In the 2011 NBA Finals, LeBron James had a forgettable series for the Miami Heat.
It was the superstar’s first season with the organization, and although he had a big hand in getting the Heat to the championship series against the Dallas Mavericks, he didn’t play like his best self during the six-game battle.
Dwyane Wade recently looked back on James’ struggles during the series and seemingly expressed some regret over the way he handled the situation.
“Obviously, LeBron struggled,” Wade said. “We talk about — he averaged 17 points a game. Players struggle. And what sucked about it is because of everything that was talked about and all this, but at the end of the day, me as a leader, Spo (Erik Spoelstra) as a head coach, we gotta do a better job to make sure that he’s not struggling. How we getting him the ball in certain places to make it easier for him? Because you know as a player, all you need is one thing to go your way to turn everything around. We didn’t do enough of that for a guy who was struggling for whatever the reason is. We all have had our struggles, and so, as a leader, I looked at it myself. I was like, ‘You didn’t do enough, D.’ And you will see a clip where I’m cursing Bron out. I’m in his ear. I’m talking to him. But that probably wasn’t the way I should have done it. Maybe I should have done something else.”
The exchange that Wade is referencing seemingly happened in Game 3 of the series.
James ultimately averaged 17.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game during the 2011 NBA Finals while shooting 47.8 percent from the field and 32.1 percent from beyond the arc.
His most difficult performance of the series came in Game 4. With the Heat up 2-1 in the series and looking to take a commanding lead, James was only able to score eight points. He did have nine boards and seven assists, but it was overall a poor showing for him.
The Mavericks won the series in six games to claim their first (and only) title in franchise history.
Fortunately for Miami, the 2011 heartbreak preceded some magical years. James, Wade and company were able to lead the Heat to NBA titles in 2012 and 2013 as part of an incredibly dominant run.
James was able to redeem himself for his poor showing in the 2011 Finals by winning Finals MVP honors in 2012 and 2013. He ultimately accomplished plenty during his time with the Heat organization and remains close friends with Wade today.