There have been plenty of surprises in the playoffs, perhaps none more intriguing than the fact that both the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors, who are the defending champions of their respective conferences, are both down 3-2 in the conference finals.
That the Cavaliers also reached this deep in the postseason despite LeBron James being surrounded by arguably the weakest supporting cast he’s had since returning to Cleveland is also another twist in the playoffs.
For Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens, it astonishes him that James is managing to play at an extremely high level notwithstanding all the challenges that the Cavs’ superstar has to deal with, per Tom Withers of the Associated Press.
It has been repeatedly pointed out of late that LeBron James has been carrying almost the entire load for the Cavs. While he occasionally gets ample support from his teammates, those games have been few and far in between. So far in the playoffs, James is pacing his team in points with 33.2 per game while shooting 54.7 percent from the field. He also averages 8.8 rebounds and 8.8 assists in 16 games in the postseason.
Apart from doing most of the heavy lifting for his team, James has to contend with plenty of distractions coming from critics, who just want to see the four-time MVP fail one more time in Cleveland.
The Cavs will face Brad Stevens and the Celtics Friday night at home in hopes of keeping their title hopes alive. Whether he gets help or not, LeBron James is expected to perform at a high level. Otherwise, it could mean an early vacation for the Cavaliers.
