Sibling rivalry

LeBron strikes me as a pretty decent person. But am I the only one who gets the sense that he should ditch the whole "friendly competition" with Melo? It seems like Anthony has, probably as a tactic of professional/mental self-preservation—his own coach will admit that LeBron the individual talent leaves Anthony in the dust. Karl also pointed out, smartly, that the way his young star can get himself back into the Bron (Amare/Wade) conversation is to prove he's a winner, like he did at Syracuse. And, as Anthony adapts himself once again to the team game, the Nuggets soar, and all of a sudden the powder blue is the only second-half storyline that doesn't involve injury or a Gary Payton trade.

LeBron, on the other hand, has a lame duck coach, a turbulent rotation, no All-Star center, and threats of a front-office upheaval. The media has him ready to force the inevitable trade to greener (get the pun?) pastures, so what does the Chosen One do? Annoint us all at the last possible moment, in the most thrilling way possible, by vowing to carry the team to the playoffs on his very own back. No more drop fifty and lose, or laquidasically tow the party line about things being alright in C-Town. Melo admitted he had to change, bought into a new coach's plan, and now is the centerpiece of the league's deadliest team; LeBron gets points for deciding to change when no one is asking him to, devising his own plan ("dog mouth basketball," he called it), and will drag that wreck of a franchise, kicking and screaming, into the playoffs where he'll really turn it on, maybe duelling it out with Arenas or Ben Gordon in a remake of the Iverson/Carter battles of 2001.

All Melo will ever be is the best player on a very good team. LeBron, though, has to steal all the world's love for himself; he'll be a MVP despite the lousy situation around him, force-feeding the Cavs post-season glory until they get it right. Melo gets credit for helping fight a brilliant campaign on the ground, LeBron keeps CentCom hidden in his Nikes.

LeBron James: selfish out of winning selflessness. And the angels sing. . .