Before capturing the world, LeBron needs to capture an NBA crown.
Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant all won titles in their first finals appearances. Granted all of those stars were on favored teams and all had better supporting casts - James wants to match his predecessors.
Cleveland has been losers - the Cavs, Browns and Indians. The last time a Cleveland sports franchise competed for a championship was when the Cleveland Browns beat the Baltimore Colts 27-0 in the 1964 NFL championship game. Before breaking the huddle every game this season the Cavaliers have chanted "Championship" hoping it would put the team in the proper mindset. "Championship" is something that the Spurs are familiar with. Tim Duncan has won Finals MVP in the Spurs three titles. Duncan averages 24 and 15 in Finals games and is often described as one of the most efficient players in the NBA. His movement is effortless and he wastes no energy expressing emotions. Duncan rarely makes an unnecessary movement or motion. This makes Duncan not only boring to watch, but extremely frustrating to root against.
LeBron has managed to get the best of the Spurs in 2 of the last 3 match-ups and has done it in different ways. On Nov. 3, Cavs won by 7 and LeBron scored 35. On Jan. 2, Cavs won by 4 getting 19 points from LeBron.
LeBron is averaging ridiculous numbers in the playoffs. His numbers are so good that I never again want to hear the argument that he's overrated, or he hasn't done anything - because he has proved it this post-season. Regardless of his eye-opening 48 in 50 mins - Bron has averaged 25.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game on his way to the Championship series. He truly is "Video Game" James.
The Cavs could be the easiest match-up that the Spurs have had to face so far this post-season. The Nuggets, Suns and Jazz contain much deeper and more talented rosters than the Cavaliers and were all handled easily by San Antonio. The Spurs are favored by 7.5 in game 1. LeBron isn't supposed to win, in fact the best odds for Cleveland is Cavs in 7 at 15-2. But James is trying to keep up with history by winning a title in his first attempt.
It took Oscar Robertson 10 seasons before he landed on a team good enough to make it to the Finals. His Bucks swept the Baltimore Bullets in his Finals series debut - but he was getting help from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Magic Johnson also debuted with Abdul-Jabbar as a teammate, but it was an injury to Kareem that allowed Magic to become Magic. Johnson, at the tender age of 20 (2 years younger than LeBron), single handedly won a deciding game 6 with KAJ out of the line-up. As center, Magic recorded one of the greatest performances ever scoring 42 points, pulling down 15 rebounds and dishing 12 assists.
Larry Bird made his debut in the Finals in his sophomore year in the league. Bird produced what Red Auerbach called, "the greatest play I ever saw" in his first ever Finals game after tracking down his own rebound and laying it in all in one fluid motion. Bird was champ in his first try. Larry would use Robert Parrish and Kevin McHale to help him win 3 NBA titles in 5 Finals appearances.
Michael Jordan dribbled on the Finals logo for the first time after 7 season in the association. Michael's first Finals appearance was Magic's last. Jordan nervously lost his premiere, but started his dynasty in game 2. His lay-up where he starts right and switches left is one of his greatest plays of Jordan's career. MJ's Bulls won the series in 5 games and Jordan took his first of 6 finals MVP awards. Jordan was helped by the services of Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant.
Kobe Bryant appeared in the NBA finals behind the enormous shadow of Shaquille O'Neal. Like James, Kobe was in his fourth year in the league when he made it to the Finals but his star-impact wasn't felt until late in Game 4. The Lakers held a 2-1 series lead against Indiana and were in a close OT game when Kobe cemented himself on the scene. With the Pacers threatening to tie the series and Shaq on the bench having fouled out, Kobe scored 28 including 6 of the Lakers last 8 to lift Los Angeles by 2.
Even Tim Duncan's Finals debut was a success. Reaching the Finals for the first time at the age of 23, Timmy scored 31 and grabbed 9 rebounds in the clinching game. Duncan also led the Spurs to a 15-2 post season record (tied for best post-season mark of all-time). But it wasn't like Duncan didn't have help either (David Robinson).
LeBron doesn't have the help that these previous stars had. LeBron's help is nowhere near Kareem, McHale, Pippen or Shaq. Then again, LeBron might be better than Oscar, Magic, Bird, Jordan or Kobe. And Larry Hughes has already been compared to Scottie Pippen. Who knows, Daniel Gibson could be BJ Armstrong and Drew Gooden could be Horace Grant.
"Someday..." LeBron says he wants to be the first ever billionaire-athlete and a global icon. At 22, James has plenty of time to accomplish his goal. But by winning the Finals series against San Antonio - who has had recent NBA Finals success and a roster full of globally known stars - "Someday..." could be soon.
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