Wednesday, March 7th, 2012 at 10:15 am  |  29 responses

DeShawn Stevenson: ‘LeBron Didn’t Play Like He Should’ve Played’ in NBA Finals


While complimenting the new and improved Miami Heat, who tore up the visiting New Jersey Nets by 30 points last night, DeShawn Steveson managed to get in a subtle dig against his longtime nemesis LeBron James. From the Bergen Record: “Stevenson was asked the difference between the Heat of this year and the Heat that lost to Stevenson’s Mavericks in last year’s Finals. ‘I think we were just a better team than them,’ Stevenson said. ‘And then obviously LeBron didn’t play like he should have played [in the Finals].’ Stevenson had a lot to do with that, playing key defense on James and hitting several key shots of his own to help the Mavericks defeat the Heat in six games. James struggled mightily, extending the narrative that has dogged LeBron his entire career: he’s a great regular season player, but when the games matter most, or when the moment is there to be seized, he’s not the same guy. Stevenson, of course, has a tumultuous history with James — including a lot of trash talk between the two when Stevenson was with the Wizards and James was with the Cavs. Jay-Z even made a rap track dissing Stevenson. But mixed in with his dig, Stevenson also had plenty of praise for the Heat. ‘I just think they have more confidence,’ Stevenson said. ‘LeBron has more confidence, Dwyane Wade always played well. And I think Bosh even he’s stepping up big. They’re just a solid team. And whenever you’ve got LeBron playing like that, they’re going to win the championship.’ A moment later, Stevenson said he believed the Heat would win this year’s championship. ‘I think so,’ Stevenson said. ‘I really do. … They’re a great team, a team that went to the Finals last year. That’s the same pieces with even more additions. They play the right way. They picked us apart. Just a great team.’”

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  • Paul H

    I’m fairly certain that point has been made a few times since the finals. Cheers for the insight Deshawn.

  • 23

    Before last year, I don’t think lebrons postseason play has ever been questioned(except that time he had a triple double in game 5 but he didn’t try apparently). Lebrons post season stats are very good, he brings it. Mo williams dissapeared frequently and they lacked a low post presence. Last year in the finals I think everyone has already come to the conclusion that he didn’t play well.

  • LA Huey

    DeShawn, always with the timely and refreshing insight. At least he gave credit where credit is due.

  • http://redoftoothandclaw.ca/ niQ

    Captain Obvious to the rescue!

  • http://www.slamonline.com spit hot fiyah

    nothing here, moving on

  • http://slamonline.com YKnot

    Lebrons “nemesis” I think not.

  • Dan

    winning titles is also about greatness in terms of personalities. i think a mindset makes the biggest difference on a stage where physical and technical skills are almost equal between two teams. wade (that suprised me alot) and james showed off the court (e.g. making fun of nowitzki’s flu) that they entered the finals with a mindset of people who like to show off and act like cheap traders. never listened to any criticism, never admitted personal failure (e.g. the decision). james was not a loser, he won and earned more in hus young life than i ever will. but he acted like one, like a cheap trader, a complete idi… . and this kind of mindest is not championship worthy. i hope he learned from that and changes his attitude. otherwise he will allways stay a good player n freak of nature instead of being great. he can also become a jackass again AFTER he won his first ring ;)

  • http://slamonline.com Brion

    Does anyone know what JayZ track that is?

  • charliewinning

    If you actually read the comments, he was praising the Heat and Lebron. Went so far as to say they’d win it all. For once Deshawn wasn’t being a hater.

  • clutch

    if the heat do get to the finals lebron better ball so hard! im talking about a dwyane wade 06 finals type performance

  • http://www.optimabbc.be Max

    Brion; Blow the whistle.

  • Dan

    @clutch Posted: wade played well in the 06 finals but i dont think that the nba will donate him another ring. remember all the non foul calls he got against the mavs? was almost ridiculous how often he got to the line without even being touched at all in 06. that was a once in a lifetime thing. next time the heat enter the finals they will have to execute well as a team and show greatness in the clutch.

  • abaci

    Well duh, that was all very obvious. Anytime Slam mentions DeShawn they should include pics of all his hilarious tattoos.

  • http://theurbangriot.com The NUPE

    His comments were fair and well balanced. Didn’t say anything new, surprising or contriversial. Actually seems like he hopes to get picked up by the Heat next year so he can play with Bron and get another chip himself.

  • RunNGun

    LeBron… how’s his DIRK taste?

  • Rainman

    @ 23: Ur kidding me right?…the 2 years beforehand against the Celtics LeBron in the final games had the same gazed over and “not there” look on his face, he just didnt have it in him. He’s been called out on this for the apast 3 years, not jsut last year, and rightfully so. “he’s a great regular season player, but when the games matter most, or when the moment is there to be seized, he’s not the same guy.” Couldnt have said it better myself :)

  • 23

    Lebron battled pierce when they both had 40 a peice I think. He steamrolled through the first rounds when they were inferior. He took over the pistons while they still had their championship core. He took out a pesky wizards team time and time again. Last year he took out an old celtics team and he also took out the number 1 seed last year in chicago. Wade was invisible at times. Lebrons series against sa was just unfair for obvious reasons. But he always gave the celtics all they could handle. People just pick out the games where he didn’t perform to his normal standards. Last year he was just bad in the finals. Period. But other than that, I think people forget who his teammates were. Mo williams, anthony parker, varejao, and an old ilgauskas and at one point larry highes at pg… and those were the starters

  • http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2012/03/deshawn-stevenson-lebron-didn%e2%80%99t-play-like-he-should-have-played-in-nba-finals/ bike

    DeShawn’s like a chicken. Every day is a brand new day.

  • fizzbucket

    Game 5 in the 2010 playoffs he gave up. End of story. That game and last year’s Finals will always be a knock on him until he gets a title, and even maybe after.

  • xx_JOMOMMA_xx

    LEBRON CANT SHOOT

    unless he has a team like magic johnsons lakers had where every position has a potential hall of famer he will never win a title NEVER

    the star player has to have a money shot

    lebrons is a dunk, with poor free throw shooting to follow when fouled

    maybe he should spend a bit more time working on an 18 footer
    and a bit less making commercials & being all up in the videos

    just wondering if commitment is there

  • http://juan.garcia@computershare.com MoveOverBacon

    Here in LA we only worry about chips. Every where else they just sweat who’s the better player. Who cares? I say. Just win baby! Go Lakers!

  • bill

    If Dwight Howard or Deron Williams, in the last year of their contracts, don’t take their team of nobodies to the Eastern Conference the way Lebron James, in the last year of his contract, took his team of nobodies to the Eastern Conference Finals, will all the LebronHaters call them “chokers”?

    Naaaaaaaaah…

  • Larry Johnson’s Gold Tooth

    Deshawn needs to get on with his life and play like he is supposed to play in the regular season….and im not a Lebron fan at all…

  • http://slamonline Brion

    Thanks Max.

  • maik

    deshawn stevensons owner once made a rap diss against him…lol

  • Y.C.Chen

    Miami Heat and especially the big 3 need to win it to prove people wrong. for now, people can say whatever because Heat has not live up to their level yet. until then.

  • BBaller

    Anyone can say James was so good he brought a punk team to the nba finals that year, as a Spurs fan the entire eastern conference was a joke!! I was more worried about the 8th seed in the west than any eastern team. James has had good teammates, if the Heat don’t win this year he a poor man’s Malone. Although i’d place my house on the Heat winning this year as all other teams are injured, ageing or waiting until next year. An asterix for the Heat for sure. Heat hater, hell yeah!!

  • BBaller

    Sorry James and Bosh hater? Hell yeah!

  • BBaller

    Mad respect for them in Cavs and Raptors jerseys.

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