‘Controlling the narrative’ important for LeBron

Suddenly, in the NBA’s new world order, winning a Game

7 at Boston Garden (the name has changed, but there’s still a parquet floor) isn’t enough?

You mean LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, after handing Boston its only home loss of the playoffs, have to do it again? That after dodging Indiana, Toronto and Boston on its side of the bracket, even heavier lifting is required of the Eastern Conference champions? Something like that, yes. With summer reruns upon us, the NBA presents another installment of Cavaliers vs. Warriors with the opening chapter of Part IV on ABC Thursday night in Oakland, Calif.

We’ll identify some of the key players later — most of them wear a Golden State uniform — but for first-time viewers out there, here’s a brief synopsis.

Golden State, NBA champion last season and twice in the last three years, also summoned some Game 7 magic on the road, although Houston suffered an inglorious demise. Virtually falling on their swords, the Rockets missed an NBA-playoff record 37 threepoint baskets, 27 straight at one stretch and watched an

11-point halftime lead disappear into the ether. Warriors 101, Rockets 92, making winners of those who gave Houston and six (per covers.com) for betting purposes.

Oddsmakers favored Boston by 2.5 points over Cleveland Sunday night at TD Garden, where the season began for both teams Oct. 17. In that game, free-agent Gordon Hayward was lost for the season with a leg injury less than six minutes into his first game for the Celtics. Kyrie Irving, who made the alley-oop pass on which Hayward fell, later suffered a knee injury that grounded him for the postseason.

Irving, you might remember, played on Cleveland’s

2016 NBA championship team but tired of being a sideman for LeBron James and was the focal point of an eventual six-player deal between the Cavaliers and the Celtics.

Despite everything, the Celtics, brilliantly coached by Brad Stevens (whom Boston general manager Danny Ainge daringly plucked from the college ranks after back-toback NCAA Final Fours with Butler), gained homecourt advantage in the Eastern Conference’s tell-tale Game 7.

As he has so often in recent years, LeBron James blocked Boston’s path to the finals and even Celtic Mystique (all those banners hanging from the ceiling) could not negate his presence.

James elevated his game, if that’s possible, for 35 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists to send Cleveland to the championship series for the fourthstraight year.

“People talk about Jordan-like or Magic-like,” said teammate JR Smith. “That’s LeBron-like.”

A native Ohioan, James has made tremendous contributions to a city that went 52 years without a professional sports world championship. Cleveland now has the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner (Baker Mayfield, trying to prop up the hapless Browns) — and what ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith calls “the greatest (basketball) player of his generation, the number-one player in the world,” adding for emphasis, “you know this.”

This is the ninth NBA Finals for James and, as every LeBron basher can tell you, his teams are 3-5 on the sport’s biggest stage.

Golden State is heavily favored to beat Cleveland in the finals for the second-straight year and the third time in four seasons. The early 12-point

line for Game 1 is the highest spread in a Finals game since 1991, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Golden State has four of the game’s best players — Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green — and likely gets 2015 Finals MVP Andre Igoudala back from a leg contusion that kept him out for much of the Houston series.

Cleveland comes after Golden State with relative castoffs, learning on the fly after overhauling its roster in midseason. After one early-round playoff game, James made this stunning revelation: “We’re still getting to know each other.” James was asked in the post-game press conference Sunday night if he ever gave up hope.

“I wouldn’t tell you if I did,” he said, although adding, “It’s been a season of roses and a season of roses with thorns.”

The Celtics tried to wear out James. Didn’t work. LeBron played all 48 minutes in Game 7 — that after showing for all 82 regular-season games.

Beating Golden State with this supporting cast — Smith, Jeff Green, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. and Tristan Thompson — might represent James’ greatest achievement. And don’t think he doesn’t know it.

You’re sure to hear a lot about “controlling the narrative” as the series unfolds.

Stephen A. Smith, one of James’ staunchest media supporters, breaks it down: “Nobody on this planet thinks LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers win the NBA finals against the Golden State Warriors. … These are the storylines; these are the narratives. LeBron James is playing with house money.”

Pulling for the Cavaliers but picking the Warriors in six.