Nine years ago, LeBron James had one of the most inconceivable stretches of his career. In his first year back in Cleveland, the superstar forward’s goal was one: to win a championship. But standing in the way of his “promise” were the Golden State Warriors , who featured the league’s most explosive trio and the MVP.
Was James disconcerted by his opponent?
"I feel confident because I'm the best player in the world," he said .
Clearly not. At 30 years old, he wasn’t galloping up and down the court like he was when he was 23 — but his dominance was still unmatched. In the first three games of the 2015 NBA Finals, the Cavs star averaged 41.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 8.3 assists — numbers so breathtaking that it literally took former NBA star Grant Hill’s breath away.
"We haven't seen a player do what he's done, on a winning team or not," Hill said . "They're undermanned, and what they're doing is a result of what he's doing. He's been the best player consistently, throughout the series."
"What LeBron's doing, I wouldn't have a problem with that," the former All-Star added . "What he has done, what he's been forced to do, it's conceivable (he could win). It could happen.… I would have no problem with that. And there's been a precedent."
A bid at MVP
Dragging an injury-depleted roster against the NBA’s best regular season team was glaring enough to warrant him MVP consideration. When it was all said and done, James, despite a subpar Game 4 in Cleveland, averaged 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists on 39.8% shooting from the field. The series forced LeBron to play differently than he had at any point during his 12 seasons. Those close to the star will tell you shooting a volume is something he “hates” to do — it’s not a part of his DNA. Yet, the sheer relenting approach is what opened eyes and raised eyebrows.
What No. 23 did wasn’t normal. Consider Cleveland’s tough double-digit loss in Game 5, when he scored or assisted on a mind-numbing 70 of his team’s 91 points. If there was ever such a thing as a one-man show — ‘him against the world,’ as they say — it was that Sunday evening.
"You're not going to shut him down," Draymond Green told USA Today. "If he gets 40, he gets 40. That's why he's LeBron James. You can throw a triple-team at him, and he'll still probably get 40. As long as you make him work for those 40, you've got to be satisfied with what you do."
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Despite the loss a crowning achievement?
Like any LeBron James moment, the 2015 Finals is an often discussed topic when debating the four-time MVP’s legacy. Despite losing to Steph Curry and the Warriors in six games, his numbers, coupled with his herculean offensive and defensive workload, earned Bron some recognition for the Finals MVP, which was handed to Andre Iguodala.
"LeBron has been tremendous -- [that is] even an understatement for how he's played in the series," Cavs coach David Blatt said . "Under the current set of circumstances, that's what we've got to get, and he's bringing it. You don't see that every day, what he's doing. You've got to take your hat off to him, too."
Considering the final tally, James garnered four votes to Igoudala’s seven in the Finals MVP voting. Shockingly, Curry wasn’t awarded a single vote despite his superstar averages of 26.0 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.2 rebounds — not to leave out his 37-point breakthrough performance in a pivotal Game 5.
While the loss dings his legacy in the big picture, many lauded James for his all-out effort against the NBA champions. Besides, this was just the prequel to his greatest achievement a year later.
Related: "I think I might need to start making that petition … he deserves an invite" - LeBron once made the case that J.R. Smith should be Cavs' fourth All-Star
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