LeBron James throws down a Game 3 dunk. Jun 6, 2018; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) dunks the ball against Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) during the first quarter in game three of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

It’s pretty clear by this point that LeBron James is the main factor giving the Cleveland Cavaliers any chance in the NBA Finals. We’ve seen that through moments like Game 1, where even a superlative performance from LeBron wasn’t enough (thanks in part to some bungling from J.R. Smith), and through even the commentary around these playoffs, such as the Saturday Night LiveThe Other Cavs” skit and the sea of James-Smith memes. And we saw it in game action in Game 3 Wednesday, where James delivered a perfect assist…to himself.

Here’s another look at that:

That’s a pretty remarkable play in its own right, but it’s even better for how it fits into the narrative of LeBron having to do everything himself. And while it may or may not be enough for a Cavs’ win (they’re currently up 29-26 after the first quarter), it does help show how influential he’s been for this team. And it shows the amazing plays he’s capable of.

[Clippit]

About Andrew Bucholtz

Andrew Bucholtz has been covering sports media for Awful Announcing since 2012. He is also a staff writer for The Comeback. His previous work includes time at Yahoo! Sports Canada and Black Press.