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LeBron James Lashes Out At Critics Of Jayson Tatum During NBA Finals

LeBron says criticism directed at Tatum was unfair
Shandel Richardson|
LeBron James Lashes Out At Critics Of Jayson Tatum During NBA Finals
LeBron James Lashes Out At Critics Of Jayson Tatum During NBA Finals

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LeBron James is used to criticism. 

He's dealt with it since he was a high school basketball phenom in Akron, Ohio. While James feels it's part of being a professional athlete, he said critics may have gone too far with Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum during his first NBA Final appearance. 

"Listen, usually the people that's saying the s*** is the one's that's never walked in the arena," James said on the latest edition of HBO's `The Shop.' "Theodore Roosevelt, "The Man In The Arena," talks about it. Man, it's so easy to s*** on people when you ... They've never ever raised they blood-pressure level or they heart rate above a 60 and they out here telling you what you should do, how you should kick, how you should do this role, how you should paint." 

Tatum battled inconsistency in the Celtics' 4-2 loss to the Golden State Warriors, who won their fourth title since 2015. James, who played for the Miami Heat from 2010-14, compared it to when he led the Cleveland Cavaliers against a seasoned San Antonio Spurs team in the 2007 Finals. The Cavs were swept 4-0.  

"It's like Jayson Tatum is a beast," James said. "He didn't play to his standards ... Like man, he had a hell of a season and them guys ain't even 25 yet. He'll be back. He's got nothing to hang his hat on. He played against the same team my first Finals. I played against the Spurs. It's same s*** and they took advantage of me not knowing much." 

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star. TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here

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