Is LeBron Better Without Kyrie?

Break-up with Kyrie Irving enabled LeBron James to LeBron James

LeBron James isn't missing Kyrie Irving.

When LeBron James returned to Cleveland after his stint with the Miami Heat, he formed a "Big 3" alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love who came from the Minnesota Timberwolves. That alliance produced three consecutive trips to the NBA Finals for the Cavaliers who won the championship in 2016 after the Golden State Warriors blew a 3-1 series lead. 

Fast forward to 2017, Kyrie Irving demanded a trade and that demand was granted as Irving was traded to the now, league-leading Boston Celtics in exchange for a still-recovering Isaiah Thomas plus additional role players. While many people thought LeBron James lost in that deal, his numbers are saying otherwise. Why?

Here's why:

Sure, the Cavs endured a 4-game losing streak during the first few weeks of the new season. They may have lost a ton of bad games including ones against mediocre teams. They lost to the Knicks and the Nets in a span of one week.  

Now?

They're on an 8-game winning streak, the second-longest streak this season, so far. That is after the Cavs beat the Philadephia 76ers, 113-91. And LeBron James- the monstrous LeBron James that was missing during the last few years, has been the main reason why the Cavs have been so successful as of late. He's averaging 28 points per game (3rd leading scorer in the league) and is leading the Cavs in 4 of the 5 major categories. 

Conclusion

This basketball pundit on wheels is not saying that Kyrie Irving was hampering LeBron's ability to dominate. This pundit is simply saying that the departure of Kyrie Irving enabled us NBA fans to witness the dominance of LeBron James anew. If anything, don't be surprised if LeBron James goes on to win another MVP award this season.