After a stunning win in the third game of the playoffs, King James is showing exactly why we needed him. Last night he made history. Knocking out 37 points, 13 assists and 18 rebounds, he marked a point of being the first player to reach those stats in a playoff game. It’s scary to think where the Cavs would be without LeBron James. That is the truth. For years I have dedicated my love to my local sports team, but the returned love has been fickle at best.
After all, my passion should echo a response. Regardless of what the haters want to spew, King James is one of the those amazing people to meet that passionate response with pure drive for the game. This leaves us concerned about his health and his rest. He is pouring his energy, his heart, his soul into each game, carving a world of historic dominance. He is not overrated, he is overworked.
When the news of Kyrie Irving not playing was announced, this should have driven the bench players to a new high. It should have been their time to shine and rock out next to one the greatest b-ball players outside of Michael Jordan. But, Cavs, you let us down.
For years I have mocked teams that force one man to carry nine players. I felt like I was watching LeBron James facing off in a private court against the entire Atlanta Hawks team. It was exhausting to watch. Not once did James sigh, not once did he collapse during gameplay. He played gritty, hard and he showed every kid who looks up to him, why he is amazing.
He played with pure heart. Following the game, James was whisked away for over an hour of treatment. He admitted during those final moments when fans screamed out in celebration his body shut down.
He talked about entering overtime and feeling his leg cramp starting to blossom. He closed it out and remained in the game, but who else was on that court besides him? Suffering from exhaustion, James fumbled with some point-blank shots, but he remained steadfast.
We love you Cavs, we really do. But, it’s time each of you step up to assist this great player. Stars are born every minute, and we want to see an entire team of gritty players who take no prisoners. If you have nothing else to play for, tune out the fans, the cash, the fame. And, play with heart.
By: David Gwyn