King James Gospel
Fansided

LeBron James just played the best four-month stretch of basketball in modern NBA history

By Jason Timpf

CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 25: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates a win after the game against the Indiana Pacers in Game Five of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs between the Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers on April 25, 2018 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 25: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates a win after the game against the Indiana Pacers in Game Five of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs between the Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers on April 25, 2018 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CA – MAY 31: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers handles the ball against Stephen Curry #30 and Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors in Game One of the 2018 NBA Finals on May 31, 2018 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – MAY 31: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers handles the ball against Stephen Curry #30 and Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors in Game One of the 2018 NBA Finals on May 31, 2018 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Cherry On Top

As the difficulty increased, LeBron’s level of play seemed to increase all the same. Then there was the cherry on top:

I have never seen a better individual performance in the postseason than what LeBron did in Game One of the NBA Finals. Even though he dropped 51-9-9, I’m sure there have been more statistically impressive games — i.e. Jordan’s 63 against Boston — but never with this type of resistance. 

LeBron was facing a defender in Kevin Durant who very well may be seven feet tall, with the help of Draymond Green behind him. (I maintain that Draymond is the best defender in the history of the sport accounting for the era.

I get it, he couldn’t have guarded Shaquille O’Neal, but nobody could, and Shaq isn’t in the league anymore. In his era, no player has been an elite defender at all five positions the way that Draymond is.)

In addition, LeBron’s teammates shot 37% in that game and just 7 for 30 from three. It was a near-impossible game for LeBron to play well in, let alone win. And he just about pulled it off. You know the rest of the story.

But let’s call this what it was: the greatest individual stretch of basketball we’ve seen in the modern era. LeBron failing to win an un-winnable series cannot invalidate that. 

There is some competition, i.e. Jordan in 1993, Hakeem in 1995 or Shaq in 2001, but never with this level of difficulty. Never against these odds.

Next: Cleveland Cavaliers: Top 30 all-time greatest players

I, too, am excited to see where he ends up this summer. And yeah, the Warriors are incredible. But LeBron James just painted a basketball masterpiece, and I truly hope it is remembered when we look back on this year.