When players reach the NBA Finals, everything changes. From schedules to start times to daily routines, competing for the Larry O’Brien Trophy throws a wrench in everyone’s plans. No one understands this better than LeBron James, who has appeared in 10 Finals and walked away with four championships.
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During one of his many conversations with Hall of Famer Steve Nash on the Mind The Game podcast, LeBron discussed how different basketball feels when it’s time to suit up for the Finals.
“The NBA Finals are unique in one way because you understand this is the hurrah,” said James after Nash asked him to expand on Finals week. “This is the last hurrah before the end of the season.” It might seem like a basic take, but The King provided further details seconds later.
“You know you’re gonna have family that wants to be a part of it. You know that the travel is going to be different. You know that the hotels is gonna be a bit different because of the excitement outside of the hotel room,” he said.
This part is hard to ignore. Home crowds are always known for trying to make life difficult for visiting teams—but when a championship is on the line, that intensity reaches an entirely different level.
James confirmed as much, recalling the back-to-back Finals he played against the Spurs in San Antonio (2013 and 2014).
“I played in San Antonio a couple of times in the Finals, and being on the riverwalk for a couple of those Finals, the horns, and the people yelling. It’s like, oh my God, I can’t get any sleep,” he stated.
Nash joked that players probably needed a few extra margheritas to get through the night. LBJ laughed, but playfully responded, “A couple of extra margheritas for everybody.”
All kidding aside, the 40-year-old superstar shared some advice for any future ballers who end up competing in the NBA Finals: try to keep things as normal as possible.
“The only changes are that the games start a little later. I remember every game tipping off at 9 PM EST,” he added. It wasn’t a welcome change, as both Nash and LeBron hated those long days.
It’s never ideal to push the games that late, but every sport chases ratings for its biggest moments of the year—so it makes sense. Still, the anticipation, anxiety, and excitement likely boil over at times.
James has a rule about when his family comes for the NBA Finals games
Having been to 10 Finals, King James knows exactly when he wants his family in attendance. On the same episode of Mind The Game, he revealed that he only brings them out for closeout games, so he can stay locked in and focused.
“For me personally, I never let my family come to a Finals game unless it was a closeout game. If we were up 3-1, or if it was 3-3,” stated James.
The Lakers forward went on to explain that during the Finals, his mind is already occupied with keeping his teammates focused, maintaining his own conditioning, and staying mentally locked in. Adding family-related distractions, no matter how welcome, could throw him off balance.
To be fair, having the family fly in just for a potential Game 7 instead of the whole series might actually make things easier, especially during road trips. But even then, the same stresses he’s trying to avoid could still creep in during that one high-stakes game.
Still, this is the routine of a man who’s been to the Finals enough times to know what works for him. Other than Bill Russell (12), James is tied with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most appearances in the championship series.
