The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Boston Celtics in the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals in seven epic games behind LeBron James, who averaged 33.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, 8.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks in the seven-game series.
The Celtics took a 2-0 lead by winning the first two games at home. The Cavaliers responded by winning Games 3 and 4 in Cleveland.
Boston won Game 5 and Cleveland won Game 6, so the series would be decided in Game 7 on the Celtics’ home floor.
The Cavaliers won Game 7 by a final score of 87-79. LeBron played the entire game and finished with 35 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists and two blocks while shooting 12-of-24 from the field, 3-of-8 from beyond the arc and 8-of-11 from the free-throw line.
Celtics big man Al Horford told JJ Redick in March 2023 that LeBron playing every second of Game 7 and not being tired was “disturbing.”
“It was Game 7, about four minutes to go in the fourth quarter, it was still a very close game, and we’re getting out of the timeout, and I’m looking at Marcus Morris, I’m looking at Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier, myself, we’re gassed,” Horford said. “I mean, it’s Game 7, we’re giving everything we have. I’m in great shape, but I’m still like just very tired from the game.
“And I look at the other and he’s sitting kind of like in the scorer’s table kind of like just leaning very casual. He’s played every single minute up to that point and he looked unfazed. He looked unbothered. And to me, that was disturbing.
“The fitness level, the conditioning that he’s in, I think it’s something that people don’t realize how good of a shape he’s in, and also just that gear that he kicks it to. I mean, it’s not a lot of people that can do that and there’s a reason why he’s one of the greats.”
LeBron is one of the best — if not the best — players in NBA history. He has career averages of 27.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists.
LeBron is a four-time regular-season MVP, a four-time champion and a four-time Finals MVP. He became the leading scorer in NBA history last season.
LeBron is first in NBA history in points, fourth in assists, eighth in steals, fifth in triple-doubles, seventh in points per game, third in player efficiency rating and second in field goals.
LeBron is the only player in NBA history to rank top-five all-time in points and assists, the only player to win three Finals MVPs with three different teams and the only player to score 40,000 points.
LeBron has played for the Cavaliers (twice), Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers.
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