LeBron James Accomplished Something Only 3 Other Players in NBA History Have Done
The LA Lakers are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. LeBron James is back in the finals after missing out in 2019. This is his 10th overall finals appearance and first with the Lakers.
He became just the fourth player in NBA history to make at least 10 trips to the finals in their career, joining an elite group of NBA legends.
The Lakers won the title the last time they played in the finals
RELATED: How Much Are the Los Angeles Lakers Worth?
Let’s go back to the 2010 NBA Finals. The Lakers were led by Kobe Bryant and were looking to win back-to-back titles. Standing in their way was the Boston Celtics, who defeated the Lakers in the 2008 finals. Bryant wanted revenge against Boston, and it was a series to remember. The Lakers and Celtics have one of the best rivalries in all of sports. Both teams have won numerous championships and have established themselves as two of the best franchises in basketball.
You had Bryant going up against the Celtics big three. This is the matchup everybody wanted to see. Both teams went back and forth during the 2010 finals. The series was tied up at 2-2, and both teams were playing their hearts out. In Game 5, the Celtics won a close one 92-86 and were a win away from winning their second title in three years. But the Lakers had other plans. LA dominated Game 6 as they held Boston to under 70 points, winning 89-67.
It all came down to the final game, and Game 7 was a game to remember. The Lakers were able to pull out the 83-79 victory, winning their second straight title. Now, 10 years later, the Lakers have a chance to be on top of the basketball world yet again, and this time the Miami Heat are standing in their way.
LeBron James’ impressive 2019-20 season
In his 17th NBA season, James continues to dominate and play at a high-level. He’s a big reason the Lakers are in the finals, and he’s quickly turned the team around into a winning program. James put together an impressive resume this year, and he could have won his fifth NBA MVP award. During the regular season, he averaged 25.3 points, 10.2 assists (led the league), and 7.8 rebounds.
He did it all for the Lakers, as you can see in his stat line. Having this success at the age of 35 shows you how determined he was to lead the Lakers to the championship. Before the season started, the Lakers were favored to make it to the NBA Finals. They lived up to that expectation and are now four wins away from being crowned champions. For James, this will be his fourth NBA title if the Lakers can defeat the Heat, and this title will be a special one for him, especially after Lakers legend Kobe Bryant passed away earlier this year. It will also be exciting to see James go up against his former team, where he won two titles playing for the Heat.
LeBron James making history yet again
James became the fourth player in NBA history to reach the finals 10 or more times after the Lakers defeated the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. The three-time NBA champion joins three Hall of Famers after the win over Denver. James joins Bill Russell, Sam Jones, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players to appear in 10 or more NBA Finals.
Russell, who has the most championships, appeared in 12 NBA Finals, winning 11 of them. Jones appeared in 11 NBA Finals, winning 10, and Abdul-Jabbar appeared in 10 and won six. James continues to add to his NBA legacy and build his impressive resume. When his career is over, James will have accomplished so much, and there’s no question that he will be in the Hall of Fame.
