The career of LeBron James has seen the athlete have an unprecedented run of dominance over the league. Many people argue that LeBron’s prime has lasted his entire career, and it’s unfair to expect something different heading into Year 20 of the legendary forward’s career.
People often debate what version of LeBron, throughout his career, has been the best. Whether it was at his physical peak during his first years in the league with Cleveland, or when he developed into a title-winning player in Miami from 2010 to 2014.
Skip Bayless believes LeBron’s prime came the year after LeBron left the Heat and carried the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in his second stint with the team. LeBron lost the Finals to the Warriors that season with co-stars Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving hurt. Bayless recognized the task that stood ahead of LBJ and appreciated how he played through the first 3 games of the series.
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“The greatest I saw LeBron was in 2015, his first year back in Cleveland against Golden State when they faced them in the Finals. That was the epitome of LeBron James.”
“In those three games to start the series, he averaged 41, 12, and 8 against the Golden State Warriors. He did fail in Game 4 and the Iguodala insertion into the lineup changed the whole series because Iggy did a pretty good number on LeBron. The point is that I still give him those 3 games because I hadn’t seen anything like it.”
LeBron has had many incredible individual performances throughout his career, especially in the Playoffs. Many say that 2018 LeBron was arguably his best version because of how he dragged the Cavaliers to the Finals through an increasingly competitive Eastern Conference.
Bayless has made his choice, and it’s a fantastic one because 2015 Finals, LeBron was one of the best versions of any basketball player ever, until the strategy change employed by Steve Kerr using Andre Iguodala stifled LeBron’s title chances.
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