DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - The Miami Heat's loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals is still having an impact on LeBron James.
Following the Los Angeles Lakers 116-98 Game 1 win over the Heat on Wednesday night, James said he used Game 2 of the 2011 Finals as motivation to not let up because they had a big lead throughout the game.
"I always talk about the best teacher in life is experience and I've experienced a lot." @KingJames on the Mavs comeback in Game 2 of the 2011 #NBAFinals (via @NBATV)
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) October 1, 2020
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"The best teacher in life is experience. I've experienced moments in my career - finals games - where you had all the momentum in the world - felt like you had the game under control. One play here or one play there can change the course of the series, or change the course of a game," James said. "One in particular that always rings home for me is Game 2 of the 2011 Finals in Miami vs Dallas. D-Wade (Dwyane Wade) hits a three right by their bench I believe put us up either 13 or 17. And from that moment on Dallas went on a hell of a run and finished it off with a Dirk Nowitzki left-handed layup to steal that game. That s--- burns me to this day. I always talk about the best teacher in life is experience and I've experienced a lot. That's what prompts me to be who I am today."
The Mavericks were down by 15 points with under seven minutes to go in Game 2 when they went on a miraculous 22-5 run to even the series up. Dallas went on to win the championship in six games.
