For years, people have debated where LeBron James ranks among the greatest players in NBA history. For whatever reason, he has become a polarizing figure in sports, especially since he joined the Los Angeles Lakers six years ago.
His unapologetic fans swear he’s the greatest player of all time and that it isn’t even close. But his haters, of which he has many, believe he ranks rather low among the all-time greats and even think he would’ve been just another decent player had he played during the 1990s.
Objectively, the big negative in James’ legacy is his 4-6 record in the NBA Finals, as well as, to a certain extent, the two years as a Laker in which he missed the playoffs. Starting on Saturday, he will have a chance to significantly add to his legacy.
That is when the Lakers begin the playoffs against the defending world champion Denver Nuggets.
The Nuggets are huge favorites in both Game 1 and for the series as a whole, and many pundits seem to be picking them to win in four or five games.
That is where the opportunity lies for James.
The Nuggets swept L.A. in last season’s Western Conference finals, and they have won eight straight against James’ team going back to last January. On top of that, lately, they have had the look of a team that will almost inevitably win it all. No one outside of the Southland thinks the Lakers have a chance in this matchup.
But James is healthier now than he was a year ago. While key defensive stud Jarred Vanderbilt is still out with a foot injury, almost every other rotation player is healthy. Los Angeles has a greater level of chemistry and cohesion than it did at this time last year when it was still learning how to play together after a couple of big midseason trades.
James has overcome great odds to win multiple playoff series before. His Cleveland Cavaliers did so in the 2016 NBA Finals by overcoming a 3-1 series deficit against the Golden State Warriors, who had won a record 73 games in the regular season.
In the 2007 Eastern Conference finals, Cleveland fell behind 2-0 to the Detroit Pistons, only to win the next four contests as James had perhaps the first dominant stretch of his career during the playoffs.
If the Lakers somehow triumph over Nikola Jokic and crew in this series, it would give them the look of a gathering storm. James will likely have to have two or three vintage performances for that to happen, which is certainly possible, but it may still not be enough.
But if the Lakers prevail, it will be because James taps into his will and refuses to be passive or defer to his teammates at critical junctures. It would be seen as a monumental upset, and it would rank as one of the finer moments of James’ career.
In his 21st season, he will not have that many more opportunities to create indelible memories and triumphs for himself or his team.
