Watch CBS News

Igoudala In NBA Finals Spotlight As Warriors Look To Shut LeBron Down

OAKLAND -- A year ago at this time, LeBron James was exerting so much energy during the NBA Finals that he required around-the-clock treatment and work on his body -- until there was nothing left to give. We chronicled the recovery regimen here, and it was extreme, to put it mildly.

After James and the Cavaliers have won two straight games to force Sunday's Game 7, is it any wonder that the person on the other end of the emergency treatment protocol is not James, but rather the guy who has been guarding him?

"The main thing is not to use it as an excuse -- to still try to find a way," Andre Iguodala said Saturday. "You tell yourself you're fine, and just go all out and do whatever it takes to help your team win."

Sounds simple, but it's not. Elite athletes absorb an elite form of punishment -- especially when it's your job to guard the most dominant player in the world.

Iguodala was the key to the Warriors' surge back from a 2-1 deficit in last year's Finals against the Cavs, the ingredient that turned the series in Golden State's favor. His performance at both ends of the floor earned him not only a championship, but also a Finals MVP trophy. The vote was seven for Iguodala (including me), and four for the guy he was guarding -- James.

Read the full story on CBS Sports.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.