Even if LeBron James had crossed path with the San Antonio Spurs for several times already, the 4 time MVP does not see the Spurs as a rival nor does he have any resentful feelings against them. Rather James had credited the Spurs in shaping him to what he is today.
He said "I wouldn't say it's a rivalry. But I would say it's mutual respect, it's great competition and they definitely helped me grow along the way and hopefully, I pushed them too."
James had faced the Spurs for 3 times already with a 1-2 standing and he will now face the team once more after returning to Cleveland. This is the first time that James will play against San Antonio after his loss with his former team, the Miami Heat.
It was a devastating loss for James and the Heat as the Spurs mopped the former in the NBA finals. The Heat was overwhelmed by the great play and precision of the Spurs which led to them losing the finals.
Many believed that James decision to leave Miami was partly due to them losing the finals.
He said "That's what happens in a series sometimes. They were just playing at a much higher pace than we were at the time and they had everything clicking. They had the ball movement. They had guys that were making shots. They had the pace and the space and they had it going. And it resulted in them winning a championship."
If the Heat had won the finals then the team would have made three continuous championship wins and it would have been hard for James to switch teams.
During James years of playing basketball, he has learned to appreciate the consistent strategy of the Spurs and has considered their style as a vision of success.
James commented "They work a championship mindset every single day on and off the floor. Do they win the championship every single year? No, obviously. But I think good karma comes with how you approach the game and how you approach off the court as well."
And since the Cleveland is off to face the current NBA champions, James has cautioned that if his team is not prepared, then they are going to be in danger.
