LeBron James optimistic he can still lose at least 5 to 7 more NBA Finals

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Abstract

It turns out LeBron could have heroically lost as many as nine more NBA Finals had things bounced right. He could have added to his long list of defeats in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2016. James might have been remembered among the likes of Jerry West (1–8) and Elgin Baylor (0–8) on the list of all-time NBA Finals losers. Instead, he’ll soon be a forgettable 3–6.</p><p id="6bcc">But James isn’t focusing on the past. He’s about to wrap up his finest heroic defeat in recent memory. James is averaging 38 points, 9 boards, and 11 assists, and many cannot remember LeBron losing to a more impressive team. When asked about the possibility of one day losing a title for the Lakers or 76ers, James got tears in his eyes and was unable to comment further. He dreams of one day adding a Finals MVP in a losing effort like his idol Jerry West.</p><p id="0ceb">Still, James is only 33 and in peak athletic form. With any luck, LeBron’s heroic losing could extend another five or ten years into the future.</p><p id="1670">When asked how many more Finals he thought he could lose before it was all over, with a nearly-impossible-to-beat Warriors team waiting for him in the Finals every year, LeBron could only chuckle.</p><p id="cbcc">“Not one, not two. Not three, not four, not five. Not six, not seven…”</p><div id="71ce" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/michael-jordan-is-something-lebron-james-will-never-be-invincible-nba-goat-debate-basketball-bulls-848abc60f9ff"> <div> <div> <h2>Michael Jordan Was One Thing LeBron Can Never Be: INVINCIBLE</h2> <div><h3>The G.O.A.T. debate rages on, but Michael Jordan remains forever untouchable</h3></div> <div><p></p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*RAfXJvkc4pht_gFx-pd9OA.jpeg)"></d

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iv> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="f978"><i>This was originally published with <a href="http://sportspickle.com/news/lebron-james-optimistic-can-still-lose-least-five-seven-nba-finals.html">SportsPickle</a> in 2017 and has been updated with shockingly few changes. Follow Brandon <a href="https://twitter.com/wheatonbrando">@wheatonbrando</a> for more sports, humor, pop culture, and life musings. Visit Brandon’s <a href="https://readmedium.com/brandon-anderson-writing-archives-6b3ee1a29301#.6cteu050v">writing archives here</a>.</i></p><h2 id="b64b">TIER I — FRANCHISE CHANGERS</h2><p id="bfc8"><i>No one</i></p><h2 id="2b42">TIER II — POTENTIAL SUPERSTARS</h2><p id="9c8a"><i>1. LaMelo Ball 2. Anthony Edwards</i></p><h2 id="495f">TIER III — THE 16 GAMERS</h2><p id="c2e8"><i>3. Isaac Okoro 4. Devin Vassell 5. Tyrese Maxey 6. Killian Hayes 7. Tyrese Haliburton 8. Patrick Williams 9. Onyeka Okongwu</i></p><h2 id="ff25">TIER IV — HUGE UPSIDE SWINGS</h2><p id="fe26"><i>10. Aleksej Pokusevski 11. Cole Anthony 12. James Wiseman 13. Kira Lewis 14. Josh Green 15. Obi Toppin 16. R.J. Hampton</i></p><h2 id="1bbb">TIER V — SOLID ROTATION PLAYS</h2><p id="1929"><i>17. Nico Mannion 18. Xavier Tillman 19. Leandro Bolmaro 20. Deni Avdija 21. Saddiq Bey 22. Theo Maledon 23. Tyrell Terry 24. Grant Riller 25. Paul Reed 26. Cassius Stanley 27. Killian Tillie</i></p><h2 id="f49c">TIER VI — SECOND ROUND SWINGS</h2><p id="641b"><i>28. Aaron Nesmith 29. Cassius Winston 30. Desmond Bane 31. Jaden McDaniels 32. Tyler Bey 33. Jalen Smith 34. Tre Jones 35. Malachi Flynn 36. Precious Achiuwa</i></p><h2 id="0f33">TIER VII — EVERYONE ELSE</h2><p id="429f"><i>37. Skylar Mays 38. Isaiah Joe 39. Isaiah Stewart 40. Mason Jones 41. Jahmi’us Ramsey 42. Robert Woodard 43. Devon Dotson 44. Vernon Carey 45. Daniel Oturu 46. Ty-Shon Alexander 47. Nate Hinton 48. Zeke Nnaji 49. Elijah Hughes 50. Jordan Nwora</i></p></article></body>

LeBron James optimistic he can still lose at least five to seven more NBA Finals

(SP) — The NBA Finals will wrap up soon, perhaps as early as tonight, and it looks all but certain LeBron James will add yet another heroic defeat to his ever-growing resume.

This makes an impressive six Finals losses for LeBron, including four in the last five years. It’s an incredible mark that hasn’t been matched in the NBA for decades, back when there were far fewer teams to lose to.

James explained to reporters today that he could have lost as many as nine more NBA Finals already if things had gone his way. In 2016 James was averaging a perfectly good 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists through four games against the 73–9 Warriors and was all set to add a loss to his most impressive Finals opponent yet when everything went awry. A Draymond punch here, a Bogut injury there, some Kyrie magic, and suddenly the Cavs had won the whole thing.

But that wasn’t the only time James came so close to an historic defeat only to come up just short. A few years earlier, LeBron seemed all but certain to walk off the court a Finals loser when he missed a game-tying three in the closing seconds, only to see teammates Chris Bosh and Ray Allen combine to save the series and send it to a deciding Game 7 the Heat ultimately won.

But LeBron won’t stop there when he thinks about what might have been.

There was the 2009 Conference Finals loss to the Magic when LeBron’s 1-seed Cavs had been heavy favorites to lose to the Lakers in the Finals. There were the years before and after when James was eliminated by the Celtics in the second round. In LeBron’s darkest moments, he still sometimes wonders how heroic it might have felt to lose to a threepeat Kobe team in the Finals. It’s a legacy accomplishment he’ll never have now.

But James isn’t focusing on the past. He’s about to wrap up his finest heroic defeat in recent memory. James is averaging 38 points, 9 boards, and 11 assists, and many cannot remember LeBron losing to a more impressive team. When asked about the possibility of one day losing a title for the Lakers or 76ers, James got tears in his eyes and was unable to comment further. He dreams of one day adding a Finals MVP in a losing effort like his idol Jerry West.

Still, James is only 33 and in peak athletic form. With any luck, LeBron’s heroic losing could extend another five or ten years into the future.

When asked how many more Finals he thought he could lose before it was all over, with a nearly-impossible-to-beat Warriors team waiting for him in the Finals every year, LeBron could only chuckle.

“Not one, not two. Not three, not four, not five. Not six, not seven…”

This was originally published with SportsPickle in 2017 and has been updated with shockingly few changes. Follow Brandon @wheatonbrando for more sports, humor, pop culture, and life musings. Visit Brandon’s writing archives here.