LeBron James Stats 2017: Is This The Cavaliers' Star's Best NBA Season?

The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 119-116 Tuesday night, handing the defending Eastern Conference champions just their second loss in 20 games. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 27 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in the winning effort, falling just two assists shy of a triple-double.

Antetokounmpo was matched by LeBron James, who put up his usual eye-popping stats. The three-time NBA champion scored 39 points on 14-of-22 shooting, adding seven assists, three steals and two blocks.

For many, Antetokounmpo will be the player that eventually surpasses James as the league’s best. It would only make sense for it to happen this year with the Bucks’ star playing like an MVP candidate and James playing in his 15th season.

But James remains the unquestioned top player in basketball, and he might be having the best season of his career.

Prior to Tuesday’s loss, James had posted three straight triple-doubles. He’s third in points (28.2) and second in assists (9.3) per game. James’ 8.3 rebounds per game put him in the top 25 and mark the second-highest average of his career.

James is more efficient than he’s ever been, leading all star players with a .658 true shooting percentage. His 57.2 percent shooting from the field is a career-best, even though he’s taking more three-pointers than ever. That’s because James is making 41.1 percent of the more than five shots he takes behind the arc each night. James’ 77.5 percent shooting from the free throw line is his best in nine years.

The 9.3 assists per game are a career-high with James being forced into the role of Cleveland’s No.1 point guard. Isaiah Thomas won’t make his season debut before Christmas. Derrick Rose, who was supposed to start at point guard in his absence, has been limited to seven games.

In many ways, James hasn’t faced this much of a challenge since his first stint with Cleveland. With Kyrie Irving gone and Thomas recovering from a hip injury, James hasn’t been part of a “Big 3” in the 2017-2018 season. All the Cavs have had to show for trading Irving thus far is Jae Crowder, who's performed nothing like the player that thrived with the Boston Celtics.

Dwyane Wade has been a valuable sixth man, though his impact can only be so great while playing less than half of each game. Kevin Love is putting up All-Star numbers, and Jeff Green has given the Cavs some good minutes off the bench.

The Cavaliers’ roster is probably not one that can compete with the Golden State Warriors, who will likely meet Cleveland in the NBA Finals for a fourth straight year. Even with all the issues they’ve had, the Cavs are still on pace to win 59 regular-season games.

Cleveland hasn’t won more than 57 games since James returned in 2014. This might be the most competitive the East has been during that time. Eight teams in the East sit above .500 through 30 games, while only six teams out West can make that claim.

It’s just more evidence that James is somehow playing the best basketball of his career in year No.15. Perhaps not as athletic as he was when he entered the league, just about every aspect of James’ game—at least on offense—has improved.

Antetokounmpo should be an MVP candidate with the numbers that he’s putting up. Tuesday’s game should be one that voters reference when trying to decide if it’s the Milwaukee or Cleveland star that gets the award.

James, however, has been so good that Antetokounmpo isn’t realistically in the discussion. Two months into the season, it’s clear that the MVP race will come down to LeBron James and James Harden.

Harden is having a spectacular season of his own and leading the Houston Rockets to the NBA’s best record. His season is much more explainable. Having already been a runner-up for the award twice, the 28-year-old is peaking in his ninth NBA season.

James will be 33 years old on New Year’s Eve, and he’s five years removed from winning his last MVP award. Who knows when the best player of the last decade will relinquish his spot atop the league?