Tony Parker had a healthy fear and respect of the Big 3 Miami Heat, claiming the Spurs never trash-talked them.
Tony Parker is one of the most underrated point guards of the 2000s, with his accolades putting him up against the best of that era. The former Finals MVP won four titles with the Spurs, with his final coming in 2014 over the Miami Heat.
Parker was quite the character during his playing days, but he ensured he treated the Miami Heat with appropriate respect due to their roster having LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, something Parker confirmed while talking with Wade.
“You know why we didn’t talk trash? Cause we had a lot of respect for you, a lot of respect for LeBron. That’s why I never talked trash. I would respect you and have an appropriate fear. We always talked about that in the locker room. Having appropriate fear of our opponents and always respecting my teammates and our opponents.”
Parker averaged 18.0 points and 4.6 assists over the 2014 Finals when the Spurs got their revenge on the Heat for the 2013 Finals.
The battles that these teams had in the Finals were incredible to watch, with 2013 seeing one of the greatest shots in NBA history be made and 2014 saw the Spurs perfectly dismantle the Heat and force the team to break up.
The Great AC Malfunction Of The 2014 Finals
The 2014 Finals between the Spurs and the Heat was controversial for a variety of reasons. One of the main conspiracy talking points comes with what happened in Game 1, as the AC inside the Spurs’ AT&T Center malfunctioned. This caused LeBron James to get a muscle cramp in the fourth quarter and miss four minutes of action, as the Spurs took control of the game and a 1-0 lead in the Finals.
“In Game 1, the Heat and the Spurs were in a dogfight heading into the fourth quarter. An AC malfunction at the AT&T Center caused temperatures to swell past 90 degrees, making it a physically tested environment for both teams. But LeBron suffered the most from it. With three minutes and 59 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and the Heat trailing 94-92. The King exited the game in agony due to muscle cramps. The Spurs seized the opportunity with LeBron out, finishing Game 1 on a 16-3 run to protect home court.
James averaged 28.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in those Finals while Wade averaged 15.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. LeBron knew that the Heat era in the NBA was over, leaving the franchise in a shock move back to the Cleveland Cavaliers that summer, something that surprised and hurt Wade.
Tim Duncan Gave LeBron James A Lot Of Respect In 2007
Parker spoke about how there was a culture of always respecting your opponent in the Spurs. Even though Tim Duncan could talk trash when he needed to, he was one of the most respectful superstars the league has ever seen. He proved that after dominating James and the Cavaliers in 2007 but letting the world know that James was going to dominate the NBA.
“This is going to be your league in a little while. But I appreciate you giving it to us this year.”
Over 16 years on from that moment, James is still battling among the best in the NBA. With a possible title-winning season in the cards for him, LeBron will hope to impart similar respectful knowledge to the young players on his roster right now.
