LeBron James’s latest feat warrants far more praise
You don't have to like him, but you have to respect him
COMMENTARY
An NBA Finals matchup between the defending-champion Warriors and the LeBron James-led Cavaliers. Man, who would’ve seen that coming back in the fall?
Here we are – Game 1 is tonight in Oakland – and there are any number of compelling storylines to obsess over entering the series. There’s each team’s reliance on the three and James’s prideful rematch with unanimous MVP Steph Curry. Or the Cavs’ much anticipated first test with the Dubs with a healthy roster versus a fatigued Golden State. Can the Warriors gut out as many as seven more games after a grueling chase for a league-record 73 regular season wins and an historically impressive comeback from down 3-1 in the West finals?
The list goes on but, for all the fawning fans and pundits alike do over these two teams, James – believe it or not – is not getting enough attention.
It’s widely known James, the four-time MVP, 12-time All-Star, and almost annual NBA first-teamer, is preparing for his seventh Finals appearance and sixth in a row. Only seven playersin league history – Celtics greats Bill Russell, Sam Jones, K.C. Jones, Satch Sanders, Tom Heinsohn, Frank Ramsey, and Bob Cousy – achieved the feat prior when Boston reached the championship round in 10 consecutive years from 1957-66 and hoisted nine banners.
Now James will take center-stage again in his second straight trip with Cleveland after four stops in as many years in Miami. He should be getting more credit.
We’ve all heard the excuses: The East stinks, who’s he facing? There are no genuine contenders! The entire league is watered down.
Or, my favorite: Who cares, he’s a jerk.
Why do people – those who do, anyhow – hate LeBron James? That’s easy. The Decision. It was a personal and public relations gaffe of career-defining proportions. The “taking my talents to South Beach” fiasco was only magnified by the fan rally, when James famously counted off the number of championships he intended to win with his new club and reached a total exceeding the amount of years he actually spent in Florida.
James garnered favor back from most when he returned home to Northeast Ohio two summers ago, but gradually lost some support again by playing a much-denied role in coach David Blatt’s firing, pointing fingers at and clashing with teammates, making excuses for poor play, talking about friends he wanted to play with who aren’t actually on his team amid speculation he’d leave town again, and treating his social media use with the maturity of a middle schooler, all the while never losing his “I’m the best player in the world” ego.
That’s all noise. LeBron James hasn’t had legal trouble or been linked to gambling issues or domestic violence or substance abuse. The superstar’s biggest crime is he’s not humble and, you know what, he is the best player in the world. And, if he’s not, he’s second behind the MVP he’s about to face.
James is just 2-4 in his trips to the finals and his Cavs aren’t favored to beat the Warriors, but winning two titles shouldn’t underscore the fact he’s now reached seven and six in a row in an era where that just shouldn’t happen.
Go ahead and point to a watered down East but when Russell’s Celtics enjoyed their historic run, there were between eight and nine teams in the entire Association, not THIRTY. That’s 14 teams James must annually run through on the way to playing in June, and he’s had to face virtually all of them. The only conference rivals James’s clubs haven’t had to beat over the last six postseasons are the Wizards and Magic, plus the two franchises for which he’s played.
And it’s not as though every series he has dealt with has been a cakewalk.
In 2012, James’s second year in Miami, the Heat handled the Knicks in five games, but had to rally from a 2-1 deficit against the Pacers and a 3-2 hole to the Celtics in the following rounds – much of that time without fellow star Chris Bosh – before ousting the Thunder for LeBron’s first ring.
The next year, another seven-game conference finals series, this time a rematch with the Pacers.
Last year, in James’s return to Cleveland, despite all the friction with Blatt on the sidelines and a season-ending injury to Kevin Love, the Cavs recovered from trailing 2-1 to the Bulls in round two and swept the Hawks in the semis as another star teammate Kyrie Irving played 49 total minutes in the series. James averaged 30.3 points, 11 rebounds, and 9.3 assists in the set, numbers that paled in comparison to his MVP-worthy performance in a finals loss to the Warriors when he averaged 35.8, 13.3, and 8.8 respectively in forcing six games almost single-handedly.
This season, sure, the Cavs did what they were supposed to and man-handled the Pistons and Hawks and outlasted the Raptors in six, but it should at least be noted all three teams ranked in the top 13 in the NBA in defensive efficiency.
Has James played with stars? Obviously. He had future Hall of Famers Dwyane Wade and Bosh alongside in Miami, and he’s got maybe-someday-if-all-goes-well-Springfield-inductees Irving and Love in Cleveland.
Most all-time greats played with other stars, including Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kareem Adbul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and so many others. None played in six straight finals. Or five.
James has also had to stay healthy enough to have a postseason impact, and he’s never missed a single one of his 192 career playoff games, averaging 27.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 6.7 assists and dramatically impacting both ends of the floor. In the last six years, none of Wade, Bosh, Irving, or Love can make a similar claim.
Give LeBron James his due. Whether because of him or simply an adjustment period, most of his teams have endured either bumpy starts or sluggish runs in the middle of the year, but more often than not they tend to finish strong and get hot at the right time. That’s in large part because James finds another gear. He’s stronger than most, smarter than most, puts teams on his back when he has to and creates in other ways besides offense when others are starring.
Yes, the West is a tougher conference, but I’ll never find fault in someone being a ring-chaser. The goal in sport is to win and, frankly, I’m surprised more stars from the superior conference – looking at you, Kevin Durant! – don’t take the road less traveled for a less bumpy path that doesn’t involve the Warriors, Spurs, Thunder, Clippers, Blazers, Grizzlies and the like when it’s basically just the Cavs (apologies to the Raptors) now waiting in the East.
Appreciate LeBron James, whether you like him or not. He’s only 31 but, with 46,569 career minutes logged on those legs, he can’t do this forever.
If you’re a Celtics fan, thank goodness.
Celtics with five or more straight NBA Finals appearances
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