June 6th 2007
WITNESS: The Next Level, 2005-2006

As LeBron prepares for the finals, we look at the achievements that got him here. Today: his breakthrough 2005-06 season.

After the 2004-05 season, when Cleveland lost the tiebreaker with New Jersey for the last playoff spot, LeBron had his work cut out for him. With everyone expecting him to come back and take Cleveland to the playoffs, anything less would be beneath him.

But just as Cleveland was ready for the competition, the competition was ready for Cleveland.

Could LeBron keep his team on the rise?

2005-2006: THE REGULAR SEASON

November 13, 2005: LeBron puts up 26 against Orlando to become the youngest player in league history to reach 4,000 points. It was the fourth straight win in an eight-game winning streak that helped Cleveland get out to a 9-2 start.

November 19, 2005: LeBron gets a triple-double with 36 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a 123-120 OT win over Philly.

January 4, 2006: LeBron boosts Cleveland to a 20-11 record with a triple-double against Milwaukee: 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

January 21, 2006: LeBron goes off for 51 points against Utah to become the youngest player in league history to reach the 5,000-point mark.

February 19: 2006: LeBron becomes the youngest player ever to be awarded the MVP at the league’s midseason classic, posting 29 points and six rebounds in a 122-120 win over the West.

March 29, 2006: LeBron becomes the youngest player in league history to get to 6,000 points by scoring 46 against Dallas. The 107-94 victory lifts Cleveland to 42-29 and gives them their first playoff berth since 1998.

April 8, 2006: LeBron gets 37 points in a 107-102 win over New Jersey to cap off a nine-game streak with 35 points or better, a feat matched by only two others players in the previous 36 years of basketball.

April 19, 2006: Cleveland closes out the regular season with a 50-32 record and earns the #4 seed in the playoffs.

LeBron’s regular-season numbers continued to defy expectations: 31.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game, one of only four in league history to hit the 30-7-6 mark.

And he wasn’t done yet.

2006: THE WASHINGTON SERIES

Game 1: LeBron takes the floor against Washington in his first playoff game. As usual, he wastes no time making an impression, becoming the third player in league history to get a triple-double in his playoff debut with 32 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds for a 97-86 win.

Game 3: After a rough Game 2, LeBron becomes the first player to score over 40 points in his first playoff road game, putting up 41 in a 97-96 Game 3 win to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

Game 5: LeBron scores 45, including the game-winner with 0.9 seconds left in OT, to lead Cleveland to a 121-120 win and a 3-2 series edge.

Game 6: LeBron’s 32 leads Cleveland to a 114-113 OT win over Washington and closes out the series.

LeBron finishes the series with a 35.7-point average and takes Cleveland to the second round for the first time in 13 years.

Time to take it to Detroit.

2006: THE DETROIT SERIES

Game 3: LeBron and Cleveland bounce back from two tough losses against a dominating Detroit team and prevent what many predicted would be a sweep. LeBron leads the way with 21 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and four steals to secure the 86-77 win and cut Detroit’s lead in half.

Game 4: LeBron does it again with 22 points, nine assists and eight rebounds to help squeak out a 74-72 win and tie the series at 2-2 as the action heads back to Cleveland.

Game 5: LeBron scores 32 in a 74-72 win, quieting the Detroit crowd and taking a 3-2 lead in the series. Before this game, Detroit hadn’t lost three straight all year.

Could Cleveland be headed to the conference finals?

Not so fast. Detroit took Game 6 in Cleveland, 84-82, and wrapped up the series at home with a 79-61 win.

“There’s no reason for us to hang our heads about this series,” LeBron said at the time. I’m disappointed that we lost, because we had it right there for the taking, especially at home, but things happen.”

He was right. It was an unbelievable run to cap off a season full of highlights for LeBron. But it had come to a close.

Would Cleveland be able to bounce back?

Could they find a way to get past Detroit?

Only time would tell…

Tune in tomorrow for the next chapter in the WITNESS series, when we look back on LeBron’s accomplishments from the beginning of the 2006-07 season right up to Game 1 Thursday night.

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