A look at what LeBron James has riding on the outcome of this year's NBA playoffs:

-- If the Heat win the NBA title: He has his ring, and he can tell all his critics what to do with their opinions.

-- If the Heat fail to win the NBA title: It could be career altering. Miami would be 0-for-2 with their Big Two and Chris Bosh. Do they break up the trio? Who would go? For James, his career might be jumping the shark. The 2012-13 season will be his 10th in the league. He's incurred a lot of wear and tear in nine seasons, plus at least two Olympics. Forget that he's 27. His body might only have a couple more elite seasons in it. If he's ringless when he hits 30, he might turn into what Shaquille O'Neal was at the end of his career -- a player who's most valuable as a box-office attraction and for his potential trade value, and not necessarily what he's doing on the floor.

- Howard Primer