LeBron’s triple double eases Cavaliers past Bulls
He’s already the best player in the NBA, he’s the reigning league MVP so the only thing left for LeBron James to do is lead his Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA finals and win.
And leading the Cavs is just what he’s doing, recording his fifth career post-season triple-double in a 121-98 win over the Chicago Bulls. James had 37 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists giving the Cavs a commanding 3-1 lead in the series and putting the Bulls on the brink of elimination.
That kind of box score is what we have become accustomed to with LeBron and even in the previous game when the Cavs lost, he was just two assists shy of another triple-double. Every triple-double is special, but this one was even more so as LeBron became the first player to post a line of at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists while making at least six 3-pointers in the play-offs.
"I've done some great things in the past, I'll do some great things in the future, but we're in the present now, and I'm feeling pretty good,” James said after the game.
Mid-season signing Antawn Jamison chipped in with 24 points and seven rebounds in 37 minutes to take the strain off LeBron and Mo Williams helped out with a handy 19 points, going 3-6 from the three point line.
If the Cavs are to go one better than the Eastern Conference Finals they will need more performances like that from their role players, and Shaquille O’Neal will have to play more than 17 minutes a game and contribute more than just six points and five fouls.
Despite scoring a game-high 37 points Cleveland coach Mike Brown was pleased with LeBron’s effort on defence.
"He was extremely active all over the place, he really set the tone defensively. He was terrific for us on the weakside. He was great for us on the ball, and he talked defense the whole game,” Brown said.
It will be that kind of mentality which will eventually hand LeBron and Cleveland their first ever championship.
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