Lebron has no regrets

LeBron James made it quite clear that neither he, nor his team, felt desperate heading into their elimination Game 6 with the Celtics.
But that wasn't the way he played, he gripped the game hard, seemingly afraid to let go for a moment. He played all but a minute and 40 seconds in the ugly 74-69 win that forced Sunday's Game 7 in Boston.
He controlled the offense on nearly every possession, even when it didn't make all that much sense. He wanted every tough defensive assignment and did not back down in crunch time, even dangerously gambling near the end of the game. Then again, often it did pay off.
James had 32 points and six of the team's 10 assists, two of them leading to 3-pointers. He also threw four passes that set teammates up for free throws. In all, he was wholly or partially responsible for more than 50 of the Cavs' 74 points.
He made two crucial jumpers on back-to-back possessions that gave the Cavs a nine-point lead with four minutes to play. Then there was his jump pass bullet to Wally Szczerbiak with 2:10 left that set up a 3-pointer that crushed the Celtics' comeback hopes. A questionable foul shooter, James even went 13-of-15 at the line.
On defense, James he nine rebounds, the most of anyone in the game. He had 12 rebounds overall, the most of anyone in the game. He also had two steals, a block and a key deflection on the Celtics' final possession.
"It was either win or go home," James said. "I'm not ready to go home."
He also sometimes totally stopped the offense, backing out and allowing himself to be trapped. Once he fumbled the ball away when trying to dribble behind his back. Another time he tried an impossible angle on the baseline and stepped out of bounds. He ended up with eight turnovers, half of the Cavs' total.
When the Cavs badly needed some baskets to stem a late Celtics push, James kept dribbling while Zydrunas Ilgauskas stood across the court with a six-inch height advantage on Glen Davis, who was saddled with five fouls.
He took a huge risk with 50 seconds left and the Cavs barely holding onto a five-point lead, jumping out to try and steal the ball from Paul Pierce. The ball bounced free and both men ended up on the ground. James heard a whistle and thought it was out of bounds on him or maybe even a foul on him. Instead it was a charge, a play that virtually ended the game.
It was a fitting end, James was playing all out and stretching his talents to the max in a game that he could've regretted all summer. He wasn't about to do that without giving it his own personal fight.
"Everybody knows it's not easy to win in the postseason," James said. "This is what you work so hard for, this is what you prepare everyday to go out and do."