Does the shadow of LeBron James still hover over Cleveland?

Pronounce “The Curse” in Cleveland or elsewhere in Ohio, there is a good chance that your interlocutor knows what you are talking about by evoking this half-century, and even a little more, without major title in one of the four great American leagues for the city of Browns (NFL), Guardians (MLB) and other horsemen (NBA). The latter did not win the NBA title, far from it, but they celebrate a third season at 60 regular season victories, the first without LeBron James. This makes sense to a deductible always reduced to the exploits of the country's child.

Cleveland, Lebron, Cavaliers, James, Quicken Loans Arena, Akron, the elected official, the King … With the very notable exception of the Bulls and the city of Chicago, no other place is no longer closely linked to a player. In the collective memory, the Ohio franchise does not exist, or so little, without one of the two best players in NBA history. LeBron James has done so much in a city marked by more than 50 years of curse and in a team, the horsemen, so little respected, that it cannot be otherwise. Judge rather.

Founded in 1970, the ridge franchise only knew three seasons above 60 regular season wins, a bar that has always separated the good of the very good teams in the NBA. Two with James (2008-2009 and 2009-2010) and therefore one without him, the current one. With his 525 success in the Cavs jersey, the native of Akron (10 seasons in Cleveland) participated in 26% of the victories of a 55 -year -old franchise. Before him, she had won 4 series of playoffs in 35 seasons, after him she won only one in six years. And with LeBron James? 21 In eleven seasons with five finals in the key and an NBA title.

To finish convincing you of the mediocrity of the riders, we will recall that they share, with the Sixers and the Magic, the first choice record of Draft since 1985 and the appearance of the Lottery (4), an honor which rarely fails in the hands of deserving franchises. There was indeed the beautiful period straddling the end of the 80s and the early 90s. Who knows what would have happened if the Cavs of Brad Daugherty, Larry Nance or Craig Ehlo had not played at the same time the Bulls of Jordan, three times their executioner between 92 and 94 including one in the conference final?

It is from this team that the Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen or Evan Mobley is the distant descendant. In many ways, the LeBron James era, or rather the eras since the kid betrayed his city to better find it and give it a happiness which seemed to have forever refusing itself, was an enchanted parenthesis.

“Whether we like it or not, LeBron is the face of this city and he has done so much. It is difficult to move away from thattestifies Jarrett Allen. We try to do something special and I hope we can do it“The true identity of Cleveland is the difficulties, the galley, the mediocrity, the hope sometimes. Donovan Mitchell is not mistaken by assuring that he and his family go”celebrate small victories“This bar crossed is one, it says nothing about the destiny of this collective promised at least at the conference finals.

LeBron James' second departure gave way to a field of ruins, a team subscribed to the depths of the NBA three years in a row but where the leaders of the time had not succeeded in rebuilding after 2010 and The DecisionKobe Altman, the president, and the others patiently put Cleveland back on the map, draft well (Garland, Mobley) and moving the pawns when it was necessary (Allen, Mitchell).

This collective will finish first in the East Conference and present itself in the playoffs with the firm intention of going to the end in an open NBA season even if at the start of the final stages, Boston or Oklahoma City may leave with a head of the observers. Go to the NBA final after a regular season at 60 or more wins, even LeBron James did not do it. The top march, the last one, is reserved for the latter but in Cleveland, one would feel a doubt a lot of pride if the city was to shine without the shadow of the king.