LeBron James in the NBA Finals is like Meryl Streep being nominated for an Oscar. It’s expected. It’s clockwork.
King James is heading to his eighth straight NBA Finals after carrying the Cavaliers to a Game 7 win over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday.
A big emphasis on carrying. He’s averaging 34.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 8.8 assists in 18 playoff games. And he has to.
This Cleveland team opened the season with high hopes and a star-studded roster that included Isaiah Thomas, Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose and Kevin Love. But Thomas struggled to find his footing and was shipped to the Lakers. Wade went back to Miami. Rose was traded to the Jazz and ended up landing in Minnesota. Love remained, but suffered a concussion in Game 6 against Boston. They went from contenders to rebuilders by midseason.
Other than Love (13.9 points), there’s no one on this roster who’s averaging double-digits in scoring during the postseason. If Cleveland finds a way to beat either the Warriors or the Rockets — both heavily favored over the Cavs by oddsmakers — it depends entirely on James. If he pulls off the impossible, prepare for a summer of debate whether he’s the GOAT.
— Joe Nguyen, The Denver Post
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What’s on tap?
- MLB: Giants at Rockies, 5 p.m., ATTRM, ESPN | Pitching matchup | Buy tickets
TV/RADIO: Here’s what sports are airing today
Scoreboard
MLB: Rockies 8, Reds 2
Full story | Box score
NBA: Cavaliers 87, Celtics 79
Full story | Box score
Must-Read
Roger Goodell.
Kiszla: He nearly died in Vietnam War. Nearly 50 years later, the NFL should listen to this military veteran about the national anthem tiff.
I wanted Stevenson to tell me his war story. So this softspoken man with a long, white beard opened a bottle of Pacifico and settled into a chair of his suburban Denver home. Memorial Day weekend had begun; we raised a toast: Cheers. Read more…
Royce Freeman.
Instant Impact: Broncos’ Royce Freeman could follow other NFL rookie tailbacks
Having coached at Oregon for nearly three decades and guided 13 players to 1,000-yard rushing seasons, Gary Campbell knows what ability looks like and believed Royce Freeman had it – speed and power to allow him to run away from and over defenders. Read more…
Kyle Freeland.
Education of Kyle Freeland turning him into Rockies’ most valuable pitcher
Jon Gray possesses more pure firepower and gets more strikeouts, while Chad Bettis pitches with a veteran’s wisdom. But a case can be made that Kyle Freeland could soon emerge as the Rockies’ most successful starting pitcher. Read more…
Quick Hits
+ O’Halloran: The Broncos should focus on improving their woeful red zone offense.
+ Defensive versatility of Rockies’ young role players, top prospects gives Bud Black options to get the offense figured out.
+ Rockies’ DJ LeMahieu, who sprayed balls all over the yard during Sunday batting practice, “pretty close” to returning.
+ Rockies reliever Chris Rusin’s continued struggles center around command, too little use of the changeup.
+ Saunders: Rockies aren’t trading for Joey Votto or Jose Abreu, but they have to do something.
+ Why Nolan Arenado routinely rocks a “Perkis Power” T-shirt around the Rockies’ clubhouse.
+ Fringe prospects see value in testing NBA draft waters.
By The Numbers
377
The number of laps out of 400 in which Kyle Busch led to eventually win the Coca-Cola 600. Read more…
Parting Shot
Danica Patrick.
Danica Patrick crashes out of final race at Indianapolis 500
Danica Patrick’s racing career ended with a wreck in Turn 2 at the track that made her famous. Read more…
Get in Touch
If you see something that’s cause for question or have a comment, thought or suggestion, email me at [email protected] or tweet me @danielboniface.
source:-w.denverpost
