LeBron says blown lead vs. Mavericks in Finals motivates him to close games: 'Burns me to this day'

For anyone who does not remember what happened in the second game of the Finals nine years ago, the Heat were up 15 with just over seven minutes to go and seemed set to take a commanding 2-0 series lead. However, the Mavericks went on a 22-5 run to close out the game and stole the win thanks to a Dirk Nowitzki layup. 

That game changed the entire series, as Dallas went on to win three of the next four games to win the title and it's clear that it's a memory that LeBron has held onto to keep himself focused on winning his fourth ring. LeBron nearly had yet another playoff triple in Game 1, racking up 25 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists while leading Los Angeles to a dominating win.

Game 2 will be played on Friday, Oct. 2 at 9 p.m. ET.