Gregg Doyel of CBS definitely thinks he is.
Me, I’m wondering about James’ disappearance in the fourth quarter. He played all 12 minutes but took just three shots, making one, a front-running dunk after he took the ball from Shawn Marion from behind. You want a metaphor? You got one.
After that play, James took two shots the rest of the quarter. He was blocked by Marion with 1:15 left and the game tied at 86, then missed a 3-pointer that would have clinched the victory with 4.9 seconds left. When someone makes a movie of the fourth quarter, they can cast Rick Moranis as LeBron James and call it Honey, I Shrunk the Superstar.
That’s what I’ll remember about James from Game 3. His shrinkage, and how it continued a series of shrinkages. After three games in these NBA Finals, James has scored nine points in the fourth quarter. That’s total. That’s three points a game in the fourth quarter, which means in crunch time LeBron James becomes Joel Anthony.
I asked him about that after Game 3. I asked him, pretty much word-for-word, how come he hasn’t been playing like a superstar in the fourth quarter? What’s going on with that? James played the defensive-stopper card. That’s why he’s out there, you know. For his defense. He’s not a latter-day Michael Jordan. He’s a latter-day Dudley Bradley.
“I think you’re concentrating on one side of the floor,” James told me. “I’m a two-way player. All you’re looking at is the stat sheet.”
Game 3 was about Dwyane Wade the Closer, not about LeBron not taking enough shots. If he does try to take over the game and fails, the media would be all over him. Why are they just as critical when he defers to a hot teammate who has been there before?
Doyel does bring up a good point about LeBron and the officials.
Ah, yes. The whole stats-are-for-losers argument. Point taken. But you know what else is for losers? Whining about the officiating, which James has gotten (too) good at doing. He has started to get a bitter-beer face every time he wants a foul called. By my count it happened Sunday night eight times, seeing how James missed eight shots from the field.
I noticed this as well. Everytime LeBron misses a shot from the field (and even on his makes) he has something to say or a look for the refs. Superstars complain, but LeBron has taken it to another level of late — Kobe’s level. The Lakers’ superstar is unmatched in this regard.
But back to LeBron’s “shrinkage” — I don’t see a problem with the way he played down the stretch in Game 3. That’s part of having a great teammate like Dwyane Wade. Sometimes the other guy is going to be the Closer.
