Picture all those times in Cleveland when a young LeBron James would take over a game and fans would sit and watch as he soared through the air reminiscent of B-52 airplane due to his 6-foot-8 frame and massive wingspan and leaping ability, well it seems those times have surely faded.
One would assume that 31 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists, and 3 steals while shooting 60 percent from behind the arc and 55 percent from the floor could seal the deal for the defending NBA Champion Miami Heat. Somehow that prediction would prove to be wrong.
The Miami Heat suffered a disappointing loss to the New York Knicks on Thursday night, 112-92, at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. However, the disappointment to the bevy of Miami Heat and LeBron James fans watching or in attendance wasn't in the fact that the Heat lost, but the realization that the Heat are beginning to lack superstar power.
To elucidate, not that the Heat's franchise is lacking depth or that there isn't enough star presence or power on the team, but that, the "superstars" are starting dimmer in the spotlight of a faster paced NBA led by younger talent.
As far as outlining Miami's "Big Three" there begins to be numerous gaps in the playing capability of aging talent. Looking primarily at Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh who combined for an embarrassing 6-for-25 on the night, it's almost as if, combined, DWade and CB1 have had more unsatisfactory and second-rate games in this early season than respectable performances in recent memory. Wade (30 years old) and Bosh (28 years old) who came into the NBA together have played 9 long seasons, and the oldness may be wearing down on them.
Although Bosh helped facilitate the excruciating loss to the Knicks, the focus remains purely on Wade because he's much older than Bosh.
For only the second time of his career, Wade is scoring under 20 points per game (19.8 ppg) for his season's average; he finished with 13 points ending the contest. For a team that was supposed to be run by the two-time NBA Champion and Finals MVP it seems as though Wade beginning to lose the reigns to his pedigree-bred team.
In losses for the Heat during the 2012-2013 NBA season, Dwayne Wade is only averaging 13.3 points per game and not surprisingly is shooting lower than 40 percent from the field (38.9 percent). If not already, it's slowly becoming James' team to run. Now whether that's into the ground or back to the NBA Finals is up for the entire team to decide. If not before, it was proved Thursday night that James can't do bad all by himself and come up with the win. In tougher games it will either be one or the other.
After enduring their first home loss of the season, and standing at a 12-5 overall record, it's obvious that Coach Erik Spoelstra needs to get back to the drawing board and get the troops in order. James' efforts can only be applauded and respected but at times it won't be good enough to bring home the win.
In a 2007 Converse commercial, Dwayne Wade said that he would fall down seven times and somehow get up eight times wearing his new Converse. Well, it looks like nine seasons of falling has finally caught up to him and his lackluster play.