"Just two great guys, going at it... two of the best in the league, you know."
This was the soundbyte from the postgame press conference yesterday after the Cavs lost to the Celtics in Game 7 up in Boston (of course it was in Boston -- the C's don't win on the road).
I don't know why it bothers me but it does. I mean, that sounds a little arrogant. And I know great players are cocky, etc., and they need to believe they're good. But to talk about yourself in that third-person way, just bugs me. I know Bird and Magic were cocky, too, but I just can't imagine them talking like this. And then LeBron is comparing himself to Dominique Wilkins and Pierce to Larry Bird. Not quite, LeBron. I don't think Dominique shot 35% in that series.
In fact, had LeBron even shot remotely close to what a great such as himself should shoot, the Cavs would have easily stolen one in Boston and would be moving on to the Eastern Finals right now.
ESPN, of course, is seeking to anoint this game as an "epic." Which is something ESPN does, but hey, can you blame them? They want ratings. But was it really? It was a competitve Game 7 so that's good... but it was a series where a team that should really have dominated (Boston) once again eeked out a 4-3 series win. Is that epic? Do you think the people of Boston now consider Paul Pierce to be in the same category as Larry Legend? Not so sure about that.
"Now they have something to remember in Boston other than what Dominique [Wilkins] and Larry [Bird] did. They'll remember what Paul and LeBron did," James said.
Really? You think so? I don't.