By putting up a statline of 27/7/7, Justise Winslow officially got a “LeBron”, so named because a typical statline for prime LeBron would be 27 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. The significance of this statline happening at the dawn of a new Heat season, five years after LeBron abandoned South Beach for North Beach (or whatever they call the beach in Cleveland – probably Garbage Beach LOL), is not lost on me. This isn’t quite a passing of the torch. It’s more like somebody’s picking up the torch that was left smoldering on the ground for five years with nobody to carry it. And that somebody is Justise Winslow.
Am I over-reacting right now? Yes. Just because the Heat convincingly beat the Grizzlies (who are very likely to be garbo this season), and just because Justise Winslow had a LeBron-esque game, doesn’t mean that the Heat will be good or that Winslow will continue to perform this well. Remember, the Heat are basically just a large, pulsating mass of sweaty role-player flesh, and Winslow is only recently coming off seasons where he fully earned his nickname of “Bustise”. The wheels could fall off this ride as early as their next against Milwaukee.
Still, the Heat have been searching for a true star to lead them since LeBron bolted, Dwyane Wade bolted (then returned as an old man), and Chris Bosh got clotted into an early retirement. Justise Winslow, at least going off this game alone, looks like he could maybe be that kind of star. And I’m rooting for him. Because then I wouldn’t have to keep making highlight videos for him where he amasses tedious amounts of assists and free throws.