LeBron James has played for incredible teams during his honored NBA career, racking up individual and collective awards over the years, sharing touches with incredible players.
Many people have debated which LeBron James team is the best of the best, and JJ Redick believes the 2013 Miami Heat earns that honor for their special run. Talking on ESPN’s First Take, the retired player had this to say:
“It’s 2013 for me. … 66-16 that season, having to beat the San Antonio Spurs and that dynasty, coming back,” Redick said. “And also the roster construction that year, in particular with Ray Allen, Shane Battier, Mike Miller, who had some key playoff moments for them.”
Redick credits that this team was special thanks to the way they played the game, how they stretched the court, and the free flow they had during that magical season.
“They surrounded those three guys with really good shooters and really good role players. … They stopped playing the traditional big lineup. They put Chris Bosh at the five, they created more space for everyone and they called it pace and space.
“They were 21st, 24th and 27th in the league in pace then. So some of the counting numbers for Bosh, Wade and LeBron are artificially lower, because they played so slow. And LeBron at ’13, in particular, two best years I saw him play was that ’13, when he won the championship, and 2018.”
What has been LeBron's BEST team ever? 👀
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— First Take (@FirstTake) June 21, 2023
The LeBron James of the early 2010s was simply dominant. Even though he had the help of Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Ray Allen, and others, he was on another level during the four consecutive runs he had with the Heat to the Finals.
James was the undisputed best player in the world at the time, and his impressive performances during the regular season and the playoffs were the prime sample of that. The Heat would win their second consecutive championship in 2013, led by James, who was at his best level on both ends of the ball.
LeBron James Had A Legendary Season In 2013
The 2012-13 NBA season was a legendary one for James, as he almost won the triple crown. James averaged 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.9 blocks for the Heat that season, beating Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony for the MVP award.
He also won the Finals MVP while getting his second NBA championship, and was named to the All-NBA First Team and the All-Defensive NBA First Team. LeBron only missed the DPOY award that year, which was given to Marc Gasol in one of the biggest controversies in recent NBA history.
It’s easy to see why Redick picks this Heat team over the 2016 Cavaliers or any other team LeBron played on. His history with the Cavs is big, which is why some think he needs to retire with them.
However, when it comes to his most iconic single-season team, the Heat take the crown in the eyes of Redick.
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