LeBron James and the Cavaliers made the NBA Finals again, but it's not going especially well this time around. The Cavs were twice taken to seven games in their road to the championship, and now they find themselves down 3-0 to the Warriors for the second year in a row.
A lot of the burden of this series has come on James. Individually, he's been fantastic as he's averaging 37.7 points, 10.7 assists and 9.0 rebounds in the NBA Finals. However, part of why his numbers are like that is because James has to do so much just to keep the Cavs alive in these games.
In fact, James, when asked, says it comes down to the Cavs lacking play-makers. He runs the show in Cleveland and he knows it.
LeBron on having to carry so much of an offensive burden: "We haven't had many playmakers through the course of the season."
— Reid Forgrave (@ReidForgrave) June 7, 2018
"We haven't had many play-makers through the course of the season," James said Thursday.
This caused James to even look back fondly, in a way, to the team he had before the trade deadline. The one that had to be gutted, because it was underperforming. The roster they started the season with had a few more creators, including his good friend Dwyane Wade.
LeBron, on looking back at the trades, says he wishes he still had D-Wade. "He's kind of built for the postseason at this point of his career... You definitely think about that. It seems like so long ago that he was a part of this ballclub."
— Reid Forgrave (@ReidForgrave) June 7, 2018
"He's kind of built for the postseason at this point of his career. ... You definitely think about that. It seems like so long ago that he was a part of this ballclub," James said.
This isn't the first time James has questioned the Cavaliers' ability to carry themselves without him on the floor. After J.R. Smith had his gaffe in Game 1 a video went viral of James not using the time between the fourth quarter and overtime to raise up his teammates.
Before Game 3, James responded to criticism about not doing a good enough job lifting his teammates, specifically late in Game 1.
LeBron about criticism for not picking up his teammates during break between 4th quarter & OT in Game 1:
— Reid Forgrave (@ReidForgrave) June 5, 2018
"Me? Me being criticized? ... I don't believe it! I don't care. I don't care at all. We're in the NBA Finals. How much more picking up my teammates do you want me to do?"
"Me? Me being criticized? ... I don't believe it! I don't care. I don't care at all. We're in the NBA Finals. How much more picking up my teammates do you want me to do?"
James accepts his role on the Cavs, but some frustration is beginning to show for just how much he has to do on a nightly basis. It also doesn't help that, despite averaging such an absurd stat line, he's still down 3-0 to the Warriors. He can score 50 points. He can rack up a triple-double. None of it has been enough because the help just isn't quite good enough. Anybody would be frustrated with that.
