LeBron James Drops Major Hint That He’ll Be Back In NBA Finals

LeBron James misses the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. The last time he missed the finals, Kawhi Leonard wasn’t even in the league yet. Today, Leonard leads the Toronto Raptors – the team that’s three gams away from a championship. The Raptors may become the second franchise to defeat the Golden State Warriors in a playoff series under Kerr. LeBron’s Cavaliers are the first.

LeBron sits out this series, but he makes sure his presence is felt. His fans miss him, and one of them came to the Game 1 between the Raptors and Warriors with a huge sign reading, “There is no finals without the King.”

LeBron found it on Instagram. He liked it.

Other players miss LeBron, too.

Toronto point guard Kyle Lowry couldn’t even say LeBron’s name during the NBA Finals media day. “I’ve run into one guy for a while. We were given the opportunity – he left – and we beat a really good team in Milwaukee.”

“It’s weird not playing against him,” Warriors guard Shaun Livingston said. “For so long, he was the hurdle we had to get over. It’s weird being somewhere else other than Cleveland in the Finals.”

Others don’t like to admit that LeBron is the GOAT.

“I haven’t thought about it at all to be honest with you,” Charles Barkley, an analyst for TNT, told USA TODAY Sports before Game 1. “No disrespect to LeBron. Everybody knows he’s a great player.

“(But) Kawhi Leonard and Steph Curry, their emergence, that to me says it all. Go back to the beginning of the playoffs. It started with Giannis (Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks), the second round had Kawhi and then you thought Portland had a chance to get to the Finals when Kevin Durant gets hurt. Steph goes crazy.

“There have been some amazing story lines, and that’s all I’ve been thinking about.”

“We’re very happy with where we are,’’ NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told WFAN radio host Mike Francesa this week. “We miss LeBron. The good news is he’s not gone. He had an (groin) injury, the team struggled and my sense is he’ll be back in top form next season.’’