Durant, James are familiar foes heading into The Finals.
James has twice trained with the Warriors star
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — LeBron James and Kevin Durant have trained together at least twice in their professional careers, including what was deemed “Hell Week” at the University of Akron during the 2011 lockout.
They got together again for one day after the 2012 Olympics, although some considered the pairing strange because James and the Miami Heat defeated Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder for the NBA championship before the two won gold for Team USA in London.
Four-time MVP James, 32, has never had a problem mentoring younger players like Durant, 28, no matter what happens during the postseason. But after Durant was voted the 2014 MVP, James probably figured those days had come to an end.
“I think it reaches a point where that guy thinks he’s good enough where he doesn’t want to talk to me,” James said. “I always have an open-door policy. When those guys get comfortable and they feel like they got enough of the blueprint, they’re like, ‘OK, I got enough, I’m done with you.’ ”
The former workout partners headline a long-anticipated Cavaliers-Warriors showdown in the 2017 NBA Finals, which open Thursday at Oracle Arena. The free-agency addition of Durant to the Golden State roster has made the Warriors heavy favorites over the defending champion Cavs as the two teams meet for the title for an unprecedented third consecutive year.
An eight-time All-Star, Durant left Oklahoma City to join an offensive juggernaut that includes two-time MVP Stephen Curry (a four-time All-Star), Klay Thompson (3), Draymond Green (2) and Andre Iguodala (1). Those five have totaled 18 All-Star appearances. The Cavs counter with four players who have been selected to 24 All-Star games — James (13), Kyrie Irving (4), Kevin Love (4) and Deron Williams (3).
James said he has competed against such stacked rosters before. While with the Cavs and Heat, he faced the San Antonio Spurs in the 2009, 2013 and 2014 Finals, winning once against Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Kawhi Leonard (who played in the latter two), Manu Ginobli and coach Gregg Popovich. James considers the Boston Celtics with Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and coach Doc Rivers, who ousted him in the East semifinals in 2008 and 2010, on par with the 2017 Warriors.
“It’s going to be very challenging, not only on me mentally, but on our ballclub and on our franchise,” James said of this year’s task.
The presence of Durant makes it even more mentally taxing.
“He’s one of the most dangerous guys we have in the world already,” James said of Durant on Sunday after practice at Cleveland Clinic Courts. “So it makes it even more dangerous when you equip that talent, that skill, with those guys.”
During the Warriors’ 12-0 run in the playoffs, Durant has averaged 25.2 points per game, second behind Curry’s 28.6. Durant is shooting 56 percent from the field and 42 percent from 3-point range, while adding 7.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
By comparison, James’ numbers are 32.5 points, 57 percent from the field and 42 percent beyond the arc, with eight rebounds and seven assists.
Since he joined the Warriors, Durant is more active offensively than he was with the Thunder.
“I think you adapt to the culture, you adapt to the style,” James said. “That’s the same thing that happened to me when I went to Miami. I started to slash more and move more without the ball, shoot more standstill 3s and figure out ways I could be more productive than just having the ball in isolation. It’s the right thing to do.”