Jay Williams on LeBron James playing against his former team Cleveland Cavaliers: “How you cannot admire or appreciate his greatness”
On Wednesday, December 7, LeBron James returned to Cleveland to face his old team, the Cavaliers, for the final time this season. The Cavs completed their season sweep of the Lakers by defeating them 116-102. This may be one of the last times LeBron will play in Cleveland, considering the Lakers only go there once per year and he is in his 20th season.
Of the three organizations that LeBron has represented, he spent the most time in Cleveland. He played 11 total seasons for the Cavaliers and grew up in nearby Arkon, OH. ESPN analyst Jay Williams, while on Sirius XM’s NBA Radio, spoke about James and his greatness:
“I don't know how you cannot admire or appreciate the greatness of LeBron James if you're in Cleveland.”
@RealJayWilliams is expecting a good oneWhat kind of reaction will LeBron get in Cleveland tonight?
🏀 @RealJayWilliams is expecting a good one https://t.co/Pc3qTHBEtv
Williams is correct about LeBron James' greatness and what it has meant to Cleveland in particular. James brought the city its first major sports championship since 1965 when the Cavaliers defeated the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals. While he was in a Cavs uniform, the team went to five NBA Finals and was in the playoffs every year except for his first two seasons.
LeBron and his team failed to win against the Lakers on Wednesday night, but he did give the fans a good showing. He scored 21 points and grabbed 17 rebounds while playing 36 minutes in the loss. The local crowd won’t see him again until next season, but at least once a year before he retires, the city of Cleveland will still get to witness the greatness.
For the first time since LeBron James left, the Cavaliers are contenders again
The Cleveland Cavaliers have not been good ever since LeBron James left. After both of his stints in Cleveland, the franchise was not good until now. The team showed some flashes last season before getting eliminated during the play-in game by the Atlanta Hawks.
The current Cavs are 16-9 and sit two games behind the Milwaukee Bucks in the Central Division. The team has taken the next step towards contention by acquiring Donovan Mitchell during the offseason, who leads the team in scoring at 29.0 ppg. Mitchell, alongside Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, and Caris LeVert, has become a formidable young group that could be competitive for a while.
If this team can continue at its current pace, they could become the first Cavaliers team without LeBron James to make the playoffs since 1998. Along with its young stars, the team also has veteran Kevin Love, who was around when he and James went to four straight Finals.