If LeBron James loses to the Boston Celtics again, The Decision will be labeled The Mistake .
Here James is, at another crossroads, playing against the very team that motivated him to move from Cleveland to Miami.
James and his Cavaliers were kicked out of the playoffs in 2008 and 2010 by the Celtics. He joined the Heat in part to get past that roadblock and get back to the NBA Finals.
The Miami-Boston playoff series that begins Sunday afternoon at AmericanAirlines Arena — a crucible that could prove to be as dramatic as the championship series — will provide a test of James’ career choice.
If James winds up exactly where he was last May, eliminated by Boston, the James haters will have fresh flesh for their venom.
But if Miami’s Big 3 comes up bigger than Boston’s Big 3, the Heat will have overcome its biggest impediment to a title run.
Certainly the Celtics have had Miami’s number. They knocked the Heat out 4-1 in last year’s playoffs, and until the Heat’s authoritative victory 20 days ago, the Celtics had won eight consecutive regular-season games. Dwyane Wade must shoot much better than the 16-for-57 total he had in four games against Boston this season. Someone from the Heat’s supporting cast — James Jones, Joel Anthony, Mario Chalmers — must emerge each game to make a critical contribution. The Heat must turn up its defensive intensity after a sluggish series against Philadelphia if it hopes to blunt the resourceful Paul Pierce, the beastly Kevin Garnett, the timely Ray Allen and the elusive Rajon Rondo.
The remake of the Heat was modeled after the Celtics, who won their 2008 title in their first year together. But the Heat’s stars are younger and supposedly more dazzling than Boston’s. Can glamorous productivity beat seamless chemistry? Which is prettier to behold?
The Beantown vs. Beach Town series will answer plenty of intriguing questions, but the most revealing could be the one about the Fiber of LeBron James. Let’s not get too carried away; a man’s character should not be measured by his basketball stats. Then again, this is King James, the Chosen One, promoter of the “Witness” campaign, whose chalk-powder ritual has taken on talismanic proportions.
If you court fame, you court scrutiny.
James’ reputation was damaged last May when he had the worst performance of his career at a huge turning point in his career. He made 3 of 14 shots in a 32-point Game 5 loss to Boston in Cleveland. The Cavs were the No. 1 seed, Boston was No. 4. James was booed at home that night, not long after he had been named league MVP.
More disturbing was his attitude.
“I’ve spoiled people with my play,” he said afterward. “Nobody can ever question what I do individually or what I’ve done in this short career.”
He was called a quitter and a choker. His body language spoke volumes. Some Cleveland fans felt he was halfway out the door already. The game (Cleveland lost the series 4-2) showed that James couldn’t handle the pressure and would never have the leadership qualities of Michael Jordan.
James’ Decision in July was viewed as a natural consequence of the Boston blowout by those who soured on James. He would take his talents to South Beach, where the burden of title expectations could be shared. It was easier to be a mercenary than a hometown savior.
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