LeBron James Downplays Importance of Cavaliers vs. Celtics

Wednesday's showdown between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics—who are tied atop the Eastern Conference with five games remaining in the regular season—figures to be one of the most important contests of the 2016-17 campaign. 

Just don't tell that to Cleveland superstar LeBron James.

"Taking nothing from them, they've been playing some great ball, but I'm not one to get caught up in the regular season," he said Tuesday, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. "I'm sorry. I've been to six straight Finals, man. I'm the last person to ask about a regular-season game, dude. Sorry."

James is one of the greatest players in NBA history and a three-time champion. He knows better than anyone that legacies are determined by what happens in the playoffs and not in early April clashes, even if the East's No. 1 seed is hanging in the balance.

James and the Cavaliers already proved last season they are capable of prevailing on the road in clutch moments when they won Games 5 and 7 in Oracle Arena while erasing a 3-1 NBA Finals deficit against the Golden State Warriors. If they have to win a Game 7 in Boston in a potential playoff series, they can draw on that experience.

As for Boston, every little bit figures to help in the quest to prevent James from making a seventh straight Finals.

However, Isaiah Thomas echoed James' sentiments Tuesday when discussing the upcoming clash, per Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com: "It's just another game. I think we've got to treat it like that. I mean being No. 1 in the standings, you don't feel different. I don't at least. I'm treating it like another game."

Not everyone felt that way, as Cleveland's Kevin Love said, "I think we need it," per McMenamin. McMenamin also noted Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue plans on playing all his players rather than resting them in the second game of a back-to-back, which indicates Wednesday's contest is important.

Still, James' ultimate goal this season is to defend the NBA crown. The games that will truly catch his attention are yet to come.

For more news, rumors and related stories about LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the NBA, we recommend checking out the NBA and Cavaliers streams on Bleacher Report's app.