In his article breaking down some major plotlines of the Heat's game 4 triumph over the Celtics, Henry Abbott stated that "The Pistons were to Michael Jordan as the Celtics are to LeBron James." I clung tightly to those words as I read them, with a strange touch of desperation in my stomach.
As soon as game 4 ended, I knew this series was over. I think, if you're being totally honest with yourself, you did too. Even if all the key characters are back next year, things will be different. We'll all talk slightly less about contending and slightly more about transitioning into a new era. I'm fine with that. I'm not going anywhere. But, these four years have been heavy with expectations, and I refuse to believe that one NBA title, two Eastern Conference titles, and two second round exits are the extent of this group's legacy. Abbott's words brought me comfort. They helped feed my irrational need to believe that this group, my team, served some greater purpose. The purpose he suggests is not ideal, but at least it gives them a greater meaning in the context of this era.
As LeBron James celebrated on the floor of American Airlines Arena tonight, it became clear that Abbott wasn't writing those words just to make me feel better. In seeing the joy that this victory brought him, hearing him discuss what it took to beat the Celtics, and seeing Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Rajon Rondo immediately exit the floor without shaking anyone's hand, it became clear that this was about much more than advancing in the playoffs. This was a coronation, of sorts. A right of passage. LeBron has worked for years to reach this milestone. The fact that he appeared so overjoyed, even humbled, speaks to what a major step this was in his career.
Being a professional athlete is about more than just being physically gifted. You have to be, I believe, obsessive and competitive to a degree that most of us are not capable. That's why Paul Pierce has a tattoo that reads "my gift is my curse." That same drive which has brought him great riches and fame also brings him great torment.
That's also why we've seen Kevin Garnett give this interview to John Thompson:
His dedication to winning is inspiring but, at the same time, unsettling. It's one of my favorite interviews ever, and yet I find it hard to watch.
Imagine dedicating your whole life to one specific goal, working as hard as you possibly can to achieve that goal, and coming up short time and time again. On top of that, you're failing in front of a worldwide audience, and they're constantly criticizing you. Questioning your motivation, your work habits, your effort, and your worth. As this cycle continues, the weight of this burden grows heavier, and the climb to your goal becomes steeper.
It is under these conditions, in their greatest moments of frustration and disappointment, that we often see professional athletes at their worst. In the heat of the moment, they may not always say the right thing. They may not always epitomize the ideals of sportsmanship. They may even act selfishly. It's wholly understandable. Those circumstances would probably have a similar effect on us. And yet, rather than choosing to be understanding, we often judge them by a standard higher than we'd ever judge ourselves. We label them as immature primma donnas, when all they're really showing us is that they're human.
Before joining forces in 2008, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce had each found the weight of their burden at a nearly unbearable level, and this led them to make some questionable decisions for which they were largely criticized. For Garnett, the most famous example is his use of war references with the media before his first ever playoff game 7. Pierce's indiscretions included taunting the Garden crowd after being booed, being ejected from a playoff game and then coming to a press conference with his head wrapped in a bandage, and giving a 2007 Boston Globe interview with Jackie MacMullen in which he proclaimed "I'm the classic case of a great player on a bad team, and it stinks." Of course, this is the only quote from the article that media members clung to. A more telling quote, one that really explained the root of Pierce's frustration, came later in the article:
"I want to be recognized for what I've accomplished," Pierce said. "That may sound selfish, but I've sacrificed a lot. I want to win. That's all I want."
Of course, no player of this era has carried a larger burden than LeBron James. And, no team accounted for a larger portion of that burden than the Boston Celtics. To his credit, LeBron bore that load admirably for many years. Despite heavy scrutiny, we only ever saw flashes of frustration from him. The most notable instance came after the final game of the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals, when LeBron left the court without congratulating the victorious Magic. Understandable? Human? Certainly. Of course, the media didn't see it that way. That instance aside, up until May of 2010, LeBron always seemed to keep a cool head amidst the mounting criticisms and repeated playoff disappointments.
This season, however, was different. The moment LeBron announced he was taking his talents to South Beach, he ceased to be the LeBron we were used to seeing, and became something totally new. A villain. As he met hostile treatment from media members and fans all around the country, he began embracing the villain role. Next, he seemed to stop doing that, and became completely indifferent about how he was perceived publicly. He hardly ever smiled. The days in which we'd see him clowning around with his teammates in warmups were gone. His comments to the media would often leave us wondering how he could be so clueless about what the public did and did not want to hear. In fact, just 4 days ago in a press conference, he called a reporter's question "retarded."
Suddenly tonight, LeBron seemed 100 pounds lighter. The player who has baffled us all season long with his "egotism" was suddenly saying all the right things, humbly showering the Celtics with praise. His smile, seemingly gone forever at one time, had returned. At least at this moment, he has found redemption. And, as a basketball fan, I'm happy. I love watching this guy, and I really do want to like him. I just wish it hadn't come at the Celtics' expense.
Speaking of the Celtics, a third straight run without a title has added some weight back on to their shoulders. While Doc Rivers, Ray Allen, and Delonte West remained on the court to congratulate the Heat, the rest of the team quickly exited the court and headed for their locker room. Of course, we all would have liked to see Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo stay on the floor to acknowledge the victors. But, their reaction is understandable. After all, they are human.
As for me, I'm feeling surprisingly ok about this whole thing. Most of the times, our teams let us down. And, the better the team is, the more it hurts when they fall short. But, it's really about the journey, not the result. I got an e-mail tonight from a friend who is a Lakers fan about how he wished his team could have performed more like the Celtics in defeat:
Nick, just remember that at least we have found out that it is possible to go down fighting. To go down with some dignity intact. To not throw away any semblance of respect in the process -- to give your fans a reason to continue loving you...
And there, I guess, we've found some deeper meaning.
Doc Rivers surprisingly indicated tonight that he'll most likely be back next season. This means there's a good chance we'll get to give it another go with this group, which I'd really love. But, regardless of what happens, I'll be ready for it, and we'll be keeping you up to date here at chatcelts.
Please don't be a stranger. The season may be done, but we're just getting started. Playoff coverage, Celtics news, draft coverage. It's all here. You should be too.
We'll get more into the actual basketball that was played in game 5 in episode 2 of our Chat New England Podcast, which we'll record this weekend.
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