I think it's funny how people say he'll never be MJ etc. I grew up watching Jordan, if he played today in the 24/7 media climate we're in now, he'd have killed someone by now. I'm no Lebron lover, but this ridiculous media pressure cooker he's had to live through since he was 16 (he was on the cover of SI ffs!) is something above and beyond what every other player has ever had to live through. More than Kobe. More than Jordan. More than anyone. I truly feel for the man. He had a triple double with four 4th quarter assists in Game 5, and was pounded from pillar to post as though he'd just had the worst game of his career. What kind of standard is that to set for someone? He was absent in the third today and looked genuinely scared to shoot the ball at points in the fourth, but can you blame him? every person in sports would criticise him whether he takes it or whether he doesn't.
Yeah, the guy has an ego and a swagger that people don't like. You would too if you were followed by national media since you were 15 years old. Criticising his personality is fine, but the way it's crept into criticising the way he plays is stupid. Two weeks ago he was one of the greatest players of all time after dominating Boston and Chicago. Now he's a terrible player. The daily re-writing of the legacy of someone who's not even close to 30 years old yet is amazing in it's ridiculousness. I had someone try to argue with me that he's not the most talented basketball player in the world, I asked him for a list of who in the league was better. Russell Westbrook, Amar'e Stoudamire, Blake Griffin were three names on his list.
WTF. Sums it up for mine.
In any case, I'm so happy for Dirk especially. Was a teary moment to see him leave the court after the buzzer went. Deserved it more than anyone.