James on historic pace to bring Cleveland a crown (AFP)

There's a huge photo of LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers' home arena with the superstar's giant-sized outstretched arms wide enough to carry the entire team, just as he's doing in the NBA Finals. Another maestro performance Tuesday saw "King James" score 40 points, grab 12 rebounds and pass out eight assists to spark the host Cavaliers over Golden State 96-91 to seize a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series with game four Thursday in Cleveland. The victory reinforced the growing sense that this is a career-defining moment for James, two wins from realizing his life's dream of turning his hometown club into a champion.