The 2013 NBA Finals will finally commence Wednesday night as the San Antonio Spurs take on the Miami Heat live from South Beach at 9 p.m. ET.
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Via ESPN:
Hours away from drawing the toughest defensive assignment of his two-year career with the San Antonio Spurs, Kawhi Leonard wasn't feverishly taking mental notes of how to guard LeBron James.
The second-year pro was simply relaxing at home Monday night, watching Miami rout the Indiana Pacers 99-76 to set up a showdown with San Antonio in the NBA Finals. Seeing how Paul George and Lance Stephenson defended James wasn't as important to Leonard as the outcome.
"I was just laying (down), seeing who we were going to play," he said.
Leonard means no disrespect. He is just happy to know who the Spurs will play after a week's wait after their sweep of the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference finals. The 6-foot-7 Leonard will draw the primary defensive assignment against James, the reigning NBA Finals MVP and two-time league MVP averaging 26.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 6.4 assists in the playoffs.
James is also shooting 51 percent and 39 percent on 3-pointers.
"It's just a great challenge for me to try to help my team win by playing good defense on him," Leonard said. "I just accept the challenge and am ready to play."
Facing a player on a hot streak isn't new to San Antonio this postseason following showdowns with Golden State's Stephen Curry and Memphis' Zach Randolph.
After averaging 24 points and 10 assists in an upset of the Denver Nuggets, sweet-shooting Curry was held to 18.2 points and 6 assists against the Spurs -- excluding a 44-point, 11-assist effort in a Game 1 loss by the Warriors.
Randolph averaged 18.4 points and 10.8 rebounds while bullying the Oklahoma City Thunder in the paint, but was limited to 11 points and 12 rebounds against the Spurs. His production included a two-point, seven-rebound effort in a Game 1 loss to San Antonio.
In some respect, the Spurs are facing a hybrid of Curry and Randolph in the 6-foot-8, 250-pound James.
"He's great on offense and defense," said Leonard, who has a 7-3 wingspan. "He can pass, he can shoot the ball, gets offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds and he can guard the best player on the other team."