LeBron: ‘Mutual respect’ between him and Spurs

Associated Press

INDEPENDENCE

He’s met them three times in June when everything has been on the line. Still, LeBron James doesn’t view the San Antonio Spurs has his personal nemesis or a hated rival.

In fact, quite the opposite. James believes the defending champions have shaped him.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a rivalry,” James said after practice on Tuesday. “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, who has gone 1-2 against the Spurs in the NBA Finals, will face them again tonight for the first time since returning to Cleveland, and for the first time since San Antonio dismantled his Miami Heat squad in last season’s Finals.

With exquisite ball movement and flawless execution, the Spurs easily captured their fifth title, taking the series in five games with each win by an average of 18 points. It wasn’t close as the Spurs simply overwhelmed the Heat, who were seeking a third straight championship.

“That’s what happens in a series sometimes,” James said. “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.”

San Antonio’s win may have hastened James’ departure from South Florida. It would have been difficult for him to leave a three-time champion, so Cleveland fans may want to thank Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and his “Big 3” of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

James first encountered the postseason Spurs in the 2007 Finals, when San Antonio swept a Cleveland team making its first — and only appearance — on basketball’s biggest stage. James got revenge in 2013 but came up short last summer before deciding to return to Ohio to try to bring Cleveland its first pro sports championship since 1964.

During his 11 years in the league, James has developed a deep appreciation for the Spurs’ consistency and character. He says they’ve been the blueprint for team success.

“They work a championship mindset every single day on and off the floor,” he said. “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.”

At 5-4, the Cavs are still developing chemistry and seem to be playing up or down to the level of their competition.