LeBron is one of the three or four best players ever. The comparison to MJ is absurd and pointless...different positions, eras, supporting casts. Ironically, I think what has kept LeBron from matching MJ's records is free agency and the power superstar players now have. Even a player with as huge an ego and supreme talent as Jordan had to play within a system....the triangle...and had strong coaches that he couldn't get fired easily. You mention Kyrie Irving "leaving". The truth is he didn't like playing with LeBron, because he knew LeBron, not the coaches, run the show. LeBron got his previous coach fired, and several Cavs players have stated or insinuated they did not enjoy playing with him. The Warriors have figured out that being a little less controlling, a little less self centered, a little more "all for one, one for all" is a better way. Nobody really likes playing with a dictator.
Sitting here in Oakland, LBJ's supporting cast has looked damn good to me, and we - or at least I - have watched 3 very good games.
Sounds to me like people are getting on the current bandwagon. (Some bandwagon *always* gets rolling after each game - sports isn't much different from politics, other than sports commentators being somewhat more evidence-based).
"A one man show." Actually, an astonishing class act in Lebron.
The alternate meme: "This isn't the same Warriors team we've seen before. They're vulnerable this year. Other teams are catching up and figuring them out."
But for now it'll be "No team has ever come back from being down..." The Warriors know how that song ended. You can imagine the demon haunting their offices and workouts: the team that let the same opponent, led by the same player, come back from not only...
Not the legend to leave behind. Everyone here in Oakland will be breathing just a little easier when the Dubs bag that next win. It can't come soon enough.
I loved this article. Thank you for writing it.
1
I brag to my kids that I was fortunate enough to watch Michael Jordan play basketball in his prime. (Along side Steve Kerr no less!) It is clear to me that they will brag to their kids that they were fortunate enough to watch Lebron James in his prime. I am constantly amazed by the athletic excellence of NBA players.
3
The Warriors counted him out at up 3-1 in 2016. They could do it again--even with Durant.
1
My goodness the man has taken a bunch of mediocrities to the finals ; his being the 8th consecutive appearance and people denigrate his lack of team play? Give me a break. His ability to orchestrate as if he is above while in the midst of the game is unparalleled in the history of the game.
3
Yes, but what happens when he is off the court? Those same players can't do anything. And that's the problem, because when he slows down, there's no one to take up the slack, especially now that Irving has gone.
Take, for example, Harrison Barnes. Drafted by the Warriors in 2012, starter for a couple of years, including their first championship in this run, but definitely the odd man out when it came to scoring options. He went to Dallas after Durant came to the Warriors. With Dallas, every part of his game offensively has improved: scoring avg. from 10 ppg to 19, free throws from mid-70 percent to well over 80 percent, a few more assists. He's the leading scorer on the team. Of course Dallas is not very good, but he's stepped up. And I think stems in part from playing with Curry and Thompson, seeing how hard they worked on not just shooting but on every part of their game, learning from them. I can't say I've seen that with anybody who's played with LeBron. If he really made his teammates better, than his first Cleveland team should at least have made the playoffs after he left -- the Bulls did after Jordan left. Instead, those Cavs won just 19 games.
If his teammates are mediocrities, as you say, playing on his team doesn't make them better. I think it should.
LeBron James's personal life is as remarkable an accomplishment as is his achievement in professional basketball.
5
Lots of comments here deriding LB of lacking style and grace. That's like taking a hockey player to task for not skating more like a figure skater. The man is amazingly nimble for his body type. And others accuse him of being a diva. What?! Considering how he dominates the sport I typically find him calm, charitable, smart and gracious.
5
In the NBA and NFL it seems they're just ,showing up anymore.Maybe its just the checks maybe just the weed,maybe a little ,or a lot of each.
Basketball is a team sport.
"Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the Me for the We." Phil Jackson
2
LeBron has always been a team player, to a fault it sometimes seems.
Very well-written article. While Jordan didn't have Rodman for his first 3 titles, he had enough support from Grant, Paxon, et al. Lebron's teammates aren't making wide-open, mid-range or 3-pt. jump shots. Cavs management is poor. There are better players than Tristan Thompson & JR Smith for $30 million this year alone.
1
Never count him out! His team will win, if his head's in the game.
1
Living in the bay area, I can't help but love the warriors - but I would love them even if they were in another state because of the entertaining way that they play - the only other team I can compare them to is the showtime lakers.
That being said, nobody in the league even comes close to the admiration I have for Lebron. I find it ludicrous every time some TV commentator says that "if he does so and so (like win this championship), then he should definitely be in the conversation for the GOAT, by which they mean Michael Jordan. In my mind, there is no comparison - Lebron stands head and shoulders above Jordan. People loved Jordan because he had such style, such athleticism, such finesse, such tenacity - poetry in motion. Lebron loses out to Jordan on the first 3, but when it comes to tenacity, this season proves there is no comparison. And he has the sheer power of Shaquille O'neal which more than compensates for falling behind in those first 3 categories.
When people compare him to Curry or Durant (both of whom I adore), it is an insult to Lebron. Yes, Curry and Durant are fabulous players, but they are beloved for their style, athleticism, and finesse - not their tenacity.
People criticize Lebron if he fades in the fourth quarter, but nobody plays as long or as hard as he in the first 3. Would you criticize a marathon runner who led the field by a half mile with 5 miles to go if he faded? You have to pace yourself in basketball - Lebron doesn't have that luxury.
8
The rule books says nothing about a playing not being able to move his feet if a charge is to be called. Rather, the rule book deals with the nebulous term "legal guarding position". I've long thought that referees essentially guess on block/charge calls (like football refs do on pass interference and baseball umpires do on check swing calls) and it does no good to gripe about them.
2
Contrary to the NBA's standard narrative which focuses on stars, basketball is still a team sport. LeBron is his own worst enemy. He's the number one option on almost every play, or so it seems. This makes it easy for a good defensive team to focus, and leaves his teammates standing around watching, rather than playing in rhythm. The Warriors are the best team in the league precisely because they play as a team.
4
Joking, right? LeBron is the ultimate team player. He can take any role he needs to, whether facilitator or scorer. He's proven that a thousand times and has shattered the record for assists by a forward. The reason the Cavs are loosing is because his teammates, which he is setting up for open shots, can't knock them down. The Warriors, as would any team, are keying on LeBron because they know they can lay off the other pieces of the offense. Please.
1
This is a cameo of what happens with inequality. The superstar gets zillions and then there's little or nothin else left for the others. So the "team" is composed to the superstar and whatever else the left-over budget can buy.
how then do the Warriors do it?
2
Tristen Thompson, Kevin Love and JR Smith get paid a bundle. The Cavs are experiencing a production problem, not a payroll one.
Sadly, I don't think LeBron can prevail here. The Warriors are so stacked that his mainly one man show just cannot do it. I think he is a the best of all time and I hope that he continues his activism. We'd love it if he came to the Celtics!
2
Whatever .....this is a game that resembles basketball, not the way the game was intended to be. Carries, walks, hacking no grace style or form. James is a 6'8 specimen and suburb athlete in his prime all alone out there, by design, poor Lebron,
No, an inner-city athlete and a suburb athlete, an athlete for all places and seasons.
2
That blurred vision in his eye is the result of a poke in the face by Dramond Green as he drove straight down the lane.
Watch the play.
Dramond's right hand goes up for the ball while his left goes straight forward James's face.
Recall Dramond's crotch kicking in the 2016 playoffs. And, a punch to LeBron's which got Green suspended for a critical game 5.
Hey, I like Dramond but I've been watching the NBA for 50 years and that hand in the eye was taking advantage of a moment when he could make it seem like a natural play. Hand went straight for his face.
It wasn't natural.
Anyway, let's see if we can go 7 with this series.
More ball the better.
7
No doubt, Dramond is the dirtiest and most obnoxious player in the league. He's what stops me from liking/admiring Warriors.
1
Lebron James is not only one of the finest basketball players ever to set foot on the court, but one of the finest humans to inhabit this planet. We all should follow his example on and off the court to enrich our lives and those of others. In so many ways he embodies the physical and spiritual ideal of the human experience. B
26
The Warriors are good at ensemble basketball. Maybe he should think of moving there next season...?
3
Lebron James is currently the Sisyphus of professional basketball. He pushes the boulder up the hill only to have it roll back down just before reaching the precipice. To see game 1 unravel as a result of a blunder by one of his teammates, when victory was within their grasp as a primary result James' preternatural play, was downright Shakespearean.
19
JR Smith blundered but the score was tied and the Cavs still had opportunities to win the game. The video of the Cavs bench during the intermission before the overtime is telling: LeBron head down not saying anything. Smith next to him staring into space. Lue no where to be seen. There was no team there. I wonder how the "Strength in Numbers" Warriors would have reacted if one of their players had made a similar gaffe.
1
Yes, the pre-overtime Cavs bench inaction was truly unbelievable. It was so revealing of what kind of a team they are, and what kind of a coaching staff they've got. No strategy, no pumping up the team to get out and win the OT?
Two thoughts. When Wilt Chamberlain had no support, we gave him no support. Instead, we said he hogged the ball while Bill Russell understood that basketball was a team game. Sounds like a double standard in favor of Lebron. Second, the Cavs have had one of, if not the highest, salary levels in the league and the team has been built as Lebron wanted it. They had the top pick in the draft but Lebron wanted Kevin Love. He was not satisfied with the team this season, they traded at his request. He has the team he wants, if he can't win, then physician, heal thyself.
11
LeBron is unquestionably one of the greatest by the numbers.
But style, grace, and joy count a lot toward true greatness in my book. In those ways he'll never touch Michael Jordan.
And in some respects he'll never match the excitement, beauty, and joy Steph Curry has brought to the game.
Another thing...LeBron would probably have a few thousand points fewer on his tally if he was actually called for all the charges and travels he commits.
Between that and his diva attitude, he's just not fun to watch. No matter what the numbers say....
9
Lebron may well be the "greatest ever" in basketball but it's probably unfair to the "greats" that have preceded him. Lebron raised the "bar", for sure, as did Michael Jordan and the other "greats" before him. Let's put it this way: athletes get better with each generation, and "records are meant to be broken!" By the way, basketball is a TEAM sport, and the two best teams are Golden State and the Houston Rockets. Lebron may be able to address that if he decides to build or join a better supporting cast.
2
I agree, Silvio. Also, Lebron's stats are so loaded because he came straight out of high school. What if we counted Jordan's time at UNC when we discuss the greatest of all time. Same with Jabbar.
1
Please Lebron! You can act as indignant as you like, but this underperforming Cavs team is your doing. It's obvious that you care more about your salary than winning. You could have surrounded yourself with a great team, but you had to hog the entire payday. We've seen you quit on your team before -- and it won't be long before we see it again in this Finals. Blame yourself 'Bron. You won't get another chance at the trophy unless you go into coaching. All that's left for you is to pull a Kobe for anther 2 lackluster seasons (probably in L.A.) before you cash in -- because you've already sold out.
6
Lebron James is the best basketball player I have ever seen since following basketball over 50 years. Michael Jordan was great but did not have Lebron's strength. It is remarkable that Cleveland is in the finals with so little talent outside of Lebron who willed their way to the finals. As much as I like Steph Curry and Harden, Lebron has been the real MVP for the last 10 years.
20
I think LeBron is an amazing individual talent, but I've always had problems with him because he takes over his team and doesn't make other players better. They play better when he's on court with them, but once he's off the court, they don't show that they've developed anything special. That's different than Michael, who helped Scottie Pippin become a star, or even Magic, who undoubtedly had something to do with Byron Scott becoming a coach. Both of LeBron's previous teams went into the toilet once he left, and the same thing will happen now if he leaves.
That's partly a problem with his teammates, but it's also partly him. He insists on playing the most minutes on his team. If he's off the court and his team drops behind by a few points, he wants back in. That should happen during a crucial playoff game, but during the regular season the coach should let other players figure out how to win. If they lose, they need to figure out how they can get better. The aim should be to get to the playoffs, not win every game. If he's that great a player, then winning playoff games on the road shouldn't be too difficult.
As a result of so much playing time, LeBron often plays tired during the playoffs and runs out of gas at the end of games, especially against the Warriors, who come with numbers.
7
LB makes players better, he turns a 20 win team into a championship contender by making others better. JR Smith and George Hill??vs Klay and Steph?? he is not a magician. His passes are Magic like, if MJ prime was on this team, they still lose to GSW, that is a team. when MJ retired Bulls were still good without him, when LB leaves? Cleveland becomes theworst team in the league, and default head coach because he is smarter than these random coaches Cleveland grabs off the street. He is not as smart as Phil though, not close. If LB had a system for once, instead of an inept Cleveland org, he would get the ring more often. Yes he picked this team, Pat Riley, Phil Jackson? would not let that happen. LB would be fine with letting go of his management duties, but Cleveland is too stupid and he ends up with no choice. He should have stayed in Miami, they could have rebuilt. Cleveland, not LB, is the big reason why this guy won't be recognized as the GOAT, he should be though. Karl Malone has 0 rings, he should be considered a top 5 all time player...better than Kobe, but no rings. flip Karl and Kobe? Karl in LA has at least 5 rings, Kobe in Utah for career? 0 rings. Circumstances. Barkley has 0 rings also, great player
3
Maybe since all his teamates are so bad they should just stay on the bench.
That's what I would do. Then see how good he is all by himself.
I know he is a great player but no one can win alone. It's not the one on one championships.
As a teamate I would be real tired of the bad press the rest recieve.
Making a finals in any pro sport is worth celebrating.
5
Please let’s not get carried away. Watch carefully. He frequently walks on drives and commits offensive fouls, by pushing away defenders with his forearm—and he very rarely gets called for these infractions. He is indisputably a great player, but the referees allow him to play by a different set of rules.
20
I've been saying that for years. He also complains about every. single. call. that goes against him. To a degree that would get him a technical if he were a different player. People talk about the "championship-winning block" on Andre Iguodala in 2016, yet nobody mentions that Iguodala's back was so bad he could hardly walk at the time. LeBron also plays in the era where touch fouls are called. Doubt me? Look at youtube video called "Young Jordan tries to dunk on Kareem." Kareem undercuts Jordan and almost breaks his body. That no longer happens. Which is why I say we cannot compare between eras.
All that said, LeBron has shot better this year than I have ever seen anybody his size shoot. Doesn't matter where on the floor, including some long, Curry-esque threes. The passing remains superlative. So while I still think there's a lot of hype, he is in the discussion for the best player ever.
2
Lebron is remarkable. He's getting beat up every game, his bloody eye a symbol, He breaks his butt on the court but gets little help from average teammates.
He's like a great director with a weak cast and script, left trying to make something out of nothing. He produces every game in every way, but gets stuck with knuckle heads like JR Smith(yes we know him in NY, class A idiot on and off the court) or underachievers.
He is one of the greatest. 8 straight trips to the finals? Please, that alone is an awesome accomplishment, that few others can claim.
11
The King is great. Jordan is still my G.O.A.T., but he's #2 and far ahead of anyone else playing now.
He's certainly a better player than G.M. The Cavs supporting cast issues this year are directly attributable to 2 LeBron decisions: 1) trade away a superstar in the making Wiggins for the flawed Kevin Love; and 2) chase away Kyrie Irving instead of working out the conflict and setting up a smooth transition.
No matter what, I give LeBron props for going back to Cleveland.
No one better now.
5
Alan Iverson? Please. He didn't make his teammates better. He was the epitome of "score 30, lose by 20." LeBron James is a complete player who only scores 51 points because he has to and does it while dishing out assist after assist.
8
I love to watch King James.
I wasn't even upset when he left the Heat, mostly because I knew I'd get to watch him play anyway.
He is masterful, a born basketball player, with a social conscience, to boot, and loyal to his high school sweetheart all these years.
In other words, the standard of a true role model.
40
Yes, his performance will certainly prove futile, in the sense that the Cavs will lose the series. But LeBron's entire 2018 playoff run may go down as the best playoff performance by any NBA player ever- not so futile.
11
Watching Lebron James´s team mates miss three pointer after three pointer is simply annoyng.
3
He is the best small forward to ever play the game. Probably the second best player ever. I have never understood the hate directed at him. I think it comes from mostly people that don't know this game, never played, and hardly ever watch.
27
lebron is a whiner. after 15 seasons he ought to know that calls under review or otherwise are RARELY reversed. Man up Lebron.
4
In the future annals of basketball history Durant's decision to join the championship team that beat him will stand in stark contrast to LeBron's heroics and heart leading undermanned teams to the finals.
5
James started the trend when he, as a free agent chose - in the widely panned "decision" to go to Miami and join Duane Wade and Chris Bosch. Then, after Cleveland stockpiled early picks in the draft and the team was on the upswing, he returned to Cleveland. This year, he drove away Kyrie Irving.
By the way, his team is in the finals because it took seven games to beat a team - the Celtics - missing their best two players. The East has not been as good as the west for many years and he would have far fewer trips to the finals if his teams played in the West.
And, let's see where he goes after the season.
7
You must have forgotten
“I’m taking my talents to South Beach “
6
After that first game, futility is going to rule. It’s too bad. They had a chance to steal one.
James is an amazing physical specimen and an amazing talent.
But when Curry plays, he makes everyone around him better When James plays, he is the star and his teammates do not thrive. The Warriors seem loaded with talent because of team play. That is why even the players off the bench seem like stars.
11
Curry has CLAY THOMPSON, KEVIN DURANT AND IGUADOA AND GREEN, all all stars in their own right and would be terrific no matter whom they played with. Not hard to make them better, they're great to begin with. Curry won without Durant. Take away Lebron and Cavs would be lucky to win 20 games.
James is stuck with a bunch of under-acheivers and still, he does make them better, or they wouldn't be in the finals. but they're just not that good.
4
True. However, James is the one responsible for the team that the Cavs now have. He got exactly what he wanted from management and their roster is just not very good. He's got no one but himself to blame for the massive dropoff in talent between himself and everyone else on the roster.
1
This year, the entire Cavs team seems unusually taut, with a lot of tension, stress, heaviness .. meanwhile Step Currie prances around and laughs after hitting shots like he's having the time of his life (he is). It could be their worst enemy is their own high expectations. I think the Cavs would benefit from loosening up a bit; but at this stage, I have no idea how they could do that.
1
LeBron has (slightly) overrated Kevin Love and a bunch of scrubs. Watching him drag around replacement level players is painful. Still, transcendent talent. It's a joy to watch him play.
5
James is great. The league is mediocre and SF is not close to one of the deepest teams in NBA History.
Have some perceptive. What James is doing is amazing. He isn't going up against great NBA teams.
What I do find amazing is he's one of the only true NBA superstars that the refs treat like a bum. What happened at the end of game 1 of the finals was a disgrace. They reversed an offensive foul on Durant that wasn't reviewable. 2 points and possession in a game that ended moments later in a tie.
1
SF? They are not the San Francisco Warriors. The Warriors play in Oakland. When you see them wearing the jerseys that say "The Town" that is a reference to the Oakland's nickname, Oaktown.
6
So true Paul. Sadly I've been watching NBA ball since before 1971. Next year they move to the city. I see they will keep the Golden State Name. Thanks for the clarification. No offense to Oakland.
1
They did not reverse a play that was unreviewable. And, they ultimately got the call right because James was still moving his feet when he contacted Durant. That's a block and that's what was called. Why is this being treated like a bum? What about all the non-calls when he travels and pushes off while driving?
2
I think Lebron is incredibly talented and one of the greatest players ever in terms of pure skill. But I think he has to look at why he's finding it hard to attract other top talent to the team that will stay and build a team powerhouse.
He tries to be not just the superstar on the team but in many ways the coach and the GM. Doing a wholesale shakeup of the team 2/3 of the way thru the season and then being surprised the team hasn't gelled in time for the playoffs is revealing. Kyrie didn't want to stay, Love seems ambivalent about being on the team and unable to truly blossom, and no players are beating a path to their door thinking CLE has a great system that is fun to play for.
6
What if the problem is that Lebron actually cannibalizes his teammates' shots instead creating new shooting opportunities. That would explain why even with his huge scoring, his team still struggles. It's like a salesman who has a great year by taking over his colleagues' clients, but rarely finds new clients on his own.
2
While playing with James does seem to affect the other players, namely being held to a higher standard, cannibalizing is not a description I would use. (James Harden cannibalizes the ball, as an example). James does pass the ball and in doing so challenges the recipients of those passes to turn them into assists. When that doesn't happen he must and I believe should take over. After all, that is what a superstar should be able to do.
1
Oh, so you mean he's a.....ball hog?
Much of the time on offense, the other Cavs are standing around watching iso-ball. Then suddenly one of the corner dwellers gets a hot pass and a fraction of a second to get off a shot before a defender closes. That is not a recipe for consistent success.
I was never so happy in a b'ball sense to see GS beat Houston in Game 7. Two iso teams in the Finals would have been the most boring sport scene since televised poker.
I love watching James because of his transcendent talent. But this year I'm having a problem. His teammates are just so weak. And, as this article states, James has become a one man wrecking crew. That doesn't do it for me. Basketball is a team sport. And that is particularly true in the playoffs. But with the Cavs I just watch LeBron to follow what's happening. And despite his offensive prowess, he stops playing hard defense for long periods of time. If he's not going for rebounds and he's not picking up his switching assignments, and he's dropping way off his man, it's pacing time. During those times the Cavs can hang in, but they can't pull ahead. So the game depends too much on whether LeBron is coasting on D or playing hard. His offense has been more consistent, but his effort there wavers too. He may not make a hard drive to the basket for 10 minutes.
Virtually every Cavs game is decided by LeBron's effort. With a weak team even he can only do so much. When I watch playoff basketball, I expect maximum effort, strategy adjustments and consummate teamwork. The Cavs don''t have the horses for any of that. LeBron's energy level tends to be decisive and that's not very interesting. Also, it troubles me that he is heading into free agency and that has to be a distraction. And at one point the announcers were talking about how much sleep LeBron was getting. I don't want that to decide who wins. It's not LeBron's fault -- he's been dealt the weakest of hands.
4
For me, Magic Johnson is the GOAT, but that doesn't take away one bit of my appreciation for the gift of watching what LBJ brings, every game. A remarkable, singular talent, and we're all lucky to be able to see him play in his unbelievably durable prime. Kudos, King James!
5
Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West,
Pete Maravich, Earl "the Pearl" Monroe,
Dr. J, all played with teams that did not
have the talent to win the "Big One"
either in the pro's or college or both.
In the end does it matter since Pro-Basketball if 'fixed' ?
Dr J didn't win an NBA championship. Really?
1
Most of the people you mention won championships.. some won multiple times. So what are you talking about?
4
it certainly is a one man and that’s why they will lose the final’s in four straight.. absolutely no fun in watching that.. sorry lebron
1
I agree. The Cavs might play better without LeBron. Look how the Warrior bench blossomed when their stars were out on injuries.
LeBron is a great basketball player, yes, but an even better father: when his 11 year old son who has talent up the wahzooo was being recruited by Div. 1 colleges LeBron told them to leave his kid alone and let him grow up.
10
I always say you cannot compare between eras. Don't bother comparing Hakeem and Russell: there's no point to it.
But this year LeBron has made me a believer. I don't root for him (though I'm tempted against the Warriors), but this year made me think that LeBron may be the best ever.
4
Anyone who follows the game knew that the NBA "Finals" has already been played. Being a Rockets fan for over 25 years, I am now willing to say that LBJ has become the 2nd best player ever to play in the NBA, ahead of MJ. The Cavs tried to make the necessary moves to win the title before the trade deadline, but ran out of time. 3 players have worn out their welcome, and they know who they are.
1
I thought “LBJ” was already taken.
I am a huge of Michael Jordan but this man seems to be getting closer and closer to being called the greatest basketball player ever.
10
I doubt that this is "with less help" than ever before. It's less than ever in the current era, where a handful of teams each have 2, 3, or even 4 of the top 15-20 players.
That's the result of free agency plus caps on the top salaries. If you're Kevin Durant, and no one can pay more than the Warriors, you might as well go where you will win championships.
The alternative seems to be that one or two players get most of the money on each of 10 or so, more balanced teams. (More fun for more fans; less money for most players.)
1
great players elevate those around them. James is trying to do it alone. Not greatness in my view
3
Sorry, no. He had 13 assists in Game 2. He is averaging 9 assists per game for the playoffs (behind only John Wall and Rajon Rondo, both of whom were eliminated weeks ago). What would you have him do? Pass more? Then people would criticize him for not scoring enough points.
LeBron is a brilliant player. It's true his team is almost certainly going to lose this series. Still, let's count ourselves lucky we're able to watch him while he's in his prime. I know I do.
25
It's not LBJ's fault that he has scant help.
The owner is an internet tycoon, a basketball dilettante, has no deep interest in the game - it's a property and a toy to him.
I'm from Akron. And I believe that LeBron James has every right to leave the Cavaliers for a team that is better managed.
1
LeBron shows his dedication to the sport as well as to sports and society culture everyday. He continues to mature in all these areas, confirming his place as the number 1 player in NBA history. He should also win the league's season MVP award for 2018 given his determination to carry his team on his back into the finals once again and to perform in the finals at such a high level regardless of whether the Cavs win the series.
26
He's the Cavaliers MVP. His team needs to win more games in the regular season than any other team to be League MVP, and win the Championship to win the series MVP. Anyway, who cares about MVPs? It's banners in the rafters that count. Thank you Mr. Curry.
His efforts will not be futile, but rather, beautiful to watch.
4
I love basketball.
One of the reasons is that it is a team game. While an individual can do great things, to be successful at the most competitive level requires complimentary teammates that fulfill roles. The loss of Kyrie Irving was huge.
James lacks that in a big way on this year's Cavs team. That doesn't diminish his talent, but it does limit his achievement.
13
LeBron and the seven dwarfs.
He has had a remarkable run and is unstoppable on the court.
3
Call it what you want but it is not the same game as I grew up watching. All the pushing and shoving on drives by the Offensive players would not be allowed. Le Bron plays like a Bull in a China shop which is obviously the norm these days.
1
It’s really cyclical. Look at films of the 1986 Celtics. Watch the great Celtics/Lakers series with Bird and Johnson. Michael Cooper was allowed to push, shove, grab and do most anything to impede Bird before he got the ball. And, at 6’ 9”, Bird had to shoot a fall away jumpshot just to avoid contact. Defenses are not allowed to play that way these days. LeBron would not have had an open lane to the basket like he does now. So things change.
3
I agree with Tom on this one and it seems you have a selective memory. Take a look at the games played in the 80's and especially the Knicks-Bulls games in the early-mid 90's and you will see a ton of bulls.
1
Amazing that we forget that basketball is a TEAM sport.
The best team wins, not the best individual player.
6
Gee, tell us more, coach.
Seriously, way to miss the point of the article and showing you don't actually follow the NBA. Nobody is forgetting that, but various aspects of the business reality of professional sports means sometimes you don't have a top notch roster. The point of the article is how much Lebron has compensated for that through his individual efforts.
5
I watched the first game and after I saw the end there where that one player, J.R. Smith, missed that last free throw and then claimed that he thought the game was over, I realized that the other players are in a quiet revolt and are really not interested in helping LeBron win another championship for the Cavs.
1
JR Smith didn't shoot the free throws, George Hill did, and give JR credit for nabbing the rebound - despite the bonehead move afterwards.
4
JR Smith did not miss the free throw in question. It was missed by his teammate George Hill. Smith got the rebound and thinking Cleveland was ahead by one point dribbled out the clock. Resulting in overtime. An historic brain cramp.
1
Seriously, who are you people coming here with these bizarre comments that have zero connection to reality? Besides the obvious factual error others pointed out, the idea Smith messed up just to spite Lebron is insane. Sometimes, in high pressure situations, people screw up. That's what happened with J.R. Smith.
5
Outstanding article capturing the contours surrounding this remarkable player. The photographic and televised images of King James with his outstretched arms facing an adoring, nearly all white cheering arena audience are extremely revealing. The optics are not good.
13
James is the current generation's Jerry West. He if he keeps up his play, just like West he will probably be named finals MVP while playing for the losing team too.
16
Michael Jordan was blessed to have Scottie Pippen along for every one of the Chicago Bulls six NBA championships. LeBron has not been that lucky.
11
He's had the highest salaried team in the league for multiple years running. 2 other all-stars (until he drove one away), multiple top 5 picks. And gets to play in the weaker conference. Seems pretty lucky. There is a team management and team construction failure, and he's the architect behind it.
3
Win lose or draw as basketball fans we are watching the greatest player of his generation and perhaps of all time (GOAT). The combination of brain and brawn makes King James one of a kind. Fortunately he has much to contribute when he is no longer dribbling.
60
Someone should tell Mr James that basketball is a team sport.
3
In game 2, he created shots for his teammates and they shot 34% from the field, 30% from beyond the arc. If the Cavs want to score, he himself is usually the best option.
9
Duh? He has averaged 7.2 assists a game for his career, a pretty high number for a player scoring more than 27 points per game during that span. His assists per game average is also in the top 30 in the history of the game. Do some research before starting to type.
18
P.S. LeBron is currently #11 in all-time assists and climbing every game. Only Chris Paul has more and is also still playing. See http://www.espn.com/nba/history/leaders/_/stat/assists
The 10 players that have had more lifetime assists so far than LeBron have ALL been guards, of course.
In other words, LeBron has more lifetime assists already than any forward in NBA history.
And he is not a team player? Someone is not being objective here...
13
Whether they win or not, he is one of the greatest players ever to play basketball, period! What a talent, I love watching him play. He was just blessed with a god-given talent!
36
He's worked all his life for that talent!
12
Jerry West - only player on losing team to win MVP in championship series
3
Harden was very good, but James is clearly this year's MVP.
27
The playoffs don't count. The one season stat that tells you most about a player's overall performance is Player Efficiency Rating. Harden was first, James was 3rd. There isn't much in other stats that differentiates the two. But the Cavs won 50 and the Rockets won 65. Harden had a career year. James did not. James is like Trout in baseball. You could always give him the MVP. But I haven't heard anyone predict James over Harden. It's not an unreasonable prediction. But it almost certainly isn't going to happen.
1