Nov 27, 2010; Dallas, TX, USA; Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh (1) Lebron James (6) guard Dwyane Wade and center Joel Anthony (50) during a break n the action from the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. The Mavs beat the Heat 106-95. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

LeBron James Reminisces On Pressures From First Finals With Miami Heat

Originally posted on Miami Heat on SI | By Alex Toledo | Last updated May 16, 2025 7:11 PM ET

It's been almost 14 years since the Miami Heat lost in six games to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 Finals after dealing with unprecedented levels of scrutiny all season long.

LeBron James, on his podcast 'Mind The Game' with Steve Nash, recalled his reaction to the pressure.

"It took years for me. Even my second time in the Finals, my first year with the Heat, I wanted to win so bad that I also had the fear of letting so many people down. And if it doesn't happen, I'll let so many (expletive) people down," James said. "And the hours that I put into my craft, the commitment that I gave to my craft wasn't even the thought, which it should have been."

“My 1st year with the Heat I wanted to win so bad that I also had the fear of letting so many people down”

— LeBron James speaks on the fear of letting people down by losing during his first year with the Heat

(Via @mindthegamepod) pic.twitter.com/c12qr1zity
— Heat Culture (@HeatCulture13) May 15, 2025

James averaged just 17.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2.2 stocks in that Finals. In the three rounds beforehand, he averaged 26 points, 8.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 3.2 stocks.

"It was more like, 'Oh (expletive), if I go out and I make a mistake, I let them down. If I go out and (expletive) up, I let him down'," James said. "Instead of just going out there and just be like, 'Who the (expletive) gives a (expletive)? They don't care. You are in the position because of that and if you do, so be it."

In the podcast, James and Nash were discussing the evolution in their crunchtime performances. For years, one of the biggest criticisms on James' game was about how he played in the clutch.

"You need the scar tissue built up for you to be able to persevere through," James said. "And it took me time, you know, six, seven, eight years into my professional career to finally get to a point where Even if I did kind of zone out a little bit, I knew, okay, exactly how to like, okay, I know how to get back in there."

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Alexander Toledo is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI and producer/co-host of the Five on the Floor podcast, covering the Heat and NBA. He can be reached at toledoalexander22@gmail.com. Twitter: @tropicalblanket

This article first appeared on Miami Heat on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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