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LeBron James was sitting on court during Lakers' celebration
LeBron James sat on the court reflecting on his journey after reaching the Finals. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers secured their spot in the NBA Finals with a win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night, but LeBron James made it clear after the game that his mission is far from accomplished.

While the confetti was flying and many people were celebrating on the court, LeBron sat on the floor looking stone-faced.

Most people assumed that was LeBron’s way of showing that he is not satisfied with merely winning the Western Conference Finals. That’s definitely true, but he said he had a lot more than that on his mind. 

James, who scored 22 points in the second half and had a triple-double, said he was thinking about the respect he has for the Nuggets and coach Mike Malone. He was also reflecting on his journey and how some of his teammates — particularly Anthony Davis — are heading to their first NBA Finals.

Here’s LeBron’s full explanation:

The comments James made about winning the West on Saturday night said it all. He has now become just the fourth player in NBA history to reach the Finals 10 times, but that is not enough. Anything less than a championship would be a disappointment, especially at this stage of his career.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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