Mike Celizic

It’s as if LeBron James is carrying a to-do list with him and checking off the chores on the fly.

“Never been to the playoffs.” Check.

“Never won a playoff series.” Check.

“Never hit a big shot to win a game.” Check.

“Never had a playoff triple-double.” Check.

“Never top vote-getter on all-NBA team.” Check.

I was going to say we’ve never seen the likes of this kid before, except we did. The last person to perform these sorts of miracles was Magic Johnson, who won his first title in his first season, 1979-'80. Johnson was 20 at the time; LeBron is 21 and in his third season.

But there’s a difference: Magic had joined a team that already had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at center and Jamaal Wilkes up front, a team that needed just one more piece to win a championship. LeBron joined a team that had nobody of great accomplishment anywhere, and no supremely gifted sidekick to help carry the load.

So, I guess I go back to what I was going to say: We’ve never seen the likes of this kid before. Jordan didn’t do what he’s doing. Kobe, in his tenth season in the league, couldn’t win one playoff round without Shaquille O’Neal to help him do it.

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I don’t know if the Cavs find a way to win one more game and send Rasheed Wallace home hopping on one foot while trying to extricate the other from his mouth. But I do know that is certainly possible. The LeBrons have won three straight against the mighty Pistons, the best team in the NBA during the regular season. They need one more and have two chances to pull it off.

Before the playoffs began, I’d have said the Cavs had as much chance of beating Detroit as The DaVinci Code has of being named film of the year by the Vatican. Now, I’d say they have an even chance of doing it.

And the only reason they have is LeBron James. With him on the court, a collection of players that wouldn’t be in the playoffs — wouldn’t be close to the playoffs — has already gone through one round and stands poised to turn the NBA on its ear.

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It that happens, the league offices won’t complain. It would mean the LeBrons versus the Shaqs, the most charismatic big guy against the brightest young star the league has seen since Magic, in the Eastern Conference Finals, a match made in ratings heaven.

When James came straight out of high school and into the NBA three years ago, the inevitable predictions were made about him being the next Jordan. It’s a habit we can’t break. Every great young talent is always called the next something. Usually, it doesn’t happen. Darryl Strawberry never became the black Ted Williams. Patrick Ewing wasn’t the next Bill Russell, or whoever they said he’d be.

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And James isn’t the next Jordan, not because he’s not as good as Jordan was, but because he’s already beyond categorization. James is already sui generis, his own species, one of a kind. Jordan remains the greatest basketball player ever because of what he did in his career. But James already has done more at an earlier age. James has already carved his own niche out for himself.

He’s got a small forward’s body, a large forward’s muscle, a two guard’s shot and a point guard’s ball-handling skills. Kobe can still outscore him and any two other players in the game, but James also makes his team better.

All the things we didn’t know, all the things on that to-do list, are being answered. The questions began with whether he could even play at a high level in the NBA. He did that immediately, and he’s doing everything else earlier than anyone could be expected to.

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He can hit the game-winning shot, or, as he did against Detroit in Game 5, dish off for the game-winning assist. He not only rises to the occasion, he pulls his teammates along with him. Everybody on the floor in a Cavalier’s uniform gets better when James is there with them.

He’s in just his third year, and he’s just 21, but he’s a man and a seasoned pro, not just a practitioner of the game, but a student of it as well. He’s not the next Jordan. He’s the first LeBron.

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