"I'm not charging LeBron for some of those losses in the Finals" - Billups defends James' mediocre NBA Finals record

LeBron James critics claim he's nowhere near GOAT status because of his mediocre NBA Finals record. For most people, a player should have a pristine Finals record to be considered the greatest.

Bron, the underdog

Chauncey Billups, who saw James rise from a basketball prodigy to an all-time great, believes LeBron's finals record doesn't negatively affect his legacy.

"I'm not charging LeBron for some of those losses in the Finals," Billups said , per Bleacher Report, in 2018. "He wasn't the favorite every time. He's rarely the favorite in the Finals. So, how can you expect him to really win? It's the NBA Finals. It's the two best teams in the world."

Billups isn't the only player who shares these thoughts. Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas also believes James has been the underdog in most of his Finals trips.

"You also have to take into account again the teams that he's lost to," Thomas said. "He's been to nine Finals, and in seven of the Finals, his team has been the underdog."

During this time, LeBron had a 3-6 finals record. Thomas didn't exactly identify which of those finals Bron's team was the weaker squad in. He was certainly referring to the 2007 NBA Finals, when the San Antonio Spurs swept the Cavaliers, and the 2016 NBA Finals, when "The King" powered his squad to a 3-1 comeback against the 73-win Golden State Warriors.

But what about Bron's stints in Miami? In his four-year tenure in South Beach, the superstar trio of Bron, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh weren't considered the underdogs. The trio even predicted they would win a ton of titles.

Some people never get here

The Akron native himself is confident of his stature in the game despite the criticisms about his subpar NBA Finals record. For the four-time NBA Champion, getting to the NBA Finals is a great milestone in itself .

"I mean, my career will speak for itself when I'm done with it, no matter what my Finals reco rd [is]," James said in 2016. "Some people never get here at all. I'm at seven up to this point. Heck, that's over half my career I've been in the Finals. So that doesn't bother me. What would bother me is if I went out there and didn't give it everything I've had."

James' finals record now stands at 4-6. Will the Los Angeles Lakers forward snag one more chip before he retires? If he manages to win a couple more, will LeBron's critics finally shut up? It's a matter of wait-and-see, but we might as well enjoy LBJ's last few years in the NBA.