“Is LeBron James the ‘REAL’ GOAT?” Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks exit means Lakers star is the only player to get out of TD Garden alive after Game 7

Giannis Antetokounmpo failed to end the streak against Boston Celtics as the defending champions humiliated Game 7 at TD Garden. This got fans thinking that maybe Lakers star LeBron James, who has the best record of 7 in the game, could be the GOAT in the playoffs.

The best players choose their time and deliver for the team on the biggest stage of them all. Michael Jordan, Kareem, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James or Steph Curry had done it in the past. While the league’s current face – Giannis Antetokounmpo – also did his part to rewrite history, his recent failure to win the Celtics drew some criticism. It was one of the most difficult games for the Greek star, who has only played 3 games – 7 – in his career. On the other hand, former Cavalier LeBron James had one of the best records in sticky situations like this.

James defies the odds – age, supporting cast and opposing players – to get his way in the most valuable game of the season. He has an impressive 75% win record in such a do-or-die situation which cements his legacy as the GOAT in the league.

LeBron James turns up the heat in Game 7

King James lived up to his name and image of being a monster in the playoffs series. He averages 29 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists in 266 playoff games played. With a 174-92 record in the playoffs, LBJ won 4 career NBA titles and 4 Finals MVP awards.

Also Read: Despite Bucks Knocked Out, Giannis Antetokounmpo Becomes First Player in NBA History to Securing a 200-100-50 Performance

Interestingly, the King gets hotter when it’s a win-or-go-home Game-7 in the playoff series. Aside from two losses in his career, LeBron has never lost Game 7 of the playoffs. His last win in Game 7 was against team Young Celtics, scoring 35 points with 9 rebounds and 15 assists.

If we go through the history books, LeBron hasn’t lost one of those games since 2012. He lost his first two Game 7s during his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In 2008 he had 45 points (Game 7 high for LBJ) against the Celts Big 3 (Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen), since then James has turned things around and never lost a win-or-go-home duel once again.

James won the last six Game 7s, showing his character, talent and hunger when the world waits for the king to deliver. The most famous instances occurred in 2013 and 2016 when he made sure to lift his team and win the trophy.

In 2013, LBJ played for the Miami Heat and lost 37 points to the veteran San Antonio Spurs’ side. He added 12 rebounds and 4 assists in the game and won his 1st NBA title. Three years later, LeBron made history by erasing the 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors and recording 27 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in Game 7. It was massive for the Cavs as they won their first-ever NBA championship title in any major tournament. The game was played on the Warriors’ home field, just like his 2018 win over the Celtics.

Here are all of the games from Game 7 that LeBron won with his impact.

Celtics vs. Heat (June 9, 2012)

Score: Heat 101, Celtics 88

Round: Eastern Conference Finals

LeBron’s stats: 31 points (9 of 21), 12 rebounds, 2 assists

Heat vs. Pacers (June 3, 2013)

Score: Heat 99, Pacer 76

Round: Eastern Conference Finals

LeBron’s stats: 32 points (8 of 17), 8 rebounds, 4 assists

Heat vs Spurs (June 20, 2013)

Score: Heats 95, Spurs 88

Round: NBA Finals

LeBron’s stats: 37 points (12 of 23), 12 rebounds, 4 assists

Cavs vs Warriors (June 19, 2016)

Score: Cavs 93, Warriors 89

Round: NBA Finals

LeBron’s stats: 27 points (9 of 24), 11 rebounds, 11 assists

Cavs vs. Pacers (April 29, 2018)

Score: Cavs 105, pacemaker 101

Round: First round

LeBron’s stats: 45 points (16 of 25), 8 rebounds, 7 assists

Cavs vs Celtics (May 27, 2018)

Score: Cav’s 87, Celtic’s 79

Round: Eastern Conference Finals

LeBron’s stats: 35 points (12 of 24), 15 rebounds, 9 assists

Knocking out big teams in big games cemented his legacy as the GOAT of the playoffs and even the game. Giannis is still young and nearing his prime, we could see him outdoing the greats with heroic feats sooner than expected.

Also Read: Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Heartwarming Gesture With Jayson Tatum ‘Go kick some**brother’ after Celtics secured Euro Finals spot

Also read: “Could Possibly Decide the Series!” Marcus Smart kneels in the head of Giannis Antetokounmpo, only to fall face first in Game 7