“6ft 9′ LeBron James pulled a ‘Statue of Liberty’ on 6ft 11′ Tim Duncan

Arjun Julka | 02/08/2022
LeBron James had two scoring titles stolen at 21 and 35 by Kevin Durant and Michael Jordan

A young LeBron James showed no mercy on Tim Duncan, shocking fans in San Antonio with a monster dunk on The Fundamental.

When we speak of athletes defying the laws of genetics, LeBron James, sits right at the top. Standing at 6″9′ and weighing 250lbs, the Lakers superstar is a flawless combination of strength, speed, and agility. There is a reason why the Cavaliers rookie had the attention of the world before his NBA debut.

The kid from Akron had unimaginable expectations as he made his debut, living up to it to the fullest. For his age, James was already a grown man, going up against the stalwarts of the league. A teenage LeBron faced the likes of Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, the Pistons’ Ben Wallace, and Chauncey Billups.

A generational talent, James was neck-to-neck with all the biggies of the league. At the peak of his athleticism, the former ROTY was a walking highlight reel, accounting for some of the best dunks in the last two decades.

Also read: “This is going to be LeBron James’ league in a little while!”: What Tim Duncan Told The Cavs Superstar After Sweeping Them in 2007

Speaking of his high-flying moves on the hardwood, it is almost next to impossible to look past his posterization on Duncan, leaving the thousands of fans in San Antonio stunned.

The Statue of Liberty Slam.

Though they shared a great deal of mutual respect, James and Duncan had their matchups on the hardwood, including 3 NBA Finals. However, with a 2-1 record, Timmy had the edge over LBJ. Nonetheless, the two MVPs are tied an overall 10-10 in their battles on the hardwood.

Interestingly, Bron’s first Finals appearance came against the Spurs in 2007. Coach Gregg Popovich and his crew had put the clamps on the Cavaliers rookie, which proved to be a turning point in the former scoring champion’s career.

One of the highlights of this rivalry remains, James posterizing Duncan with a one-handed slam, almost dropping the Spurs forward to the ground. The poster had Spurs fans taken aback, given James was only three years into the league and was still upcoming compared to Timmy.

Frequently pitted against each other, James and Duncan had distinct styles. While the former Cavs superstar was known for his bulldozing ways in the paint, Timmy was one of the most skilled bigs the league had ever seen.

Also read: “LeBron James has been averaging more points in 19th season than Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan did… combined”: Wild stat showcases the Lakers superstar’s incredible longevity and dominance

 

Post Edited By: Arjun Julka
cleveland cavaliers LeBron James San Antonio Spurs Statue of Liberty Dunk Tim Duncan

About the author

Arjun Julka

Arjun Julka is a NBA author at The SportsRush. Basketball isn’t just a sport for this 26-year-old, who hails from Mumbai. He began watching the sport after stumbling upon a court in his society, helping him identify an undiscovered passion for the game of hoops. Now an ardent fan, Arjun supports Stephen Curry and the Warriors but also enjoys watching Giannis Antetokounmpo own the paint. When it comes to the GOAT debate, the TSR author feels LeBron James is yet to receive a lot of his due but cannot deny marveling at Michael Jordan’s resume.

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