by Marcel Mutoni / @ marcel_mutoni
Back in 2007, LeBron James watched the San Antonio Spurs dance and celebrate a championship on his homefloor, this after making quick work of the Cleveland Cavaliers in a crushing sweep.
The painful memory continues to burn at James, who says he’s looking for revenge against the Spurs, a team once again standing between him and the Larry O’Brien trophy.
Per the Miami Herald:
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen the series,” James said on Wednesday. “It was tough. We ran against a team that was more superior, more experienced, more better — that’s not even a word — better than we were at the time. 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.”
“I have a lot more weapons with me,” said James in one of the biggest understatements in recent basketball memory. […] After the Heat finally eliminated the Indiana Pacers in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals, James said he was “20, 40, 50 times better than I was in the ’07 Finals.” (Dwyane) Wade joked that James is “50, 60, 70 times better than he was in 2007.” […] “Just smarter, a lot smarter, more experienced, older, more mature both on and off the floor,” James said. “And I think that’s the most important thing. I’ve matured as a basketball player. I’ve matured as a man. And it has allowed my game to sprout.”
Not only is LeBron James a better, smarter and more dominant basketball player now than he was back in ’07, but the Miami Heat team he’s dragged to the NBA Finals is also a lot more formidable than his old Cavs squad.
LeBron discussed how the San Antonio Spurs were able to slow him down six years ago — mostly by keeping him on the perimeter and forcing him to shoot a then-shaky jumper — but he’s confident their ploys won’t work again.
The following statement from the League MVP is yet another indication why the Miami Heat are favored heading into this series:
“Like I said, I’m a better player, and you can’t dare me to do anything I don’t want to do in 2013.”
