LeBron is Clutch

Alex Wallingford, Sports Editor

LeBron James is arguably one of the best players to ever step on an NBA basketball court. Since his first playoff appearance with the  Cleveland Cavaliers in 2005, teams have had to get acclimated to seeing him in the postseason year after year.

Since being in the league James has showed that he has developed a certain clutch factor that is needed to win games late in the season. James has hit five postseason game winners, which is the same amount as Kobe Bryant’s and Michael Jordan’s postseason game winners combined.

James’ first playoff game was in 2005. His first clutch moment in the playoffs was against the Magic in 2009, when the Cavs were in danger of falling down 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals.

His second one came in 2013, but with his new team, the Miami Heat. Down by one against the Pacers in a Game One, James gets the ball off of an inbound pass and takes it straight to the hoop for a lay in. This layup would set the tone for the rest of the series and the Heat would go on to win the series and the NBA championship.

Then again in 2010 in the Eastern Conference Semi’s James turned on his clutch factor. Trying to win the game James had his shot blocked out of bounds. Point guard Matthew Dellavedova, inbounded the ball to a curling James in the corner for three. The Cavs went on to win the series and made an appearance in the 2015 NBA Finals.

The last two came this year, in the current NBA playoffs. The first against the Indiana Pacers who the Cavs met first round. In game 5 LeBron blocked Pacers star Victor Oladipo’s driving layup out of bounds. This gave LeBron three seconds to dribble two steps to the left and sink a three pointer to send the Pacers to a game five loss.

James hit his most recent game winner against the Toronto Raptors in game 3. LeBron dribbled the full length of the court and pulled up for a floater with the defense all over him. He banked in the floater and the Cavs swept the Raptors.