It was Apocalypse Now. It was happening, Lebronaclypse. TNT had turned on to live coverage of Heat-Cavs aka Le-Traitor’s return. No music, just audio of Cleveland- the victim.
That’s what they were. Make no mistake, Thursday night every city looked at Lebron as a villain because we felt sorry for Cleveland. Because ESPN wouldn’t stop playing that Top 10 Cleveland’s most suckiest moments countdown.* And let’s face it, after “The Decision”, everything about Lebron seemed to have a bad vibe.
*= I mean Cleveland HAD to be booing ESPN too right? I mean for months their reporters gave Cleveland zero chance to retain Lebron. They kept making snarky remarks about how sad Cleveland was pre-Decision if Lebron were to leave and the worst was that countdown. If I were Chris Broussard, I’d steer clear of Cleveland for a while till this blows over, oh wait, it won’t.
I even had an article written up about how selfish Lebron was- you know piling on. There were reports about him already wanting coach Erik Spolestra out. Maverick Carter- his best friend/business adviser/consigliere was planting stories in the press. Chris Broussard- the go-to reporter for Lebron’s camp was the pipeline for information leaks.
The problem was, many in the press had grew tired of his act. Spolestra was Riley’s hand picked successor and a well respected coach in the eyes of basketball scribes. So reporters started remembering little tidbits of Lebron during the Olympics that fit the new national mindset on Lebron: child superstar turned big baby. Attention seeking crybaby who needed things to go his way and wanted NO part of the struggle.
Which is what made the mash up of Lebron’s commercial and Michael Jordan’s excuses Nike commercial so great for people of my generation: Jordan was the best, who built his game on the time honored tradition of hard work- the kind that built up the country and Lebron represented the new school- immensely gifted but only interested in the shortest path to glory- the kind that put this country in the mess that its in today.*
*= I realize that I’m reaching BIG TIME with this, but work with me, its mostly for effect.
With that said, we knew everyone would focus on Lebrons every movement, his facial twitches and we’d harp on every show of emotion.
Fast forward to the open of the program and there was no music, just a shot of Lebron entering the arena. Ernie Johnson with a brief set up and then “BOOOOOOOO”. That’s all you heard. I was literally ready for anything at that moment. They wouldn’t allow fans to take bottles into the arena- beer was flowing but only into paper cups. The National Guard was called in and extra security was in the house. Kenny Smith called the atmosphere “Game 7 like” and for game 19 of an 82 game schedule, that’s a big deal.
But everyone was focused on Lebron. The camera was fixed on him for a few minutes, following everything. But Lebron kept cool and something else happened that I wasn’t prepared for: Lebron embraced the atmosphere.
I was sure that he would crack. That the city would will the Cavs to a victory and Lebron would press and try and do too much. If the stories were true, then he wasn’t strong enough to handle it and would crumble like a house of cards. I bought into it. Add on to the fact that the Heat were a mystifying 10-8 entering the game.
The Heat who talked about multiple championships in their introductory public self congratulating ceremony, the team that was going to threaten the 96 Bulls for greatest team of all time label, were a less than Jordan-esque 10-8 heading into the Cleveland showdown. Somewhat of a letdown considering how much trouble the league was supposedly in.
But out came Lebron and he was singularly focused. A different Lebron showed up. He went through the crowd and began to start shoot around and as he touched the ball he began to immediately do dunks, but the kind you perform during dunk contests. But the kind you do with extra emphasis to intimidate. The kind you do to send a message: Let’s set things straight Cleveland, I’m still one of the two best players on the league and physically may be the most impressive specimen ever. I’m not just going to beat you, but for every time you boo, I’m going to show you it only serves to motivate me.
He had that snarl about him that made him more noticeably intriguing. He made his first two shots. He was playing a bit tougher on defense. He was taking over games and allowing the Lebron who was in Cleveland to manifest itself in his old playground. I began to watch more and realize that two things had happened:
Lebron’s killer instinct was beginning to take form and Cleveland had no shot. Lebron, for all his lack of P.C. and unawareness, still has the talents to take a team to the Finals. We have never questioned his physical ability, but this move shocked the heck out of traditionalist fans who wanted to see a superstar deliver. Especially one that’s supposed to be one of the two best players in the league.
But Lebron had that look in his eye thursday that if its all about basketball, removed from the B.S. of all the extra curriculars, Lebron is still the most physically gifted talent the NBA has and he’s only ENTERING his peak. That’s what everyone wanted to see. 38 points in 30 minutes. 5 rebounds. 8 assists. Blowout victory. That’s the Lebron we expected all season. The turbo that was on for the last two seasons was in full effect Thursday night.
Even Cleveland had to witness. At some point, even the boos faded. Lebron began chatting it up with the Cav bench and to be honest, it was then that I was most scared for him. Thursday night was supposed to be the cherry on a crap sandwich Lebron was supposed to eat if you believe in karma. Lebron was supposed to miss every shot. Cleveland should have had its victory. But once again Cleveland was a victim and at this point I don’t think anyone cares. All the crap Lebron took, he came out on the other end of Thursday night looking every bit the golden child he was in Cleveland for the first seven seasons. Cleveland went back to its position as a tortured city and the world was put back in its axis. I kept watching to see Lebron.
For some reason I kept thinking to his pre-game dunks and the most telling moment was when it came time to do his ritualistic powder toss. He did it. Powder flew and the boos grew, and he looked around and like any classic wrestling villain, he stared at the crowd and embraced the hate. All of the insults muted by each other and it was just rambling nonsense in his ear. It was the moment that I got the inkling that this night would not end up the way that most Lebron haters would like it to. This night was about Lebron and he would make it about him and do everything he could to destroy the Cavs. He was facing more than just the Cavs, he was facing his own immortality. All the hate must have crested in his mind and if this one game did unlock the Lebron most feared when he signed with the Heat, then this was a bigger win for the Heat than anyone couldve imagined.
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