. But steals can be misleading; steals don't equate to a good defender, as they are often the result of irresponsible gambles on defense that can expose the team. Paul is often too small to prevent his man from scoring one on one, though not through lack of effort like some people. He plays his ass off every night.
ConorHarvey1888
Roar Rookie
Ah okay, I didn't get to follow Jordan's career so I wasn't aware of all the rule changes that affected him. Thanks for clarifying. Yeah, MJ v Kobe isn't a debate. MJ wins, hands down. Kobe really doesn't compare.
Frankie Hughes
Guest
I wonder if/when Dwight Howard ever gets fully fit, whether he and Steve Nash can provide Kobe the support he needs. Kobe's playing as we'll as he was during his MVP season. The Lakers also desperately need Pau Gasol back. It was a shame the NBA stopped Chris Paul joining the Lakers.
mushi
Guest
The guy bagged MVP's whilst still playing incleveland. If he wasn't that great then it means the rest of the league was hands down kind of rubbish. durant by the way has a pretty handy side kick in Westbrook
mushi
Guest
Didn't they move the line back?
Matt Anderson
Guest
Fair call. Good enough for me. :)
Johnno
Guest
Matt Anderson". You can still be a great player and not be on a good team. Just check out Michael Jordan's stats before he won a tittle in 1991. His career stats, regular season stats. http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/1035/michael-jordan And look at his stats 1984-1990. He won his 1st title in 1991. But his regular season stats were awsome before that. And Micheal Jordan was MVP, in 1988, and he wasn't on the championship team. His play off stats, are phenomenal, and even before he won a NBA tittle http://www.michaeljordansworld.com/stats_playoffs.htm And finally an article, on some say the best game ever played in the NBA. In 1986 Micheal Jordan, played in a losing side to the Boston celtics of 1986, regarded as one of the greatest teams ever. Micheal Jordan scored 63 points , in a losing side in game 1 of a play off series vs Boston Celtics, check it out http://www.nba.com/bulls/history/michael-jordans-63-points-1986-nba-playoffs-may-have-been-greatest-game-ever-played.html So you can still be a great player, even in a losing team, and not winning a title. Jordan had no good back up, until the 90's.
Matt Man
Roar Rookie
”Jordan though at the Bulls was still outstanding without any back up, individually, but wasn’t good enough to win a championship on his own.” Not quite sure what you mean. Jordan won 6 titles with the Bulls. How can any player win a championship on their own? As you mentioned, every great player has had great support from teammates (Lebron, Kobe, etc). Or do you mean when he came out of well-deserved retirement and played for the Wizards? If it's the latter, I would say that would have been a hurculean effort for any superstar to have won a title.
Johnno
Guest
Your right Chris Paul is one hell of a defender. Lebron is benifiting from Bosh and Wade. Jordan,Majic, and Bird all had good teammates too, as did Kobe. Jordan though at the Bulls was still outstanding without any back up, individually, but wasn't good enough to win a championship on his own.
Frankie Hughes
Guest
LeBron hardly was the same all round great at Cleveland. At the Heat he's got Bosh and Wade. Durant plays in a weaker Oklahoma City Thunder side. If we're talking about great defensive players, then Chris Paul(CP3) will go down asthe greatest.
Johnno
Guest
There is more to Basketball than just scoring. Just ask Majic Johnson. Offence is not the most important thing in Basketball. Defence, Rebounding, assists,steals, all just as important. Just ask Dennis Rodman,. Best rebounder ever to play basketball, and one of best defenders ever. Rodman is the only basketball player , who has been able to defend players in every position . A bit like Majic being the only basketball player ever, who could play at a high standard in every basketball position, "the ultimate utility", Rodman could guard every position in defence. To choose Durant as better just coz he has a better scoring record, is bacially saying according to you, shooting is the most important part of Basketball. It's not it's only 1 part. Lebron beats Durant in all other areas. Kobe is a better shooter than Majic, but Majic is a greater basketball player.
Frankie Hughes
Guest
Kevin Durant is considerably better than LeBron James Watch KD destroy ever scoring record in NBA history
Blendo
Guest
There's no longer any question whatsoever as to who the best basketball player alive is right now. LeBron is leaps and bounds more advanced than Durant, Rose (when healthy), Kobe (OLD and never could touch LBJ's overall skill-set anyway), and everyone else in the league. It's just a matter of legacy and where he stacks up all-time. He's got to win some more championships and may very well end up 1-2 with Jordan.
Johnno
Guest
Conorharvey1888, true about MJ 3-pointshooting but apparently it went up, drasctically when the line was brought in shorter. MJ played a massive part of his career in NBA checking era, and when the 3-point line was further away. Michael Jordan shot 50 percent from 3-point range in 1995, but he only played 17 games and made 16/32. In 1996, Michael Jordan capitalized on the shorter 3-line and hit 111/297 for 42.7 percent from three point range SO MJ can shoot the 3 and his 3-point stats are good if not better than Kobe's when the 3-point line was shorter. And this article on Jordan VS Kobe, it's actually hauntingly obvious who is better out of the 2, every meaningful stat MJ dominate's Kobe including 3-point percentages, I think we can all say MJ is a better basketball player than Kobe Bryant. http://www.basesandbaskets.com/2012/11/kobe-vs-jordan-complete-comparison-of_21.html And MJ played alot of his career in hand checking time, and rough fouls.
ConorHarvey1888
Roar Rookie
Malone is hurt historically because he never won a ring and he had a few memorable moments where he shrunk in the clutch. Also, he benefited hugely from playing with Stockton in that slow methodical system. He never really raised his play, he just kept on performing at the same level, very good but not at the top level of someone like jordan, which is to be admired but also hurts him. Barkley in his prime was nearly unstoppable, but he always thought he was a little better than he actually was, and he also never won a ring. Plus, his conditioning issues prevented him for excelling for a longer period of time (in stark contrast was malone, a gym freak who excelled longer than normal). Bird and LeBron are arguably the two best passing small forwards of all time, maybe throw Rick Barry in there as well. Durant is a good rebounder, but lacks the defense or passing that LeBron has. No doubt he's a better shooter though, not in terms of his fg% where LeBron is killing it but in terms of his jump shot. No one will ever be like Mike. Though not for the reason you suggest. Michael was a below average outside shooter, 33% from 3 for his career, while in LeBron is a career 34% shooter, not much better, but he is improving as his last two seasons have been the highest of his career.
Johnno
Guest
It' funny a guy like Karl Malone, doesn't get as big wraps in all time greats were taking top 10 he is in top 20., but he is athletic, big guy bigger than Le Bron height wise, has a better shot at least a jumper, had so many inside moves, and is 2nd highest scorer in NBA ever , 2nd only to Kareem, maybe coz he played on lousy team, who knows. Barklay could do it all too, such a good offesnisve game Barklay had. But Lebron is still the man, still the most athletic , out of those 3. Makes you realize how good a shooter Bird was, and Bird was a great passer too. Kevin Durant is a small forwad and a brilliant shooter, 6'9 like Bird those are the 2 best pur shooters I have seen, but Durant lack's game in other areas, re-bounding, passing etc, but is still brilliant, but Durant is much better shooter than Lebron but lebron is better in other areas. But we now know Lebron will never be like Mike, . No matter how hard he trains he will never have the outside game MJ has
ConorHarvey1888
Roar Rookie
He really could. He's just starting to hit his prime, and it seems a lock that he'll make it to at least the eastern conference finals every year. No one has ever had the combination of size strength and speed like he does. He doesn't have the best shot, but it's improving, 40% from three this year. Plus, when you can get to the rim like he can, it's not as big a deal. I doubt anyone will come close to Bird as the best pure shooter from the small forward position. He combines Scottie's defense and athleticism with Magic's versatility, he has a very rare skill set. He doesn't have the offensive mindset that Jordan does. He doesn't need to dominate the game with his scoring. He's happy to drop 25 a night on 55% shooting while getting all his teammates involved, he just does what helps them to win. I have no doubt he could score 30-35 a night if he had that mentality. He can get to the rim when he likes. He gets to the line. He can shoot from outside. He can post up. He can beat you in so many ways. And if you double him he'll hit the open man. He's nearly impossible to stop. He bears a resemblance to Pippen, only a more destructive offensive player than scottie was.
Marco
Guest
Johno, Magic Johnson has said that Lebron is better than he ever was ...Stats back that up.
Jerry
Guest
"There is nothing on the floor that LeBron doesn’t cannot do" Oh really? Can he eat his own head?