In Defense of LeBron James

I am no fan of LeBron James mainly because I believe that despite his prodigious talent he hasn't accomplish anything remotely commensurate with the all the hype heaped upon him and his delusions about becoming a global icon. While I don't quibble with his decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers to "take his talents to South Beach," I thought the infomercial in concert with ESPN was tactless, classless, and essentially an exercise in self-absorption. That said, the criticism that James has disappeared in the fourth quarter of Heat's games against the Dallas Mavericks is misguided and ridiculous. While his teammate Dwyane Wade has exploded offensively, James has emerged as a shutdown defender on Jason Terry and a devastating passer, allowing Wade, Chris Bosh, and others to score at critical times.