People sometimes confuse a season with a career. A player can have a better season than someone, doesn’t mean he is a better player.
Michael Jordan didn’t win all the MVPs, but he was the consensus best basketball player in the world for a very long time.
LeBron James is so good that he makes 25, 7, 7 a season seem like an “off year”. When you are on those levels, people start taking your greatest for granted and make no mistake LeBron is still the best all-around player in the NBA.
But, he has been that way for so long and has been in the Finals so many times, people started craving something new.
That new happened to be a team in the Western Conference with a back-to-back MVP who makes shots that have video game makers changing the codes of their games. Who has a coach who played with the GOAT, a sidekick who low-key maybe an even more explosive serial killer than the MVP, a villain that would make Dennis Rodman proud and role players who play their roles better than a lot of stars in the NBA.
But, a funny thing happened. People started to get tired of that team’s sustained excellence. They snickered along with Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant when it seemed their record-breaking season was about to go down the drain, but like most championships they didn’t quit and are ready to hold on their throne.
Meanwhile, LeBron was just sort of floating in the NBA universe, with no one really paying attention.
Depending on how you look at it, the Eastern Conference was very weak or LeBron is that good, but whatever the case, there wasn’t much drama in LeBron’s journey to his 7th Finals (6th straight).
While everyone was recovering from the exhausting OKC-Warriors series, LeBron and the Cavs were making snapchat videos singing like Jodeci.
Unlike last year, the Cavs are healthy and LeBron has the coach he wants to go up against a team that no matter odds or how bad they are playing never seem to die. LeBron has stayed low and built a very good team, but for once in his career he hasn’t been the main storyline of these playoffs, but that changes today.
When you are an athlete and you are just judged by rings, you have crossed over to side of the street that not many athletes live on. LeBron has lived on that block for long time.
From the day he said the words “I’m taking my talents”, it has been championship or bust. Fair or foul and regardless of the circumstances his record in the Finals is going to be the first thing people will mention.
With the LEGENDS that is always how it goes, that is why many are obsessed with it, willing to do anything to collect as many rings as possible.
Many don’t care what LeBron faced when he got to the Finals, 2-4 is 2-4, but those who did make an excuse for him last year, will not do the same this year.
When I covered last year’s Finals, you could see the physical exhaustion on LeBron’s face as he tried to carry a wounded Cavs to a title, but he has helpe now and he needs to start getting that Finals record closer to .500.
By the time LeBron’s career is over, he is going to have a legit case that he is the GOAT. He is likely going to go to 10 NBA Finals (maybe more), 6-4 going to look a lot better than 4-6, 3-7 or 2-8.
He has to start now, because his critics who have been preoccupied with other things are warming up those hot takes and Jordan Cry faces.
Is it fair to solely judge LeBron on his Finals record?
Maybe, maybe not, but when you call yourself THE KING, the saying goes uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.
This is LeBron’s best and most healthy team since the HEAT team that was saved by a Chris Bosh rebound and a Ray Allen 3. Do I think it will be enough to overcome the Warriors?
I do not, there is something to be said for being battle tested to the point, no matter the score, not matter how many games you are down in a series, you just refuse to lose.
The Warriors have come to far to let this slip from them.
Warriors in 6 and LeBron will once again be a King without a crown.