[Basketball News]

LeBron James has shifted into a higher gear - warp speed.

Entering the stretch run of his fourth season as a pro (is that possible?), James has taken his splendid, all-around game to another level, and brought the Cleveland Cavaliers along with him.

Criticized earlier this season for being lackadaisical, missing too many free throws, not coming through in the clutch and not owning an NBA championship ring like superstar pal Dwyane Wade, James is playing perhaps the best basketball of his life.

Since the All-Star break No. 23 has been unstoppable.

"He played well last year too,'' Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said before Sunday's win over Indiana. "But in terms of putting it all together, in this last stretch of games, he's been playing very, very well.''

LeBron James Soaring Along With Cavaliers

[Lefty Noob]

According to this, LeBron is "averaging a league-best 33.3 points on 53 percent shooting since Feb. 15 for the surging Cavaliers." So is he playing the best basketball of his career right now? Personally, I'm not sure I buy it... but I'd love to hear what you guys think.

[azrael492]

He is playing great right now, and is carrying the Cavs. I don't think he was being lackadaisical or in a slow gear. He has been pacing himself. He has played ball for a solid year with no breaks. He didn't want to run out of gas like he said he did last season.