(SP) – LeBron James said today that he continues to stress to his fellow Cavaliers that every one of them will be required to do their part if Cleveland is going to defeat Golden State in the NBA Finals again.
“Basketball isn’t a one-man game,” said James. “It’s not an individual sport, believe it or not. There are five guys on our team on the court at all times. So I’m going to need all of them to not mess this up for me and for us.”
James acknowledged that teammates like Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson “have the ability to help more than some of the others” by occasionally making shots of their own, “but we all know this is on me to win and that we wouldn’t have gotten anywhere near here without me.”
The Cleveland legend said the Cavaliers have “no chance” if he doesn’t have a big series and there’s only one way for that to happen.
“Get out of my way,” he said. “When I go to the basket, I can’t be bumping into my own teammates or having to dribble around them. I need you in the four corners of the court, just standing there. Do that and I’ll let you get pictures with the trophy in a couple weeks.”
His teammates say they’re 100-percent on-board.
“I’m just happy to be along for the ride,” said Love. “I’ll do, or not do, whatever he needs. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be an NBA nobody in Minnesota. I just feel special that he knows my name.”
