Kevin Durant’s Decision: 3 Takeaway For LeBron James

3. If LeBron James beats the Warriors super-team in the NBA Finals, he will be on the same level as Michael Jordan

For years I’ve been against trying to compare LeBron James to Michael Jordan. Personally he’s closer to being a Magic Johnson.

One of my pet peeves is constantly comparing current NBA stars to legends. Can we relax and enjoy these superstars playing basketball at the highest level? I’m all for criticism and expectations for players, but sometimes we need to enjoy players while they’re in their prime.

When it comes to LeBron James, we’re approaching the end of his prime years. He will be 32 years old by the end of next season, so he only has a few more years of playing at his highest level.

With that being said, it’s time to start evaluating his legacy.

At the beginning of his career, he had a hard time performing in the NBA Finals. He was labeled a choker, and some questioned if he would ever win a ring. Boy, were those critics out of their mind.

LeBron James clinched his 3rd championship ring nearly three weeks ago in Game 7. Before the series, Golden State was the heavy favorite. No one gave the Cavaliers a chance.

The Warriors had the best regular season in NBA history. They blew Cleveland out of the gym in their regular season match-up, and Golden State had the better roster. It wasn’t supposed to be close.

Through the first two games, that proved to be true. The Warriors ran the Cavaliers off the court, and it looked like a sweep was possible.

LeBron wasn’t going to let that happen. Cleveland dominated Golden State in Game 3 by the score of 120-90. But in Game 4, the Warriors took the 3-1 series lead. All hope seemed lost.

Then Draymond Green was suspended for Game 5, and Andrew Bogut was lost for the rest of the series with a knee injury.

From that point on, LeBron took control of the series. Cleveland won Game 6 at home, and as we all know they won Game 7 too.

LeBron’s had a lot of great accomplishments throughout his career, but this is by far number one on his list. His career would always be incomplete without winning a championship in Cleveland. Now the monkey is off his back.

He has been the most scrutinized player in NBA history. He has dominated the headlines since he was 15 years old. Unlike most childhood stars, he’s lived up to the hype. Heck, he’s actually surpassed it.

To tell someone they met your expectations is always a compliment. But for LeBron James, it’s much more than a normal compliment.

For LeBron, everyone knew he had the potential to become one of the best players in NBA history. People were placing those kind of expectations on him while he was still in high school.

James embraced it. He has a “Chosen One” tattoo on his body, he didn’t back away from the hype.

Since taking the Cavaliers to the finals in 2007, LeBron has arguably been the best player in the league. That’s a nine-year run.

Live Feed

Hoops Habit

At one point during his career, it didn’t look like LeBron would win a lot of rings. Now he has 3, but the road to another championship got a lot tougher when Kevin Durant signed with the Golden State Warriors.

For the first time in his career, there is no pressure on LeBron James. Absolutely none!

The three best players in the NBA are LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry. No matter what order you have them in, we can all agree those are the 3 best players. Now two of them are on the same team.

Klay Thompson and Draymond Green both are Top 15 players in the league. So that means four of the Top 15 players in the NBA will start for the Golden State Warriors.

Just like LeBron’s Miami Heat super-team in 2011, all of the pressure in the world was on them in the NBA Finals versus the Dallas Mavericks. A series in which LeBron’s super team lost.

Related Story: LeBron James' Cultural Awareness Overshadowed By Basketball Greatness

In the inevitable 2017 NBA Finals featuring the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers for the third straight season, all of the pressure will be on the Warriors.

LeBron James can fully embrace the under-dog role. He will still have his critics and haters, but any reasonable basketball fan will understand how tall of a task beating this Warriors super team will be.

But what if LeBron and the Cavaliers shock the world and win the NBA Finals next season? Hey, anything is possible.

Nothing is guaranteed or easy in life, especially in sports. Injuries and momentum can change everything, just like we saw in the 2016 NBA Finals.

What if Steph Curry crumbles under the pressure of the NBA Finals again? For a unanimous league MVP, he didn’t live up to expectations.

During this year’s finals, Curry was arguably the fifth best player on the court throughout the series.

My ranking of players in the NBA Finals were LeBron, Draymond Green, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson and Steph Curry. In that order.

In the 13 NBA Finals games over the last two years, Curry has only had two great games. He was great in Game 4 this year, scoring 38 points. And in Game 5 of last year’s finals, scoring 37 at home to take the 3-2 series lead.

More from King James Gospel

• Cavaliers’ Darius Garland should continue to improve in this area
• Top five Cleveland Cavaliers role players of all-time
• 3 possible starting lineups for Cleveland Cavaliers in 2023-24
• The Cavaliers may have snagged a hidden gem in Craig Porter Jr.
• 4 players the Cavaliers should pursue in 2024 free agency

Curry battled injuries during the playoffs this year, but who doesn’t? At this point of the season, everyone is a little banged up.

Next year Curry will have Kevin Durant to help carry the load, making this Warriors team very lethal.

While Durant is one of the best players in the league, LeBron has owned him in the past.

LeBron is 17-4 when facing Kevin Durant in his career, including the 2012 NBA Finals when LeBron’s Heat team beat Durant’s Thunder in 5 games.

Although James has gotten the best of Durant and Curry over the last few years, it’s a different story when they team up and are both on the same side.

Let’s say Cleveland beat the Warriors super team in the NBA Finals. That means LeBron would be 2-for-2 in the finals against super teams. With the other win being the 73-win Warriors from this past season.

That is something Michael Jordan never did in the NBA Finals: Beat a super team.

Jordan’s first championship came in 1991 against Magic Johnson and the Lakers. At that point, Magic was 32 and already had 5 championships under his belt.

During Jordan’s second three-peat, his Chicago Bulls team was the super team. He didn’t face one, because he was the super team.

In no way am I trying to diminish Jordan’s accomplishments, he’s the greatest basketball player to ever live. But, LeBron James is making a case to be a strong second.

Next: How 'The Decision' Changed The NBA

And if LeBron takes down the Warriors super-team, it’s going to be time to have the Michael Jordan vs LeBron James debate.