While LeBron James and the Cavaliers were unable to successfully defend their NBA title against the never-before-seen caliber of juggernaut that is the Golden State Warriors with Kevin Durant, he still managed to make history as usual and in numerous ways.
LeBron not only set a new record for triple-doubles in a career in the NBA Finals, garnering his 8th and 9th to pass Magic Johnson, he also became the first player in NBA Finals history to average a triple-double for an entire series.
LeBron James averaged
33.6ppg / 12rpg / 10apg
42.6mpg
56% shooting
First player to average a triple double in the Finals pic.twitter.com/7c5RBr8kps
— NBA Quick Report™? (@NBAquickreport) June 13, 2017
While this incredible feat is not consolation for James as he is dealing with the heartache of losing on the grandest stage for the fifth time in his illustrious career, averaging 34-12-10 on 56% shooting and preventing the greatest team in NBA history (my opinion) from completing a perfect postseason is still an accomplishment in and of itself.
At the climax of his 14th season in the NBA and his 7th straight NBA Finals at the age of 32, he still seems to be playing as well or better than he ever has and that is saying something.
The greatest player of his generation and one of the greatest players to ever play the game will have to go back to the drawing board and find a way (along with 28 other teams) to beat this horrifyingly gifted and unified Golden State Warriors team.
It will be a long off-season of disappointment and soul-searching for a Cavaliers team on the wrong side of the title match-up as they were two years ago. They will train, tweak and plot to figure out a way to return in what is likely becoming the greatest championship rivalry in NBA history.
