Here's How LeBron Losing in the NBA Finals Actually Helps His Legacy

Let’s attempt to put LeBron’s historic NBA Finals into perspective:

* First player to lead both teams in points, rebounds and assists in the Finals
* First player in over 50 years to reach the NBA Finals five straight years
* Was playing with the 2nd worst supporting cast in NBA Finals history dating back to 1985
* And then point guard Kyrie Irving busted his kneecap
* When LeBron was NOT on the floor, JR Smith, Matthew Dellavedova, James Jones and Iman Shumpert DID NOT MAKE A SHOT in the NBA Finals

The fact that the Cavaliers won two games against an 83-win juggernaut (only two teams in NBA history, both led by Michael Jordan, have won more) is borderline amazing.

So if anything, this series helped LeBron’s legacy, insomuch as you can accurately discuss someone’s legacy when they’re still just 30 years old.

Some LeBron haters – the ones still angry about The Decision, and the entire city of Miami – found a newfound respect for “the best player in the world” as he pushed the Cavs to victories in Games 2 and 3, and flirted with triple doubles in all six games.

Announcers, former players, current players – they all agree: Nobody in NBA history could have taken this rag-tag group and driven them to the Finals. How soon we forget – they swept a 60-win Hawks team in the Eastern Conference Finals!

Do the Cavs beat the Warriors with Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving? They wouldn’t have been as strong defensively, but at least they’d have legitimate weapons at the offensive end so LeBron wouldn’t have to average 45 minutes a game and attempt 32 shots a game. Irving had a 23-7-6-4 line in Game 1 when he wasn’t 100% and LeBron still took 38 shots and the Cavs forced overtime.

LeBron turns 31 in December. The 31st year has been a pivotal one historically for NBA stars. It was Larry Bird’s final healthy year before his back signaled the beginning of the end of his career; it was when Michael Jordan returned from his year-plus hiatus on the baseball diamond, rejuvenated and ready to resume his career; it was Magic Johnson’s final year before he left the sport because of HIV; it was the final good year for Isiah Thomas before injuries derailed his career at 32.

Just how draining were the Finals on LeBron? You’ve already read about how his workload is really only comparable to the riders in the Tour de France. Next year, LeBron will have to start going to the Gregg Popovich strategy of taking 20 games off a season, right? Or set a minute limit of some sort? A game here, a shorter road trip here, a week there – that’s all going to be crucial to the long-time health of one of the most athletic freaks in sports history.

Take Charles Barkley. At 29 in 1992-1993, he helped a stacked Suns team reach the Finals, where they lost to the Bulls. Barkley had a tremendous finals, pouring in 42 points in one game, and then registering a 32-12-10 triple double in defeat. After that exhausting season, various ailments tugged at Barkley, and he never shot as well from the field, played in as many games, or took as many shots a night. He still averaged a double-double for his final seven seasons, but he never got back to the Finals.

LeBron’s obviously in better shape than Barkley, and 20+ years later, from a technology and medical standpoint, LeBron is better equipped to handle the rigors of five straight seasons playing 100, 85, 99, 97 and 89 games. Hopefully.

If you’re only looking at LeBron’s 2-4 record in the Finals, you’re doing it wrong.