It’s been six long years since LeBron James made his first trip to the NBA Finals against the Spurs in June 2007.
Plenty of things have changed for the world’s best player since the Spurs swept James and his overmatched Cavaliers teammates: He has switched teams, won four league MVP awards and finally claimed his first title last season when the Heat defeated the Thunder.
Now, James has a chance to exact a measure of revenge against the Spurs, who are led by the same four men — coach Gregg Popovich and the trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili — who so easily pushed him aside back then.
“First of all, I think our team is more experienced,” James said at the podium Monday night, still in uniform and wearing a T-shirt commemorating the Heat’s dominant 99-76 victory over the Pacers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, earning them a third straight trip to the Finals and a shot at winning back-to-back titles. “My Cleveland team, we were very young and we went up against a very experienced, well-coached team, and they took advantage of everything that we did.
“I think for this team, this is our third year advancing to the Finals, so we’re very experienced, as well. … We understand the opportunity that we have.
“And I’m a much better player. I’m 20, 40, 50 times better than I was in the ’07 Finals. … We’re all better.”
There’s no doubt James is at the peak of his powers right now, having deservedly won four of the past five Most Valuable Player awards. He put all of his skills on display in a spectacular Game 7 performance, scoring 32 points, grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out four assists while also neutralizing the Pacers’ Paul George, who finished with seven points on 2-for-9 shooting.
Dwyane Wade spent the first six games trying to guard George — the breakout star of the series — without a ton of success before James said he would take care of George in Game 7. Easing Wade of his defensive burden paid off, as Wade finished with 21 points — cracking the 20-point barrier for the first time since Game 2 of the Heat’s first round sweep of the Bucks.
“Any little pressure I could take off D-Wade, I wanted to do that, especially in tonight’s game,” James said. “I told him I would take Paul George. I wanted to allow him to focus on his offense, and not have to worry about stopping Paul George every possession and allow him to get out in transition, allow him to make a couple of cuts and get to the line.
“I think that was huge for him.”
That ability to do virtually whatever he wants on the floor makes James easily the game’s most dominant player. But equally important has been the way James has detached mentally from the pressure that piled on him over the years as everyone waited for him to begin winning titles. The Spurs denied him in his first Finals visit in 2007, then the moment seemed to overwhelm him in losing to the Mavericks in 2011, his first season with Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami.
With the weight off him after getting a first ring a year ago, James is ready to start adding to his collection against a Spurs core that knows a thing or four about hoarding trophies.
“Ever since I lost the Finals to Dallas, my mind frame changed that offseason,” James said. “I just wanted to get back to playing the game that I love and have fun and play it at a high level and just take this opportunity and this unbelievable game that we have for granted. “So my mindset has been the same since we lost to Dallas. I’m looking forward to it.”