5. Is LeBron actually human?
We all heard it, we all read it, it was constant and unrelenting. From TV broadcasts, to online blogs, to old school paper form newspapers, we were reminded how insane his performances were in spite of it being LeBron’s 15th campaign in 2017-18.
But not only has it been 15 gruelling 82-game regular seasons, it’s now been 13 straight postseason appearances, and eight straight trips to the NBA Finals.
On top of those regular season battles, James has now played 239 playoff games. Think about that. This guy has played an equivalent of THREE extra seasons just in the playoffs alone. It’s incredible, amazing and all the other superlatives you can come up with — in fact, we’ve run out of them at this point.
LeBron is a damn robot. Popped right back up and stayed in the game after this. pic.twitter.com/Nsy4mXvudt
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) March 2, 2017
At 33, LeBron took it up a gear. He wasn’t afforded the luxury of taking nights off, he was required to carry his team and play at a level he simply hasn’t had to over the past decade. In response, LeBron played all 82 contests for the first time in his career, with every knock, bump and bruise shaken off like it was not worth his time or effort worrying about it.
At this point, it’s questionable whether LeBron James is even human. You just don’t see this type of reliability and longevity … ever. It’s insane.
However, the Herculean efforts of 2017-18 are not going to be sustainable, and LeBron needs some relief at his new NBA home. The Celtics were ravaged with injuries last season and should feel comfort in James’ medical history.
Playing under Brad Stevens and next to the abundance of talent on the Celtics’ roster would allow James to initiate cruise control far more often heading into a 14th playoff assault. Keep in mind, LeBron in cruise control is still a dominant, dominant force.