LeBron James vs. the Boston Celtics: A Redemption Story
Moments before LeBron James’ first playoff game for the Cleveland Cavaliers since his return, the King may be looking back at his last postseason game for this team he left five years ago. It was against the Boston Celtics (the team he’ll be facing tomorrow) that fabled night at the TD Garden when Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo ended LeBron’s hopes for a first-ever championship.
That was the series with one of James’ most infamous games ever, Game 5 at home and the series tied at 2-2. It was a chance for the Cavs to move one step closer for a return trip to the Conference Finals and perhaps a shot at the Finals later on. Instead, the King had an awful performance that would have defined his career if not for his two championships later with the Heat. He shot a woeful 3-14 from the field and finished with a measly 15 points. The Celtics later closed out the series in Game 6 on their home floor with LeBron left pondering about his impending free agency.
It became clear to LeBron then that despite his desire to bring a championship to his hometown, he needed to be defined by championships more than by his loyalty. So off he went to Miami to learn how to become a two-time NBA champion and in the process a four-time conference Champion in his four years with the Heat. Along with two more MVPs in tow, the King returned to his kingdom bringing his lessons to a young Cavs team that needs to know how to win now. Though “Gang Green” appears to always bring out the worst in LeBron, some of his best performances actually came against them.
In that game, the King was at his best with a surreal 45-point, 15-rebound, 5-assist, and 1-dagger look game that took down the mighty Celtics.
Witness his legendary 2012 Game 6 performance versus the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals as a Miami Heat. In a win-or-go-home, do-or-die, pressure-packed situation that would have proven to naysayers that LeBron quits on the big stage, he promptly put on a show for the ages. In that game, the King was at his best with a surreal 45-point, 15-rebound, 5-assist, and 1-dagger look game that took down the mighty Celtics. I couldn’t believe my eyes as LeBron made shot after shot on the way to hitting 19 of his 26 shots. The Heat went on to win the next game and the next series on the way to LeBron’s first championship.
Even now in his quest to distance himself from his infamous Game 5 performance and the opportunity to bring a championship to Cleveland, it’s still the Boston Celtics who are standing in his way. No matter who’s wearing the uniform, the Celtics will always be the Celtics and there is no way that LeBron will get a crack at another first championship (for the Cavs this time) without Boston testing his mettle.
The Celtics that LeBron will face this Sunday is far from the superstar-laden cast that he faced in 2010 with this version resembling more of a lottery-bound team than an actual contender. But it’s still the Celtics with their die-hard fans supporting their team and booing their opponents. It’s the Celtics who have always stood in his path toward almost anything he wants to achieve in the NBA. Whether it’s the actual Boston team or the 2014 Brooklyn Nets with Pierce, Garnett, and who still “looked green” to LeBron, the Celtics have always been his litmus test for greatness.
It’s the Celtics who have always stood in his path toward almost anything he wants to achieve in the NBA.
The Sporting News’ Sean Deveney summarized LeBron’s career versus the Celts in a recent article. He said that in 25 games versus Boston in the playoffs, James “has won 13 (and two series) and lost 12 (and two series). He’s averaged 28.1 points and 8.8 rebounds.” This means he’s practically 50/50 when it comes to his postseason dates with the C’s during his career and this upcoming series against them will be his chance to break that near-tie. And I believe he will with a hard-fought but hardly unexpected four-game sweep of the proud but battered Celtics.
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James will have a cast of new faces from the team that he did battle with in 2010. It’s a more accomplished team individually than any LeBron has ever led in his previous years as a Cavalier. This team looks poised and ready to support the King to reach his championship dreams for Cleveland even if the stars themselves are still a little bit, ahem, green. But for all their help, it is still James who will have to put his stamp on this series against the Celtics if they want to advance to the next round. He didn’t do it when it mattered most in 2010 but he has the chance to redeem himself against Boston now in 2015. It’s the hated Boston Celtics once more and LeBron wouldn’t have it any other way. The Road to Redemption begins.