Super-Overreactionizer: Lions and Pacers and Thunder, Oh my

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May 30, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat forward LeBron James (left) stands next to Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson (right) during the first half in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

Hardwood Paroxysm is a bunch of maniacs that write about basketball for FanSided. Today we discuss the LeBron James as a lion, Derek Fisher discovers Craigslist and the Oklahoma City Thuder

Super-Overreactionizer presents a world in which the most extreme, knee-jerk reactions are the best. Get your fork and plate, we’ve got a full run of hot-takes for you.

This week: LeBron James is the best player in the world, but he’s only now earning his rightful place as the king of the NBA jungle. Plus: Is Lance Stephenson the only thing working right in Indiana and we take a look at just how badly are the Oklahoma City Thunder cast.

LeBron is finally ready to be the king of the NBA jungle

by Jack Maloney (@jmaloney9)

Lions are the kings of the jungle. They’re the biggest, the baddest, the toughest animals around. Anything that gets in their way is eaten or run out of town. Nothing wants to mess with them, because they know what’s coming their way if they do.

After Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals the other night, LeBron James wore a shirt with a lion on the front. It was a sweet shirt, sure, but if you dig a little deeper, it tells us something more. LeBron is finally the lion of the NBA.

Yes, I know he’s won like 15 MVPs and the last two titles, but anyone can get lucky a few times. That was a young Thunder team they beat the first time around. Durant, Westbrook and company were shell-shocked by the big stage and completely fell apart under the bright lights. Then last year Ray Allen bailed out LeBron with a series saving three-pointer in Game 6 of the Finals. And in Game 7 the Spurs would have won if Tony Parker wasn’t injured and Tim Duncan hadn’t missed a layup he hits 99 times out of 100. So yes, LeBron and the Heat had a few titles coming into this season, but only because of a lot of luck. And lions don’t rely on luck

Lions rely on their size, their strength, and their natural ability to defeat anything that dares stand in their way. And that’s what LeBron did this year. He brushed aside the meek resistance the Bobcats offered in round one. Then he took on the Nets and devoured them whole, spitting out the old bones of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Finally, he squared off with a strong, talented, but immature Lance Stephenson and sent him on his way, head hanging in shame.

There was no luck this year. This was LeBron simply being the biggest, baddest, best player around and defending his territory with ease. And wearing that shirt with a lion on it showed that he’s finally ready to be the NBA’s lion. For a long time, he’s had the lion inside him, but hasn’t been ready to let it out. This season he was ready. He proved it to us with his play, and by wearing that shirt after Game 6 he proved it to himself.

It’s taken far too many years, but LeBron is finally the king of the NBA jungle.

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