CLEVELAND—Generously admitting that he most likely would not have been able to beat the gritty, defensive-minded Pacers all by himself, Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James credited his teammates during the post-game press conference Sunday with providing the necessary bodies to avoid forfeiting Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. “I really have to hand it to my guys for showing up at the arena and preventing an automatic loss with our season on the line,” said James, praising his teammates’ promptness and stressing that they were equipped to compete with warm-up sweats, jerseys, and sneakers. “We won this game today as a unit, as defined by Association regulations. I’m only one man, and whether you like it or not, that’s just not enough to field a team. Basketball really is a team sport, and you must have four other players on the court at all times.” James, visibly exhausted after averaging 41.8 points in Cavaliers’ wins during the series, also admitted that Cleveland would’ve swept Indiana if NBA rules had not mandated the presence of four superfluous players.

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