"At the end of the day, I've got to move on with my life."
For LeBron James, it is easier said than done. After disappearing during key moments in a series he was expected to dominate, the nagging feeling that he tossed away a first championship ring will linger through the summer.
And beyond. With a lockout looming and a harder salary cap expected, things will only get tougher from here. The LA Lakers are eager to retool and rumours of a swoop for Dwight Howard will be sending shockwaves around the entire state of Florida. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder made huge strides this year. The Western Conference Finals loss was a hard blow to take but the experience as a whole will keep Kevin Durant and company on the right track.
In the Eastern Conference next season, Miami will again be contending with a gritty Chicago Bulls team and the wily Boston Celtics as well as a pumped up New York Knicks team that never got to show its full potential. Bear in mind that the Knicks led in Game 1 in Boston when Chauncey Billups went down with a knee injury. Billups missed the rest of the series and the Celtics completed a sweep. Depending on what decisions Howard makes, the Orlando Magic might be part of the conversation too.
In short, the Heat will have it tough for the foreseeable future. Each year, James can expect at least two draining playoff rounds before a potential return to the NBA Finals. The shots that were dropping against Boston and Chicago - when he played like a man possessed - might not fall his way next year and defenses will take a good look at the way that the Dallas Mavericks shut him down in the Finals.
So, yes, James has to move on with his life. But the nightmares of a golden chance gone begging might take some shifting.
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