National Basketball Association

LeBron James should have three objectives every game

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 9:21 p.m. ET

foxsports

Jun 10, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) talks during the fourth quarter in game four of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

There’s a simple formula for LeBron James to dominate in every contest and there are only three steps to it. James will have to use it for a title repeat.

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are the defending NBA champions. In what was one of the best NBA Finals series ever, the Cavs prevailed against all odds and down 3-1, came back to beat the 73-9 Golden State Warriors. The victory itself was miraculous. The parade was one of the greatest moment’s in sports history. The ESPY Awards was public acknowledgment of the what James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and the rest of the Cavs had accomplished. The ring ceremony will be icing on the cake, to say the least.

James has returned to Cleveland and completely changed the culture of the franchise. It’s an even better franchise than what it was when he left it. After the Larry O’Brien trophy left with the Cavaliers after Game 7 of the NBA Finals, James went from being an immortalized player in Cleveland to a deified persona. Now James, like Michael Jordan, has his own mythic tale that the players after him can only aspire to.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have their first NBA Finals banner to raise. Yet, James and the rest of the Cavs aren’t satisfied with just one NBA championship. If James has anything to say about it, that NBA Finals win won’t be their last.

James is the most physically gifted and naturally talented player in the NBA and he’s as cerebral as they come. If there’s been one problem he’s had in his career, it’s that James has to do literally everything. There’s been no constant and consistent blueprint to how he should be utilized game-by-game. This season that should all change.

This year’s Cleveland Cavaliers are more comfortable with each other and the improved chemistry will show in James’ game. As James’ role is refined, the Cavs will become a well-oiled machine. James can all but guarantee the Cleveland Cavaliers another NBA Finals appearance. If he wants to win an NBA championship there are three keys to doing so.

Mar 23, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) dunks in the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Set The Tone Offensively

LeBron James doesn’t have to score 30 points per game with the offensive talent they have. Both Irving and Love are elite scorers. They make shots from all levels and the duo scores efficiently. However, their method of operation differs from James’ so there’s no redundancy within the styles of the Big Three. As a matter of fact, their offensive uniqueness was a major factor in James’ return to Cleveland.

How many power forwards are elite rebounders, inside-outside threats, above-average three-point shooters, and able to throw full-court passes for assists in transition? One. Love. How many point guards can break down any defender off-the-dribble one-on-one, make acrobat finishes around the basket look easy, and have a silky smooth shot out past three-point range? Two. Irving and two-time MVP Stephen Curry.

How many players are nearly unstoppable when they’re barreling towards the rim with physicality, have the finesse to make nearly any shot around the rim, have shown the ability to be a knockdown shooter, have an efficient and ever-expanding post game, and can expose every weakness of the opposing defense in the pick-and-roll? Just James.

Out of the trio, James is the most dominant player with the ball in his hands. He has the power to physically impose his will on defense and the touch to score the ball with efficiency. He also has the versatility to score in isolation, in post-ups, off-the ball, and in the pick-and-roll. Most importantly he’s arguably the most intelligent basketball player in the NBA and knows how to beat his opponent in seemingly every situation.

Feb 21, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) controls the ball as Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) defends during the first quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Be The Primary Facilitator

There are a handful of elite players who are true floor generals in the NBA today. Rajon Rondo, Chris Paul, John Wall, and James are all in that category. Even James Harden fits the mold of a true floor general, to that point. It’s up to them to be the maestro of the offense and put everybody in the right position. Yet, the NBA has changed. Point guards have gone from being lauded for their ability to facilitate or defend to being praised for their ability to score.

Curry, Damian Lillard, Russell Westbrook, and Irving are the face of the new era of NBA point guards. Their abilities to pour points on opponents at the point guard position puts opposing coaches in a pickle. They have to guard a guy who can score with ease, but who always has the ball in his hands. As a result, they’ll trap the ball-handler after he crosses half-court, double him incessantly, anything to get the ball out of the other players hands. The point guard’s teammates are often in scoring position as a result.

Yet, it’s hard for players to be elite scorers and true floor generals. Players often can to do both but find it hard to balance both duties. Only Paul, and perhaps Wall, can be considered to be elite scorers and true floor generals. But having a true floor general in the NBA is as beneficial as ever for a team that wants to operate with intelligence and efficiency.

Regardless of position, a player who can put his teammates in the right position to score is key to an elite team’s championship aspirations. It’s one reason that Draymond Green, Harden, and James are so beneficial to their teams. They keep the ducks in a row.

When James is on the floor, every Cleveland Cavalier knows their role on the floor offensively. He’ll also diligently find them while their open. His basketball IQ has allowed him to expose team’s defenses while he uses his awareness to set up his teammates for easy baskets. There’s many times where James operates like Peyton Manning pre-snap with how he directs his Cavaliers teammates and sends a pass flying to them that the opponent never saw coming but probably should have.

Most of the Cleveland Cavaliers are unable to consistently break down their opponents off-the-dribble and it’s up to one of them who can to find them. Out of the players for the Cavs who can get into the lane at will, James is far and away the best passer. He’s also the smartest player. It will be up to him, primarily, to find the shooters on the perimeter and big men as they roll to the basket.

Be The Team’s Best Defensive Threat

From a visual standpoint, if there’s one thing that James can stand to do it’s get up in his man. However, from a technical and schematic standpoint, James playing off of his man allows him to be a better team defender. When he’s not suffocating a defender’s airspace he keeps the ball action where he can see it and rotate out to open shooter.

In the regular season, James caused spot-up shooters to shoot a paltry 31.1 percent from the field. He was also effective guarding the pick-and-roll and held ball-handlers to 33.9 percent shooting from the field.

James always gets down into his defensive stance and uses his length and athleticism well to challenge defenders on the perimeter. In isolation situations, James only allowed opponents to shoot 26.9 percent from the field.

He also jumps the passing lanes well. In the playoffs, the only time hustle stats were recorded last year, James was tied for sixth in pass deflections with 3.0 per game. Those numbers had him tied with Avery Bradley and Chris Paul, both notorious defenders.

James’ perimeter defense is outstanding and it will need to continue to be elite for the Cleveland Cavaliers to repeat as NBA champions.

While the Cleveland Cavaliers thrive off of turnovers, there are much simpler reasons to be an outstanding defensive squad. The first reason is that there’s a correlation between defense and championships. The second is that James, for the first time in his career, can focus more on being a defensive pest rather than an elite scorer. James is already a lockdown defender. He even holds opponents to 40.0 percent shooting in the post. Those are numbers on par with Rudy Gobert’s defense.

In Tyronn Lue’s rotation, Richard Jefferson is still the primary backup for James. Behind Jefferson at small forward is James Jones, another player near retirement. To put it bluntly, neither Jefferson or Jones will have nearly the defensive impact James provides. This is an issue that will be exposed in the games that James is off-the-court. It’s also one of the reasons the young depth of the Cleveland Cavaliers are so important. Their defensive potential.

James can guard any player on the court from the point guard to the center, and he should. When James is in the game, he’ll have to play as well as he can on both ends because there’s a monumental drop-off in the depth behind him defensively. This season, defense should be one of James’ three priorities every game.

May 23, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) reacts as he dunks for a basket against Toronto Raptors in the second quarter of game four of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

LeBron’s Outlook For 2016-17

LeBron James is the centerpiece of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Not just in the sense that he’s the most important player in the Cavs quest to repeat, but in terms of the rest of his team has to move around him. They follow James’ cue and lead, and James acknowledges this fact. He embraces it.

He is the best offensive conductor there is in the NBA. It’s not just his ability to pass from any angle or any distance. It doesn’t just come down to his incredible basketball awareness either. James is unique in that he can get anywhere he wants on the court and be a mismatch physically.