RealGM

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2012/st ... ice-lebron

The moment of clarity Wade had in early January would help make LeBron completely relax. Even after LeBron insisted coming into the season that he was a new, improved man, it would still take Wade's concession to make LeBron really feel like himself in Miami.

"I see the way he fixes his jersey, the way he lays everything out before a game. He's the most mental athlete I've ever seen," Wade said, meaning of course that LeBron was cerebral and maybe a little obsessive, but not insane.

"I didn't want to be a part of messing with his mental at all. I wanted to ease it."

For Wade, that meant less touches. That meant finding a rhythm in his midrange game would be significantly more difficult. That meant a drop in scoring. But all for the right cause.

"It was probably one of the hardest things I had to do in sports was to, in a sense, take a step back," Wade said. "A lot of people don't understand. They'll say, 'Why would you do that?' To me, I want more success from winning. I don't want another scoring title. I'm just trying to win.

"I felt that it had to come from nobody but me, to say, 'Go ahead, man. You're the best player in the world. We'll follow your lead.' Once I said that, I thought he kind of exhaled a little bit."

I've been saying this since February. I started seeing that Wade was in a sense "relinquishing" the reigns of the horse slowly to LeBron this season. Allowing LeBron to be the best he can possibly be by simply getting out of his way.

This is incredible leadership from Wade (I think Pat Riley may have a bit to do with this). Something very similar happened with Magic and Kareem. Magic's ppg from 1986-1987 went up by 5ppg(!) because Magic said Kareem finally went to him and told him that it was Magic's team to carry. When Kareem said that to Magic, a huge weight was lifted from Magic's shoulders and Magic went out and just bulldozed the league, helping to win 2 back to back championships and as well as a regular season MVP.

I feel this season a large weight has been lifted from LeBron's shoulders. He's a lot more comfortable, a lot more in tune with himself, a lot less worried about what the media is thinking of him. Same parallel.

LeBron is going to will his way to the finals, and if Bosh is back, I just don't see any team out there that wants it more than LeBron does. With Bosh, LeBron will not lose.

my respect for wade just sky rocketed more than even before!.... you can tell they are genuinly true friends and he understands that Lebron is experiencing more pressure than any athlete we have ever seen in our era...

wade is a great role model

There's a reason the guys are best friends. They have a common goal, and understand what it takes. Wade took a backseat to Shaq at first, but had to take the lead when it was clear he was better. He dealt with the backbiting that came along with that. Shaq was too selfish to relinquish control freely. He saw personally how difficult it was to lead when your running mate is trying to undermine you.

I think he understands that at this point in their careers, he's still great, but just not as great as Lebron. I suppose he can also take comfort in having one more ring than Bron too. He doesn't need to ballhog to validate his career. Plus, winning championships will elevate both their legacies far more than they could accomplish going it alone.

I'll always be glad we got the Big3. They may not compliment each other the best, but they coexist on and off the court. Bron is unselfish and the ultimate team player. Wade has been to the top of the mountain and knows better than anyone that teams win rings, not individuals. Bosh is so secure in himself that he hasn't lashed out despite the 2 and a half men nonsense the media has foisted on him. The 3 of them get it, and the rest of the team feeds off it. We're in good shape. It's gonna be sad if/when we have to trade one of them due to the stupid new CBA. PEACE.

D-Wade has always been a true basketball player who values team success more than individual accolades, as it is a team sport. You can't say the same about many other superstars. They may all talk the talk, but rarely do most of them ever walk the walk. As long as Wade shows up when it matters and we win, I'm fine with this.