When you mention the greatest players of all-time, there are a few names that are usually mentioned. The names that usually are in the conversation are, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlin, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or a Michael Jordan.

Those that lived to watch these players and their greatest moments live, often say how much they miss them. The retirement of Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan in 2016 were the latest reminder that every great career has an expiration date.

Magic Johnson and Larry Bird helped the game transition from tape delay to live broadcast. Michael Jordan was responsible for taking the game global and influencing so many international players that you see in the NBA today. While many fans around the league rooted against these stars, there was still an appreciation of what they did each night. As their careers came to an end, they became basketball royalty and could do no wrong.

LeBron James is currently playing the game of basketball at one of the highest levels that the world has ever seen. The coverage of the NBA and the access that current technology has given us has made the extraordinary look ordinary. LeBron has won 12-straight first round series. LeBron James in game 3 at Indiana played one of the most impressive games in the history of the NBA playoffs.

There are incredibly talented players playing around LeBron James, most notably Kyrie Irving. For the first time since the 2015 NBA Finals, we got to see how LeBron fares as a lone star Thursday night. Without Kyrie and Kevin Love in the fourth quarter, we witnessed what no other player in today’s NBA could accomplish. As brilliant of a game as that comeback was, it pales in comparison to his previous feats. We have become so accustomed to the play of LeBron James that nothing he does will be appreciated until he retires from basketball.

In his 14th NBA season, LeBron James is the best player in the NBA and still by a fairly wide margin. There is a fascination among media and fans to prematurely crown the next big thing. LeBron’s sustained greatness and longevity has been overshadowed by who should win the NBA’s MVP. Yes, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Kawhi Leonard are fantastic talents, but there is only one LeBron. Every once in a while superstars have moments when you are reminded of that greatness. If this series is a barometer, LeBron’s performance these playoffs could be one for the ages.