LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers have done everything they could to win a game in the 2017 NBA Finals, but their efforts have just not mattered. For James, he is putting up great numbers in the series, averaging 32 points, 12 rebounds, and ten assists per game. But still, the Cavaliers lost to the Warriors in Game three. Down 3-0, the team has big adversity to overcome to win the championship.
In a postgame press conference, James admitted the Warriors "firepower" is the best that he's seen in his career. And many critics also said the same thing. Before the 2017 NBA Finals started, sports analysts pointed out Lebron has to face a team that has an enormous pool of talent to win this year's NBA championship.
The 2017 Warriors has four All-star players, multiple MVPs, a Defensive Player of the Year awardee, and Sixth Man of the Year awardee. After Kevin Durant signed a two-year contract with Golden State last year, many think there's no doubt that they will win this year's trophy.
Despite the big challenge, James' faith remains unshaken. Basketball fans cling to James' statement two years ago about the fate of the Cavaliers. When he was asked in 2015, if the return of his two injured teammates would help the team win the championship, the Cavaliers forward answered in an unexpected way.
"There's only one guy ever in the world that everything will be all right when he comes back and that's Jesus Christ. Other than that, you can't bank on nobody being OK," James told CBS Sports. His statement touched many Christians around the world. He did not only exalt the name of Jesus Christ, but he also expressed his strong faith in Jesus' second coming.
James was born and raised in a Christian family in Akron, Ohio. He also had Christian family members that helped him shaped his values and developed his never-give-up attitude. In an interview, he did not credit his coaches or training to his incredible basketball talent. Instead, he acknowledged "the grace of God above; He gave me this athleticism."
Many fans are not aware of James' spiritual leanings because he is quite secret about his Christian faith. He also does not announce his appearances in church and charity basketball games near Cleveland publicly.
Going back to James' legacy in NBA, some sports writers believe his legacy in the league would not affect if he loses this year's NBA Finals. First, he already gave Cleveland's first championship title, which is the fulfillment of his dream for the city.
Furthermore, Cleveland's championship last year was already a legacy-defining series for LeBron. Even though the Cavs were in a 3-1, the team defeated the Warriors who won 73 games that season. And then Lebron's performance was astonishing throughout the series. He was averaging almost triple-doubles per night.
In his 14-year career in NBA, LeBron has achieved many milestones in the league. He is three-time NBA Champion, three-time NBA Finals MVP, four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, 2004 NBA Rookie of the Year, and much more.
With that being said, what are your thoughts about Lebron James' career? Let us know in the comments.
