LeBron James and Lionel Messi are the biggest names in the world of sports, and they continue to impress as they cement their legacy in their respective fields.
James is currently aiming to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to another NBA Finals appearance, while Messi recently got the job done as he catapulted Barcelona to the La Liga title—in record-breaking fashion.
For today’s sports news and updates, SBOBET takes a look at some interesting statistics about the two “Kings.” In preparation for the upcoming World Cup 2018, we also take a trip down memory lane and feature the tournament’s biggest winners.
LeBron James leaning on history to beat Celtics
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are now down 2-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals; and while that doesn’t look like a good thing, history suggests otherwise.The Cavaliers recently blow out the Boston Celtics by 30 points, thanks to LeBron’s double-double and a better offensive effort from the rest of the Wine and Gold crew. With the victory, the Cavs cut the Celts’ series lead to just one heading to Game 4.
While Boston still have the advantage, LeBron’s record when down 2-1 gives the Cavs some hope. According to ESPN Stats & Info, the King and his teams have won in the last three Eastern Conference playoff series that they faced the same deficit.
Most recently is their first-round victory over the Indiana Pacers which ended in full seven games. The Cavs were always the ones trailing in the series before taking the lead in Game 7—when it mattered most.
The other two times that it happened were in 2015 and 2012. In the 2015 Eastern Conference semi-finals, the Cavs went down 2-1 to the Chicago Bulls before winning the next three games. The exact same thing happened in 2012 when LeBron helped the Miami Heat overcome the Paul George-led Pacers in six games.
It remains to be seen if LeBron can power the Cavs to replicate that feat. However, they have a good chance of doing so as they play Game 4 at Quicken Loans Arena.
Lionel Messi finishes La Liga in style, hits another 30-goal season
Lionel Messi is a giant in the football world—perhaps the biggest of them all—and that’s in no way a slight on his diminutive stature that earned him the nickname of La Pulga.
The Barcelona star proved to fans once again why he is considered the best, finishing as La Liga’s top scorer with 34 goals while also leading the league in most categories when it comes to offence.
Interestingly, Messi is the first player in La Liga history to score 30-plus goals in seven different seasons. He did it from 2010 to 2013 and from 2015 to 2017. In 2014, the year that he failed to reach the 30-goal mark, he scored 27 league goals.
Furthermore, his 12 assists this year is the most in the league, a clear proof that he’s not only a remarkable scorer but also a terrific distributor. His assist tally is tied with Barca teammate Luis Suarez and Villarreal’s Pablo Fornals.
Messi’s season-long brilliance helped the Catalans reclaim the La Liga title comfortably, finishing 14 points ahead of second-placed Atletico Madrid and 17 up of defending champions Real Madrid.
He also led Barca to a 36-game undefeated streak in the league this season and 43 overall, dating back to last season.
Germany, Brazil look to extend World Cup glory
Germany and Brazil are the winningest nations in World Cup history, and they will look to extend their record in the World Cup 2018 in Russia.
Defending champions Germany, who are looking for their fifth title, will have their hopes up considering that they are the top-ranked team in the world. They went 10 for 10 in the European qualifiers and are one of the early favourites to lift the trophy in Moscow.
In fact, according to a World Cup simulation from UBS, the Germans are predicted to win the big event, with Brazil and Spain some distance behind.
Sure enough, the Brazilians will be keen to prove otherwise. After all, they are hungry for victory following their humiliating 7-1 semi-final loss to Germany—of all teams—in 2014.
The Selecao have already won the tournament five times, and there’s no better way to erase the bitter aftertaste of their home embarrassment than with a sixth trophy.
Fortunately, they have a strong supporter in footballing legend Pele, who is considered one of the best players of all time. In a recent statement, the 77-year-old insisted that the arrival of Tite makes the Brazilians sure-fire winners in the tournament.
Argentina and Uruguay are the other two nations to have won the World Cup multiple times, and they will be confident to add more to their trophy cabinet. Meanwhile, four-time winners Italy are set to miss the event after failing to qualify.
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