Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is no stranger to the NBA Finals. In his 22 seasons, he has been to the NBA Finals a ridiculous 10 times, tied for the third-most appearances in league history and two more than any other player who played after the start of the 1990s.
Part of the reason that LeBron has had so much success going deep into the playoffs is the rigid routine he has created for himself. He is not only one of the most consistent athletes in sports history on the court, but that stems from the work he does off the court. And that routine extends to even his family.
In thee latest episode of “Mind the Game” with Steve Nash, James revealed that he does not bring his family to NBA Finals games until he has a closeout opportunity and explained why:
“I never let my family come to a Finals game unless it was a closeout game. If we were up 3-1, or it was 3-3 or like Game 7 in the 2016 Finals, my family didn’t come until Game 7. It was just, I didn’t want to change anything. Obviously if we had an opportunity to close out that final game, the family would be there. But other than that, I kept them home. Especially on the road, I didn’t want my family on the road during the Finals, and I’m trying to focus on not only myself, but carrying my team, making sure my teammates are locked in. And then if something happened in the stands with my family, it would very easily knock me out of my lockdown zone. Now, I can’t be as locked in as I want to because some idiot said something to my wife or my kids or my mom. Unless it was the closeout game, my family stayed home. And that’s how I always kept it.”
More than any other basketball game in the annual calendar, the NBA Finals has so much fanfare that it’s easy for players to potentially get distracted and lose focus on the task at hand. LeBron knows that he could easily be distracted by his family being in attendance, and that’s the reason for his ask.
James is someone who thrives off of routine and habit when it comes to basketball, and the Finals have to be no different.
LeBron James discusses small-market NBA Finals
LeBron James is a player who has been in a major market for half of his career and turned Cleveland into a big market by himself, but he still holds huge appreciation for the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder in this year’s NBA Finals. He explained on the latest episode of “Mind the Game” why he isn’t bothered by a small-market NBA Finals.
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