Hoops Habit
Fansided

LeBron James: Why We Should Celebrate His Greatness

By James D. Tillman III

Oct 7, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) takes the court prior to the game against the Atlanta Hawks at the Cintas Center. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 7, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) takes the court prior to the game against the Atlanta Hawks at the Cintas Center. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James began his 13th season in the NBA with a road game against the Chicago Bulls. This is ironic because of the numerous comparisons he has drawn to former Bulls great Michael Jordan throughout the course of his career.

In some circles, it has been said that James will never be better than Jordan because of the fact that he has come up short four times in the Finals, losing to the San Antonio Spurs (twice), the Dallas Mavericks and most recently, the Golden State Warriors. By contrast, Jordan is a perfect 6-0 in the Finals.

However, to James’ credit he does have two titles under his belt; four regular-season Most Valuable Player awards and a pair of Finals MVP awards as well. Along with that, James also became the first player in NBA history to lead both Finals teams in points (35.8), rebounds (13.3) and assists (8.8).

ALSO ON HOOPSHABIT: 25 Best Players To Play For The Cavaliers

And to be honest, the way he carried an injury-plagued team through the playoffs, he probably deserved a third one even though his team came up short against the 67-win Warriors squad.

While James doesn’t have the credentials of His Airness in regards to the number of championships that he has won, the one area where the two individuals are similar is the fact that they have been roadblocks for various teams. When Jordan and the Bulls ruled the 1990s, they turned back their conference foes year after year like an annual ritual.

Just ask the Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, and yes, the Cavaliers as well.

During a stretch of six championship runs in eight seasons, players such as Magic Johnson, Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley, Gary Payton and Karl Malone all came up short when they faced the Bulls in the Finals. That being said, it is fair to say that Jordan was the reason why a number of teams never realized their championship aspirations.

Fast forward to the present, and we can see that James has become what Jordan once was during his playing days: a force to be reckoned with. Like Jordan, James has been a dream killer to the teams in the Eastern Conference.

During his time with the Heat, James helped turn away the Boston Celtics in 2012, along with Paul George and the Indiana Pacers in consecutive playoff matchups (2013 and 2014).

And similar to how Jordan and the Bulls used to beat the Cavaliers in the postseason at will, James has broken the hearts of the Bulls and their fan base on numerous occasions. In fact, James-led teams have eliminated the Bulls from the playoffs in four of the last six seasons.

Talk about a buzz kill.

It is also worth noting James has been to five consecutive NBA Finals, which means no team aside from the eventual NBA champion has defeated his teams in a playoff series. This is a remarkable feat to say the least.

Whether or not James will ever surpass Jordan is a topic that can be debated for years to come. But what cannot be argued is, like his predecessor, James has become the obstacle that every eastern conference team is trying to overcome.

And as long as the Cavaliers can avoid significant injuries in the postseason, we should expect to see King James back in the Finals for a sixth straight time–a feat even Jordan never accomplished.

So instead of criticizing James for what he is not, we should enjoy everything that he is because it may be a long time before we are able to witness another player that brings such a unique level of greatness to the game of basketball.

Next: LeBron James: 5 Reasons He Will Win MVP

More from Hoops Habit

Home/Cleveland Cavaliers