LeBron James has been fantastic so far in the 2017 NBA Finals as he's averaging a triple-double in the series. Even though he's only played in two games, his stats are impressive and he's been the best player on his team. However, despite his amazing performances, the Cleveland Cavaliers are down 0-2 and they are just two losses away from another NBA Finals loss.
While James has been dominant on the offensive end of the floor, it could be argued that he could have done a much better job on defense. Kevin Durant has been his primary defensive assignment and James has allowed him to score efficiently and lead the Warriors in points per game.
Because of this, many people think that LeBron is tired, and they definitely expect him to give a much better effort in the upcoming games of the series.
LeBron isn't tired
Kevin Durant is averaging 35.5 points per game in the NBA Finals so far, and his shooting percentages are even more impressive. The former MVP has converted 56.3 percent of his field goal attempts, 50 percent of the long range shots and 90.9 percent of the free throws he took. He's been unstoppable and a lot of his points came from easy dunks as the Cavaliers failed to defend him properly.
LeBron James is a great defender, but he hasn't done a great job on Kevin Durant so far in the series. However, he claims that he isn't tired, so we will see if he'll improve his defense in the next game.
"Do I look tired? I'm averaging a triple-double in the Finals. I'm pretty good," said the Cleveland Cavaliers small forward.
James is averaging 28.5 points, 13.0 rebounds and 11.0 assists per game in the Finals. He is also very efficient as he's shooting 55.3 percent from the field, but his subpar defense has raised some concerns.
Furthermore, LeBron is averaging 6.0 turnovers per game, and he'll have to limit his turnovers in order to keep the Cavaliers in the series.
What can we expect from LeBron?
Game 3 of the 2017 NBA Finals is a must-win for the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James will have to give his maximum effort on both ends of the floor. Losing this game would not only make it virtually impossible for the Cavaliers to defend the championship, but they'd also be one loss away from a sweep.
LeBron James simply cannot allow his team to fall down to the Warriors, especially not in only four games. Even though he's been fantastic so far in the series, he will have to do even more in order to give his team a chance. It's a difficult task for the four-time MVP, but not an impossible one.
