Cleveland Cavaliers: What Else Can LeBron James Conquer?

After winning one for the Cleveland Cavaliers, we explore what more LeBron James can conquer

“My motivation is this ghost I’m chasing. The ghost played in Chicago.”

In an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Lee Jenkins, LeBron James candidly spoke of his driving motivation now that he’s conquered the unconquerable. In particular, chasing the illusive status that Michael Jordan has universally claimed.

The greatest.

Of course, that’s a lofty accomplishment. Jordan was everything. An unblemished champion, fearless leader, scoring phenom, lockdown defender, triple-double threat, and money-making machine. He was the definition of flash and substance.

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So it’s not surprising fans have scoffed at LeBron’s goals. Maybe they’re noble in nature, but how dare he compare himself to Jordan. Right?

Wrong.

If any single accomplishment could possibly paint a picture of what LeBron ultimately is, wouldn’t it be the 2016 Finals?

The Warriors had everything. A record breaking 73 regular season wins, 403 three-pointers, three All-Stars, the Coach of the Year and the first-ever unanimous MVP. Not to mention that after Game 4 they had a 3-1 lead over the anemic Cavaliers.

Cleveland’s defeat seemed predetermined by the Basketball Gods, but the Cavs chose to defy all conventional wisdom and march on. After fending off the Warriors in Oakland in Game 5, the Cavaliers returned home for Game 6 and dominated the Warriors.

Survive and advance.

The finale was set. A showdown in Oakland, headlined by the game’s two greatest players. 11 ties and 20 lead changes later, the greatest upset in basketball history had been completed. At the center of it all, was LeBron James.

I have never been a big fan of statistics, but just look at this stat sheet – 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 9 assists, 2.6 steals, and 2.3 blocks. Sure you can’t quantify his shooting woes from the perimeter or his poor defense at time, but the totality of his performance was striking. For years I’ve sang Tim Duncan’s praise for leading the Spurs in four of five statistical categories in the ‘03 Finals, but LeBron did the unthinkable.

He led both teams in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. That is LeBron James. Maybe he isn’t the perfect basketball player, but who is?

LeBron’s illustrious career has already earned him a place in the Pantheon of basketball legends. Four league MVP’s, three finals MVP’s, two championships in Miami… But, of course his crowning achievement is the aforementioned victory over the Warriors. Not only did he dominate the first-ever unanimous MVP and his 73-win team, but he brought an elusive championship to the city of Cleveland.

After 52 years of turmoil and heartbreak, Cleveland’s prodigal son was able to break the curse. That feat alone speaks volumes of LeBron’s greatness.

He’s one of the 10 greatest players ever. Period. End of discussion. But, how can LeBron climb even higher? How can he cement his place as one of the five greatest players ever? Or maybe even dethrone Jordan’s place in basketball lore as the greatest?

LeBron has no equal in today’s game. No apparition that can truly vye for his place atop the basketball world. Instead, it’s a matter of what teams can overpower his own. So, the greatest challenge imaginable has finally presented itself. Golden State’s acquisition of Kevin Durant puts them in a class of their own, being possibly the first team to ever house four of the 20 best players in the world.

If LeBron can do the unthinkable and find a way to beat the Warriors, then he’ll have accomplished something no player has ever previously achieved.

My motivation is this ghost I’m chasing. The ghost played in Chicago – LeBron James

Not even Jordan.

Thankfully for LeBron, besting the Warriors isn’t the linchpin to any further success. LeBron is a phenomenal athlete, and his body has shown no signs of deterioration yet. So, if he can play at this level for another three years or more, he’ll have Jordan beat in terms of longevity. And, as his career continues, the higher he climbs on the leaderboards.

By the end of next season alone, LeBron could be as high as 7th in scoring and 13th in assists. So imagine how much higher he’ll stand after three or four more seasons at this level?

The last point of improvement is the obvious one – accolades and accomplishments. Another MVP or two would be nice, but it ultimately comes down to championships. So, maybe Golden State could stand in the way of that, or LeBron kills two birds-with-one-stone.

Whatever the case, winning a fourth or fifth championship could really improve LeBron’s legacy. Adversely, losing more finals would only hurt him, so it’s really a gamble.

Even after all of that, can LeBron ever overcome the expectations that were unfairly bestowed upon him? Maybe not. Where does his battle lie though? Against the Oakland Monstars or his place among the phantoms of yesteryear?

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Ultimately, the latter. Because, LeBron James is greater than the world around him, just like Jordan before him.

Well, just like all of the ghosts.

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