The Cleveland Cavaliers have had an up-and-down season so far, but it appears that they may have finally turned a corner and be headed in the right direction. Things looked bleak a few weeks ago while LeBron James was taking some time to rest, but since he returned to the court, both he and the Cavaliers have been on a roll.
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James missed eight games in a row shortly after Christmas, eventually returning to the court on January 13. The Cavaliers lost their initial game with James back on the court, but since then, they have won seven in a row and now sit six games above .500. Since his return, James has averaged 30.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 2.0 steals per contest.
The surge has included wins over the Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls, and the Oklahoma City Thunder, and whispers are once again emerging that Cleveland may be a championship contender. Some - including Cavaliers coach David Blatt - are also saying that LeBron's recent play has thrust him back into the MVP conversation.
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Many had speculated that maybe LeBron had lost a step after a somewhat pedestrian (for him) start to the season. According to ESPN, Blatt finds it odd that LeBron was ever not in the MVP discussion this year.
"That's just kind of funny, to be honest with you," Blatt said. "First of all, he's the greatest player in our game, and he's had, since he's been healthy -- and really all year, but particularly since he's been healthy -- his performance has been as high level as ever. And you don't have to look very far at our record to see what impact he has on this team when he's playing and not playing."
Cleveland is 25-12 when James plays this year and 1-8 when he does not.
"Certainly it does say something about what his value is when he is absent, what happens to the team," Blatt continued. "But again, it's of course what his impact on his own team but it's also the performance that that player is having relative to the rest of the league. Obviously if we look at our own example [in James], then you're looking at an MVP player in every respect. Which is not new news to anyone."
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