NBA Finals: LeBron James has more than just a title on the line

BASKETBALL fans are in for a treat, we’re getting LeBron vs. Curry for a second straight NBA Finals — and there’s more than just a title on the line.

Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James has his legacy on the line in the NBA Finals.

THE NBA is a superstar league. If you have one (or two, or three), you are a perennial title contender. Yet it’s a rare occurrence for the top two players in the game to square off in the NBA Finals.

The reasons why not are plentiful, but they don’t stop you from wondering “What if?”

The last time it happened was perhaps in 2012, but it was more likely in 2001, or maybe it was 1998.

Ultimately, we never got LeBron James vs. Kobe Bryant, so that should make it all the more tremendous that we’re getting LeBron vs. Stephen Curry for a second straight NBA Finals.

For LeBron, it’s a particularly unique opportunity, as it provides him a clear-cut chance to reclaim his title as the NBA’s best player.

LeBron James is perhaps the most physically talented player in the history of the NBA.

The Cleveland forward has been a superstar since he was 16 years old, and every season since he was 21, he’s played in double-digit playoff games, winning two titles with Miami and going to six straight NBA Finals.

LeBron is perhaps the most physically talented player in the history of the NBA, and if he were to retire tomorrow, he’d go down as one of the greatest to ever play the game.

You can argue that LeBron — the all-time great, perhaps even the greatest — is at the height of his powers in this, his age-31 season. But even so, he’s not hands-down the best player in the NBA today.

Not when Curry is playing like this. The Golden State guard put up arguably the greatest offensive season in NBA history in the Warriors’ record setting 73-win campaign this year, becoming the first player to win the MVP Award unanimously.

It became a constant conversation around the NBA this season — who’s the best player in the game: LeBron or Steph?

Get ready for LeBron James v Stephen Curry Mk II.

It was hard for anyone to make the case against Curry after the year he had — LeBron tried but ended up contradicting himself — but the man dubbed King James has a chance to reclaim his throne in the upcoming NBA Finals.

Curry plays on a historically great team with an exceptional cast of teammates. He remains exceptional himself, but he invariably has more help than LeBron, even with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love healthy for the Cavs this season. (Citing Love highlights that point.)

The Warriors are a better team, so if the Cavs are going to win Cleveland’s first major professional sport championship in 52 years, LeBron will need to play exceptional basketball.

That means he’s going to have to be a significantly better player than Curry for at least four of seven possible games.

LeBron came up just short of that mark last year, despite his herculean, beyond-impressive effort.

If he can pull off the feat in 2016, who could claim that he’s not the best?

NO RIVALRY HERE

ON the eve of Game 1, James was asked about his controversial comments made after Curry won his second consecutive most valuable player award. James questioned the meaning of the MVP trophy, and noted that there is sometimes a difference between “best player in the league” and the “most valuable.” James said Wednesday that he made a mistake answering the reporter’s question in the first place.

“What’s a rivalry? A rivalry is Celtics and Lakers. They met like four out of five years ... Bulls-Pistons. Those are rivalries, man.”

“First of all, I made the mistake by even answering the question because I knew where it was going to go, and I guarantee how it was phrased to Steph wasn’t how I answered the question. So obviously his reaction was what it was. And I’ve been there before as well. So Steph was definitely the MVP of our league and is the MVP in our league and is a great basketball player, and what he does for this league is amazing.

Then the question was asked if I had a vote what would the difference be between most valuable and MVP, and I gave my opinion. So obviously you guys ran with it.”

LeBron also said he doesn’t believe there’s a rivalry between himself and Curry.

“You guys make rivals. I mean, I think it’s great for the sport. It’s great for all sports. I don’t think me and Steph — when you talk about rivalries, you talk about Carolina-Duke, you talk about Ohio State-Michigan. It’s hard to say LeBron and Steph. If there’s a smaller scale or another word for a rival.

The fact that we’re going back-to-back I think is pretty unique. It’s pretty unique to be in this position and just to have another opportunity, another opportunity for guys to write about it, for us to play it, for the people to talk about it throughout the world. I’m blessed that I can be a part of conversations.”

This isn’t the first time LeBron’s shot down the rivalry narrative in the NBA. Back in 2013, James said that he believes there’s no “real rivalry” anywhere in the league.

“What’s a rivalry? A rivalry is Celtics and Lakers. They met like four out of five years ... Bulls-Pistons. Those are rivalries, man.”

- Nick Schwartz Fox Sports US

This article originally appeared on Fox Sports US

Originally published as NBA Finals: LeBron James has more than just a title on the line