Down 3-0 in NBA Finals, LeBron James reveals plenty in candid session with media

Jeff Zillgitt | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Warriors on verge of sweeping Cavaliers in NBA Finals SportsPulse: From Quicken Loans Arena, Trysta Krick and NBA insiders Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt break down how Cleveland missed a big opportunity at home against Golden State.

CLEVELAND – LeBron James is not in command on the court in the NBA Finals. Despite his all-world production, his Cleveland Cavaliers trail Golden State 3-0, and the prospect of even winning a game in the series is as bleak as a northeast Ohio winter.

Off the court, on the dais while addressing reporters, James is in complete command.

Whether talking about his son LeBron Jr.’s basketball prospects, what he looks for in teammates, the difficulty of playing Golden State’s stacked roster, missing Dwyane Wade who was traded from Cleveland in February or poking fun at Portland for passing on Kevin Durant in the 2007 draft, James was thoughtful, insightful and entertaining.

He has been a man in full control during this postseason, averaging 34.5 points, 9.2 rebounds and nine assists and shooting 53.9% from the field. He has recorded at least 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in 10 consecutive Finals games. No other player has ever done that in back-to-back games.

“My love of the game continues to get bigger and bigger and greater and greater, and hopefully my game and my health continue to be at a level it is today for some years to come,” James said.

It was perhaps James’ last press conference of the season before he has to answer questions about his impending free agency. If the Warriors complete the sweep in Game 4 on Friday, most of the questions aimed at James will be about his future.

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James will give cursory answers and say something about taking time off, spending time with family and then meeting with a small group of confidantes to discuss where he wants to play next season. He won’t reveal much.

But on Thursday, James revealed plenty. It was the perfect opportunity for him to star in the press conference setting.

James knows the ending to this movie. He’s lived it before. Last season, the Warriors were up 3-0 and finished off Cleveland in five games. James won’t concede defeat in front of a near-insurmountable task.

“I still feel like I'm excited to put on the uniform tomorrow,” he said.

The Warriors have too much and the Cavs not enough.

Or more to the point: Even though Cleveland has LeBron James – and he did all he could once again – the Warriors have Kevin Durant, and that’s almost unfair alongside Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

“Let's just speak truth: Kevin Durant. You've got two guys with MVPs on their team,” James said. “And then you've got a guy in Klay who could easily be on a team and carry a team, score 40 in a quarter before. And then you have Draymond, who is arguably one of the best defenders and minds we have in our game.

“Then you add on a Finals MVP coming off the bench (Andre Iguodala), a number one pick in Livingston and an All-Star in David West and whatever the case may be. So, they have a lot of talent.”

If you listened closely enough, you heard what James wants in teammates. He’s gleaned it from 15 years of NBA experience, nine Finals appearances, including eight consecutive and three championships. James has one of the best minds in the game because he was born with that ability and saw how important it was to have.

When James struggled to beat the Boston Celtics during his first run with Cleveland in the late 2000s, he noticed, “(Rajon) Rondo was calling out sets every time you come down. It was like, ‘OK, this is bigger than basketball.’ So not only do you have to have the talent, you have to have the minds as well.

“Listen, we're all NBA players. Everybody knows how to put the ball in the hoop. But who can think throughout the course of the game? …

“So, now everyone is trying to figure that out. How do you put together a group of talent but also a group of minds to be able to compete with Golden State, to be able to compete for a championship?”

He wants to play with All-Stars, veterans and players with high basketball lQs. Consider that formula when projecting where James will play next season.

James also was a father during the press conference. LeBron Jr. is a talented 13-year-old basketball player.

“It's been a treat to watch, being a parent and seeing my son grow as a basketball player,” James said. “But not only that, being a young man who he is today.

“There is no obstacle that he will run into that I haven't been a part of that I can't coach him.

“At the end of the day, he's still going to have to live his own life and find his own path. But I hope he turns off his comments on social media. That would be the smartest thing he can do.”

James had a lot to say Thursday.

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