Originally posted by 49ersMyLife:
Westbrook has taken plenty of last second shots, and so has Terry for the Mavs. We all remember who took the shot for the Lakers when they were down by 1 against SA with .4 seconds left. I remember with Cavs - Lebron was criticized for passing the ball to an open player (Mo Williams I think) - who drained the 3 for a buzzer beater. He made the absolutely right play, and some may say he doesn't have the guts, which in my opinion is completely silly.
I don't hear ppl calling Kobe a weenie when he was huffing and puffing on the networks demanding trade if Lakers don't put a team around him that can win Championships. I don't recall the same amount criticism of Kobe when he didn't want any part of the moment against the Suns and was standing on the perimeter and passing the ball to his team-mates in the 2nd half of that playoff game. Lebron will be criticized no matter what by some. I hope he continues to do what is best for the team. If he does that, Miami Heat will have a great chance to win it all.
The .4 play WAS drawn up for Kobe, but in a circumstance like that you have to pass the ball to whomever is open due to the lack of time. That's in no way comparable to the "get the ball to Wade and get the hell out of the way" plays that have ended the last two games, and more importantly...the entirety of the NBA Finals.
There's a difference between taking a shot and having the ball in your hands and creating the shot. At the end of OKC games, Kevin Durant is getting the ball over and over and over again. Someone else might get the shot (although it's usually Durant), but the play runs through him. At the end of Dallas games, Dirk Nowitzki is getting the ball over and over and over again. Just like in the Finals. Someone else might get the shot (although it's usually Dirk), but the play runs through him.
Again, there's a huge difference between Kobe huffing and puffing about needing more than a team where Lamar Odom and Luke Walton are the 2nd & 3rd best players and LeBron joining forces with a perennial all-star like Chris Bosh and the "#2 guy" is so good that you can give the ball to him and hide in the corner while JJ Barea "guards" you, hoping that he's good enough to lead you to a title because you don't have the gonads to do it.
I'm sorry, 4ML. While you were off wrestling caribou in the Great White North last June, the rest of the world saw what LeBron is made of. He's a gigantic p***y. That was evident when he joined forces with Wade in the first place. Gasol might be good, but you can bet your ass that Kobe has to lead his team to victory down the stretch of a close game. Westbrook might be good, but you can bet your ass that Durant has to lead his team to victory down the stretch of a close game. Terry might be good, but you can bet your ass that Dirk has to lead his team to victory down the stretch of a close game. THAT is the difference between LeBron and the others. He gets to stand in the corner and watch. And he's gonna win a couple of titles doing it, no doubt.