I Loved Watching LeBron Lose to Golden State
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers were defeated in the NBA Finals. I love being able to type that.
Many people wonder why I, like so many sports fans, hate LeBron James. Why is it that people like me love to dance on his grave and root not for his opponent to win, but for him to lose? Well, for me it varies depending on the scenario.
Let me preface by saying this- James is an absolutely unbelievable talent as a basketball player. He is a physical specimen with arguably the greatest skillset of all time. He is dominant and there is no way to stop him. He averaged a triple-double in the finals, that’s ridiculous. I want so badly to like this guy because, he’s a once-in-a-generation (maybe even century) type player. You want to be able to root for a guy like that but, at some point, you just hate to see one person win so much.
That, I believe, is most peoples’ core logic in hating on LeBron James. They’re jealous and petty. I possess both of those traits, but they aren’t why I can’t stand this guy. Personally, I hate his demeanor. I hate that he passive-aggressively throws his teammates under the bus. I hate watching him put his palms up every time he doesn’t get the call he wants. I hate his flopping. I hate everything he does on social media. I hate that when they got down a few games in these finals, he tried to downplay it with his “it’s just a game” bullshit. We all know he hangs on Stephen A. Smith’s every last word about how his legacy hangs in the balance of him defeating KD’s Warriors.
Bottom line, there is hate in my heart. But as I mentioned earlier, my love for watching LeBron James lose basketball games varies depending on the scenario. For example, watching James and the Heat lose to the Mavs in 2011 and the Spurs in 2014 was satisfying for the obvious reason that Miami was the game’s first “superteam.” I have no problem with the concept of a superteam. Why would you ever not want to play for the best team you can possibly assemble? Guys do this in every sport. My problem isn’t with assembling a massive group of talent on one team, my problem is with the way it was done.
How pretentious do you have to be to have a special on ESPN just to announce your contract signing? Then the Heat paraded the “big three” around on a stage like they were in a toddler pageant and James promised Miami seven championships. If you can watch that and think anything other than “fuck those guys I hope they lose every game” you probably also eat soup with a fork and have pet snakes.
Of course, they did capture titles in 2012 and 2013. The narrative became “LeBron needed a superteam to win a championship.” Valid statement. The response to this narrative was “if you don’t like it, go make your own superteam.” Valid response. And bluff called, by Golden State.
My reason for loving every minute of watching James lose in the finals this season was that this was all his own doing. HE started this superteam concept. HE deserted his original team (which again, I have no problem with.) But he then has the audacity to criticize Kevin Durant for doing the same fucking thing?? In the brain of LeBron James and his loyal minions, the Miami superteam was totally different than the Golden State superteam. James said it was different because they “built something” in Miami. They had to go out and put in hard work signing all these big-name free agents to assemble that squad. It’s WAY easier and requires less work to build a team by drafting and developing Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Steph Curry, then happening to sign a big name when the team was one piece away from a championship.
My point being, he did this to himself and it was SO satisfying watching it all fall down on top of him, and him act like he didn’t care as well as make excuses.
I will never be in his shoes. He will always be a multi-millionaire and a HOFer, and I will always be #MadOnline and a playa hater. But I love to see him lose. Cue Michael Rapaport and Rasheed Wallace telling LeBron how they really feel.
Sidenote: Thank God I don’t have to deal with Brian Windhorst on TV for a while.
Another Sidenote: MJ vs. LeBron 1v1 to 21 but they both have to have a hot dog in one hand and only have one shoe on. They have to shotgun a beer every time they give up a basket. The game is reffed by Skip Bayless and Charles Barkley is there in the stands heckling both of them but those are the only four guys in the whole gym. Plus both guys have to wear those short-sleeve jerseys that LeBron hates and rips the sleeves on to show off how tough he is. Stakes are for the title of GOAT. Who you got? Leave a comment to let me know. (Shtick credit PMT #RespectTheBiz)
(AMENDMENT) I woke up this morning and Windhorst was on Sportscenter. We’re not out of the woods yet. Could last all Summer.
