LeBron James: The myth of the “LeBron Stopper”
By Tony Pesta
Stopper #1: Kawhi Leonard
Playoff series: 2014 NBA Finals
The San Antonio Spurs absolutely steam-rolled the Miami Heat in this series. The Spurs won in five games and broke the NBA Finals record for highest margin of victory.
Kawhi Leonard won the Finals MVP for his performances on both ends of the floor. Leonard averaged 17.8 points per game on 61.2% shooting. His defense was perhaps his most notable feat, racking up 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game.
The main narrative of this series is that Kawhi Leonard was the most valuable player because he shut down LeBron James. Let’s see how accurate that statement is.
In the 2014 NBA Finals, James put up 28.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. James also shot 57.1% from the floor and 51.9% from the three-point line. However, he also averaged 3.8 turnovers.
Furthermore, James shot only 34% from the field when guarded by Leonard. James shot an even lower percentage (20%) when Leonard contested his shot.
Clearly, Leonard had a direct effect on James’ ability to take over the game. This could be the sole reason the Miami Heat were never able to gain control of the series. If you ask me, Leonard may be considered a true “LeBron Stopper”.