King James' Coronation or The Worst Prince in NBA History

After reading all the praise for LeBron James' Game 5 performance, all the coronations of King James, LeBron makes the LeLeap storylines, I rewatched Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals on NBA TV last night. And I can't decide whether LeBron James' 48 point performance is one of the best in NBA History or worst...for Tayshaun Prince.

Here's a case for the latter:

- James has already scored 40 plus points in a playoff game 5 times. Were all those coronations too?

- Detroit guarded him with Rip Hamilton and Chauncey Billups and the real topic of this entry: Tayshaun Prince. Prince's numbers: 48 minutes, 10 points on 4-13 shooting, 4 turnovers.

- 33 seconds left in the 4th quarter, Pistons by 1 and LeBron drives past Jason Maxiell and dunks...over Tayshaun Prince. James doesn't really dunk over Prince. He dunks PAST him. Tayshaun never leaves the floor, just gets out of the way. Then he throws his hands up and looks for a teammate to blame. I repeat, 33 seconds left in the 4th quarter with the lead, Prince is apparently more afraid of being YouTubed by LeBron than making a sub-70 percent free throw shooter earn his two from the line.

- After a Billups three, it's 91-89 and James blows by Tayshaun Prince untouched and dunks. Prince again looks for a teammate to blame instead of wrapping LeBron up and making him earn his two at the line. I think its arguable that if Flip Saunders had balls enough to sub Nazr Mohammed or former Cav Ronald Murray for the ineffective Prince, Craig Sager might be interviewing Rip Hamilton instead of 60 year old Eric Snow before Game 6.

- Mike Brown's incompetence hit a new level in the 1st OT when he calls the Cavs last timeout with 30 seconds left. Sure enough, the Pistons tie the game on Billups free throws and instead of being able to advance the ball to half-court with 3 seconds left, the timeout-less Cavs have to settle for a full-court heave.

- More Tayshaun Prince highlights: 3:35 to go in the 1st OT and Ilgauskas hits James with a high-post pass for another easy dunk. Who does he fake out? Tayshaun Prince.

- 107-107 in 2OT. James drives the lane, splits Jason Maxiell and Rip Hamilton and lays it in. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention one last guy James beats to the rim. Tayshaun Prince. He half-heartedly steps into the lane and looks like he's turning his face away from LeBron like he can't stand his body odor as LeBron lays it in.

Add Tayshaun's uselessness on the offensive end in the 4th quarter and 2 overtimes (3 turnovers, 0-4 from the field and his inability to post up and score over 5 foot 11 Eric Snow) and I'm not so sure this wasn't the worst playoff performance in NBA history. And yet all the stories the next day were about how LeBron was a "Raging Inferno" and made "LeLeap" even though we've all seen him explode like this before. The real story was the gutless performance from Prince, stoking LeBron's fires.

Kiss the ring, Tayshaun. He should give his 2004 championship ring back after Game 5. I've never seen a former champion, a key player to the Pistons 5 straight Eastern Conference Final appearances, so obviously leave his testicles in the locker room before a critical playoff game like Prince did in Game 5.