James: Workload for Heat is 'a toll'

SAN ANTONIO — Yes, LeBron James is human. 

Players try to stay as far away as possible from making excuses to explain away bad nights in the playoffs, but there's no mistaking that James has not been himself in the NBA Finals.

While his rebounding and assist numbers are higher in the Finals than they were in any of the three previous playoff series, his scoring has taken a major dip to 17.5 points per game, almost nine fewer compared to his playoff scoring average coming into the Finals.

The defense of Kawhi Leonard and the San Antonio Spurs as a whole has certainly been a factor in keeping James corralled. 

"Keeping LeBron under 20 is just like something that doesn't happen very often," said Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, who would go on to praise the job done by Leonard, but added, "of course, as I always said, too, it's a matter of having a block behind him, helping and rotating."

James' scoring has also been affected by the up-and-down shooting of his teammates. 

In Game 1, they were ice cold from the floor. But in Miami's Game 2 win, they were cold-blooded (see: Mario Chalmers) in helping the Heat pull ahead by as many as 27 points before settling on a 103-84 win.

However, there's always an intangible component to players not doing what they necessarily have done against other opponents. 

And while James refuses his team's hectic schedule as an excuse, he's not exactly denying that it's a factor, either. 

"I would love to have rest, but not at this time of the year," James said. "I wouldn't substitute sitting down in my house right now watching the Finals."

Being less than 100 percent is a common feeling among players this time of year. 

But when you consider this is Miami's third straight trip to the NBA Finals, combined with James' participation in Team USA's efforts to bring home a gold medal last year, it's enough to affect even the most talented player on the planet. 

"It is what it is," said James, who was this season's league MVP for the fourth time in his career. "It's a toll. It's a toll for myself to go through what I've been through the last two-and-a-half years."

But you won't find James griping about it, win or lose.

"I've been blessed," he said. "I've been blessed to be able to be in three Finals. I've been blessed to be a part of a great Olympic team and to play basketball, the game that I love. I'm not going to be able to do it forever. The opportunities that the game has given me the last couple of years, I wouldn't substitute that for rest."

Rest is the last thing James or any of the players in the Finals are giving thought to right now. 

Following Miami's win on Sunday, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was asked about whether his veteran team was tired. 

"Miami did a hell of a job," Popovich said. "Nobody is tired. We had two days off, there's no excuse. There's no tired. The season does get long for both teams, but teams would rather be here than at home."