The 37-year-old LeBron and his Lakers were out early, and I can't help but think back to LeBron who was still in the Cavaliers, whether it was 18 (1.0) or 30 (2.0), he was the beginning of my watching the NBA, and that's why I became obsessed with the NBA. Today, let's look back at the story of LeBron James, who wore a burgundy robe and resolutely returned to his hometown to fulfill his young promise.
directory:
1. The savior of the Knights of Cleveland
2. Failure, failure again: wavering beliefs
3. Leaving Cleveland: The Decision
4. Return of the King: Return to the Knights only for the promised LeBron
5. Desperate Rebirth: Created the only Cleveland Cavaliers in history
In 12 years of knighthood, LeBron has created countless records, from a highly anticipated newcomer to the little emperor second only to Kobe, to the first person in the league recognized by everyone, seemingly smooth life has also experienced a lot of inner ups and downs, let's review this story together.
［1. Cleveland Knight's Savior]
In high school, LeBron was the focus of everyone's attention, everyone was optimistic about the proud son of heaven, ESPN even broadcast a high school student game in the United States for him, which was quite rare, and the game attracted a total of 1.67 million people to watch, which was the third highest-rated basketball game in ESPN history at that time.
Such a high popularity made NIKE willing to sign him for more than $90 million for 7 years, and LeBron also came to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 as a champion, becoming the savior in the minds of the locals.
LeBron averaged 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists per game in his rookie season, helping the team improve his record by 18 wins, and although he has not yet returned to the playoffs, he has let the Clevelanders see the dawn that has not yet come. In the next two years, under the continuous evolution of LeBron, the record not only improved again, but even reached the second round of the playoffs, but unfortunately lost to the powerful Pistons who had won the East Crown for three consecutive years.
In 2007, LeBron made a comeback, and in the Eastern Division Final, Lü Bu successfully avenged himself with three heroes, laying the piston's brass wall, especially the key fifth game with one block five, one person alone to win the Cavaliers' last 25 points, Lü Bujan title began, and entered the championship for the first time in his career.
Unfortunately, in the face of the experienced Spurs, LeBron suffered a heavy defensive performance, swept by the Spurs 4:0, and set an embarrassing record for the lowest championship ratings in history, but let the world see his terrible ability, but also made Duncan believe that "the future will be his."
The generation that belongs to LeBron is coming.
［2. Failure, Failure Again: Shaken Faith]
In 2008, the Cavaliers and Seltic, who tried to return to the top, played inextricably, winning and losing each other in the first six games, and even though LeBron scored 41 points in the seventh game, he still lost to Celtic, who had a GAP big three.
In 2009, LeBron won the MVP of his first career routine and led Cleveland to the playoffs with a 66-16 record of the league's first, swearing his determination to win glory!
At that time, everyone was looking forward to the legendary 23 vs 24 showdown in the Championship Game, but the Cavaliers were caught off guard by the Magic of Having Howard in the East Side Championship, and the special lineup of one inside and four outside made the Cavaliers powerless, even though LeBron averaged 38 points per game, it still lost, ending the fans' expectations of a Zhanko showdown, and that expectation never came again.
Beginning in 2007, LeBron was disheartened by the return of four consecutive years of feathers, and after losing to Seltik in 2010, LeBron, who became a free agent, began to think about his life.
Almost all the teams were eager for him, and only the Clevelanders remained convinced that their emperor would always return home.
［3. Leaving Cleveland: The Decision]
On July 8, 2010, on a national live special called The Decision, LeBron announced that he would sign a contract with the Miami Heat and would come to the South Bay with his talent, and work together with his good brothers Wade and Bosh to form the Big Three of the South Bay.
That night, the whole world was shocked, the South Bay was noisy and jubilant, except for Cleveland's grief, the silent and tearful die-hard fans, the crazy fans who were difficult to accept, the insults to the players, the burning of the jerseys, and the shelling of his cowardice, after all, how much he loved, how much he hated now.
LeBron, who left the Cavaliers, won the championship as he wished, but the Cavaliers who once loved him could not forget the hatred for him, and it was not difficult to understand that returning to the Cavaliers' home court always got all kinds of roars, after all, after he left, even after he got the Yuanyuan, Cleveland was still dead, becoming a fish-belly team to be slaughtered, entering a long night of weakness.
Four years after leaving the Cavaliers, LeBron broke into the championship for four consecutive years, won two routine MVPs, two championships, two championship MVPs, and the glory that the wanderer who left his hometown should have taken, and this time he remembered his hometown of Cleveland, remembered the promise he made to it when he was young, the unfulfilled promise.
He, he wanted to go home.
［4. Return of the Kings: Return to the Knights Only for the Promise of LeBron]
2014/7/11, after losing the championship with the Spurs, LeBron published a long and affectionate article in the sports picture magazine announcing that he was about to return to the Cavaliers.
Seemingly touching hometown feelings, but most of the media look down on it, thinking that this is a very unwise decision, after all, the Cavaliers at that time from top to bottom can not be compared with the Heat, but LeBron has made up his mind, this time he will take a more mature dream of his youth, for his hometown to win the championship, ending the Cleveland professional team more than 50 years of championship drought.
The Clevelanders are finally looking forward to their hero, and unlike this time, he has two more reliable star teammates: K. Irving and K. Love, the trio performs their duties as if they were the new Heat Triumvirate.
The momentum was very huge, but the Cavaliers stumbled in the early stages, until after the star game really found their own winning mode, but fate did not spare them, first of all, the first round of the playoffs Love was pulled by the opponent to the shoulder dislocation season reimbursement when grabbing rebounds, the internal combat strength was greatly damaged, it was not easy to advance to the championship game, the first Game of the Finals Irving was reimbursed for the season because of an ankle sprain, and the broadcast filmed Irving angrily threw the jersey on the ground and walked into the lounge, that picture was really heart-wrenching, But what is even more sad is that LeBron, who should have been the most helpless and desperate, had to say, "Whoever falls, I will remain strong." To stabilize the hearts of the military, it is really unwilling to see both reluctance and admiration.
That year LeBron and the Warriors fought 6 games, the gap between the strength of the two sides is obvious, but he did not give up the Jedi counterattack, in the absence of two main players to pay an average of 35.8 points, 13.3 basketball 8.8 assists of the all-around performance, but unfortunately still can not save watching the Warriors hold up the Golden Cup of the loss of unbearable, at that moment, Cleveland is silent, is desperate, but seeing his performance like this, it is difficult to blame, after all, the saddest may be LeBron himself...
[5. Desperate Rebirth: Creating the Only Cleveland Cavaliers in History]
In 2016, LeBron and his knights got back on their feet in an attempt to take back the championship they lost the year before. Even if no one in the East can shake their position, but the imaginary enemy warriors in the championship game have repeatedly swallowed, so the team decided to replace the European head coach Blatt, fuzheng assistant coach Lue, at this time and the head coach of leBron, who has a poor relationship with the head coach, is the first to bear the brunt of it, and is bombarded by various artillery, criticizing his pressure and arrogance on the team.
The Cavaliers who entered the playoffs had a smooth ride and easily advanced into the championship game, compared to the Warriors who won 73 times in the season, they stumbled, but after coming to the championship game, the Warriors had achieved an absolute 3:1 lead after playing the first four games, this time the Cavaliers had no excuse, no injuries, and the situation was quite unfavorable, after all, no team could reverse the championship without falling behind in the championship game, and LeBron's responsibility and mission became heavier and heavier.
Faced with a 3:1 deficit, the Cavaliers had no way to retreat, and before the fifth game of the championship game, LeBron did not give up, he sent a text message to his teammates: "If you think we will lose, then don't get on the plane." Swear an oath of determination to counterattack the Jedi. And the battle situation did have a turn, the fifth battle D. Green was banned for throwing punches at LeBron's crotch, and LeBron and Irving seized the opportunity to score 41 points to break through the Warriors' home court, and then in the sixth game, Lebron scored 41 points back-to-back to win, unexpectedly desperately reborn, and the two sides returned to the starting point to draw 3-3.
The seventh game back to the Warriors home, even if Cleveland won two consecutive wins, still no one is optimistic that the Cavaliers can turn the game over and win the championship, the game you come and go, the score is frequently overtaken, the fans' hearts are constantly fluctuating, the last moment the two sides are 89:89 draw, LeBron a shocking hot pot reverses the fate of the swallow, Iring a retreat three points Cleveland wake up the chance to win, the key moment Love one-on-one defense prevents Curry's equalization of three points, the Cleveland Cavaliers win the game! Ending a 52-year championship drought, LeBron fulfilled a 10-year unfulfilled promise, hugging, crying, agitating, kneeling, and shouting:
Cleveland, this is for you.
It has become a classic, and it has also made a great story that is difficult to believe.
From the age of 18, LeBron dedicated his youth to the Knights, although he once left to be spurned, but at the moment of winning the championship, all the criticisms and accusations disappeared, leaving behind a moving story:
When I left and came back, I was still the son of Akron.
The son of Akron who did his best to win the championship for you.
Thank you, Cleveland.