Cavs Historic Comeback: 5 Ways LeBron James Embarrassed The Pacers

LeBron James embarrassed the Indiana Pacers during Game 3 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Here’s how LeBron wrestled away any hope of Indiana making this a series.

History: LeBron James won’t win the MVP award, but he should, just as he SHOULD have for the past 12 consecutive seasons.

As the Indiana Pacers learned, when your facing LeBron James in the NBA Playoffs, not even a 26-point lead is safe.

LeBron embarrassed the Pacers during this historic comeback. The King threw the BPI data in the trash, and then systematically ripped out the Pacers’ hearts, as Indiana’s season is effectively over with the defeat.

You just don’t come back from 26-point deficits, especially on the road during the freaking playoffs!

When you consider some of the regular-season meltdowns the Cavs have been a part of leading up to the playoffs, it makes this victory even more remarkable.

Big 1: Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving didn’t play in the fourth quarter. Unless you’re name is LeBron James, it’s hard to be great all the time, and this was the case for Irving and Love, who’s energy level rivaled that of a regular-season game in mid February.

Without his fellow superstars contributing, James took matters into his own hands and set up teammates Channing Frye, Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith and Kyle Korver.

Said LeBron after the game, via AmicoHoops.net:

"“I just try to put myself in position to help my teammates win — no matter who’s on the floor with me. I just don’t settle for being not as great as I can be. The only thing that matters is (winning). That’s what I’m here for.”"

Frye and Smith each scored 13 points. Each one of Smith’s baskets was from 3-point territory, while Frye was 2-of-5 from beyond the arc.

Triple Double: LeBron just didn’t have a triple-double, it was of the 41-point variety, to go along with 13 rebounds and 12 assists.

Give Russ Westbrook credit for his regular-season fete, but LeBron could easily average a triple-double per night if he had to.

Russ and James Harden are the favorites to win the MVP hardware this season, but this game is just another example of how the playoffs are a different beast. Harden and Westbrook don’t do this type of thing in the playoffs.

It’s LeBron’s world, and we’re all living in it.

Monte On the run: A new verb just entered the dictionary. Monte’d: It means you run the other way when LeBron James is leading a fast break

Using it in a sentence: “I saw LeBron on the break and Monte’d my way toward the bench as fast as I could.”

Not a good look for the veteran, who will certainly never live this one down.

It’s one thing to give up on this type of play in January, but when your team’s season is on the line? This dunk effectively ended the game. When this happened, it became clear: The Cavs were going to win this game.

Next: All-Time Starting 5 From The LeBron-Less Era

Larry Legend: On the 31st anniversary of the day Michael Jordan dropped 63 points on Larry Bird‘s Celtics’ teams–an NBA playoff high–James brought history back in front of Bird, the Pacers GM.