Wednesday, June 8th, 2011 at 9:32 am  |  137 responses

LeBron James Silent as Heat Drop Game 4

by Adam Figman / @afigman

It felt like an inevitability. It wouldn’t take much—just two, maybe three buckets—and then LeBron James would snap out of the abnormal funk that plagued him for Game 4′s first three quarters and put away the Mavs.

Dallas—who managed to scrap up enough buckets to remain competitive, even with strong offensive performances from Dwyane Wade (32 points) and Chris Bosh (24 points)—was making it difficult. Sooner or later, LeBron would toss in a couple daggers, remind everyone that he is indeed the best player in the League, and the Heat would claim a 3-1 series lead and craft a clear path to the Championship trophy.

Or not.

Despite being guarded by the older, less athletic (trying to be nice here) Jason Kidd, Bron never got it going, not even a little bit, and finished the tilt with a Playoff career-low 8 points off 3-11 shooting from the field. He did sneak a quiet 9 rebounds and 7 assists into his stat line, but his presence on the floor wasn’t felt—not when it was most needed, not even when it wasn’t.

“[I] didn’t play great offensively,” James said postgame. “I’ve got to do a better job of being more assertive offensively, not staying out of rhythm offensively the whole game.”

“He struggled—point blank, period,” Bosh confirmed. “We’ve all done it at times in our careers, and it happens. […] He just has to bounce back and be himself, play his game, and the great player that he is. We know he’ll bounce back. And we need him. So everything else will be fine after that. He just has to go and play.”

It was also the first time James scored in single digits during a post-season game, a feat he hadn’t accomplished during any of his 89 prior Playoff battles.

“He’s physically fine,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “I don’t have to do a better job of making sure he’s in positions where he can be aggressive and efficient. We’ll do that in Game 5.”

That, too, feels like an inevitability. We’ll see.

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  • http://slamonline.com Bryan Crawford

    See nbk, your comment is the very reason why I say that LeBron has insulation so good it would put the Pink Panther out of business. Giving him credit for all of the little things is almost like a reflex now whenever he does underperform instead of just simply saying, “Dude stunk it up” without adding the “but…” on the end of it. There isn’t another player in the League that gets the same benefit of the doubt and you know it.
    Case in poinit, Kobe grabs 15 rebounds while going 6-24 in Game 7 of the Finals last year, the Lakers win, but all anyone wanted to talk about was how bad he shot the ball and the rebounds didn’t matter even though he grabbed more rebounds in the game than anybody on both teams with the exception of Pau.
    So for me, the bottom line is this: In the last 3 games with the outcome hanging in the balance, what did you do to impact the game to help your team win?
    So far, he’s made the pass to Bosh for the game winner. They lost the other 2.
    I’m not trying to be critical of the guy because I’m way past that now, but damn, let’s at least call it like it is.

  • flipnoyce

    I don’t know what you’ll thinking but this MIAMI team right here is their team (WADE,BRON,BOSH). They’ve all risen on occasion by taking turns. Sometimes all of them!Sometimes just 2 of 3. They came together with a common goal, which is to win a title. That is THE ONLY REASON for coming together and nothing else.So F*** the individual stats out the window because I’m sure thats what they had to sacrifice for coming TOGETHER! Blaming BRON, WADE or BOSH after losing every other game is senseless because they are a TEAM.
    So far these series has been a really tight one!In order for MIAMI to win these finals they would have to blow up the MAVS by a large margin just to secure a win and not rely on the CHARITY line given by the officials. Twice they’ve tried but only to be caught up at the end. I’m still picking Dallas at 7.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    I didn’t make any excuses about yesterday, my comment was about what had been happening in the series BEFORE yesterday. And @angel of stern, if finals MVP was givin to he best player in wins, Pau Gasol would have won finals MVP last year.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Angel of Stern

    Also, Bron would never admit it but I think he is a little bit fustrated because Wade made him do everything in the conference finals while he was just waiting for the finals so he could reappear, all rested up from doing f**k all, and get all the glory

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Bryan I haven’t once said LeBron was the best player on the Heat in the finals, I am not giving him credit for anything, just repeating a statistic that is fact to show that just because LeBron hasn’t been scoring doesn’t mean he hasn’t made a positive impact. (other then last night obviously) But I am not defending him, his performance, specifically last night was inexcusable, but it didn’t change anything. He’s still the best player on the Heat, he’s still 1A or 1B in the pecking order, and the Heat still need him to win the title. nothing’s changed, he just had a horrendous game.

  • flipnoyce

    Whose taking the last shot for Miami if the game is on the line? Has always been my question since day one of the coming together. Almost none of them seems to want be that superstar and rise to the occasion when it really matters most!

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    This is pointless.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Angel of Stern

    what I really want to see is Miami down by 1 in game 7 with 15 seconds left and the ball. That would be insane…

  • http://fivemag.de Speedy

    Maybe now EBoy will think about posting comments like last game when he said ‘ Then Dirk choked twice’ when he was obviously the only one holding Dallas in the game.
    These players are all human. Even DWade as we saw.
    I think nearly everybody on this site forgets that from time to time.
    I do fear LeBron and his reaction in the next game because I know what he is cappable to do.
    Nice series.

  • http://thetroyblog.com Teddy-the-Bear

    This is a great series regardless of who plays well. Both teams are duking it out to the last minute and the defense being played is sublime. I wouldn’t be surprised if this series went the distance.

  • michael

    LeBron James’ flop on Brendan Haywood: 2011 NBA Finals Game 4
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foaPMZxtzx4

    lebron was lucky he evn got 8 pts

  • http://www.slamonline.com unf*ckwitable

    I think i picked heat in 6 before the series. But im pretty confident this series will come down of the last minute in the seventh game now. No matter who wins this has been the most enjoyable final seires in recent memory.

  • http://ZOGS.CA ZOGS

    TAKE YOUR SPOON…AND EAT THE SH*T THAT DIRK SHAT ON YOUR CHEST LEBRON!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • baykusreyiz

    LeRobin

  • http://www.bulls.com Rigo Gonzalez

    Co-sign AllenP at 5:12

  • http://www.slamonline.com unf*ckwitable

    BC and NBK you two are always in some sh*t on here. Doesnt it tire yall out?

  • monkeyball

    Since we should all know by now that nobody can be compared to Jordan, how about we compare Lebron to other greats. Other than Jordan, every great player had several bad games in the Finals. Magic famously choked numerous times in the 1984 Finals, and Bird in 85. Kobe’s had bad offensive games, as did Shaq, Duncan, Garnett, etc… IF (HUGE if) the Heat end up winning 2, 3 championships, with Lebron doing it all and Wade being the hero in big gsmes, BOTH of those guys have to be compared to great players who had great help.

  • http://Slamonline.com Nbk

    It’s been a while since me and BC got into it on here. I get tired of it once it gets remedial like it did today, which was my fault just saying the same sh*t over and over. Personally though I like getting into combos with the regulars, we go at each other’s opinions without getting all worked up. Plus it’s always good to get a fresh perspective that doesn’t come straight from a big media source.

  • Jackie Moon

    How exactly is this guy better than Kobe? DWade, I get, but Prince James – no contest.

  • monkeyball

    Look at the stats.

  • B-More Mike

    F the stats! His mentality compared to Kobe’s willingness to take it all on head first is ludicrous.

  • Jackie Moon

    But Lebron told us not to look at the stats after game 3. Lebron is a two-way player. Lebron does not shrink on the big stage, except when he does. The good news for Lebron is that he is young, he can change and grow from this. Whether he does is a different matter.

  • JL

    Come on it’s one game. I am not a big fan of his personality but this guy is an amazing baller. He’s averaging 44 minutes a game or something playing both sides of the court. Can he be tired once in a while? Bosh and Wade were playing great it is fine for them to just take over you only have so mnay possessions in a game! All this blind lebron bashing is making me want to kinda like the guy again (ugh).

  • http://slamonline.com Kap

    @nbk…Kobe is borderline top 5 and he is definitely ahead of Duncan. I also don’t know a better SG than Kobe besides MJ either.

  • http://Slamonline.com Nbk

    Haha ok thanks you’ve enlightened me. You would have to put together a very intelligent argument to even get me started.

  • http://bulls.com airs

    cosign @rigo’s cosign at 6:23

  • http://slamonline.com Kap

    Kobe has a better record against Duncan head to head including the playoffs. Kobe’s highest scoring average in the playoffs is versus the spurs. Kobe has five rings, top five all time scoring in season and playoffs and could be #1 soon. Kobe has more all team selections for offense and defense. I also think if you think duncan is ahead of Kobe then by the same philosophy you have Kareem ahead of Michael. Duncan also had Robison and Ginobili so there wasn’t much drop off in talent around them.Kobe is also top ten in playoffs in assists and steals. It’s gonna be tough comparing any other stats due to difference in position. I’m studying at the moment so its the reason for the incohesiveness

  • http://www.kb24.com The Seed

    People act like Lebron has led a team to a title no, so he will disappear in games, he did it last year. The dude does not have a killer instinct of Kobe, MJ or even his teammate Wade. Lebron is a passer first and a scorer second and got lost in the Wade-I am going to kill Dallas by myself game. Lebron on his TV Special stated he wanted pressure off of himself to deliver himself rings and does not want to feel he has to go out and score 30 points a game to win. So this is Lebron and he is not What Yall Think He Is, because really what player in their prime won 2 MVPS, had back to back best records in league, seen as best player in NBA by most, leave HIS city to join another superstars CITY. ONLY LEBRON JAMES. BOOK IT!!!

  • http://slamonline.com Tae

    @nbk, dont you mean top 2 SG ever? Last time i checked it was just MJ and Kobe. Who’s that 3rd guy? If ur speaking of Wade, he’s good but he’s not even in tha top 10 all-time. He has some work to do. I would think that 3rd guy is J West or something

  • http://Slamonline.com Nbk

    @Tae depends on your definition of SG, some people argue that Oscar Robertson was more of an off guard some don’t. From what I’ve seen he was a PG but that’s my opinion. Anyway yeah top 2 SG that’s fine. @Kap ur argument is broken, so is your logic. Head to head matchups, fa real? Under my logic Kareem is better then Michael, word? Let’s act like 32 year old David Robinson and Manu Ginobili are comparable to Shaq? The Shaq who is better then the guys we are comparing in the first place? Kobe was Robin, sooner or later it needs to be accepted. Whatever. Still needs something better then that, I guess it’s only a matter of time till I’m defending Kobe against someone who thinks Wades accomplishments next to LeBron justify him as a better player all time.

  • http://fkjslf.com Jukai

    NBK: Kobe, legacy wise, is better than Robertson. I know the stuff that the Big O did was amazing, but he only won one championship, alienated his peeps more than Kobe, and his game was a bit odd and it’s quite unknown if it would translate.
    Although I’d also say Kobe is better than Shaq and Duncan too. Shaq burned too many bridges and his conditioning was inexcusable, he also tanked it in quite a lot.
    My big issue with Duncan is that he’s losing it way earlier than I expected.

  • http://Slamonline.com Nbk

    Shaq burned the bridges of what? He burned the Orlando bridge to win championships in LA, nothing wrong with that, it’s his career. Kobe kicked him out of LA, Phil Jackson even said as much. Miami gave up on Shaq because he was always injured remember? And in Phoenix they still love the guy. As for Duncan, he played 4 years of college and is 34, he’s already played more solid years then most bigmen, he didnt have a prime for one his whole career was up until this year was the same and has never missed the playoffs. Can’t say that about Kobe. Can’t say Kobe was the leader of 3 championship teams, let alone 4. Can’t say Kobe has ever won anything without a very good bigman, like nothing at all. Oh and for the record since Tim Duncan came to San Antonio, the Spurs have the highest win %, of any team, in any professional sport.

  • http://slam ben

    looks like james can not breakdown zone d.but will see what he is gonna do next in game 5,if he plays like how he played then the chip is gone to dallas. think about it wade and bosh gave thei beat but king james looks like he gaveup on em.

  • pantza

    Why is it that important whose team it is? I really cannot understand that. Would someone enlighten me please?

  • Jackie Moon

    @pantza, because it’s not about which team wins, it’s about who is the Finals MVP. That’s what matters in basketball. Forget this team stuff, it’s the individual accolades like Finals MVP, that’s the trophy that matters, not the Larry O’Brien.

  • http://www.triplejunearthed.com/dacre Dacre

    was larry o’brien one of the stooges?
    ____
    …
    ____
    thats the kind of ish i’ve read about all day.

  • pantza

    Thank you Jackie!

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