Josh Jenkins Sports

Yes, Kyrie Irving came up with the clutch shot to give the Cavaliers a game-breaking lead.

Yes, Golden State had a historical collapse (I’ll save that story for another day).

And yes, when LeBron missed the first of two late-game free throws I envisioned his legacy crumbling before my very eyes.

But…

Cleveland won.

Cleveland actually won. The city which had waited more than 50 years for a major sports championship, finally had to wait no longer.

And when they pen in the numbers for the 2016 NBA Finals, only one name will truly matter. The same name which has only really ever matter, LeBron James.

James led all players from both teams in every single statistical category.

He made more buckets, he grabbed more rebounds, he made the best passes for his team mates and he played relentless, game-changing defence making steals and blocking shots.

He left Cleveland in the most unceremonious circumstances only half a dozen years ago.

The locals burned his jersey and the owner of the team wrote a scathing, spiteful letter that looked like splintering the James-Cavaliers relationship forever.

But he came home and all differences were put aside for one goal.

To bring a title back to Northeast Ohio.

And it was the kid from Northeast Ohio who delivered that title.

No one played more minutes, but we come to expect that as James has played more than 2,000 more minutes than the next most clocked player in the past six years.

He shot at almost 50% from the field despite always facing multiple defenders and when only two Warriors players (not Curry and not Thompson) could manage even close to .500.

Often we take LeBron’s greatness and basketball talent for granted.

Not this time.

Four games into this series it looked over. James looked like going 2-5 in the Finals with detractors lining up to give him more, unwarranted grief.

But – with the help of Irving – King James took his place among basketball immortals. Back-to-back games with 41 points, a triple-double, countless highlight reel defensive plays and dunks, he did everything.

But he always does everything.

Because in my opinion he’s the second greatest player to have ever played with at least 3-5 good years left in his remarkably consistent, durable body to create more basketball history.

And as the legendary college basketball analyst Dick Vitale said on Twitter, ‘when his career is over he will go down as THE BEST ALL AROUND PLAYER TO EVER PLAY ! #ENDOFSTORY’

Good enough for Dickie V, good enough for me. All Hail King James!