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NBA Finals Player Preview: LeBron James

By Daniel Rowell

May 25, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) reacts during introductions prior to game five of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
May 25, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) reacts during introductions prior to game five of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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LeBron James is back in the NBA Finals, looking to bring a championship to Cleveland and add another chapter to his playoff legacy.

LeBron James is 2-4 in the NBA Finals, 0-2 as a Cavalier, and yet here we are again. Six straight NBA Finals appearances, seven in the past ten years. It’s hard to write a unique thought about a player that has defined the NBA’s championship series for a majority of the past decade, but that’s LeBron James for you. Heading into his seventh NBA Finals, 11 years of playoff basketball, a 13-year career, it’s time to start wondering if everything we know about James has been written, or if there’s another story to be told. And that’s the question for 2016: What more can LeBron James say?

James reflected on the past two seasons with the Cavaliers and his mindset before heading to Oakland for Game 1: “I said last year that Imma give it everything that I got. And, uh, Imma live with the results. I said the same thing this year… that’s always been my mindset. Give everything I got and live with the results. That’s all I’ve ever done.”

James has lived with the results of the 2015 NBA Finals. Without much of a healthy supporting cast, James had one of his best series, averaging 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists in the six games. Only five other players have averaged 30 or more points in an NBA Finals. Despite his performance, it wasn’t enough against Golden State.

This year, he faces the same Golden State team, but a few things are different. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love are healthy and the Cavaliers are a better team with them beside James. His competition is better as well, the Warriors are perhaps the best basketball team in the history of the NBA. They are at least, the winningest in the regular season, and looked convincingly invincible during three consecutive wins last week after falling 3-1 to the Thunder.

For James, this doesn’t change much in terms of his mindset. He’s still going to give it everything, and live with what happens next. But for the story left to tell, it’s a good one. A hometown hero trying to bring home the first championship for his city in over 50 years. Two teammates that watched from the sidelines eager to get on the court. And an opponent that looks almost insurmountable. James knows the odds, and he knows his 2-4 story up to this point. But he doesn’t want to talk about that anymore, he wants to show you what happens next.

For more NBA Finals coverage, check out our NBA Finals hub page.

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