<P> In Game 1 of the Conference Finals, James scored a buzzer - beating layup to give Miami a one - point victory against the Pacers . Throughout the series, his supporting cast struggled significantly, and his added scoring load prompted him to compare his responsibilities to those of his "Cleveland days". Despite these struggles, the Heat advanced to the Finals for a meeting with the Spurs, signifying a rematch for James from his first Finals six years earlier . At the beginning of the series, he was criticized for his lack of aggressiveness and poor shot selection as Miami fell behind 2--3 . In Game 6, he recorded his second triple - double of the series, including 16 fourth quarter points, to lead the Heat to a comeback victory . In Game 7, he tied the Finals record for most points scored in a Game 7 victory, leading Miami over San Antonio with 37 points . He was named Finals MVP for the second straight season, averaging 25.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2.3 steals per game for the championship round . </P> <P> On March 3 of the 2013--14 season, James scored a career - high and franchise - record 61 points in a game against the Charlotte Bobcats . Throughout the year, he was one of the few staples for a Heat roster that used 20 different starting lineups due to injuries, finishing with averages of 27.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game on 56.7 percent shooting . In the second round of the playoffs, he tied a career postseason - high by scoring 49 points in Game 4 against the Brooklyn Nets . In the next round, Miami defeated the Pacers to earn their fourth consecutive Finals berth, becoming one of only four teams in NBA history to do so . In Game 1 of the Finals, James missed most of the fourth quarter because of leg cramps, helping the Spurs take an early series lead . In Game 2, he led the Heat to a series - tying victory with 35 points on a 64 percent shooting rate . San Antonio eventually eliminated the Heat in five games, ending Miami's quest for a three - peat . For the Finals, James averaged 28.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game . </P> <P> On June 25, 2014, James opted out of his contract with the Heat and officially became an unrestricted free agent on July 1 . On July 11, he revealed via a first - person essay in Sports Illustrated that he intended to return to the Cavaliers . In contrast to The Decision, his announcement to return to Cleveland was well received . On July 12, he officially signed with the team, who had compiled a league - worst 97--215 record in the four seasons following his departure . A month after James's signing, the Cavaliers acquired Kevin Love from the Minnesota Timberwolves, forming a new star trio along with Kyrie Irving . </P> <P> In January of the 2014--15 season, James missed two weeks due to left knee and lower back strains, the longest stretch of missed games in his career . In total, he played a career - low 69 games and his final averages were 25.3 points, 6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game . In the second round of the playoffs, he hit a baseline jumper at the buzzer to give Cleveland a 2--2 series tie with the Bulls . In the Conference Finals, the Cavaliers defeated the Hawks to advance to the Finals, making James the first player since the 1960s to play in five consecutive Finals . For most of the Finals against the Golden State Warriors, Irving and Love were sidelined due to injury, giving James more offensive responsibilities . Behind his leadership, the Cavaliers opened the series with a 2--1 lead before being eliminated in six games . Despite the loss, he received serious consideration for the Finals MVP Award, averaging 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game for the championship round . </P>

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