LeBron has already made history in the NBA Finals

By Jeremy Gottlieb

June 10, 2015

2 minutes to read

Three games into the NBA Finals and we can already talk about history. And of course, the fulcrum of that discussion is the one and only LeBron James.

Wrap your head around these numbers: Through three games, LeBron has scored 123 points, the highest total in that stretch in history, just ahead of all-time Warriors’ great Rick Barry (122) and the Logo himself, Jerry West (118). His averages as the Cavaliers have taken a 2-1 series lead over Golden State? 41 points, 12 boards and 8.3 assists per game. His usage rate, already high during the regular year at 32.2 percent, stands in these Finals at a staggering 44 percent, the highest it’s ever been in any playoff series in which he’s ever participated. And he’s doing it in 47.3 minutes a night. Now would probably be a good time to note that a regulation NBA game lasts 48 minutes.

That kind of super-high volume shooting is not and never has been LeBron’s game. He’s taking 35.7 shots per game, undoubtedly due the personnel losses suffered by the Cavs throughout these playoffs. He’s 43-for-107 in the series, which adds up to 40.2 percent, down from the 49 percent he shot during the regular season. And he’s missed at least 20 field goal attempts in each of the first three games.

“I have no choice. And it’s not like I’m going out and I’m just casting shots — I’m pulling up in transition or I’m just throwing things up there, he told ex-teammate Dwyane Wade on ESPN’s postgame show Tuesday night. I’m just trying to put pressure on the defense and let my teammates know that I’m just going to go, no matter how it’s going. I’m going to continue to fight and push forward. And I don’t like to shoot this much.’’

The most productive overall NBA Finals performance of all-time was submitted by Michael Jordan, who averaged 41 points, 8.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 45.7 minutes over six games in 1993. LeBron, who according to Synergy Sports, has scored, assisted or created 200 of Cleveland’s 291 points in the series, looks like he may well one-up the greatest player who ever lived.

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