Not Exactly Jordan

I rarely delve into sports and when I do they tend to be rather esoteric (at least to most Americans), but I must submit my favorite sport basketball concluded its season earlier this evening, and contrary to comparisons, to this point in his career LeBron James is no Michael Jordan. Perhaps if LeBron had enjoyed a couple of years tutelage under Dean Smith or had any college experience at all, he would have fared better in the crunch. Perhaps Scottie Pippen was trying to place undue pressure on James with a glowing statement that LeBron could be "better than Jordan". Who knows, maybe Pippen was a tad jealous of all of MJ's limelight, but to this point at least, Lebron James, though a great player in his own right, is clearly no Michael Jordan. In any event, the Dallas Mavericks seem to be deserving and classy NBA champions, winning with the kind of teamwork Red Auerbach's Boston Celtics displayed and were rightly proud of- sealing victory not with a roster of superstars- but with role players making commendable effort. Just as MJ elevated virtual unknowns (except to the basketball cognoscenti) like Craig Hodges, John Paxson, and Ed Nealy by drawing double or even triple teams to provide open looks, Dirk Nowitski sacrificed personal statistics to better his teammates. Miami's defense at times appeared confused and enfeebled as Dallas coach Rick Carlisle conducted a symphony against a roster of befuddled superstars. At least for a while, something is big in Texas other than football.