LeBron James said at media day that he will not be losing in the second round. He will do what it takes to help the 76ers break the second-round curse.
LeBron James is on a mission. That mission, simply put, is to win a championship with the Philadelphia 76ers.
During Media Day, James was asked about building chemistry with his teammates. During that statement, he named different ways to do just that, and he ended his comment with one jarring statement.
“I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round; I know that," James proclaimed.
This really means two things. One, James is determined to bring his knowledge and prowess to a skilled and talented roster like the 76er. Second? James is very well aware of Philadelphia's Achilles heel, the second round of the playoffs.
It’s no secret that Joel Embiid has a love/hate relationship with the second round, as his all-time record is 0-5. It’s for that reason that James felt obligated to come to Philadelphia to help him achieve the one thing that’s been avoiding Embiid after all this time. In the second round, James has done a masterclass job, winning 12 series all-time.
James also discussed how his new teammates will be utilized to the best of their abilities. VJ Edgecombe is just one of those names that will be put in a position to help this team get out of the second round. His ruthlessness on the offensive end is going to be a huge catalyst for the team’s pursuit in offensive scoring.
Tyrese Maxey is another who will have the presence of mind to score at will. It’s players like this that will undoubtedly be what gets this team out of the second round. These players are perfect for LeBron James to use his playmaking ability to heighten the team's ability to get through crucial moments in the game. That’s one of the biggest reasons the 76ers always falter in the second round.
Each round it gets tougher and tougher. That’s just the nature of the beast. The problem with Philadelphia is they have everything it takes to be champions; they just always have the misfortune of having an injury or some last-second shot that breaks the hearts of millions watching around the world. Embiid can’t do it by himself, and now with James on the team, he truly has somebody he can depend on to bear some of the weight.
When the team was put together, the only thing that was on the front office’s mind was putting the best team on the floor, and you can say at least for the time being, that they’ve done just that. A championship run is in the cards; it’s just a matter of what they can do to get on track.
