LeBron James Comments on Mindset Ahead of Game 5 vs. Raptors

The Cleveland Cavaliers have squandered a dominant start and two-game lead in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Toronto Raptors after they looked poised for a sweep. But it isn't bothering LeBron James ahead of Wednesday night's Game 5 in Cleveland.

The Cavs superstar spoke with reporters Wednesday morning about how he felt, per ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin: "Just a sense of calmness. That's all. Just a very calm moment for myself, personally. I relish this opportunity to be a part of the postseason once again, to be 2-2 on my home floor, so, a sense of calmness."

Some of that calmness could derive from the fact that James' teams have never lost a playoff series when taking a 2-0 series lead in 17 prior instances, per McMenamin.

James hasn't been the problem over the Cavaliers' two-game losing streak, as he's averaged 26.5 points per contest on 60.6 percent shooting from the field. The same can't be said about some of the other big names on the Cavaliers:

Player	Points Per Game	Shooting %	Rebounds Per Game	Assists Per Game	Turnovers
Kyrie Irving	19.5	35	3.5	3.5	7
Kevin Love	6.5	21.7	5.5	2.5	1

James' career Game 5 numbers are even better, as he's put up 32.0 points, 8.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists in 12 games, per McMenamin. 

His teams, the Cavaliers and the Miami Heat, are 6-6 in those Game 5s, and he'll surely be looking to draw from his past experience. James spoke about how the Cavs need to approach this contest:

"

I've been on both sides, I've been on the side that's went up 3-2, I've been on the side that's went down 3-2. When the series is tied 2-2, that's a pivotal game. Obviously. We all know that. We want to come out with the mindset and the understanding of how important this game is to both teams and have a sense of urgency from the beginning.

"

Urgency is nothing new in the city of Cleveland, which is a sports town that has experienced numerous letdowns from its professional teams. The Indians haven't won a World Series since 1948, while the Browns delivered the city's last title in 1964. Cleveland's short-lived NHL team in the late 1970s did nothing of note.

The ringless Cavaliers look like Cleveland's best shot to end that drought, and James' calmness as they attempt to make it back to the NBA Finals for the second straight year could be reassuring not only to his teammates, but to an entire city.    

Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.