LeBron James has been exceptional throughout his career, but his stint with the Heat crossed all the thresholds of extraordinary. The 20-time All-Star was at his physical peak at that time and used it to perfection by leading the team to successive championships in 2012 and 2013. The trio of LBJ, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh, was a force to be reckoned with, and only a few teams could have their say against the Heat back then. However, their undisputed stature was challenged by the Indiana Pacers quite a few times. Reminiscing the past, former Indiana big man David West recalls a moment when LeBron James singlehandedly plucked his team out from the jaws of defeat against the Pacers.
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David West Recalls LeBron James' Immense Strength
Speaking on the Darius Miles and Quintin Richardson's Knuckleheads Podcast, David West shed light on the experience of locking horns with the Heat of 2012-2014. Both teams squared off in the Conference Finals in the final two instances in 2013 and 2014. However, both times it was the Heat that got the better of Indiana. Speaking about it, West recalled how the Pacers were once fed with the impetus of LeBron James getting injured, yet could not make the most of it as the NBA legend played with the injury like it was nothing.
I seen that man turn his ankle one time right. Like on the break, turn that sh*t fully over. Touch the ground and finish the play. I’m standing back, I ain’t wishing pain on nobody but I’m like, he got to go out after this. I said, ‘We got him.’ They call a timeout, dude is limping to the bench, comes back and makes the free throws. I’m like why is he not out? I think we steal that game but he comes back.
The game West is referring to transpired in the regular season of 2012. In the game, the Heat crushed the Pacers with a 118-83 scoreline. LeBron had a 38-minute appearance in the game, which encompasses the 7 minutes of him playing with an ankle injury. The Heat staff took a brave decision of not taking James out, as the swelling does not begin when the body remains in motion.