BOSTON – After combating his team's elimination from the playoffs Thursday with a Game 6 that was theater, magic and performance art on the Boston Celtics court where disappointment is no stranger, what did LeBron James do?
By David Butler II, US Presswire
Miami forward LeBron James scored 45 points, including 30 in the first half, in the Heat's 98-79 win over the Celtics in Game 6.
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The Miami Heat forward, the MVP of this NBA season, sat at his locker in a white tank-top with feet soaking in an ice bath and ice wrapped around both knees.
James accepted a few congratulatory handshakes from teammates.
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He barely said a word.
He finished a chapter of Mockingjay, the final book inThe Hunger Games trilogy.
No outward joy. Little emotion.
Such a contrast to his 45 minutes on that court, where he scored 45 points and led the Heat to a 98-79 rout that sends the Eastern Conference finals to a Game 7 on Saturday in Miami.
James' play was so spectacular that teammate Dwyane Wade had to say, "He's been playing unbelievable in the playoffs. He's taken it upon himself. … He's showcasing it on a nightly basis. It's a joy to watch."
It was what many fans want to see from James — a dominating game with so much at stake in Boston, where the Heat had gone 1-15 since 2007-08.
Even Celtics coach Doc Rivers had to say, "I hope now you guys will stop talking about LeBron and that he doesn't play in big games. Now that's to bed."
James put it to bed by starting off with 30 points in the first half on 12-for-14 shooting.
He missed his first shot — and then, he couldn't miss. In between his first and last missed shots of the half, he made 11 in a row, starting with a dunk and ending on a 19-foot step-back jumper with Boston's Mickael Pietrus guarding him closely.
James followed with 16 points in the second quarter, 11 in the third and four in an abbreviated fourth, with the outcome long decided.
For the game, James shot 73% from the floor.
"I've had that feeling before and sometimes there's nothing you can do about it," said Celtics forward Paul Pierce, who did not have that feeling, scoring just nine points on 4-of-18 shooting.
It was the 11th game of 40 or more points in his playoff career, just shy of his playoff high of 49 against the Orlando Magic in 2009. He also had 15 rebounds for the fourth 40-10 game of his playoff career, with five assists.
"He was locked in from the beginning of the day like I've never seen him before," Wade said. "He did it all tonight. We just gave him the ball and got out of the way."
Rivers used a variety of defenders on James, to varying degrees of uselessness.
"He made a lot of tough ones," Rivers said. "But I still didn't think we guarded him with the force that we have to guard LeBron. I thought he brought it to us, and we never gave it back."
As talented as James is, there is a notion he should do this all the time. Or more often. ESPN's Jeff Van Gundy says few have played with the scrutiny James receives.
"In an environment like this, you want to have a big game," James said. "I wanted to be there for my teammates, no matter what was going on. … I'm happy I was able to make some plays offensively and defensively to help us win this game.
"This was a gut-check for us, and it's good to see we were able to bounce back after that (Game 6 home) loss."
James is the first to have at least 40 points, 15 rebounds and five assists in a playoff game in 48 years. Wilt Chamberlain had 50 points, 15 rebounds and six assists for theSan Francisco Warriors in a win against the St. Louis Hawks on April 10, 1964.
"I think what fuels him is the moment," his coach, Erik Spoelstra said, "and the moment will define you."
In the postseason, James is averaging 30.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists. Since 1946-47, just two players have averaged at least 30 points, nine rebounds and five assists in a minimum of 10 playoff games in a season: Oscar Robertson and James, who also did it in 2009 with the Cavaliers.
But James came into the game with a 2-6 record when facing elimination. And in those two victories, his team failed to go on and win the series. Over those eight games he averaged 29.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 7.4 assists.
He made sure that record didn't drop to 2-7.
But what does Game 6 portend for Game 7? Will that be the final performance for James and the Heat, or will they head to Oklahoma City and play in the NBA Finals for the second season in a row? The Thunder await the winner. Game 1 is Tuesday.
Twenty minutes after his time in the locker room, James addressed what his next act will be, back on his home court, prime-time Saturday night.
"I won't regret Game 7," he said.
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