by Makoy

Created on: June 05, 2009   Last Updated: June 22, 2009

Both LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers were on a high during the 2008-09 NBA season and playoffs. Just in his 6th season in the NBA and only at 24 years of age, James won his first ever MVP award and finished with season averages of 28.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and career highs in assists and blocks with 7.2 assists and 1.1 blocks in 37.7 minutes a game in 81 games. James also had career highs in field goal shooting and free throw shooting percentages hitting 48.9% of his attempts from the field and 78% of his attempts from the line.

The Cavaliers on the other hand finished it's first ever 60-win season in franchise history by winning 66 out of 82 games and topped the Eastern Conference standings. Aside from James winning the MVP, head coach Mike Brown won the Coach of the Year honors.

The Cavaliers owned the largest point differential during the regular season with a +8.9 margin and entered the playoffs as the heavy favorites to make it to the finals. After sweeping the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks in the first and second round, the Cavaliers lost to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals, 2 games to 4. What could have possibly gone wrong for the Cavaliers? Is the Magic just strong enough? Or the Cavaliers are not just as strong as they really seem?

The Cavaliers rely much on LeBron James. James leads the team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. It's quite surprising to see that James, at 6'8 and playing the small forward spot, leads the team in rebounding despite the presence of big men Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Anderson Varejao, and Ben Wallace. The Cavaliers have failed to give Mr. James the ample support that he needs to lead the team to a championship.

Just considering the series against Orlando in the Eastern Conference Finals. Though James has been the better player than anybody else in the series, it's Orlando's support and teamplay that dealt upset to the Cavaliers. Dwight Howard's support cast of Hedo Turkuglo, Rashard Lewis, Rafer Alston, and Mickael Pietrus have proven to be better than Maurice Williams, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Delonte West. James is heading on the same dilemma as Kobe Bryant once had with the Lakers, almost doing it all but didn't get enough support.

Apart from the support, the Cavaliers are having an unbalanced line-up. Cleveland's guards are the best in the team while the big men had an average to mediocre season. Though posting decent numbers during the regular season, Zydrunas Ilgauskas

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