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2015 NBA Playoffs: Players Under the Most Pressure

By Maxwell Ogden

Apr 19, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) saves a ball from going out of bounds during the first quarter against the San Antonio Spurs in game one of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 19, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) saves a ball from going out of bounds during the first quarter against the San Antonio Spurs in game one of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 19, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) shoots against the Boston Celtics in the fourth quarter in game one of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 19, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) shoots against the Boston Celtics in the fourth quarter in game one of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /

LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers

Position: Small Forward

Age: 30

Experience: 12th Season

Slash Line: .488/.354/.710

Season Averages: 36.1 MPG, 25.3 PPG, 7.4 APG, 6.0 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 0.7 BPG

The pressure on LeBron James is two-fold. Locally, there’s the incomparable weight of being tasked with bringing the city of Cleveland its first title since the Cleveland Browns won the NFL Championship and the Cleveland Barons won the Calder Cup in 1964.

Along with battling 51 years of history, James shoulders the unenvious burden of having every move he makes compared to Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.

Bryant and Jordan anchored the two generations leading up to James’ emergence. Jordan won six NBA championships, while Bryant took home five.

James has already matched Bryant in Finals MVP awards with two, and has made four consecutive NBA Finals appearances—something Bryant and Jordan never achieved. For most critics, that isn’t enough.

Whether fortunate or unfortunate, James’ career is judged by just one motto: championship or bust. If he leads Cleveland to a title, then he’d be the hero that the state of Ohio expected him to be when the Cavaliers selected the home-state star at No. 1 overall in the 2003 NBA Draft.

If he fails to win a championship, then it’d be yet another failure by a Cleveland sports organization. He’d still have time to win a title in future seasons, but there is no grace period for a four-time MVP.

One way or another, the all-time conversation will be altered by James’ performances and team results in the 2015 NBA Playoffs.

Next: Now That It Matters...