Lebron James numbers are unparalleled. He's arguably the most dominant player we've seen. A unique mix of power, intelligence, and speed that is unmatched in the history of athletics. But his reign may be coming to an end. Not because he's 31-years-old and is a leader in all-time playoff minutes. Maybe this is his lot in his NBA life. The Warriors will try to officially dethrone the King in game five. There were questions last year about his supremacy, but no one questioned his dominance after averaging 35 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists in the finals.
Now this year, the Warriors are breaking records and dominating James and the Cavs. Cleveland may make a miraculous comeback, but where does Lebron's career go if they don't? There will always be comparisons to Magic, Bird, Jordan, Kobe; they each dominated the league in a variety of ways for years, while winning several titles. James fits in that category. As for his individual game, Lebron may be the greatest we've seen. But that doesn't always carry over to four or five championships. Ask Wilt and Jerry West.
On the verge of losing another finals championship, critics are questioning his legacy once again. Does his finals record taint his legacy? Will he ever catch Jordan? Will he leave Cleveland chasing another title run with his best friends? These questions are the norm now. But honestly, Lebron could retire right now and I don't think many people will remember his finals record. He's won championships and carried entire teams on his back for 13 years. Yes, he had plenty of help in four years with Miami, but spearheaded those super teams. We'll remember his powerful dunks, precise passing skills and his tendency to make the best play in crunch time, not the hero play. He'll forever be the prototype for the basketball player. Maybe the greatest pure athlete we've seen.
If he loses another final championship, this doesn't mean his career doesn't measure up or his reign is officially over. But we may be getting closer to seeing a passing of the torch.
