Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 keys to beating Warriors in 2018 NBA Finals
5. LeBron has to be even greater
This seems pretty unfair given the level James has played at throughout this postseason, as well as his track record in previous Finals, but when going up against a team like the Warriors, four victories need another level of greatness.
We’ve seen LeBron’s ability to impact every facet of the game in past Finals, most noticeably in 2016, where he led both teams in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks en route to his third championship.
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It feels unrealistic to ask him to take on even more of a burden than what’s already on his broad shoulders, but there simply isn’t any other option.
He doesn’t have a Kyrie Irving to lean on this time around, someone who can create offense at an elite and consistent level in order to spare him the smallest of breathers.
George Hill is the secondary ball-handler on this Cavs team, which should say everything about Cleveland’s roster.
Kevin Love is a shell of his former self, and even at his best, his style of play doesn’t allow LeBron to go stand in the corner while he goes to work.
The rest of the roster is comprised of one-dimensional shooters, offensively challenged big men and wildly inconsistent performers, most of which will experience the Finals for the first time.
Should James rest, it won’t be for more than a few minutes, as everything on the offensive end will run through him, no matter the toll it takes on his body.
In order to compete, LeBron will have to execute with surgical precision, because, being led by Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, the Warriors won’t have many droughts during this series.
That means not getting cute with the basketball or trying to force assists that aren’t there. Rather than wait for his teammates to get into a groove, LeBron has to be aggressive right from the tip, dragging his supporting cast until they decide to show up.
Despite the energy it would drain, this also includes giving effort on the defensive end, something James has deemed optional throughout the season.
In 2017-18, LeBron has pushed the boundaries on what a 33-year-old in his 15th season can do on the court, as he’s continuously upped his game when the moment calls for it.
If James wants any real shot at his fourth title, he’ll have to find a way to push the boundary higher than he’s ever done before.