No NBA player fascinates people as much as LeBron James. Although the Cleveland Cavaliers were pathetic in the duel against the Miami Heat, the whole day of his return to South Beach was marked by LeBron. SPOX editor Ole Frerks was there.
“At the other forward, Number 23, LeBron James.”
These are just a few words to bring the American Airlines Arena to a boil. That wouldn’t have been unusual from 2010 to 2014 – James finally played for the local Heat and was the main reason why they reached the finals four times in a row. But even today it is not really unusual. Almost no matter which hall it is.
A few places may need to be excluded, Oakland for example, because it is not celebrated so openly there. But James has fans everywhere. He alone drags a similar bandwagon as the Los Angeles Lakers, still the most popular franchise of the NBA. He is still at the top of his sport.
James also enjoys an absolutely special status in the world of the NBA, which is not poor in stars. This may not be a new insight – but it is always underlined anew. Especially when you watch him at work in person. Or just being “LeBron”.
I had seen James play live before, but on Tuesday morning before the game against Heat, I was on his team’s Media Availability for the first time. If you could call it that: without exception all reporters went straight to LeBron and stared at him – including me, by the way. I couldn’t miss this.
As at an audience, they humbly waited before the sign came from the Cavs-PR: The king is now ready to answer your questions. He even took out his headphones. A few seconds of awesome silence prevailed before someone finally took heart and asked the first question. But even after that it remained a bit strange.
Not necessarily because of James himself. LeBron answered all questions in detail and professionally, as you would expect from him anyway. Strange were rather the reactions to it. Because every ironic statement, every joke, no matter how “funny”, was laughed at like the best joke in Dave Chappelle’s career. Maybe a little louder. Every word spoken is worth its weight in gold. Moments like that make you realize you’ve really made it. I think.
After a few minutes came the announcement that James was now ready. The media meeting lasted three minutes, during which interim head coach Larry Drew answered three questions. All the other players were already on the court, they didn’t feel asked anyway. In fact, the camera people present continued to prefer to film LeBron tying his shoes before we were all sent out.
I think the last 15 games we saw from him were exactly on the level he demonstrated in the finals,” said heat coach Erik Spoelstra – who first became a father at the weekend – about his former protégé. And Dwyane Wade also praised his good buddy effusively.
“That’s the best form I’ve ever seen of him,” Wade said, “I thought when he was here and at some point hit 60 percent out of the field,’This is the maximum. But he always shows everyone that they are wrong. Even to me. That in his 15th year of life. is one of the most impressive things this league has ever seen.”
Booth: 28. March 2018
Of course, the correctness of these statements can be excellently discussed – I think, for example, that one can only speak of the “best LeBron ever” if one does not regard Defense as part of the game. But for now it’s just important: LeBron is still the best NBA player – and everyone else is aware of that. It’s an accepted truth. Other players will be MVP – James received his last award in 2013 – but it is not really questioned who is actually the most important player in the league.
By the way, even the refs don’t always doubt this. A funny example from the game against the Heat: In the second quarter LeBron moved to the basket and was blocked by James Johnson with a foul – he should get two free throws. However, he was terribly upset about this and gestured wildly in the direction of both referees. They then overruled themselves and instead made a goal thing out of the call without even looking at the play again.
That’s not to suggest that James is always preferred, or anything like that. But the fact is: Many players would have got a technical in this scene. But James probably thinks about it for a moment longer. Perhaps even more subconscious than conscious, although this is ultimately irrelevant.
It didn’t help in any case. The Cavs were frighteningly bad from the start and never had a legitimate chance of winning in Miami. James also did not continue his absurd performances of the last weeks and remained inconspicuous for his circumstances with 18 points (7/18 FG).
The scene of the game, which should remain in his memory, was a negative one for him: Wade of all people cleared him from behind during the layup and let himself be celebrated loudly afterwards, he even hissed a “Not in my house” towards his friend. Very briefly you were reminded of the rivalry that should have existed many years ago – before Wade and James decided to make common cause.
But of course we can no longer speak of a rivalry. Not seriously at least, even if it would be theoretically possible that we will get a playoff series with the two Banana Boat members for the very first time this year.
If it should come to that, the favorite role would be clearly distributed. Just as everything is talking about the Cavaliers and not Toronto or the badly shaken Celtics with regard to the finals. Cleveland doesn’t have a complete team and still appears all too often lethargic and defensively disinterested. It doesn’t seem to matter.
Still, hardly anyone can and wants to imagine that this spectre of the Eastern Conference can really be defeated in a series. The reason for this can be summarized very easily.