'We Broke LeBron': Kevin Garnett Recounts Intense Celtics-Heat 2012 Playoff Series
During an appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast, Kevin Garnett opened up about the trash talk aimed at LeBron James during the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals.
The Celtics won Game 5, 94–90, in Miami for a 3–2 series lead. However, the Heat ended up winning Game 6 and Game 7 to advance to the NBA Finals, where they would win their first championship under James.
After the Game 5 loss, James roared back with a 45-point performance in a 98–79 win at the TD Garden.
Garnett tells Simmons that even though former Celtics and Heat players are often seen in public together, there is still some sensitivity and feelings because of that series.
Below is a transcription of the exchange:
Simmons: You're trying to get into his head. You feel like you can break LeBron at this point.
Garnett: We broke LeBron.
Simmons: In Game 5.
Garnett: So get your a-- out of here with that. You understand how he got to Cleveland. How he got to Miami, Bill? You remember that?
Simmons: Oh that's true. You broke him in 2010. Fair enough.
Garnett: So stop bringing it up.
Simmons: Fair enough.
Garnett: So they was talking s--- to him – the media. And the league knew that they had an agenda in which we wasn't part of the agenda. You understand? Right. And that's how they ended up winning that series. Yeah. I said it.
Simmons: Do you think you pushed LeBron too far in Game 5? Because in Game 6, he's unbelievable.
Garnett: What're you talking about? Pushed him too far?
Simmons: Nothing?
Garnett: Man, listen. Let me tell you something. The C's, we didn't give a f--- about LeBron. We didn't fear LeBron. And we didn't think he could beat all five of us. And that's how it felt. He was trying to consolidate because he didn't want the pressure on him. You understand?
Garnett played the 2012 season in Boston before being traded to the Nets with Paul Pierce in 2013. The lone championship of his career was the 2008 title in his inaugural season with Boston.
