Lebron James wants his teammates to remain focused on the task at hand, which is to win the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat.
Yesterday, Lebron James and the Los Angeles Lakers opened the Finals series with a beating of the Miami Heat. The opponents were literally and figuratively battered. Not only were they beaten by a huge deficit, but they were also banged up by losing key players.
It was cruise control for the Lakers from the third quarter onwards, and Lebron James saw his teammates celebrate early. He didn’t appreciate the antics because there was still time left on the clock.
Lebron James doesn’t want to be burned again in the Finals
James has a 3-6 record in the NBA Finals. One of those losses came from the hand of Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks. Lebron James then was still young and inexperienced. Just when he thought that Dwyane Wade has already sealed the game, the Mavericks rallied back to take Game 2 from the Heat in the 2011 Finals.
Up to this day, Lebron James is still “burned” by that experience alone. As such, he doesn’t want his team celebrating too early. Now that he’s the older and more veteran player in the team, he’s keeping the entire bench’s emotions at bay.
When Dwight Howard and Anthony Davis were visibly elated by their plays on the court late in the game, James reminded them the game wasn’t done just yet. In an interview, he said,
“The best teacher in life is experience. I’ve experienced moments in my career where you have all the momentum in the world and you felt like you had the game under control, and one play here or one play there could change the course of a series or change the course of a game.”
Important achievements are on the line
Lebron James remains laser-focused in the NBA Finals because he wants to win. However, winning the NBA Finals is not just about that. If he wins it all this year, he can add to the narrative of being the greatest of all time.
He can also prove his doubters wrong again because he isn’t only a champion from the Eastern Conference, but also from the West. Winning this year’s NBA Finals will also mean greatly for the Lakers nation because of Kobe’s passing.
It will be one of the best tributes to the late and great Kobe Bryant, who is very important to the entire Lakers organization and fans.
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