by Jim SLATER
OAKLAND, United States (AFP) — LeBron James considers himself a success, whether or not his Cleveland Cavaliers win the NBA Finals — a struggling inner-city kid who became a champion and rich enough to help others.
But he dearly would like to bring Cleveland its first sports champion since 1964 and avoid becoming the first NBA Most Valuable Player to lose in the finals five times.
The Cavaliers pulled within 3-2 of the defending champion Golden State Warriors in the best-of-seven series by winning 112-97 on Monday, setting up another must-win game Thursday in Cleveland and a possible Sunday finale in California.
James, in his sixth consecutive finals and seventh overall, is 2-4 so far, having lost with Cleveland in 2007, won in 2012 and 2013 with Miami, while losing in 2011 and 2014 with the Heat and again last year to the Warriors.
“I’m not happy, but I’m OK with it because I know I’ve given all I’ve got,” James said of finals losses. “I’ve been blessed enough to be a part of seven finals and hopefully I’ll be blessed enough to play in many more even after this year.”
Four time NBA MVP James, 31, has lived a dream as “King James,” but only after a struggling start.
“I’ve exceeded expectations in my life,” James said. “I’m a statistic that was supposed to go the other way, growing up in the inner city, having a single-parent household. It was just me and my mother. So everything I’ve done has been a success.”
Warriors part-owner Jerry West, a Hall of Fame guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, lost in eight of his nine finals and rips critics of James for his finals failures.
“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” West said. “He has carried teams on his shoulders. They have been in the finals six straight years. Grossly unfair to him.
“This guy is like a Swiss Army knife. He can do everything.”
West, whose lone title came in 1972 on his penultimate try, has spoken to James about handling finals defeats.
“You control what you can control,” James said. “You dedicate yourself to the game. Be true to the game.”
Not Jordan, not Ali
Phil Jackson, an 11-time NBA champion coach, said James needed to play more like retired Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan, but James resists such comparisons.
“For me to go out and be who I am and play as hard as I can, that’s who I am,” James said. “Not anybody else. I’m not Michael. I’m not (Muhammad) Ali. I’m not nobody else that has done so many great things for sport. Phil’s a great coach. Mike’s a great player. But I am who I am.”
James is the world’s third-richest athlete according to Forbes magazine with an income of $77.2 million in the past year, $23 million in salary and $54 million from endorsements such as his lifetime deal with Nike that over time could pay $1 billion.
Now James, a two-time Olympic champion as well, helps at-risk youth achieve their potential.
“I’m able to do so many things because I’m actually there, hands on, with my foundation,” James said.
“I’m able to uplift the youth in my community and other communities. Even though you’re able to do it from afar, if you’re actually there, it’s even more meaningful to kids that look up to you for inspiration.”
That helped push him to return from Miami, where he learned to be a champion, to the Cavaliers in 2010.
“I don’t think anyone was prepared for me returning and understanding what the situation was going to entail. So it has been a learning experience for everyone,” James said. “I’ve learned about how to be patient with younger guys and things of that nature.”
Don’t count out LeBron
Shane Battier, who played alongside James on Miami’s NBA champion teams, warns that just because no team has rallied from 3-1 down to win the finals doesn’t mean James and the Cavaliers won’t do it this week.
“If there’s ever a guy I wouldn’t count out, it’s LeBron,” Battier said. “His athleticism, his experience, I don’t think he’s done at all. LeBron has a great perspective. I don’t think he’s afraid of the moment.”
James says his relations are good with Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, who spent big on talent and will have to pay more next year when new NBA television deals worth $24 billion begin and salaries skyrocket.
“We have the same goal and that’s to bring a championship to Cleveland and that’s all that matters,” James said.
“He’s the owner of the team. I’m just one of the players. I’m one of the lower guys on the totem pole. I just do my job.”
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