LeBron cryptic about another factor driving him towards title
LeBron James is, in many ways, on his own again.
With his top two sidekicks in Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love down, the Cleveland Cavaliers have no choice but to turn full reigns over to the best player in the world. His ridiculous 41.4 percent usage rate and 83 points in two NBA Finals games against the Golden State Warriors are the results so far.
Yet there's something else motivating James as he chases a third NBA title - and first in Cleveland - and he's not letting on what it is.
"My motivation is to make sure my guys are ready and prepared every night we step on the floor," James told reporters after Game 2 Sunday. "And I have some other motivation that I won't talk about right now, but I have so many different things to worry about than being an underdog or guys counting us out."
What could it be?
After his postgame news conference, James told Joe Vardon of the Northeast Ohio Media Group: "I hope we win so I can tell y'all."
Winning will be a tall order. While the Cavaliers have ridden James' isolations to a tied series heading into Tuesday's Game 3 in Cleveland, this is already at least partly reminiscent of the 2007 Finals. That's when James last dragged a Cavs squad short on talent this far. Unlike that series against the San Antonio Spurs, however, Cleveland has managed to win a game this time around.
James' transition to the role of underdog in the past week is largely unfamiliar. Yet the player himself is also chasing a legacy that, no matter how silly, will still compare him against names like Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson. A defeat in the Finals would put LeBron at 2-4 all-time in the championship round, and fertilize two decades' worth of hot takes.
Avoiding that could be motivation enough.