Sound the recency bias alarms, but this might be the best LeBron James dunk we’ve ever seen.
The King has had plenty of highlight-reel slams over the years, but everything about what he did in this one play during Game 3 of the NBA Finals arguably made it better than the rest.
It had everything from hustle to incredible athleticism — which, although it’s always been a staple of James’ incredible all-around skill, was something we haven’t quite seen at this level in some time.
And of course, it came at the perfect moment. The Golden State Warriors had mounted a comeback to begin the second half of Game 3, but James and his Cleveland Cavaliers emphatically responded. This was the exclamation point, the final nail in Golden State’s proverbial coffin in a 120-90 loss.
In a game James dubbed “do or die,” the 31-year-old responded and reminded everyone who the best player in the NBA really is with a throwback statline: 32 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and one steal. Instead of a three-games-to-none death sentence, Cleveland slowly climbed out of its self-dug hole and found a bit of life in the process.
James wasn’t the only star Wednesday night at Quicken Loans Arena, though. Point guard Kyrie Irving arguably had the best game of his playoff career, adding 30 points and eight rebounds. More importantly, though, he threw Warriors star Stephen Curry off his game, in the process drawing three early fouls that relegated the two-time MVP to the bench.
Curry finished with a team-high 19 points, 17 of which came in the second half, while Klay Thompson suffered an injury and contributed just 10 points. J.R. Smith added 20 for Cleveland, and Tristan Thompson chipped in 14 points and 13 rebounds.
But it’s James who will be remembered in this one. When The Land called for its ruler, The King answered.
