LeBron James has experienced many great moments throughout his career. However, few are more memorable than the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals, when he led the Miami Heat to a victory over the Boston Celtics, securing his first NBA Finals appearance.
On Tuesday’s episode of the “Mind the Game” podcast, host Steve Nash asked James about the most grueling playoff series he had ever played in his career. The “King” didn’t hesitate to reveal that it was the 2012 Conference Finals, where he faced one of the best lineups in Celtics history.
That series, it’s worth remembering, was decided in seven games. Although LeBron’s Heat won the first two, the Celtics moved within one win of advancing to the Finals by winning the next three. Ultimately, the series went in Miami’s favor, but it came at a high price for James and his teammates.
A grueling series
In his conversation with Nash, James recalled the intensity of those Celtics led by Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo. “You already know what KG brings to the game, his intensity,” LeBron explained. “You know what Rondo brings to the game, and the rest of that group just brought so much out of you.”
The “King” acknowledged that the series was demanding on all levels: “Not only from a physical standpoint, but from a mental standpoint. They had so many guys out there who could do so many things. At the end of the series, I was just like, ‘I just want to sleep.'”
James did practically everything in that series. Across seven games, LeBron averaged 33.6 points, 11 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.3 blocks. The exhaustion was so profound that it seemed the Oklahoma City Thunder might sweep them in the Finals, but Miami never gave up and ultimately won the championship 4-1.
The Lakers got off to a shaky start in the playoffs
This year, James and the Los Angeles Lakers are in a similar situation after losing the first game of their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, LeBron believes they still have time to turn things around.
“We have an opportunity to even out the series on Tuesday, and we have to play a much better game than we did in Game 1,” warned the “King,” aware that nothing is certain until the final moment.
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