Revisiting 5 times LeBron James went near-superhuman, as the LA Lakers star turns 37

LeBron James has built a basketball resume that is almost too good to be true as he turned 37 Thursday. Already in his 19th season in the NBA, "King James" continues to pile on the numbers that will only make his case as the G.O.A.T stronger than ever.

James’ career numbers are insane. The combination of godlike talents with almost inhuman durability has pushed him to be at the top or near the top of most significant statistics. James’ combined regular season and playoff numbers, as mind-boggling as they already are, will be almst untouchable by the time he hangs up his sneakers.

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With four NBA titles and four regular-season MVPs, there have been a plethora of games when James donned the Superman cape. As the basketball world celebrates the "King" turning 37, it’s time to look at five of his most spectacular games.

A look back at five of LeBron James’ most impressive performances

No. 5: Miami Heat vs. Charlotte Bobcats – March 3, 2014

The lowly Charlotte Bobcats witnessed the highest-scoring game of LeBron James’ career. James, at 30 years old, torched the Bobcats for 61 points on 22-of-33 shooting. He highlighted his scoring with a career-best eight 3-pointers. The "King" matched the same number of 3-pointers in the LA Lakers’ disappointing loss to the Memphis Grizzlies Wednesday, a day before he turned 37.

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Even more impressive in the game was James' clutch performance. He scored 25 of the 61 points in the third quarter to firmly put the Heat in the driver’s seat. He scored 37 of his points in the second half to completely dominate the game.

No. 4: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons – May 31, 2007

LeBron James' Game 5 in the 2007 Eastern finals crushed the top-seeded Detroit Pistons.[Photo: NBA.com]

The second-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers lost their first two games in the 2007 Eastern Conference finals before tying the series in the next two games. In the pivotal Game 5, LeBron James willed the Cavaliers to a nail-biting 109-107 overtime victory over the Detroit Pistons. The Cavs grabbed a 3-2 series lead and practically took the fight out of the veteran Pistons.

King James’ full arsenal was on full display. He scored the Cavs’ final 25 points against one of the league's best defenses. James finished with 48 points. Only two others scored in double figures, with no one scoring more than 16.

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Basketball’s “Chosen One” played more than 50 minutes, forced overtime and then won the game for the Cavs with a last-second layup. It was James’ best playoff performance yet, four years into his young career.

No. 3: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors – June 13, 2016

Steph Curry and LeBron James battled in a series for the ages for the 2016 NBA championship. [Photo: Sporting News]

The LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers were reeling and down 3-1 in the series against the juggernaut Golden State Warriors, featuring Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Golden State’s old Oracle Arena and thousands of fans saw the start of the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history.

The Warriors were missing Draymond Green, who was suspended following an altercation with James in Game 4. Seen as the biggest villain in the series, James was booed and heckled all game. He responded to the jeers with yet another jaw-dropping performance.

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James filled the stat sheet with 41 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and three steals. He played a game-high 43 minutes and despite all the attention on him committed only two turnovers and one personal foul. It was a legendary performance the Warriors rue to this day.

No. 2: Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics – June 7, 2012

LeBron James infamously took his talents to South Beach and was ridiculed throughout the season in away games. His decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers was the subject of memes and jokes following the Miami Heat’s loss to the underdog Dallas Mavericks in 2011.

The 2012 Eastern Finals against the Boston Celtics could truly make his stint with the Heat even more humiliating.

The old-but-stubborn Celtics – led by Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen – lost their first two games in the series. They then won the next three games for a crucial 3-2 series lead and added even more misery to James.

With his big-game performance questioned to end, James put up one of the best performances in the playoffs ever. He finished with 45 points, 15 rebounds and five assists on an insane 73% shooting. "The King" made 19 of 26 attempts, including 2 of 4 from 3-point land.

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The Miami Heat won the game 98-79 and eventually the series. James then led the Heat to the NBA championship. The championship with the Heat would be the first of four titles that cemented James’ legacy as an NBA champion.

No. 1: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors – June 19, 2016

Cleveland celebrated its first championship in more than 50 years after LeBron James led the Cavaliers past a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors. [Photo: Cleveland.com]

Stat-wise, the championship-clinching win in Game 7 against the mighty Golden State Warriors was quite ordinary based on LeBron James’ superman numbers the previous two games. The box score showed that James had 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. He was only 9-for-24 from the field, including 1-of-5 shooting from long distance.

However, Game 7 in the 2016 Finals against the Warriors has to be the biggest and most clutch game of James' career. His block on Andre Iguodala remains the lasting image of one of the biggest upsets in sports history.

James capped off his iconic 2016 Finals performance by leading the Cavaliers’ mighty comeback from a 3-1 series deficit. It was the biggest reversal in NBA Finals history, and the upset allowed James to fulfill his promise of bringing a championship to Cleveland.

The Cavaliers’ 2016 title was the first championship in Cleveland in more than 50 years. That the championship was delivered by the Ohio native made the title a fairytale run.