When’s the last time you thought while watching a movie, that it’s the best thing you’ve ever seen? I’ve been racking my brain, trying to figure out the last time I did it. The answer is never. Now, there are times when watching Game of Thrones or The Killing, I may look at the clock thinking how much time is left in the hour. That is a far cry from halfway in declaring it the best episode to ever air on TV. Same principle with a movie. Same principle with Lebron James.

For some of you reading this will be the most difficult thing to see. Leave the word “legacy” alone, come back to it in five years. One more little suggestion, stop bringing up MJ. Kobe too. In fact, leave everyone out of the discussion of who Lebron is better than, except anyone playing today. Right now, that’s nobody. Don’t believe me? Find me anyone else who’s put up 25, 10 boards, and 7 assists in the NBA Finals. You won’t. James has now done it the last two years.

Lebron James called game 7 the biggest of his career, let’s start here. This was a grueling NBA Finals, one in which the Spurs threw everything at James and his mates. Despite a brain cramp, or two, from one of the all time greatest coaches in the NBA, James responded each and every time. He told us heading into this year the priority was working on the post game. He did and then some. Be it moving down low earlier in the series, or taking what the Spurs gave him later in open jumpers, Lebron adapted. The Heat won. There’s having a game plan, and there’s having the ability to adapt and respond to every game plan thrown at you. Give me the latter every time. Especially if that guy is Lebron.

Look at the expectations we put on James because we knew that game 7 performance was always there. Just don’t expect it all the time, it’s not his game. It’s a part of his game, but the reality is unless a team is going to give him those open shots a step or two inside the 3, he’s not going to take them. James dominates the ball, he did so throughout this series, just go back to the first game and see how a triple double can be misconstrued. The Heat lost and we wanted more from James. It wasn’t enough because the team lost. That’s kind of how things have been with James, at least since he made the move to South Beach. But there just aren’t many players that come around often who can dominate the game without scoring much, if at all. It’s illogical, expecting James to drop 35 a game like Jordan, when he was doing exactly what got the Heat to the Finals… Again.

There needs to be a grace period, I go back to the movie analogy. Think of how irrational it is to come fresh out of a flick, and declare it the best thing ever. Seems kind of knee-jerk to me. Let it breathe, let it simmer, go back and look at the criteria. James is a decade into his career and won’t turn 29 until December of this year. Let it breathe. Let it simmer.

What amazed me, and will continue at least through the summer, is how many people still need convincing. Then it hit me, it’s not that they need convincing of Lebron’s skill set, his ability to lead, or his passion for the game. No none of that. This type of convincing is more of a comfort zone. Knowing where Jordan or Magic or Oscar stand next to Lebron. Otherwise, how can anyone look at Lebron in today’s NBA? I get it. Only because on the surface there is no competition for James in the NBA, right now. But don’t misunderstand that for having nothing else left but to start rustling up old careers. We are starting to see the backlash of overhyped expectations, that unfortunately for James were simply not met early in his career. Follow me.

Here’s the irony, the reaction from Lebron’s reaction of winning his second straight ring, stems entirely from the unnecessary amount of expectations put on the guy from the start. He went from a kid on the Cavs who couldn’t bring his team over the top to a ring. Moving to overrated and overhyped after going out to the Mavs. He finally wins one, and you can see the relief, you heard it from him. Thursday night after winning his second straight ring, finals MVP, and MVP, James still sounded like there was a sense of relief. He can say there are no worries, but it’s reflective of the outcome. James performed the best he possibly could in the biggest moment of his career to date, but  was a missed three away from hearing it all over again. You can’t tell me that’s not on his mind, or anyone’s mind for that matter. It always leads to the chicken or the egg conversation, “They put his high school games on TV” which I always smile and say, “He wasn’t the first”.

Can you let the legacy talk go? What more is there for this man to prove? Not to Jordan or anyone else who played in years past. Right now. Lebron asserted a game 7 type performance on his career Thursday night. As close to it was as a completely different narrative, living in hypotheticals for too long can damage your perspective. No, Ray did hit that shot, the Heat did complete the comeback, and James torched the Spurs to close it out in the final game. That close out performance now acts as a reminder and microcosm of something much greater. It shows a larger theme of how James has done what we should ask of our superstars, and really the only thing we should ask of them until their career is over. Can you dominate your era? Ten years in, the answer is yes, but even still the movie isn’t over.

I’m rooting for James, always have. I don’t get upset when he reacts to all the crap that was thrown at and on him, by both detractors and supporters. He’s polarizing only because of the nonsensical expectations bestowed upon him in high school. He added to it, a couple of tats and a couple of self-proclaimed King statements. But he’s backed it up, the last two seasons have been historic. For Lebron James yes, but more importantly to him, for his team as well.

(Pic c/o Reuters)