10 Harsh realities about LeBron James

#7 He was over-reliant on his athleticism for a long time

LeBron's 2007 Finals numbers are lackluster

The San Antonio Spurs pulled off an exemplary defensive performance against LeBron James in the 2007 Finals. Aware that his unstoppable athleticism would allow him to do serious damage in the paint, the Spurs packed their paint with bigs through the course of the Finals series, daring LeBron to shoot mid-range jumpers and 3-pointers.

LeBron's efficiency took a major hit in that series, as he converted 35.6% of his field goal attempts and 20% from 3-point territory despite averaging 22 points per game in the 4-game sweep. Later on, the Celtics and Orlando Magic took advantage of this weakness in his game to close out series wins against the Cavaliers.

LeBron's game today is a far cry from what he was 11 years ago. He is now a much better mid-range shooter, an above-average 3-point shooter and poses a threat from a number of spots on the floor, making it difficult to guard him. But these advancements came more than 8 years into his time in the NBA, when he allowed his prime athletic window to pass by and had to adapt his game for the long term.