FILE – In this Dec. 25, 2014, file photo, Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) hangs onto the basket after a dunk during the second half of an NBA basketball game. More than any current player, LeBron James understands what it takes to reach the NBA Finals. The route, strewn with obstacles and doubts, has become a personal path. He knows the way. James has been to the league’s showcase event five straight years and six times in the past nine. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)