In the past LeBron got them close. Real close. This year, after sweeping the first round, his team is proving to be the difference between getting close and getting the job done.

In 2007 He was young, ambitious and devastating, carrying his entire team on his back to sweep the Wizards in round one. He lifted them past the Nets in six during round two. And in the Eastern Conference Finals against Detroit he raised them from the dead after starting the series down two. LeBron rallied them to four straight, aggressively claiming the conference crown. He rode that wave of excitement into his first ever trip to the Finals where he faced the Spurs. They were shut out in four.

Last year Cleveland went to game six against the Washington Wizards before they were able to close out the first round. In the second round LeBron showed a fierceness that had never before been seen, going head-to-head with Boston’s newly formed Big Three. The team around him contributed more than ever, stretching the series to a very close Game 7 finale. They lost by five. The Celtics went on to become the league champs.

This year, there’s a noticeable difference with LeBron and his fellow Cavaliers. There’s lots of talk about the camaraderie, the pregame antics, the energy on the floor. Sure, LeBron is the leader, but he’s a team player first. You don't get nine triple doubles without creating opportunities for other players. Without cleaning up the boards or doing whatever is necessary to win. He’s gunning for the crown not just for himself, and certainly not by himself, but for and with the team that he believes so strongly in.

Together with Delonte West, Daniel “Boobie” Gibson, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Anderson Varejao and the rest of the squad, they are showing us all not just what a team should look like, but what a championship team should look like.

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