The Cleveland Cavaliers spent years trying to reach the NBA Finals without LeBron James. Now that they inch closer and closer toward assembling a team capable of doing it, guess who's back in the Eastern Conference?
Of course he is.
James has joined the Philadelphia 76ers, turning an already dangerous roster into another potential championship contender. And if there's one thing Cleveland knows about LeBron, it's that getting out of the East becomes considerably more difficult when he's standing in the way.
The Cavaliers spent eight consecutive seasons watching him reach the Finals. Fortunately, they got to enjoy four of those trips alongside him. This time, they might find themselves on the wrong end of a very familiar story.
The East spent nearly a decade trying to solve LeBron James
From 2011 through 2018, James reached eight straight NBA Finals. Four came with Miami, and four came with Cleveland. For nearly a decade, the Eastern Conference was essentially a tournament to determine who would lose to LeBron.
Ask Paul George's Pacers. Or Derrick Rose's Bulls. Or those Toronto Raptors teams that eventually inspired the nickname "LeBronto." Boston tried its luck, too. Different rosters, different strategies, same miserable ending.
And that eight-year stretch doesn't even include Cleveland's 2007 Finals appearance. Altogether, James reached the championship round nine times in 15 Eastern Conference seasons. That's a ridiculous 60 percent success rate.
Granted, he's now 41 and entering his 24th NBA season. Nobody should expect him to bulldoze through the conference like it's 2018. Father Time has been knocking for years, and eventually LeBron has to answer the door. But writing him off simply because he's older is a gamble plenty of NBA fans have regretted.
The 76ers just gave the East a reason to panic
Here's what should concern Cleveland: James doesn't have to carry Philadelphia anywhere.
The Sixers have Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe. That's an absurd amount of offensive talent surrounding one of the greatest playmakers basketball has ever seen.
Embiid can dominate the paint, Maxey can blow past defenders, and Brown provides another proven scoring threat. James can pick his spots, orchestrate the offense and save some energy for the postseason. At this stage of his career, that might be exactly what he needs.
Sure, Philadelphia has questions. Embiid's health remains a concern, and squeezing that many stars into one offense isn't always pretty. The defending champion Knicks also have something to say about who rules the East. But would a Sixers Finals appearance genuinely shock anyone? With that roster and LeBron's postseason résumé, it shouldn't.
The Cavaliers might have to destroy the legend they helped create
The Cavaliers have their own championship ambitions. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden give Cleveland serious scoring firepower, while Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen provide a defensive foundation capable of challenging Philadelphia's frontcourt.
But as the Cavaliers' championship hopes increasingly depend on Mobley, they'll need more than individual talent to survive the East. Last season's conference finals sweep against New York was a painful reminder of that.
There's no guarantee Cleveland and Philadelphia will meet in the playoffs. LeBron could finally look his age. The Sixers could struggle with injuries or chemistry. Another contender could send both teams home. That being said, the possibility is almost too perfect. LeBron James delivered Cleveland its only NBA championship. He gave Cavaliers fans the greatest comeback in Finals history and a parade they'll never forget.
Now imagine him being the reason they don't get another one. For years, LeBron was Cleveland's ticket to the NBA Finals. If the Cavaliers want to get back there, they might have to punch that ticket themselves.
And history says they might have to go through the King to do it.
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