Why I Think the King Will Reign

Let me say clearly that I'm a San Antonio Spurs fan. I love the Spurs for the reasons that most hate them. I love the fundamental basketball. And I fell in love with the Spurs when I was living in San Angelo, Texas for four months (not during the basketball season) and met some of the Spurs organization. I fell in love with the Spurs when I was in basic training in the Air Force.

I love the Spurs.

But, if anyone knows anything about my love of sports, one of the things I always say is that if it's "good for the game", I'll usually be for it. Let me cite a non-NBA example.

If the Yankees are doing well, then everyone pays attention to baseball. I'm not a huge Yankees fan, and as a part of my standard protocol, I will say I don't like George Steinbrenner and what he's doing for his team. I don't like the Yankees. But, if they're doing well, people watch. People will still watch the Yankees-BoSox games because they're gluttons for punishment (and they live in the East), but the national pull isn't is great (is it? It isn't here in Don Mattingly country). Just trust me when I say that the Yankees being good is good for the game.

And I think a young 22-year-old is, so far, very good for the game in the NBA. My San Antonio Spurs aren't bad for the game, but their fundemental basketball doesn't play well on national television.

Taking over a game, playing it like it were your last, that's good for the game. We all know Jordan, Kobe, even Byrd or Walton, could and can do it. We've seen others do it. But LeBron James is different. He had the hype to end all hypes (thank our media crazed world for that), and he finally, for at least one game, lived up to it.

I wonder, and I feel that I can postulate, he will continue in this vein. I think that with the strong background, the good behavior and his downright ability, LeBron James will be one of the greats of the NBA.

And for the short-term, I bet more than one person will be watching tonight as Game 6 is played. And in that, I mean that LeBron is good for the ratings.

So, LeBron is good for the NBA.

And I seriously do believe that this isn't the first excellent game, and it won't be the last.