We've known LeBron James for quite a while now, but only in the most formal of terms.
The kid from Akron, Ohio, has been in the national limelight over half his life, but he has rarely been emotionally available to us as he was on Friday night.
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Minutes after helping the Cavaliers advance to the NBA Finals for the second straight year, James spoke candidly about what his accomplishment means to him.
"I don’t know . . . I've heard all the questions and that’s a stumper," James told ESPN's Doris Burke after she asked him what he was most proud of. "I get to go out here and do it every single night in front of my fans — it is very emotional just to be a part of something like this. It’s my sixth straight (Finals) and it means everything."
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James, who'll be appearing in the Finals for the seventh time in his career, has lived with the weight of great expectations ever since high school, when Sports Illustrated put him on the cover in a St. Vincent-St. Mary's jersey with the title "The Chosen One." He hasn't just lived with them; they've been his shadow. And sometimes a thorn in his side. When he wins, it's because he's supposed to win. When he loses, his critics are many and vocal.
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The man himself has even bought into that school of thought, and it has had an effect on him. He pretty much admitted it Friday night.
"I don’t think last year I appreciated it enough getting back to the Finals," he said.
This year, James promises that's going to change. Whether or not it does, we'll see. But perhaps at 31, after more than a decade in the league, James is ready to embrace the moment.
"It’s absolutely OK to celebrate how we did," James told his teammates Friday night. "It’s not promised."
Tweet of the Night
LeBron made it six Finals appearances in a row in The Six. And all Drake could do was watch.
SIX straight #NBAFinals for @KingJames! pic.twitter.com/nQB9ajWXzO
— NBA (@NBA) May 28, 2016
Stud of the Night
Kyrie Irving not only put the ball in the basket Friday, scoring 30 points, but he also distributed it, adding nine assists. He came up with three steals as well.
Dud(s) of the Night
Every Raptor outside of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. Nobody else scored in double figures as the team shot just 41.8 percent from the field.
Looking ahead
Western Conference finals Game 6, Warriors at Thunder, 9 p.m. ET, TNT (OKC leads series 3-2): The Warriors had their backs to the wall in Game 5 and found a way to win. They face another must-win in Oklahoma City, where they've not won in these playoffs and needed a miraculous shot to win in the regular season.