SAN ANTONIO — Fifty minutes prior to one of the most insurmountable challenges of his NBA career, LeBron James sat stoically in front of his locker, headphones covering his ears, eyes fixated on the floor, fingers clasped on his forehead.This was the determination he would carry to the court, the determination that drove him to carry his tattered team to a 22-6 lead, the determination that, in the end, couldn't come close to overcoming the overwhelming disadvantages on his side.
And, so eventually, that determination gave way to dejection and despair, first when he forced a jumper, slumped his shoulders and slow-walked back; and then, after he finally sat for good with 31 points and 10 rebounds, clasping those same fingers over what appeared to be watering eyes.By then, his squad had been overwhelmed by one of the all-time NBA Finals floods, outscored 59-22 from 5:04 remaining in the first quarter until 5:01 left in the third. After that period of Spurs perfection—or as Heat coach Erik Spoelstra called it, "exquisite basketball"—everything that the Heat did was essentially immaterial.
This 104-87 rout was a root canal, administered by a dentist that kept digging into the drawer for different drills, and never, ever the Novocaine. "They were the much better team," James said, after losing his third NBA Finals in five tries, this one by a 4-1 count. This is the simplest of statements from a competitor, yet also the hardest for someone of his stature to say. He is blessed with the fundamental belief that he can help others become more than they are, but even he can't heal the sick and repair the broken, and that's what too many of his teammates were at this stage.
All season, the Heat touted their veteran professionalism, their "stay ready" mentality, their championship mettle and their limitless depth. And yet, with the season at stake, Spoelstra was left to break up with his starting point guard—after three full seasons of sticking with Mario Chalmers—while breaking the glass late for the long-banished Michael Beasley, playing the Hail Mary role of 2011 Eddie House. And Spoelstra had no choice but to risk James breaking down, requiring the four-time MVP to cover elite point guard Tony Parker while initiating nearly all of the Heat offense. Many will accurately argue that age caught up with this team. That is undeniably true, with too many players wheezing toward the end, including Dwyane Wade, whose solid Eastern Conference Finals had fueled such promise for a much stronger finish. Many will correctly assert that Pat Riley needs to replenish the roster with youth, even if that's a day late and, now, a championship short.
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