Every once in a while, we like the pass the mic to our loyal DimeMag.com readers to let them elaborate on topics that are on their mind. So with LeBron James returning to the NBA Finals tonight, this got one reader in particular riled up. Currently the head coach of the Vegas Valley All Stars and coaching AAU ball for 24/7 Hoops out in Las Vegas, the man you know as Drink the Haterade, decided to shed some light on how we got to this point.
Tonight the Miami Heat will host the NBA Finals and take on the Dallas Mavericks in what should be a great series. But this story is not about that matchup, it’s about pride, humility and desire.
When LeBron James made his decision to take his talents to South Beach and team up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, we as fans had no idea what we were in store for. Was it going to be the greatest team ever, a complete bust or something in between?
After the signing of the new Big Three, the Heat had what some called a “premature championship parade.” They loaded the stands and talked about how great it was to be playing together, and of course LeBron’s infamous, “We’re not going to win 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 championships.” That celebration along with the “The Decision” made casual fans pay attention to what was going on with Miami – win or lose we all wanted to know. Even my mom who never watches basketball had grown an extreme hate towards the Heat.
They started the season with a loss to Boston, but the score didn’t indicate how far they would have to come if they wanted to win the championship this year. For the next few weeks, as we all paid close attention to what they couldn’t do, the new Big Three were just getting started to show us what they could. Following a blowout victory against the Cavs in early December, Miami went on to destroy teams including a Christmas beat down of the two-time defending champion L.A. Lakers. And although they were on a roll, the knocks were still there: They couldn’t finish when it mattered most, they weren’t tall enough, they couldn’t get enough production from their bench, their coach didn’t have enough experience.
In close games, the Heat – especially Wade and James – just couldn’t hit the shots when the game was on the line. They had a dismal 2-9 record against the other contenders of the league, including a 30-point blowout loss to the Spurs.
This is what all the haters were holding on to going into the playoffs: The Heat couldn’t win a close game, LeBron couldn’t come through in the clutch, Bosh was too soft and who was going to give them the bench production they needed to beat Boston. The haters all knew the Heat would get past the Sixers, but even after dismantling the Celtics in five games, they still had the Bulls and the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Yeat and best D to grapple with. After a Game 1 loss, it was all about clutch performances. James did it with a barrage of step-back jumpers and buckets in the lane, Bosh had two 30-point explosions where he just dominated anyone Chicago could put on him, and Udonis Haslem finally showed why he was so important, giving them the toughness they needed to win the series.
So now it’s on to the NBA Finals, where all the members of the Heat expected to be when they signed on the dotted line last July. Erik Spoelstra has out-coached every opponent so far in the playoffs, they have made the strides and dealt with the media frenzy, and they have silenced the haters.
If the Heat win the title this year and LeBron is named Finals MVP, will he finally get his due as the best player in NBA? Or will they say that he needed Wade and Bosh to finally win one? I’m going to put my money on the latter. But Kobe couldn’t do it without Shaq and Pau Gasol, the Diesel couldn’t do it without Bryant and Wade, and most of all, Paul Pierce couldn’t do it without Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.
If the Heat win, LBJ will finally be fit to be called a King.
What do you think?
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