First Step In The Comeback

I have done nothing but criticize LeBron James since his "Decision" to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat but now that the dust has settled and the season is starting it is time to focus on the basketball.

The Heat will be a wildly entertaining team to watch. The combination of LeBron and Dwayne Wade is the greatest guard duo in the NBA since the days of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Throw in All-Star caliber forward Chris Bosh and you can see why James decided to bolt Cleveland for Miami.

The issue for the Heat is that they lack height and toughness in the paint and probably don't have the depth to keep up with the Celtics and Lakers in May and June. Bosh is a good player but he is not a power player and the Heat will struggle to match up with the size of Boston and Los Angeles.

With that said, I have decided to "forgive" LeBron and enjoy his once-in-a-generation skills on the basketball floor. His size, power, and grace is a package that no player before him has mastered and I guess we can't blame him for choosing the option of playing with his friends in beautiful South Beach over the aging Cavs in dreary Northeast Ohio.

His newest Nike commercial does a good job of pointing out that the two-time defending MVP is quite capable of making his own decisions and finding success in whatever path he chooses to follow. All of the marketing, media hype, and hyperbole aside, he is a young man who has accomplished great things - short of a championship - in his young career and has a very bright future going forward.

When the Heat fall to the Celtics or Lakers in the playoffs, it won't be because LeBron James left the Cavaliers for the Heat. With two stars surrounding him, James would not surprise me if he slapped up averages of 28 points, 13 rebounds, and 13 assists for the season. No, it won't be LeBron who fails to lead Miami to the 2011 NBA Championship it will be a result of Miami's decision to spend 99.9% of their payroll this year on three young stars and they lack the depth in their roster to beat the veteran favorites in Boston and Los Angeles.