Most NBA fans remember LeBron James’ career timeline by heart. He started off with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but due to not winning even a single title in his first stint with the organization, he called it quits. He then went on to form a super team in Miami alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
When James made this decision, he instantly went from one of the most loved players to unarguably the most hated player in the NBA. Moreover, even after forming the super team, James and co. were utterly destroyed by Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals.
James and Wade were pretty confident about their winning chances as they even mocked Dirk for being sick in the finals. The result? Dirk took that insult to heart and went on to have a phenomenal series that crushed James’ chances of winning his first-ever ring.
Additionally, LBJ put up arguably his worst NBA Finals performance in that series. His former Miami Heat teammate Eddie House still holds it against the King when it comes to the GOAT debate.
“I can’t get over the fact he didn’t show up in Dallas. House said in a 2018 interview. Not only because I was on the team, but the fact he was the best player and everybody was dependent on him to show up and do what he does, and he was M.I.A. He had a bad series. Jordan never had that. People killed James Harden for having a bad series last year … but you going to say somebody who quit in the Finals, [at] the end of everything, when all the marbles are on the table, that he’s the greatest of all time? I can’t buy it.”
House firmly believes that LeBron gave up in 2011 and as his teammate that had to sting. Because LeBron was the best player on that Miami Heat team.
After learning his lesson, he did lead the Heat to two consecutive titles. But James’ poor performance in the 2011 NBA Finals will forever remain a stain on his legacy.
James averaged just 17.8 points per game in the series, which also featured an 8 points performance in Game 4 of the series.
