Tonight at 7:00 p.m. ET from Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, the Cavaliers (5-4) will take on the defending champion San Antonio Spurs (6-4) in a possible early-season preview of the NBA Finals. Watch the game on ESPN or live stream it free by clicking this link. Cavaliers fans can listen to the game on WTAM 1100, while Spurs fans may do the same on 1200 WOAI.
The Spurs have given LeBron James-led teams fits in the past, dating all the way back to his first tour of duty in Cleveland when the Spurs swept him out of his first NBA Finals. James is denying that he has a rivalry going with San Antonio though.
"I wouldn't say it's a rivalry," James said. "But I would say it's mutual respect, it's great competition and they definitely helped me grow along the way and hopefully, I pushed them too."
For years the Spurs have managed to de-claw teams perceived as having more talent through their continuity and execution. Cleveland, with Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving serving as LeBron's running mates this year, certainly fit the description of the type of teams typically favored vs. the Spurs. James has warned his teammates that overlooking the wily veterans could be their demise.
If we're not mentally focused, they're going to embarrass us right off the jump, it's just that simple," James said. "It's the Patriots of the NBA. They come into your building and they want to embarrass you. They're going to execute at a high level and they're not going to beat themselves."
James also admitted that he's concerned about the heavy minutes being played by Cleveland's star trio.
"That has to come down," he said. "For me, I don't want to do that all year. Obviously right now it's difficult because we're trying to find a groove and we're trying to find a rhythm and we're trying to find something that you can't really, you don't want to shortcut it but at the same time you gotta be smart about it."
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