True or False: 2007 was LeBron James first real NBA playoff run

[SelakStreet]

The first day he entered the NBA in the 2003 Draft was when LeBron James was heralded as a megastar. During his first Cavs tenure, some say LeBron had no real star support as he had to rely on Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden, and post-prime versions of Ben Wallace, Shaq and Antawn Jamison.

2006 might have been his very first NBA playoff run, but 2007 was his first real NBA playoff run.

Round 1 vs. Washington: the Wizards were without Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler due to season-ending injuries, and so they had to field a starting lineup of Antonio Daniels, DeShawn Stevenson, Jarvis Hayes, Antawn Jamison and Etan Thomas. LeBron feasted on Hayes to the tune of 27.8 points, 8.5 boards and 7.5 dimes as the Cavs defeated the Wizards in a 4-0 sweep.

Round 2 vs. New Jersey: LeBron averaged 24.7 points, 7.3 boards and 8.5 dimes, and while Richard Jefferson managed to hold his own with 17.8 points, 6.2 boards and 2.0 dimes, the Nets still lost the series to the Cavs, thus making 2007 the last time that Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Jefferson would make the playoffs with the Nets as the Nets were headed for rebuilding, and so Kidd would get traded back to Dallas for Devin Carter, Jefferson would get sent to Milwaukee for Yi Jianlian, and VC would eventually get dealt to Orlando for Courtney Lee.

2007 ECF vs. Detroit: now without Ben Wallace (who had left for the Chicago Bulls for his last big money contract as a free agent in the 2006 offseason), the Pistons had to run with Nazr Mohammed and Chris Webber in an attempt to replicate some of Ben's awesome defense. During the 2007 Eestern Conference Finals, LeBron feasted on Tayshaun Prince to the tune of 25.7 points, 9.2 boards and 8.5 dimes, while Prince was limited to 8.7 points, 6.2 boards and 4.5 dimes with the help of Ilgauskas and rookie Daniel Gibson.

2007 Finals vs. San Antonio: LeBron finally gets his first crack at an NBA Championship ring by taking on Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. However, the Cavs lose to the Spurs in a 4-0 sweep as LeBron was limited to 22.0 points, 7.0 boards and 6.8 dimes as Bruce Bowen played awesome defense on him. Tony Parker takes home the '07 Finals MVP as he averaged 24.5 points, 5.0 boards and 3.3 dimes and for neutralizing Hughes in G1 and G2, and Gibson in G3 and G4 (after Hughes was benched).

He would have many more chances to contend for the NBA Championship after that, but this was his first real chance at a ring, even with Ilgauskas, Hughes, Gooden, Anderson Varejao, Sasha Pavlovic and a rookie Gibson, plus other post-prime veterans in Eric Snow, Damon Jones, David Wesley, Donyell Marshall and Scot Pollard.

[Homer38]

The first true chance for LBJ to win a ring was in 2009 and he did his part in the playoffs.And many forget that the cavs almost have a shocking upset vs Pistons in 2006

[penbeast0]

So beating up on the Wiz in 2006 when Arenas, Butler, and Jamison were all healthy doesn't count? As a long suffering Washingtonian, it felt like it counted.

[Stan]

It was his first Finals run. Idk how you’re going to claim it was his first playoff run when he literally was in the playoffs the year before. Honestly a bizarre thread question lol.

[iggymcfrack]

False! False, false, false!

Put some respect on that LeBron/Arenas duel in '06! The first playoff series of LeBron's career at age 21, he goes up against peak Gilbert Arenas who averaged 34/6/5 on .597 TS% and all he does is clap back with 36/8/6 on .599 TS%, beating him in every category. Game 3, LeBron goes for 41 including 14 in the 4th and then with his team down 1 with 0:06 left, he hits the game winner. Game 5, he goes for 45 with 20 points in the 4th quarter and OT combined, and this time with his team trailing by 1 in OT, he makes the game winner with less than 1 second on the clock. Then in the clincher, he has 32/7/7 shooting 15/25 from the field, bringing his team back from 13 down and 7 down with 2:00 left to win another game by 1 and end the series. It was an INCREDIBLE series for anyone, let alone a 21 year old experiencing playoff basketball for the first time in his career. Why anyone would want to gloss over that is beyond me.

Oh, and then in Round 2, he carried the Cavs to a 3-2 lead on the 64-win, defending conference champion Pistons before falling just short. LeBron only averaged 27/9/6 that series, but the Pistons defense was so stifling that Ilgauskas was the only other player in double figures at 10.9 PPG. I have fond memories of that first playoff run for LeBron. That was the point where we were like "we knew this kid was special, but WHOOOA!!! There's no ceiling!" Every game he played was just pure electricity. It was the birth of a superstar.

[Homer38]

Watch on YouTube

[Ein Sof]

What

[homecourtloss]

False! False, false, false!

Put some respect on that LeBron/Arenas duel in '06! The first playoff series of LeBron's career at age 21, he goes up against peak Gilbert Arenas who averaged 34/6/5 on .597 TS% and all he does is clap back with 36/8/6 on .599 TS%, beating him in every category. Game 3, LeBron goes for 41 including 14 in the 4th and then with his team down 1 with 0:06 left, he hits the game winner. Game 5, he goes for 45 with 20 points in the 4th quarter and OT combined, and this time with his team trailing by 1 in OT, he makes the game winner with less than 1 second on the clock. Then in the clincher, he has 32/7/7 shooting 15/25 from the field, bringing his team back from 13 down and 7 down with 2:00 left to win another game by 1 and end the series. It was an INCREDIBLE series for anyone, let alone a 21 year old experiencing playoff basketball for the first time in his career. Why anyone would want to gloss over that is beyond me.

Oh, and then in Round 2, he carried the Cavs to a 3-2 lead on the 64-win, defending conference champion Pistons before falling just short. LeBron only averaged 27/9/6 that series, but the Pistons defense was so stifling that Ilgauskas was the only other player in double figures at 10.9 PPG. I have fond memories of that first playoff run for LeBron. That was the point where we were like "we knew this kid was special, but WHOOOA!!! There's no ceiling!" Every game he played was just pure electricity. It was the birth of a superstar.

Cavs actually had chances In that game 6 vs. Detroit when they were up 3-2.

With the Cavs Down 83-81 with 1:04 to go, Rasheed missed a three, Rip got an offensive rebound, Rasheed missed again, Rip got ANOTHER offensive rebound, and then Rasheed got fouled. He misses both free throws and then Ben Wallace gets an offensive rebound. A play here and there and we’d see a Cavs vs. Heat, James vs. Wade ECF.

Tayshaun Prince
Rasheed Wallace
Ben Wallace
Chauncey Billups
Rip Hamilton

Vs.

Lebron James
Ronald Murray
Eric Snow
Big Z
Drew Gooden

[capfan33]

False! False, false, false!

Put some respect on that LeBron/Arenas duel in '06! The first playoff series of LeBron's career at age 21, he goes up against peak Gilbert Arenas who averaged 34/6/5 on .597 TS% and all he does is clap back with 36/8/6 on .599 TS%, beating him in every category. Game 3, LeBron goes for 41 including 14 in the 4th and then with his team down 1 with 0:06 left, he hits the game winner. Game 5, he goes for 45 with 20 points in the 4th quarter and OT combined, and this time with his team trailing by 1 in OT, he makes the game winner with less than 1 second on the clock. Then in the clincher, he has 32/7/7 shooting 15/25 from the field, bringing his team back from 13 down and 7 down with 2:00 left to win another game by 1 and end the series. It was an INCREDIBLE series for anyone, let alone a 21 year old experiencing playoff basketball for the first time in his career. Why anyone would want to gloss over that is beyond me.

Oh, and then in Round 2, he carried the Cavs to a 3-2 lead on the 64-win, defending conference champion Pistons before falling just short. LeBron only averaged 27/9/6 that series, but the Pistons defense was so stifling that Ilgauskas was the only other player in double figures at 10.9 PPG. I have fond memories of that first playoff run for LeBron. That was the point where we were like "we knew this kid was special, but WHOOOA!!! There's no ceiling!" Every game he played was just pure electricity. It was the birth of a superstar.

I think given his age, experience level and the supporting cast around him it's one of the more impressive series of Lebron's career given he was against a team that had almost won 2 straight titles with one of the goated defenses.