LeBron James and the Miami Heat are four wins away from their second straight NBA Finals trophy — all that stands in the way are the veteran San Antonio Spurs. Game 1 tipoff is at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday.
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The last time the Spurs saw James in an NBA Final was in 2007, the Associated Press reports. James was then in his third year with the Cleveland Cavaliers. While the Spurs swept the Cavs, James wasn't nearly the player he is today — nor did he have the complement of Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh beside him.
"He'll be a lot more of a problem than he was in 07, that's for sure," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters.
James has since won four NBA MVP awards and an NBA championship. Even with all the accolades under his belt, the 28-year-old hasn't gotten over getting swept by the Spurs.
"I have something in me that they took in '07. Beat us on our home floor, celebrated on our home floor. I won't forget that. You shouldn't as a competitor. You should never forget that," James told reporters.
James might be the greatest player in the world right now, but defeating San Antonio will be no small task. Popovich and forward Tim Duncan have won four NBA championships together; guards Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili both were there for three of the titles.
The Spurs have always been a successful team, but time for the veteran core of Duncan, Parker and Ginobili is running out. This season could be the last time the three have a chance to win a title together, and they aren't taking it lightly.
"When I was 21 and I won my first one, it was kind of fast and we think it's going to happen every year. We think it's easy. But after a lot of years in the league, you realize it's really hard to go to the finals," Parker told reporters. "Now we take nothing for granted. We appreciate every moment, and we'll see what happens."
