In 2012, ESPN has ranked James’ performance as the 4th greatest in the modern history of NBA playoff. The Cavaliers won the series to advance to the Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, which lost in 4 games. For the Finals, Lebron has averaged 22 points, 6.8 assists and 7 rebounds each game. Midway through the 2007 to 2008 season, Lebr-=on has been named the MP of All-Star Game for the 2nd time with 27 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds performance. In addition, on March 21, he moved past Brad Daugherty, as the all-time leading scorer of Cavaliers in a game against the Raptors. He do so in more than a hundred less games as compared to Daugherty.
What Made the Cavs Stand out?
What Made the Cavs Stand out?
With 7 triple-doubles in order to finish the year, Lebron set a new team and personal record for triple-doubles in a season. His 30 points every game have also been the highest in the league, which represent his first scoring title. Regardless of his individual accomplishments, the record of Cleveland fell from the year before to 45-37. As seeded 4th in the East when they enter the playoffs, the Cavaliers have defeated the Wizards in the 1st round for the three consecutive season before they were eliminated in 7 games by the Boston Celtics in the next round. On the decisive 7th game in Boston, Lebron James scored 45 points, with Paul Pierce scoring 41 in a game “Associated Press”, which is described as a shootout.
Lebron James’ First MVP Tenure (2008 to 2010)
At the conclusion of 2008 to 2009 season, James finished 2nd in the NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting, but with 23 chase-down blocks along with career-high 93 overall blocks, it was his first NBA All-Defensive Team. Lebron has also become the 4th post merger player to lead his team in rebounds, steals, points, blocks, and assists in just a single season. Behind his play, Cleveland has gone a franchise record of 66-16, and fallen one game short of matching the best home record in the league history. James has become the first Cavalier to win the MVP Award, with 28.4 points, 7.2 assists, 7.6 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, and 1.7 steals per game.
In the playoffs in 2009, Cleveland swept the Atlanta Hawks and the Pistons to earn a match-up with the Orlando Magic in the Conference Finals. In the series’ Game 1, Lebron scored 49 points on the 66% shooting in a losing effort for his team. In the Game 2, he was able to tie the series at 1-1. The team would lose the series in 6 games, which follow the loss in the 6th game. With that, Lebron James left the floor immediately, without shaking hands with his opponents, which is an act that lots of media members viewed to unsportsmanlike. For the series, he averaged 8.3 rebounds, 8 assists, and 38.5 points every game, and this finishes the postseason with a career playoff-high 35.3 points each game.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Midway through the 2009 to 2010 season, the guards of Cleveland experienced essential injuries, and force James into a temporary point guard role. With the increased minutes as the main ball handler of the team, he averaged a career-high 29.7 points with 7.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists, along with 1 block and 1.6 steals per game on 50% shooting en route to a 2 consecutive MVP Award. The Cavaliers have also finished the season with the best record of the league for the 2 straight year. In the playoffs, the Cavaliers took on the Bulls in the first round, but they fell to the Celtics in the 2nd round. Lebron was greatly criticized for not playing well in the 5th Game of the series when he shot only 20% on the 14 shots, and scored 15 points.
Rounding up, Lebron’s superstar record makes Cav leave the competition behind. Plus, he’s got worthy team mates!
