After that he lost 1 game to the Thunder in 2012, and lost 3 games to the Spurs in 2013 before winning the title. Leon Powe, who helped defend James in that series, said then-Celtics coach Doc Rivers laid out specific guidelines -- LeBron rules. Catch all the 2020-21 season action on ESPN, ABC and the ESPN App. "We gave him small-sample sizes," Livingston says. He’s led a team to the Finals in each conference. But let’s circle back to 1998. Star forward LeBron James has put forth an illustrious NBA career that will make him a first-ballot Hall of Famer. "At that time, LeBron wasn't a great shooter, so we could lay off him a bit," Prince says. The second season of the LeBron James/Los Angeles Lakers partnership has culminated with a familiar playoff fate for a James-led team: a berth in The Finals. LeBron might have been remembered among the likes of Jerry West (1–8) and Elgin Baylor (0–7) on the list of all-time NBA Finals losers. Then he lost another 4 in 2011 against Dallas Mavericks. But that series signaled the end of the line for the Cavs, again falling prey to a roster that had more talent (Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkoglu, Rashard Lewis). "We always felt, in those years anyway, that LeBron was more dangerous when he could make other guys better instead of being a flat-out scorer," former Magic coach Stan Van Gundy says. They asked him to do too much. Prince was a long-armed forward with a 7-foot-2 wingspan who gained notoriety when he chased down and blocked a seemingly uncontested layup by Reggie Miller that would have sealed Game 2 of the 2004 Eastern Conference finals. Stephen Curry and the Warriors eliminated the Cavs in the 2015 Finals. And by 2011, fouls had become a source of frustration for James' opponents. • Clippers at Mavs, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN Lost in the finals twice. Early in the shot clock, James could expect to be hounded by defensive menaces Thompson and Andre Iguodala. In the final three games of the 2014 Finals, the Spurs beat the Heat by an average of 19 points, passing an astounding 114 more times a game than the Heat, per Second Spectrum. In 13 career playoff appearances, James has advanced to the Finals eight consecutive times and collected three Larry O'Brien trophies. So we made that adjustment.". The NBA is back! LeBron James has now lost twice as many finals as he’s won. "He's seen it all.". 4 in 2020 with the Lakers. When was the last time the Heat lost a playoff series? "LeBron knew exactly what we were doing. The Thunder have three 2027 second-round picks — their own, the Rockets’ and one from the Indiana Pacers. It didn't work. That growth has to do with leadership -- and greatness.". He moved on to L.A., where he led the league in assists this season and seems content to allow Anthony Davis to be the primary scorer. LeBron James and the Cavs beat the Warriors in an epic 2016 Finals. It was like becoming a scholar at Harvard after a couple of years at Cal State Fullerton.". Across his past five appearances, James has averaged 24.4 points, 6.2 assists and 5.8 rebounds over 32.0 minutes per game. He showed LeBron the right way to maximize his talents, in a structured system that favored gifted players with high IQs. The best way to stop that? "The guy studied on film what we did to him and was ready for it. He implemented his now famous "point five" edict: No one was to hold the ball longer than half a second. "I played the most minutes of anyone on our team because LeBron was playing dang near most of the game," says Prince, who logged 43.2 minutes per night. The second-round pick via Houston originates from the sign-and-trade in which the Rockets acquired Christian Wood from Detroit this offseason. But LeBron hadn't developed his low-post game yet. Winning has fueled LeBron James, there is no doubt. Do you mean the series or number of games he lost? "Late in the shot clock, we'd tell everyone to switch in the last three to five seconds," Livingston explains. He also implemented assistant Dwane Casey's suggestion to play zone. Unlike the orders Rivers had dished out, Van Gundy instructed his players not to hit James if he had a clear lane to the rim. (The Boston Bruins would later upset the Canucks in Game 7 in Vancouver. "Back then, LeBron was always trying to get to the hole," says Robert Horry, a 2007 Spurs alum. "You look at all the great stars in this game and there's a moment where they finally figure out a way to take the next step," Bowen says. This time the culprit was the springy Anderson Varejao, a 6-foot-10 landmine designed to knock off the lanky Prince and free James, who was navigating his maiden postseason voyage in the 2006 Eastern Conference semifinals. It was a pattern that emerged over the course of those early playoff runs: James and a lesser cast versus a deeper, more talented opponent. He rebounded in Game 6 to submit one of his 25 career playoff triple-doubles (27 points, 19 rebounds, 10 assists), but Cleveland lost. Additional plaudits were heaped on after he guarded Kobe Bryant that June in the Finals and helped lead Detroit to a championship. That now … "He made mediocre guys look pretty good. Lebron knows when to turn it on and knows his legacy is … He established himself as Miami's -- and the NBA's -- No. The L.A. team draped in purple and gold remained one of the favorites to win it all based on one factor: LeBron James. In the 2009 playoffs, James submitted the most prolific postseason series of his career against the Magic in the Eastern Conference finals, averaging 38.5 points and knocking down a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in Game 2 to tie the series. The Spurs ousted the Heat in Game 5 of The Finals in 2014. In the 2007 Eastern Conference finals, he torched Detroit's vaunted defense for 48 points in a double-overtime Game 5 win, remaining one step ahead of the double-teams and repeatedly setting up Daniel "Boobie" Gibson, who scored 31 in the clinching Game 6 victory for the Cavs. Listen. It adds to general manger Sam Presti’s stockpile of draft picks. The 2020 Finals marked the 10th time a James-led team has reached the championship stage. "It happened for LeBron when he immersed himself in the culture Pat Riley developed in Miami. 1 option, leading the Heat to back-to-back titles. "We had one guy sprint back to protect the rim, and then the two guys closest to LeBron, regardless of position or size, were supposed to find him and surround him. The Cavaliers fell behind 2-0, but James, who averaged 26.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists, willed his team back into contention, leading Cleveland to three wins and a Game 7. Lost in the second round three times. The hope was as the series went on it might wear him down a bit.". The strategy was a sound one, as James shot just 27.6% from behind the 3-point line in the series. LeBron James, the timeless wizard and indestructible hulk, is alive and well, and has still dominated all of the Game 7s he’s ever played in. 3. "At the time, he wasn't confident in his midrange shot," Bowen says. Shawn Marion was a smooth, agile player who bothered James with his length. This postseason is taking … James wilted under the unwavering pressure of the Spurs' defense, shooting 4-of-20 on his 3s and 35.6% overall from the field. Updated June 27, 2018. But he lost the second he was compared to Michael Jordan and — unlike Grant Hill, Jerry Stackhouse, Vince Carter, Penny Hardaway, Kobe or any of the other erstwhile “next Michael Jordans” — actually proved people right. "We'd mix up our coverages and our personnel to keep him guessing. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLC’s Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network. By moving the ball that quickly, it enabled the Spurs to stay a fraction ahead of Miami's defensive rotations, forcing the Heat into what they used to call the "mixer," a recover-recover-recover mode to physically tax James, already carrying the majority of the offensive load. LeBron James picked up NBA championship No. Our plan was to double-team him as little as possible.". None. James ranks first all time in playoff games played, minutes, points, steals, field goals and free throws, and ranks in the top five in assists and 3-pointers. Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Image Why not just double the guy and live with what everyone else does?' They saw my skinny frame and told him, 'Go down on the block and take this guy.' "Force him to the sideline and cut off half the floor!" Hard. While James has won three titles in 14 seasons with the Cavs and Miami Heat, he has lost in the title series five times. No wonder as his current team, the Los Angeles Lakers, skidded through the early part of the playoff bubble, oddsmakers blissfully ignored their flaws. Relive the Lakers’ run to the 2010 title as LeBron James led the way for L.A. "And the Cavs were asking him to do things he wasn't comfortable with. I was giving up 40 pounds and getting pounded on screens from Ilgauskas and Varejao every time down the floor.". ", "The point," says Jason Terry, a key member of that Dallas team, "was that LeBron was going to get a lot of calls, but we couldn't let that distract us. Won five championships. Golden State also relied on a variety of defenders with different skills to guard him. The Cleveland Cavaliers big man planted himself adjacent to Prince with the explicit purpose of preventing him from tracking a precocious 21-year-old LeBron James. Make him see a crowd.". The veteran Pistons, including Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton, chided themselves for taking their foot off the accelerator. Draymond Green would often pick up James on a switch and use his bulk to bump and harass. James took a moment after Game 5 … Yes, I realize this run to the Finals is a lot different than seasons past. FOR THE NEXT four seasons, James and the Cavaliers banged heads with the Warriors, who adopted some of the Spurs' ball-movement edicts, a dash of the triangle principles that won championships for the Chicago Bulls and Lakers, and a healthy diet of 3-point bombs provided by Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. "Doc wanted all five guys on LeBron," says Powe, who played AAU basketball with James on the Oakland Soldiers. In 2013, the Heat and LeBron James emerged victorious again. James has led his team outright in points, rebounds and assists 48 times in his playoff career (Larry Bird is a distant second with 13, per Elias Sports Bureau). • Bucks at 76ers, 7 p.m. on ESPN Rivers implored. A season later in 2008, a bigger, stronger James came up against another Big Three, this time in Celtics green. LeBron James and the Heat won the title in 2012. And when we took that away, he seemed at a bit of a loss.". The 1996-97 Bulls needed to beat the … LeBron James has averaged at least 25 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in 15 different seasons. Future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen paired with Paul Pierce, who, like James, was still in pursuit of his first championship. "He didn't understand the pick-and-roll that well, and he didn't have the patience of a veteran player. "'Make sure he knows you are there.' For over a decade, agitators had attempted to rattle him, including Green, whose attempt to upend James failed spectacularly in the 2016 Finals. "He's an all-world playmaker -- one of the best I've seen," says Shaun Livingston, who played with Golden State from 2014 to '19. "And his ability to play at such a high level at age 35 blows my mind.". James had another crack at the Celtics in 2010, but following a 3-for-14 shooting performance in Game 5 in which he looked oddly disengaged, critics wondered aloud if he possessed the mental tenacity to lead a team. "But if he has 28 and 12 assists -- if you let him dissect the game -- you don't have a chance.". This series was one of the many James versus a super team series. • Lowe: The GOAT debate is different now Here’s a look back at how LeBron’s teams have fared in his 10 NBA FInals trips. "LeBron's biggest evolution is now he's able to think multiple plays ahead," former Spurs defensive ace Bruce Bowen says. • LeBron's Laker Year 2 ends with a title This is one of many streaks for James when it comes to … James has achieved it all during this stretch that he continues to add impressive feats. But Cleveland won the series because LeBron continued to make the right basketball decision every time … James led the series in points per game by ten points, averaging 28 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. The Lakers may have lost Friday just as the Cavaliers lost that 2007 series opener. A rededicated James shot 53.1% from the field (a career high) and 36% from 3, and averaged 30.3 points and 9.7 rebounds in the 2012 playoffs. "We just said to each other, 'OK, this 21-year-old kid is carrying his team. "But was there doubt? • The final days of the NBA's bubble. A Game 1 playoff loss in the first round to the undermanned Portland Trail Blazers didn't sway bettors, nor did a Game 1 loss to the Houston Rockets in the second round. The next most such seasons is 8 by Oscar Robertson. The Miami Heat won the NBA Finals 3 times, in 2006, 2012 and 2013. All times Eastern. 3 times he lost the series in the first round. Monday through Friday, host Pablo Torre brings you an inside look at the most interesting stories at ESPN, as told by the top reporters and insiders on the planet. ... and he spoke," James said at the time. His Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Brooklyn Nets 111-106 on Friday and were officially eliminated from the … LeBron has never lost a first-round series in his life. "At that time, he was a great one-on-one iso player who relied on that a lot. Two years later, after James overwhelmed the Washington Wizards in the first round by averaging 35.7 points, Prince shadowed James from end line to end line, relinquishing perimeter looks to stymie drives to the basket. They unleashed Bowen on James with help from a trio of future Hall of Famers: Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. "We always were looking at body language, to see if guys were still engaged. "You can't rattle LeBron," says David West, another Golden State veteran. LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers were ousted in the second round of the 2006 NBA playoffs by Tayshaun Prince and the Detroit Pistons in seven games. Tim Duncan thanked LeBron for letting him have one last shot at the league before The Chosen One conquered the entire NBA, and that was the overarching perception of LeBron in June 2007. The Warriors got their revenge against LeBron James and the Cavs in the 2017 Finals. And critics point out that he’s won *only* four. Down 2-1, Carlisle went small, adding JJ Barea to the starting lineup to give the Mavs an extra ball handler who could penetrate and create shots for others. ), "How many whistles did you hear?" No other player has statistically dominated the postseason the way the Lakers' supernova has. The last LeBron rule, Powe says, was that if James started downhill toward the basket, the Celtics were to foul him. The Spurs, the Cavs' opponent in the 2007 Finals, understood that. "He's more patient," Horry says. 2011: Game 4, NBA Finals. LeBron has played in the NBA Finals nine of the last ten years and ten total. Golden State's biggest concern centered on James' superior court vision. The four-time MVP has never lost in the first round, sporting a perfect 10-0 record and counting. In the 2013 Finals, the Heat lost Game 1 to the Spurs by 4 points. He wrote that word on the board before every game.". LeBron Raymone James Twitter: KingJames (King James, LBJ, Chosen One, Bron-Bron, The Little Emperor, The Akron Hammer, L-Train) Position: Small Forward, Power Forward, Point Guard, and Shooting Guard Shoots: Right 6-9, 250lb (206cm, 113kg) . "Play through the whistle. Not only did he have to deal with the monstrous defense of Kawhi Leonard, but he would also face Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker. As he heads into the 2020 NBA Finals with the LA Lakers, it raises the question regarding how many NBA titles he’s won.. LeBron James’ illustrious NBA career • Shelburne: Inside the Lakers' title run They won the next 4. In his first stint in Cleveland, LeBron attempted 45% of his shots in the paint during the playoffs. He averaged 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 2.2 steals and 0.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.2 % from the field. 2013-14 Miami Heat. Popovich would later anoint that Spurs title as his favorite. WASHINGTON — Today, the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department will begin delivering a second round of Economic Impact Payments as part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 to millions of Americans who received the first round of payments earlier this year. He averaged 9.9 free throw attempts per game over the previous four seasons, and teams felt James was receiving preferential treatment from the officials. The second directive from Rivers: When James got the ball in the half court, he was not, under any circumstances, to be allowed to go to the middle. The Mavericks upset the Heat in the 2011 Finals. Can you name the 3 other players to do this more than 5 times? "He wanted to dunk on you. They bounced back in Game 2 with a 19 point victory, and ultimately won in 7 in one of the all-time great Finals. Instead, he put LeBron over the top seven years later. Rivers knew that if he did, James' exceptional court vision would enable him to hit cutters or create his own high-percentage shot. IT TOOK JAMES only one season to exact his revenge on the Pistons. For the first time since 2005, the NBA playoffs won't feature LeBron James. James’ inauspicious Game 1 included missing 16 of his 18 shots and turning the ball over 10 times, although he did have nine assists, nine rebounds and got to the line 10 times. Coach Carlisle was all about disposition. In the 2013 2nd Round, the Heat lost Game 1 to the Bulls by 7 points. To dissuade his players from harping on that, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle brought his team into the film room before Game 4 of the 2011 Finals and rolled highlights of the Boston Bruins vs. Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Final, which was unfolding simultaneously with the NBA playoffs. "I always told people, 'If LeBron scores 40 but you keep him to around five assists or so, you can win,'" Prince says. And a total of 15 games from 84 to 98 in the first rounds. The Warriors, who were later bolstered by the addition of Kevin Durant, won three of their four Finals matchups with Cleveland, and James was again facing a deficit of comparable talent. One was for the Celtics to refrain from crashing the boards on a Boston miss. Indeed, Gibson crashed back to earth against the Spurs in the Finals, averaging 10.8 points. "You don't want to switch any earlier than that, especially on LeBron, because he'll exploit the matchup.". In Game 4, James passed up open shots, missed most of the ones he took (3-of-11) and repeatedly deferred to an increasingly irritated Wade, who got in James' grill in an attempt to unleash the aggression that had brought the Heat to the precipice of greatness. Carlisle asked his team. Golden State swept the LeBron-led Cavs in the 2018 Finals. James averaged 45.9 minutes. To be honest, he was kind of predictable. He redoubled his efforts to improve his shooting and turned to meditation to calm his mind and block out critics. Looking back: LeBron James' 10 trips to The Finals | NBA.com The man whose legacy he continues to chase, Michael Jordan, is second with 39.8. LeBron was engaged, but he wasn't getting to the spots on the floor that he normally did. The last thing you want is LeBron to get the ball and a full head of steam. As the seconds dwindled down, James yanked off his Cavs jersey in frustration. He later declared it the turning point of his career. It had taken near-perfect basketball to unseat James from his throne -- and to send him back to Cleveland for a shot at redemption. Detroit Pistons defensive wizard Tayshaun Prince, all 215 pounds of him, smashed into an immovable, 7-foot-3, 260-pound object named Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Boston didn't so much stop James as simply outlast him. The Canucks were the heavily favored team that benefited from calls. The Mavericks' championship over the Heat prompted James' most introspective summer. Months earlier, … In doing so, the Pistons became the first of only six teams to eliminate James from the postseason. The next most such seasons is 8 by Oscar Robertson. James' inauspicious Game 1 included missing 16 of his 18 shots and turning the ball over 10 times, although he did have nine assists and nine rebounds and got to the line 10 times. "Doc told us, 'If he's coming through the key, pop him,'" Powe says. Once the shot went up, Boston was to immediately retreat. The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Miami Heat 4-2 in the 2020 NBA Finals to claim their 17th championship. That shot up to 56% during his second stay, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. The Warriors marveled at James' ability to maintain his composure. The Cavs collectively shot 39.5% for the series. In 2020, the Miami Heat lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals. Wednesday, March 17 The postseason, after all, is all about adapting and surviving. LeBron James and the Cavs fell short in the 2007 Finals. 84, 85 and 86. Conversely, comebacks have become more frequent in the NBA. A ring is a ring, and every NBA championship should be treasured—but not all title paths are created equal. 2010-11 Boston Celtics (56-26, lost 4-1 in 2nd round) This was the year Jeff Green was supposed to put Boston over the top. Every time they'd try to run the pick-and-roll, we'd put our feet in the paint and dare him to drive, and blow the whole play up.".