As a forward, don't fight the power, LeBron

MIAMI -- With Chris Bosh out, perhaps for several weeks, LeBron James will see more time at power forward.

That's for certain. That's what the situation demands, what Bosh's absence requires, and so what The King himself has already said he'll do.

"Whatever it takes for our team to win," he said last week. "I've played all five positions on our team this year so far."

Yes, he has. But the real test of LeBron's resolve will come when Bosh returns, not while he's out with his ankle sprain.

That's when we'll see whether The King is willing to sublimate some -- just some -- of his remarkable will in order to be a better teammate.

There is no doubt LeBron James is a remarkable talent who makes his teams better. His positive impact on the Heat is undeniable.

His 25.9 points, 7.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds per game make that clear, as does Miami's 31-13 record.

LeBron is that amazing. Simply doing what he's always done, he is averaging within shooting distance of a triple-double and helping to turn the Heat into one of the league's best teams.

But to be better -- to rise to Magic and Jordan levels -- he must bend his game to the moment. He must make his talent about more than himself.

For the Heat and their championship designs, that means the Chosen One choosing -- no, embracing -- some time in the paint.

When Bosh returns, when there's no missing star whose absence requires it of LeBron, LeBron must continue to do battle down low.

Right now, Bosh's ankle requires LeBron to do this. To rise to Magic and Jordan levels, LeBron must require it of himself.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra knows this. He knows, with Mike Miller re-emerging, with D-Wade being D-Wade, and with a frontcourt cobbled together by Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Joel Anthony, Juwan Howard and Erick Dampier, that it would work wonders for the Heat's postseason chances if LeBron embraced some time in the paint.

Bosh's absence provides Spoelstra with two opportunities, one he can talk about, one he can't.

The one he can talk about: "I've been planning to play LeBron some at the 4," he told me. "At times. Not for big bursts. Not for half a game. But I plan on using him there as a weapon at times.

"Now we're able to work on that. We've had to (work on it). We've had him at the 4 virtually the last week to 10 days because of practice."

The one he can't talk about: That he needs LeBron to take on this part of his game once Spoelstra isn't armed with a situation that allows him to force LeBron into it.

That the team's best and most stubborn player must do this.

LeBron, like all great talents, can become intoxicated by his greatness. This is not an indictment. This is what fuels that very talent.

Jordan reveled in his skill, Magic in his magic, Bird not in his taunts but the gifts he possessed that allowed him to back them up.

But each of those players found ways to grow or alter their game, in small and large ways, for a higher glory than their own gifts. For championships.

Kobe Bryant has done this. Even Shaq, in finding a way to co-exist with and defer to Dwyane Wade, learned to tame some of his skill and the very hubris it breeds.

For LeBron, it may be as simple, and as hard, as curing himself of his love for 3-point shots and holding the ball for 17 seconds before taking over. Not curing himself of all of it.

Just some.

Just a little.

Enough to get in the paint, use his body, rebound, and add a missing dimension to this Heat team.

Enough to at times make Bosh an opposing team's secondary worry down low; to make Wade and Miller threats on the outside with more room to work.

"I attract a lot of eyes when I get the ball and...I was able to find some shooters (playing power forward)," LeBron said. "I attract so much attention, D-Wade, Chris attract so much attention, that our shooters will always have good looks."

They'll have more if LeBron spends time in the paint. Much more.

LeBron's performance down low against the Knicks Thursday will be telling in terms of whether or not the Heat will be able to win in the Garden.

LeBron's performance, or lack of it, down low five weeks from now will be telling in terms of whether or not the Heat are able to win in June.

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