Round 4: James leads unlikeliest of teams to yet another Finals
Stephen Curry and Co. conquered a fresh, compelling challenge to escape the West. Now, after the Warriors finally dispatched Houston, an all-too-familiar obstacle awaits in the NBA Finals.
Yep, him again.
LeBron James has established permanent residency in the Finals — eight consecutive appearances, nine in his career — but this season’s unexpected trip with the Cavaliers speaks most powerfully to his transcendent skills. These Cavs are a disparate collection of spare parts, scraped together in support of King James.
He carried them to 50 regular-season victories and playoff triumphs over the Pacers (seven games), Raptors (four games) and Celtics (seven games). James and the Cavs stand in Golden State’s way for the fourth consecutive year, even if their presence seems wildly improbable.
“We’ve been counted out for a long time this season,” James said after Sunday night’s win in Game 7 of the East finals.
They will be counted out against the Warriors by many people (the Cavs are the biggest Finals underdogs in 16 years, ac-
cording to Las Vegas oddsmakers), especially if forward Kevin Love cannot play. His status for Game 1 of the Finals remains uncertain, as he goes through concussion protocol in the wake of a collision with Boston’s Jayson Tatum in Game 6 of the East finals.
Cleveland head coach Tyronn Lue said Tuesday he’s “not sure” if Love will be available to face the Warriors on Thursday night.
Lue’s team was counted out during the regular season for entirely logical reasons. Kyrie Irving wore Celtics green, Isaiah Thomas didn’t last in Cleveland and the Cavs dramatically reshaped their roster at midseason.
Consider the Cavs’ starting lineup for their regular-season opener Oct. 17. Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade and Jae Crowder — all long gone now — joined James and Love in an aging if intriguing quintet.
More than seven months later, as they prepare for Chapter 4 of their Finals history with the Warriors, the Cavaliers feature a distinctly different, patchwork look.
Jeff Green and George Hill started and played instrumental roles in Sunday night’s victory over Boston. Kyle Korver is still around, but Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. were the only other reserves to step on the court against the Celtics. Rodney Hood, another midseason acquisition, didn’t play.
If Love is not cleared to play in Game 1, the Cavs again will lean on Green (mostly) and Nance (occasionally). Green provided 19 points and eight rebounds in 42 minutes Sunday night, exactly the type of complementary contribution Cleveland needed.
Still, make no mistake: The Cavs are all about James. He handles the ball, makes precise passes, takes important shots and corrals most rebounds in sight. Rest? He can get some of that during the offseason.
James averaged 41.1 minutes, 33.6 points, 9 rebounds and 8.4 assists in the East finals. Hill was the only other Cleveland player to average more than 32 minutes per game, and Love was the only other one to average double figures in scoring (12.5).
Or consider the last two games of the Boston series, both Cleveland victories: James averaged 40.5 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. That’s crazy.
But it’s fair to wonder if James, at age 33, will wear down at some point. He looked tired at times against the Celtics, especially in Game 5, and for good reason. James led the NBA in minutes played (3,026) during the regular season. No Warriors player ranked in the top 20.
That’s a common theme in comparing the teams — James’ burden against the Warriors’ balance. James has logged 3,769 minutes including the playoffs, far more than the closest Golden State player (Klay Thompson at 3,150).
Another example: James ranked second in the league in field-goal attempts in the regular season. Kevin Durant was the only Warriors player in the top 20 (at No. 19).
Curry nonetheless dismissed criticism of James’ supporting cast, admonishing those who “disrespect” other Cleveland players. At the same time, Curry marveled at what James has accomplished in ushering his team to another Finals appearance.
“LeBron is amazing,” Curry said. “He’s played at an unbelievable level on this playoff run. … It’s unbelievable to think about his consistency and longevity, the greatness he’s shown.”