One of the many, many incredible facets of LeBron James’ excellence is that there are so many damn facets of his excellence. It isn’t that LeBron can beat you in so many different ways: it’s that he will beat you any which way circumstances require.
This has been one of the revelations of his second Cavaliers run, which of course came with the crowning achievement of the 2016 NBA championship (and Finals MVP). The most famous LeBron play from that title run wasn’t a game-winning shot: it was The Block, a magical chasedown rejection of Andre Iguodala burned into our minds and the Warriors’ souls.
LeBron’s amazing week capped off with the Game 3 buzzer beater against the Raptors on Saturday reminds us that he can win games in a more traditional fashion too, if there is anything traditional about a one-legged running floater off the glass facing the wrong direction.
LeBron even acknowledged this in his press conference: as kids on the asphalt, we count down the imaginary clock under our breath while firing up some difficult shot we hope to see go in. This is the legacy of Bird, of Jordan, of Kobe. The most iconic moments in NBA history are difficult shots dripping with drama that go in. There have been critical steals, blocks, passes, screens, defensive stands, drawn fouls, play calls (as in the other game on Saturday night). But nothing in this sport is as iconic as a difficult shot.
LeBron has no shortage of those over the years, but he’s added a few more just in the past couple of weeks. There was the Game 5 buzzer beater over the Pacers, the stunning overtime-forcing fadeaway in Game 1 against to Toronto, and Saturday’s magical runner. The highlight reels of LeBron’s clutch playoff moments were already long. This year, LeBron is turning them into feature-length movies, and we aren’t even halfway through the postseason yet.
LeBron has had to play both point guard and center in these playoffs, the former when George Hill missed time with a bad back and the latter when Kevin Love was struggling and Tristan Thompson was out of the rotation. He’s now back in a more normal role, if there is even a normal role for a player like LeBron.
It feels as though James has spent the entire Toronto series backing down smaller defenders, only to hit them with a variety of turnarounds, fadeaways, and other spirit-destroying plays. The degree of difficulty on his shots — not really a LeBron hallmark — has been incredible, eclipsed only by the frequency with which he’s hitting them.
The risk in trading Kyrie Irving was that Cleveland would lose shotmaking, something critical to the Cavaliers’ prior three runs to the NBA Finals and that championship. But without Kyrie, LeBron is just supplying that, too. Whatever his team needs in any given moment, LeBron is equipped to supply it. He has all of these basketball superpowers, just waiting to be called upon.
This isn’t the worst team James has ever had around him — Love is way better than any of LeBron’s teammates on the 2006-2010 Cavaliers, though those squads had much, much better defensive talent — but it’s the least cohesive bunch of the current Finals streak. LeBron’s versatile excellence is capable of papering over all of the weaknesses.
It’s an incredible advantage for the Cavaliers. Having a superstar who is among the best at two facets of the game — like Stephen Curry’s shooting and handle — is like having a cheat code. Having a superstar this good at everything is totally unfair.
LeBron’s versatile dominance may not be enough to overcome more complete, powerful opponents like the Warriors, who have multiple multi-skilled superstars in Curry and Kevin Durant (elite scoring and elite defense), plus two more stars who are top-3 in the world in certain vital skills (Klay Thompson’s shooting and Draymond Green’s defense).
But against everyone else, James’ ability to be whatever his team needs whenever his team needs it is the deciding factor that keeps Cleveland winning.