There is no such thing as a failed season, according to LeBron James after defending champions the Cleveland Cavaliers lost their NBA crown to the Golden State Warriors.

James played averaged a triple-double during the NBA Finals, but it was not enough to prevent the Cavaliers from losing in five games to the Warriors following Monday's 129-120 loss in Oakland.

The Cavs – after rallying from a 3-1 deficit last season – were unable to retain their title but James remained upbeat post-match.

"There's no such thing as a failed season when you put in as much work as we've done," James said. 

In the meantime, James is planning on getting away from basketball for a bit. But not too long.

It was another gruelling season for James, who posted a game-high 41 points on Monday. He added 13 rebounds and eight assists to become the first player in Finals history to average a triple-double for the entire series. 

"I don't need to be out on the court," James said. "I need to get off my feet and let my joints and let my body kind of recover from being on the floor for 14 years."

Despite dealing with a multitude of injuries during the regular season, once healthy for the postseason, James said the Cavs were able to "flip the switch" while cruising through the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Unfortunately for the Cavs, they ran into one of the best teams the NBA has ever seen. 

James was the best player on the court in the 2017 Finals, but the four-time league MVP is now just 3-5 over his career in the championship series.

It took him until his third Finals appearance to get a championship, when his Miami Heat beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2012 Finals.

The two embraced in 2012 and Durant – the 2017 NBA Finals MVP in his first season with the Warriors – found James and congratulated him on a great series. 

While James was disappointed in losing the Finals, he knows the feeling Durant has in getting his first title. 

"Getting that first championship for me was like having my first son," James said. "It was a proud moment for me.

"They can never take away you being a champion. It may be the last thing they say, but they can never take that away from you."