The Legacy Begins – LeBron and the NBA Finals

The Cavaliers simply can’t lose this series. Barring LeBron James going down with an injury, the Hawks just can’t win. It’s more than the lack of offensive firepower which lacks polish and a true go-to guy, or the defensive resolve to contain all of the Cleveland weapons; it’s all that and the immeasurable intangible that is LBJ.

Everyone was making a big stink about the long layoff that the Cavs had after sweeping their first round series. Well, let’s lay that one to rest as the Cavs put an emphatic smack down in game one, winning 99-72. So the question now becomes, will the Cavs loose a game this series? My bet is that they will complete the sweep but to be conservative, let’s say they go five games. The only reason I say this is because the Hawks seem to have another gear at home as the Celtics found out last year when Atlanta stretched them to 7.

A glimmer of hope for the Hawks possibly taking a game is that they jumped out to an 11-4 lead in the opening minutes. Not that anyone was ever concerned, even coach Mike Brown neglected to take a timeout. And incase you were wondering, the Cavaliers outscored Atlanta 95-61 the rest of the way. The Hawks weren’t going to keep that up on the road but if they can hit the floor running in game 3, they may be able to rattle the King and steal a game.

What is scary and is something everyone in the league should make note of is that the Cavs didn’t have any rust after coming off their layoff. Even the mighty Lakers stumbled out of the gate in game one after taking a few days off. Attribute the sharpness to coach Mike Brown being a great motivator and the Cavs being extremely focused on going all the way this year.

What is even scarier is that if they can continue their dominance over the next three games, I don’t see anyone getting in their way in the next series. Both Boston and Orlando are already beat up and they will have a tough back and forth series that will leave the winner looking like a wounded calf walking into a lions den for the Eastern Conference Finals.  

So Cleveland has dominated all year long and it accumulated with the crowning of LeBron as the MVP of the NBA. It’s almost like the stars are aligning for the Cavs. This could be the year that LeBron truly begins his reign over the NBA with not only an MVP title but the NBA Championship to boot.

James has evolved into a true leader and it’s evident by his actions when he’s not holding the ball. I’m not talking about him being able to draw doubles or how he averages seven dimes per game, although that’s a testament to his natural ability. It’s the qualities that make him a leader off the court. How he has not only created a winning atmosphere within the locker room but how he has transformed an entire city into believers.

This is the year LeBron builds on his legacy with an NBA Championship and it won’t be until they face the Lakers in the Finals that they receive a real test.