James earned his first NBA All Star selection in the 04-05 season. On March 20, 2005, Lebron James scored 56 points against the Toronto Raptors, which set Cleveland’s new single-game points record. He averaged 27.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, but fell just short of making the playoffs, finishing at a subpar record of 42-40. The 05-06 season saw Lebron James develop further as a player, with season averages of 31.4 points, 7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game. James finished second in MVP voting, losing out to Steve Nash. He scored 29 points in the 2006 All-Star Game, and led the east to victory and pocketed his first NBA All-Star Game MVP. Under the leadership of Lebron James, the Cavaliers qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 98′. It was an impressive effort for James, but he wasn’t able to carry the subpar Cavaliers. They would eventually get knocked out by the Detroit Pistons in the second round.
The 2006-2007 season saw Lebron’s averages decline to 27.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. Many analysts said the regression was due to the fall of Lebron’s passing skills and shot selection. Despite the small regression, James led the Cavaliers to their second 50 win season and entered the playoffs as the Second seed in the East. During Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, James notched 48 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists, scoring 29 of Cleveland’s last 30 points, which includes the game winning layup with two second left against the Detroit Pistons. In 2012, ESPN ranked the performance the fourth greatest in modern NBA playoff history. The Cavaliers went on to win Game 6 and claim their first ever Eastern Conference title, and earned them a match against the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. James struggled greatly, averaging 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game. Cleveland was eliminated in a sweep (4-0).
The Life of Lebron James 