LeBron James has struggled, to say the least, in the fourth quarter of the NBA Finals. With the 24/7 sports news cycle as active as ever in the United States, everyone has their own reason for why this is the case. I've come up with a theory, and so far, it has stood the test of time:
LeBron James wants to win a championship too much.
The Psyche of a Wannabe Champ
You know those canned responses that athletes give in interviews all the time? The one that LeBron is not following is, "We're just staying in the moment and taking it one play at a time."
James is a socialite if I've ever seen one. He is attuned to pop culture, and because of this, hears all of the criticism against him. At a certain point, he snapped.
His Decision to play with the Miami Heat was very selfish. He didn't care about Cleveland at all; he just wanted to win. Indeed, James wanted to win a championship for himself but recognized that he needed help to do it.
Many call this despicable. I see it as one of the most impressive expressions of dedication to one's craft that I've ever seen. He knowingly made himself a villain in American sports just so he could get a ring or two (or five or six or seven).
Now that the time has come for him to step in and close in on his prize, he is too willing to allow his teammates to make it happen than do it himself.
James understands that Dwyane Wade has led a team to a championship before, and James is more than willing to let him do it again.
Am I the only one who finds this admirable?
We Are All Witnesses...to James' Dismal Performances
Quick! What do the numbers 2-0-2-0-2 mean to you?
Perhaps they are a new age of tennis scoring. Perhaps they are my little sister's bowling scores. Or perhaps they are LeBron James' fourth quarter scoring totals over the first five games of the NBA Finals.
It doesn't take a keen eye like Stuart Scott's (sorry, couldn't help myself) to identify that these numbers have to increase exponentially if the Heat are going to win the title.
James must takeover. James must show on the court how badly he wants the championship. He took less money to make it happen. He's done everything but play it out on the court.
LeBron, the answer to your fourth quarter woes are to demand the ball and take it to the hoop.
After all, your history proves that it's never the way you do something that matters. It's that you do it at all.
Emma Stone Raquel Alessi Marisa Coughlan Shanna Moakler Portia de Rossi
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