Updated on September 30, 2020, 5:25 pm
LeBron James is in the NBA finals with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 35-year-old again belies all critics – and the triumph over the Heat would be a very special one for “King James”.
It’s impressive numbers that Basketball-Superstar LeBron James can show. In nine of the past ten NBA finals the 35-year-old was there. He is the first player to reach the NBA finals with an average of over 25 points per game with three different teams. At the same time, James is the first player to reach the NBA final with five different coaches.
As teams, only the Golden State Warriors (11), the Boston Celtics (21) and the Los Angeles Lakers (32) have more participations in the crucial series in the NBA than James alone. With that he leaves 27 NBA franchises behind.
LeBron James has already won three titles
In the finals 2020 there will be a very special duel for “King James”. The Miami Heat are waiting for him and the Los Angeles Lakers. James once hired the Florida team in 2010 and was there with them Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh the first super team in the modern NBA shaped. His decision to switch from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Heat, which was broadcast live on US television at the time as “The Decision”, not only earned him admiration.
And so the joy was great when the Heat and its super team in 2011 Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks failed. But in 2012 and 2013, James won the championship with the Heat, before going back to the Cavaliers in 2014, against the will of the Heat. In his homeland, James was born in the US state of Ohio, he finally won his third title in 2016 – probably the most emotional so far.
Lakers and LeBron miss playoffs
In the summer of 2018, I finally switched to the Los Angeles Lakerswho had arrived in the NBA’s no man’s land and were hoping to return to the limelight with what was probably the best player in the league at the time.
But James’ first year turned into a fiasco. Unlike in the East, his skills alone were not enough to achieve the Lakers to lead in the west in the playoffs. So the success-spoiled franchise from California remained without for the sixth year in a row Playoff participation – despite LeBron James.
With Anthony Davis James received a multiple All-Star as a prominent reinforcement, but in return a large number of talents were given up. Numerous experts doubted whether the thin Lakers roster would be enough to even reach the playoffs in the hotly contested West.
Led by the new super duo Davis/James But the Lakers belied the doubters and quickly shot to number one in the west. James did not always show the monster offensive appearances of past years, but also repeatedly staged his teammates. So stood at the end of the regular season Career record of 10.2 assists for the 35 year old superstar on the statistics sheet. He also contributed 25.3 points and collected 7.8 rebounds per game.
Mourning for Kobe Bryant shakes LeBron and Lakers
In the meantime, LeBron even has Third place in the all-time NBA scorer list Taken over by Kobe Bryant – the evening before Bryant’s tragic death in a helicopter crash. James had repeatedly emphasized how much the success of the Lakers was close to his heart because of Bryant’s work there. Of the sudden death of the Lakers icon earlier this year let the team move closer together again.
But the next setback for the Lakers was not long in coming: The corona pandemic shook the league. Even a Seasonabbruch was briefly discussed, but then rejected again. Fortunately from the Lakers point of view, who knows how many dominant years a 35-year-old James still has “in the tank”.
The NBA decided to continue the season. A shortened regular season and subsequent playoffs in the usual best-of-seven mode have been in Disney World in Orlando/Florida carried out.
While LeBron and Co. showed a little starting difficulties there at the beginning, they have been fully there since the start of the playoffs at the latest, despite the difficult circumstances in the NBA-Blase, which also bother James. “Some days it feels like five years here,” he told a media panel, but at the same time asserted that he was “just as focused” as in “normal” playoffs.
His achievements underpin this. In so far 15 playoff games James made 26.7 points, got 10.3 rebounds and put on 8.9 assists per game and also achieved four triple doubles (two-digit values in three different categories) – more than any other player in this year’s playoffs.
James did not allow himself to be put off track by an interim players’ strike after the renewed escalation of police violence in the USA against African Americans. The superstar repeatedly raised his voice against police violence in the bubble and, according to media reports, was even one of the “leaders” who called for a season to end during the players’ strike. He did not shy away from a Twitter feud with US President Donald Trump.
Gala performance against Denver Nuggets
However, the majority of players voted for one Continuation of the season, so James shone again with athletic achievements on the floor. However, he revealed one or the other unusual moment of weakness when he did not take over the scoring in some crucial phases.
But at least his appearance in game five of the Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets showed that he is still able to carry his team. 16 points, including 9 of the last 14 Lakers points, went to his account in the final quarter of the game that brought the Lakers into the finals.
The subsequent award ceremony for the best team in the west was more or less endured by James, his goal is different. “My shoulders are broad enough to carry a lot of weight,” he said after the award ceremony: “But my spirit is stronger. I always have a strong mind. And I am happy to be in this position.” At the same time he admitted: “It was probably that biggest challenge, I’ve had in my professional career so far. “
Should LeBron actually succeed against the Heat, his fourth Larry O’Brien Trophy (NBA winner’s trophy), it would be the most difficult triumph of his career so far.
Sources used:
- ESPN.com: “LeBron James has the Lakers back in the Finals”
- ESPN.com: “LeBron James: Circumstances, not opponent, would make 2020 championship remarkable”
- Sportschau.de: “The title only leads to LeBron James”
- Stats.NBA.com
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