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Cavs: Why LeBron James will end the GOAT debate

By Nick Dudukovich

BOSTON, MA - MAY 27: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers is interviewed by Doris Burke after defeating the Boston Celtics 87-79 in Game Seven of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals to advance to the 2018 NBA Finals at TD Garden on May 27, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 27: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers is interviewed by Doris Burke after defeating the Boston Celtics 87-79 in Game Seven of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals to advance to the 2018 NBA Finals at TD Garden on May 27, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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LeBron James has the Cleveland Cavs four wins away from a title that would end the GOAT debate with Michael Jordan.

Eight straight NBA Finals for LeBron James.

Michael Jordan never did that.

But MJ’s got six titles. LeBron’s got half that. “How can he be the GOAT?,” LeBron critics will ask.

Jordan never had to carry a team the way LeBron’s carried this Cavs’ squad. Jordan never had half his roster traded before the deadline.

No Eastern Conference champion has been written off more than this Cavs squad, yet here they are.

LeBron has no idea which of his teammates will produce on a nightly basis, yet he perseveres.

Winning the 2016 title and breaking the Cleveland curse was worth three championships, but even then, the masses weren’t going to take the crown off Jordan’s head.

But if LeBron and the Cavs end this season with a win, they’ll have no choice because no matter if it’s the Warriors or Rockets, the most remarkable player of the era will have shocked the world.

Jordan was marvelous, but if LeBron pulls this off, and it WILL require a demi-god effort, there’s no question as to whom is the league’s all-time greatest.

2. Jeff Green has been pounded plenty inside The Factory, but credit where credit is due: The former Celtic played a perfect second fiddle to LeBron James.

Green had 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting without Kevin Love, who was out with a concussion. Each point and rebound was invaluable.

Green could be knocked after every Finals game, but you can’t take Game 7 away from him. Without Green, the Cavs are not in the Finals.

3. Ty Lue gets a lot of guff here, and it’s deserved, but do credit the coach for having the Cavaliers playing championship defense.

The Celtics scored 26 in the first quarter, but only 79 for the game.

Cleveland kept Boston below 100 points four different times this series, and they were 3-1 when keeping Boston below the century mark.

This isn’t Mike Fratello’s NBA, when games featuring a team scoring over 100was the exception, not the rule.

Even though the Celtics missed shots–0-10 Terry Rozier I’m looking at you–Cleveland played its best defense of the season when it had too.

4.. Who do you want? Houston is the obvious choice because they don’t have four superstars.

But Golden State is top heavy. Yes, every team in the league would love to be top heavy the way the Warriors are, but for the first time since a crying Draymond Green begged Kevin Durant to join the Warriors, the champs have dents in the armor.

I think the Cavs have a better shot against the Rockets…I know…really going out on a limb here…but Cleveland’s so inconsistent they may be able to hang with Houston. One superstar could be off for Golden State, but because they’re so superstar heavy, their warts can be easily covered.

Extra pass: I think back to the third grade in the early 1990s in suburban Cleveland when basketball truly was life. I lived and died on every Mark Price shot, and every new season was going to be the year the Cavs got past Jordan.

They never did, but this Cavs squad has now been to basketball’s biggest showcase for four straight seasons. I worry this gets taken for granted. The Cavs are playing in June, again!

Heck they even won the whole-she-bang a couple years back.

Why not this year’s club?

When you’ve got the best player in the world, you’ve always got a chance.

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