LeBron James has re-focused himself and zoned into his MVP-caliber self after the trade deadline this season, going for broke as he tries to lead this struggling Cleveland Cavaliers team to the highest seed possible.
Wednesday night was a clear evidence of his full-throttle effort, taking over the game late and scoring the last nine points for the Cavs, as they took down the Denver Nuggets 113-108.
Following his impressive performance, James was asked to self-assess his play in recent weeks, which he did bluntly.
“Probably at an all-time high,” James said. “Just because of my body, my mind, the way I go out and approach the game. And then just the grace of God giving me the ability to do this. I’m just blessed and I never take it for granted.”
The Cavs have only won four of their last seven games after going on an encouraging four-game winning streak following some key acquisitions at the trade deadline, still mired in third place, 6.5 games behind the Boston Celtics and nine games behind the Eastern Conference leader Toronto Raptors.
Only 18 games are left in the season and the Cavs’ best chance is to try to hold onto their third seed, with the Washington Wizards nipping their heels, only a game-and-a-half back of them.
James’ 39 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds were a small sample of what he’s capable of doing during pressure situations, but this team will need other players to step up and fill in for the void left by Kevin Love until his impending return.
