game three of the NBA Finals is happening on Wednesday. The Golden State Warriors are looking to take a commanding 3-0 lead on the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers. The Warriors have been dominant since the beginning of the series, causing headaches for the Cavs.
LeBron James has been playing well in this series, as he is averaging a triple-double at this point. That still hasn't been enough, as the Cavs have failed to find consistent scoring besides James. If the Cavs fall into an 0-3 hole, the series is pretty much over. LeBron James needs to show up in game three as his legacy is riding on it.
Could game three be the biggest game of LeBron James' career?
Must-win scenario
Game three for LeBron and the Cavs is a must-win scenario. The need to maintain home court advantage against the Warriors if they want to have any chance of extending this series. It is only game three, but even players like LeBron can't bring their team back from an 0-3 deficit against a team like the Warriors. Everyone will say they came back from a 1-3 deficit, but it's not the same thing. If they fall into an 0-3 hole, they would need to pull off four straight wins against a team that contains four all-stars. Not to mention they would need to win two games on the road including a game seven. That is too much for any player, even LeBron James.
The Cavs need to find some way to put up more points against the Warriors. LeBron James isn't scoring enough and he seemed gassed in game two. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love both need to step up in game three, as they both have had their off games in the series. The third quarter has killed the Cavs in these Finals, as the Warriors have scored way more points than them in the third.
LeBron must figure out a way to combat that if he wants to survive past game four.
LeBron is ready for the challenge
LeBron James has performed when called upon, especially in critical games like this one. Everyone remembers his game six performance against the Boston Celtics in 2012. He scored 45 points, grabbed 15 boards and had no mercy for his opponents, forcing a game seven.
He also showed up in game five of last year's Finals when he dropped 41 along with 16 boards and 7 assists. LeBron isn't afraid of the huge games and he is ready to go.
James has a Finals record of 3-4, and this game three could have an effect on his legacy. If he loses the game, he could wind up losing the series and having a record of 3-5 in the Finals. That isn't pretty and many could debate that he can't be the greatest with that terrible Finals record. But, if he manages to win game three and spark some momentum for his team, he could have a better chance at going 4-4 in the Finals and improving his resume as one of the greatest ever.
Tune into ABC at 9 p.m. EST to see if LeBron James delivers in a crucial game three.
