Former NBA Champ Reveals How He Stopped LeBron James During Finals

KEY POINTS

Former Spurs forward Boris Diaw talks about the 2014 NBA Finals
Diaw explains how he handled LeBron James defensively
The 36-year-old admits that he won't be able to guard James now

A former NBA champion, who once successfully stopped LeBron James during the finals, acknowledged that “The King” has improved his game.

In the 2014 NBA Finals, James and the Miami Heat were looking to defend their title against then arch-rivals San Antonio Spurs.

Led by Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and star forward Kawhi Leonard, the Spurs were able beat the Heat in just five games.

While the trio was credited for their remarkable performance, it was Boris Diaw who did manage to slow down James for the most part.

In a recent talk with The Ringer’s “Real Ones” podcast, Diaw recounted how he was able to perform the hardest task in the said series.

According to Diaw, James--who won the 2020 NBA Finals with the Los Angeles Lakers--was a better offensive player than the one whom he sized up as part of the Heat in 2014.

“I was watching the [2020] Finals, and [James] he was still going off, and he was amazing in those Finals, but I’m like, ‘He’s better now than he was back then’,” Diaw examined. “I don’t think I could guard him the same way now.”

“At the time he was different,” he added. “People were asking me that also, because I was watching the last finals and he was still going off and he was amazing in those finals. But I’m like, he’s better now than he was back then. I don’t think I could’ve guarded him the same way now.”

Further revealing how he handled the four-time MVP, Diaw bared that “back then,” he would just force James to shoot the ball from a long distance and not let him get away from his defense.

National Basketball Association superstar LeBron James seen during a game in San Antonio, Texas, on December 30, 2020 GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Ronald Cortes

But now, the 36-year-old stressed that James has significantly worked on his shooting touch.

“Back then, his shot was not as reliable as it is now,” Diaw stated. “I was taller and big, and so that’s why I could guard him closer to the basket because I could match [up]. I was maybe heavier than him as well.”

“I had a long reach and long arms, I would just back up a little bit and give him some space,” he continued. “All I wanted to do was not [let] him go by me, so as long as he was shooting off of me, then it was like, ‘Ok, what’s his percentage gonna be?’ But nowadays, I feel like his shot is way more reliable, and you cannot do that anymore.”