LeBron James emerged from a chaotic
Seahawks Cheap Jerseys , complex season unscathed – better than ever.Still the NBA’s undisputed king.
Despite no longer having Kyrie Irving at his side. Despite an injury-riddled season in which the Cavaliers‘ roster morphed twice and despite being surrounded
by a supporting cast that included rookies and just three holdovers from
Cleveland teams he dragged to three straight NBA Finals, James played every game
and powered through his 15th pro season like it was another helpless defender in
the lane.
By investing millions into maintaining his body and with a work ethic that has pushed him since childhood, James seems intent on challenging basketball’s
natural cycle of aging.
At 33, and on the eve of making a run at his eighth straight Finals, James is not slowing down. He remains the game’s best all-around player, most dominant
force. Still, the one to beat. Still, the player most capable of carrying a team
to playoff victories. Still, the most likely player – sorry Messrs. Westbrook,
Harden, Curry and Durant – to make a play that wins a game or a series.
”It doesn’t seem like he gets old,” said Philadelphia 76ers coach Brett Brown. ”He just doesn’t go away.”
While Cleveland’s season was highly irregular, James had another brilliant one.
He averaged 27.5 points – his highest total since 2010 – and established career-highs in assists (9.1), rebounds (8.6) and played the full slate of games
for the first time. He led the league in total points
Youth Logan Cooke Jersey , minutes played, surpassed 30,000 career points, recorded 18 triple-doubles and was the league’s second-leading scorer in
the fourth quarter (7.5 points).
The three-time champion also extended his record of scoring at least 10 points to 873 games, a mark once owned by Michael Jordan (862), the player James
has spent his entire adulthood being compared to and the one he has equaled on
many measures.
Jordan was not done at 33, winning three more titles. But his game aged differently. Jordan relied more on jumpers as he got older and ceded tough
defensive assignments to other Bulls. James continues to take over games
physically, particularly late, and he never hesitates to defend the opponents’
toughest scorers. And the Bulls never counted on their general to rebound or
dish out assists as the Cavs lean on James.
James has done it all amid a strange, soap-opera-like season for Cleveland, which endured injuries, illnesses, trades and tribulations from late last summer
until early spring.
”As the Land Turns is what I call it,” said Cavs coach Tyronn Lue
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Following Wednesday’s regular-season finale, James stamped this as-yet-unfinished season a personal triumph.
”It’s the best I’ve felt all season and I’ve got the numbers to back it up and I’ve got the wins to back it up as well,” he said. ”I’ve just tried to be
available to my teammates every single night and do everything that I could to
win ball games. Either by scoring, by rebounding, by defending, by assisting,
taking charges, whatever the case may be. Statistically it all speaks for
itself.”
While amassing those numbers, James has seemingly paused the aging process. Of course, it helps that he has a nutritionist, personal trainer, masseuse,
cryogenic chamber and 21st century technology to keep him one step ahead of
Father Time.
Cavaliers forward Kendrick Perkins, who was drafted in 2003 after James
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year on his body.
”It’s crazy. I watch how he takes care of his body, I watch how he gets treatment around the clock,” said Perkins. ”But it shows and that’s why he’s
able to do what he’s been doing at this age. Everybody will be like, `Man, `Bron
got to be doing something,’ and I’m like, `No, he actually put in the groundwork
and everything you see is because he sacrificed.’ It’s amazing to watch.”
James isn’t done, not even close, and earlier this season he described re-writing the narrative that players in their early 30s have reached their
prime.
”Hopefully I can break the mold, so when the next guy comes, he can still get $200 or $300 million and be 33 years old,” he said. ”I’m serious. This is the
mold I’m trying to break. It’s not just about me, it’s for the next crew. I want
it all.”
And what James wants
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He has meticulously worked at his craft, refining his game, adding weapons. This season, James posted a career-high in 3-pointers, and according to
Basketball-Reference.com , he made a higher percentage of shots from beyond 28
feet than any player – including Stephen Curry – since 2001.
As far as Brown’s concerned, James is the new standard.
”I don’t see any decline athletically and then watch it, the trend that he’s now shooting and making 3s, so you feel that he just keeps getting better,”
Brown said before James scored 44 with 11 rebounds and 11 assists against the
Sixers. ”The fact that he can play that many minutes, that many games, seemingly
not missing a beat. He is amazing.
”In my opinion, he is the best player to have ever played our sport. And he just keeps getting better. And I say that with tremendous respect to lots of
other people. That’s a hell of a comment that I don’t throw out recklessly. And
I just feel like his body of work makes me feel very confident and comfortable
saying that. .
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