Mike Brown explains how LeBron has grown since 1st Finals appearance
Golden State Warriors associate head coach Mike Brown has plenty of history with LeBron James dating back to their previous partnership on the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Brown coached James to his first Finals appearance back in 2007 and was asked by reporters Wednesday how James has grown over the past 11 years.
He pointed to James having a more capable set of teammates as compared to the 2007 Cavaliers side that filled out its rotation with career journeymen Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, Eric Snow, and Sasha Pavlovic.
"The biggest change is the other four guys around him out on the floor," Brown said as transcribed by ASAP Sports. "Those guys, the team that we had in 2007 was a good team. We were a grind-it-out, gutty team. LeBron was young, there was a tremendous load on him offensively and he's got at least two other perennial All-Stars with him on the floor at most times. He had the same thing when he went to Miami."
Having better players on the floor has also allowed James to grow and improve his game since the 2007 Finals, when Cleveland was swept by a far superior San Antonio Spurs squad.
"When you have that, A, it makes you a better player, but on top of that, his intellect continues to grow, he was already one of the most intelligent guys I've ever been around back then, but that continues to grow."
Brown also gave credit to James for improving his jumper. The Spurs beat the Cavs a decade ago by going under on screens, sealing off the paint, and shutting off James' looks at the rim. That strategy no longer works.
"And then if there's one thing that you can see basketball-wise, it's just his ability to shoot the ball. In 2007, too, what San Antonio did was, didn't matter where the pick and roll was, and we ran a lot of pick and rolls because he generated a lot of offense for us, they went under and Bruce Bowen, even if he had to drop 10 feet, he's dropping 10 feet and he's going under and he's daring LeBron to shoot it."
"He was a decent shooter back then. Now, if you go under, especially at that 3-point line, he's going to make you pay. And he can beat you by doing that," Brown said.