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LeBron James is in the conversation for the greatest NBA player of all time. He has won four championships in his career. He still needs two more to tie Michael Jordan.
While Jordan won all six of his rings with the Chicago Bulls, LeBron James' rings were spread out with different teams. James became an NBA champion for the first time with the Miami Heat. He returned to Cleveland to win it all for the Cavaliers in 2016.
LeBron James won his latest ring with his current team, the LA Lakers, in 2020. The 18-time All-Star had a lot of great teammates during his championship runs. This article will list the five players who contributed the most.
1) Dwyane Wade deserves credit for two of LeBron James' rings
LeBron James joined the Miami Heat in 2010, and became the most hated player in the league. He decided to team up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and form a super team.
James' first NBA Finals appearance with the Heat was a failure. He underperformed against the Dallas Mavericks in 2011; averaging only 17.8 points on 48.7% shooting. The Heat lost the series in six games.
Dwyane Wade was fantastic during the 2011 NBA Finals. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to lead the Heat to victory. Wade allowed LeBron James to be the alpha on the team after the series. They won two rings together in 2012 and 2013.
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Being a great two-way player, the 6-foot-4 Miami Heat guard brought a lot to the table. Besides his incredible scoring ability, Wade was a lockdown defender who was essential during their championship runs.
He averaged 22.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.3 in 23 games during the 2012 postseason. It took the Heat just five games to take down the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals.
2) Kyrie Irving was a big piece of the 2016 Cavaliers
Before he turned into a controversial player, Kyrie Irving was one of the most reliable players in the league. He played a huge role during LeBron James' championship with the Cavaliers.
In 2016, the heavily-favored Golden State Warriors met James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the finals. The Warriors took a 3-1 lead and were on the verge of winning back-to-back titles. However, the Cavaliers fought hard and tied the series.
Irving averaged 27.1 points, which was the most on the team. After the Cavs went down 3-1, the point guard scored 41 points on 17-for-24 shooting in Game 5.
Irving was also huge in Game 7. The Cavaliers and Warriors were tied at 89 with 53 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Irving hit a clutch 3-point shot over Steph Curry to break the tie. It ended up being the game winner.
3) Anthony Davis contributed for one of LeBron James' rings
LeBron played against his former team, the Miami Heat, in the 2020 NBA Finals. This series was unique. It was played in the 'NBA Bubble' during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic.
James was the best player in the series. But he couldn't have beaten his former team without the help of Anthony Davis.
During the six-game series, AD averaged 25 points and 10.7 rebounds. He was also very efficient, shooting 57.1% from the field and 42.1% from the 3-point range.
Davis was exceptional throughout the playoffs. He led the LA Lakers in scoring. He averaged 27.7 points and 9.7 rebounds in 21 games.
4) Ray Allen's clutch shot
A couple of LeBron James' rings were very difficult to earn. Besides the Warriors, the former number one overall pick had to play against the San Antonio Spurs in 2013 and 2014.
Fresh off winning his first championship, James faced a tough opponent in the 2013 NBA Finals. The Spurs had an All-Star trio of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker. They also had a rising star in Kawhi Leonard.
You may be interested in reading: LeBron James' rings across 19 years: Ranking his 4 championships won so far in order of toughness
The Spurs had a five-point lead in Game 6 with 28 seconds left in the fourth quarter. They were up 3-2 in the series. However, the Heat refused to quit.
Ray Allen hit the biggest shot of his career to tie the game at 95 with 5.2 seconds left in regulation. Thanks to Allen's heroics, the Heat forced overtime. They ended up winning the game 103-100 to force a Game 7. The Heat won Game 7 by a final score of 95-88. They captured their second title in franchise history.
5) Chris Bosh was the perfect power forward
In 2010, both LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in Miami. The only problem was that all three of them were used to being ball dominant players
Many questioned whether the team would have issues with their chemistry. Bosh was willing to sacrifice his ego and accept his role as the third option. His sacrifice allowed the Heat to gel. James and Bosh won two titles in their four seasons together.
During his tenure with the Heat, Bosh was a double-double machine. He was also a great shooter who could knock down shots from anywhere on the court.
In the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals, the Heat were down 3-2 against the Boston Celtics. Bosh had missed extended time due to an abdominal strain. Once he returned to the lineup, the Heat took over the series. The forward had 19 points on 8-for-10 shooting in Game 7.
Guess the Lakers players!
