The Cleveland Cavaliers are by record the best team in the Eastern conference, yet LeBron James feels as though his team has a lot of growing to do if they hope to once again be competing in the NBA Finals.
“I think we’re a good team,” James said. “I think we expect we’re a great team. And we’re not. We have to get better in every facet of the game, and that’s every single facet of the game…
“Records are meant to be broken, but that don’t mean you’re great,” James said, responding to a question about his team nearly matching the 1975-76 Cavs’ 9-1 record for the best start in franchise history. “For us, we have to play [with] a lot more sustainable effort throughout the 48 minutes. And we don’t do that. We give a half-ass effort sometimes and expect that we can just make a run at the end. We’re not good enough to do that right now.”
It seems as though effort, and possibly injury, are the only things that can derail the Cavaliers from defending their Eastern conference crown. LeBron’s goal last season was to teach the team how to win, this season its to get them to play like champions all of the time.
James knows better than anyone in their locker room that it takes the max effort to win NBA championships and the Cavaliers should take statements like these to heart if they hope to bring one to Cleveland.