LeBron James says he is more mature this year in dealing with pressure – NBA News
LeBron James has had a tough year. After getting all the hate that an athlete could imagine last year, the NBA Finals loss to the Dallas Mavericks really took its toll.
The Heat reached the NBA Finals last year as well, but lost to Dallas in six games and came short of capturing their first NBA title since 2006. More importantly for James, he came short of winning his first championship ring, the same ring that has been haunting him since he started playing in the NBA and the ring he knows he needs to win to silence his critics and prove to himself and everyone, that he is capable of winning a team title.
James performance plummeted in the NBA Finals last year and he received much criticism for that. For a player with the skills and talent he possesses and to still be doubted is a difficult thing to deal with.
Now appearing in his third NBA Finals as the Miami Heat get ready to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron admits he was immature last year and allowed the pressure to take over him. Talking to reporters on Wednesday during media availability ahead of game 5 where the Miami Heat will have the opportunity to seize the NBA championship, James said:
“Last year after Game 6, after losing once again, I was very frustrated. I was very hurt that I let my teammates down, and I was very immature. Like I said, last year I played to prove people wrong instead of just playing my game, instead of just going out and having fun and playing a game that I grew up loving and why I fell in love with the game.”
LeBron also spoke about the pressure he felt while performing in the NBA Finals, stating that he was just not comfortable.
“Last year (the pressure) was much more than today. I remember being Game 5 last year with the series tied 2-2, it just felt like more pressure, felt like it was more people here, felt like you guys (in the media) not only brought yourselves but brought your relatives all to Dallas. It just seemed more,” added James.
LeBron finally feels like he has managed to deal with the pressure that he will always face when performing on the big state, for he is expected to achieve the most.
He certainly does feel more comfortable with his game this year and is doing a better job of silencing all the noise and distraction to focus on the task at hand. In his third NBA Finals, James wants to capture the crown this year as he knows how painful it is to go home empty handed after being so close to winning.
Tags: