http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/index.ssf/2010/05/lebron_james_its_time_to_show.html
LeBron James, it's time to show the Boston Celtics what you're made of: Terry Pluto column
Published: Wednesday, May 12, 2010, 12:47 PM Updated: Thursday, May 13, 2010, 6:16 PM
By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer
Dear LeBron:
You have never approached a playoff series like this.
Never have you been so uncertain on the court, so emotionally distant when you talked about all these embarrassing losses to the Boston Celtics.
You are the NBA's Most Valuable Player. You are the greatest player in the 40-year history of the Cavaliers, a true hometown hero.
But you have been playing in these Eastern Conference Semifinals as if your mind is elsewhere.
How can you take only two shots and not score a single point in the first quarter of the biggest game of the season? How can you be so passive?
How can you allow your team to lose 120-88 on your home court, as you did to Boston in Tuesday's Game 5?
Certainly, you couldn't win it yourself. But early in the game, you seemed resigned to the worst, taking only 14 shots and being outplayed and outhustled by Paul Pierce.
In the Cavs' three losses, you have attempted only 18, 15 and 14 shots.
Where is the LeBron James who went down firing in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, averaging 38 points in those six games against Orlando?
Or the LeBron James who fired up 20-25-23-24 shots in the last four games of the 2008 series against the Celtics? Or the LeBron James who scored 45 in that Game 7 loss in Boston?
Or how about the LeBron James who had a miserable ordeal in the four-game sweep by San Antonio in 2007, but still put up 16-21-23-30 shots?
In 2006, when the Cavs were eliminated 79-61 in a Game 7 at Detroit, you were 11-of-24 from the field for 27 points.
LeBron, you have always gone out with fire in your eyes, your finger on the trigger. You have been willing to take the criticism, even when you knew the
Cavs had not supplied you with much support.
This is the most talent that you've had in your seven years with the Cavs.
But so far, this is the worst series that you and your team have ever played in the postseason. The three losses have been by a total of 60 points, including being outscored by 50 points in the last two home games!
After Game 5, you strangely said: "I spoil a lot of people with my play."
LeBron, it's not just about "a bad game" or "three," as you also mentioned.
It's not about people picking on you, or failing to appreciate what you've done for the franchise. Most fans are still putting the primary blame on coach Mike Brown and the other players for the Cavs being down 3-2 in this best-of-seven series.
But it is time to realize that more is expected of you because you have been blessed with so much. It starts with pure physical gifts, and it extends to an owner willing to nearly outspend the government to stimulate a championship in Cleveland.
Study the tapes of the last four games of the Boston series. Imagine you are watching Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan or any other franchise player wearing your No. 23. What would you say about their approach to those games?
In Game 3 at Boston, who put up 10 shots in the first quarter? Granted, you were sizzling, your jumper was falling, and 21 points went up next to your name in the first quarter. But your team followed your lead, and that energy became a 124-95 victory in Boston.
But in the other three games, you appeared distracted and discouraged. It seemed your joy was gone, your passion for winning wavered.
Maybe your elbow does hurt because of the bone bruise, but you were leaning on it as you spoke to the media after Game 5. You also don't seem to have much restriction in terms of range of motion.
Listen to what you said about Paul Pierce (21 points, 11rebounds, 7 assists, 9-of-21 shooting):
"Paul came out aggressive. He did a good job of just trying to attack and just trying to get a good feeling for the game. He didn't shoot the ball particularly well from the field, but he was aggressive, he was able to get 11 rebounds."
You can do the same Thursday in Boston. You have enough talent to bring your team back from this abyss, winning the final two games of this series.
A good sign is that you said Cavs fans have reason to believe, "because they got me."
But you have to lead. You have to "work to be the best player on the court every night," as you promised at your MVP ceremony.
You say you are "a no-excuse" guy. In the past you have shown it, and now is the time to do it again.
Lebron was pelted with rocks as he carried the cross all those years...while Mike Brown and Kobe Bryant were never blamed for anything...it just ain't right" is 
or other corners on the internet watching muh'fukkas argue back and forth blaming and deriding...defending and championing...this dude for literally over a decade ...like there ain't countless writers who've made careers shytting on kobe in the press with a mountain of articles we can't see the top of...there's a whole weirdo subset of geek internet trolls solely dedicated to hating and blaming kobe bryant for everything
at y'all seriously believing that if this lakers team ultimately doesn't win a title kobe will be "skipped over" with blame....the whole shyt is ridiculous
The Lakers are still amongst the greatest franchises in sports history. Kobe is still amongst the greatest athletes ever. Acknowledging duplicitous bullshyt doesn't change or challenge any of that.
I'm not gonna act like Kobe hasn't been criticized but to act like he doens't have loyal subjects or get certain passes based upon circumstance (winning rings early, playing for glamour franchise) is just disingenuous. It's amazing how far nikkas are going with this. 
