LeBron James has had no shortage of iconic moments over his 20-plus years in the NBA, and one of them came at the expense of someone now coaching on the opposite sideline. As the Lakers prepare to face the Trail Blazers, Portland’s interim head coach Tiago Splitter took a moment to reflect on one of the most memorable plays of his playing career - a moment that’s been replayed countless times, often with him on the wrong end of the highlight.
Back in 2013, Splitter was a key rotation big for a San Antonio Spurs team that was just minutes away from securing an NBA title. But Game 2 of those Finals delivered a moment that’s etched in Finals lore: Splitter went up strong for a dunk, only for LeBron to meet him at the rim and send the ball flying in the opposite direction. No chase-down, no dramatic recovery - just a cold, stand-your-ground block that seemed to freeze time.
That play didn’t just make the highlight reels - it became a symbol of LeBron’s defensive brilliance, especially in high-stakes moments. And while the Heat would go on to win the title in Game 7, that block became one of the defining images of the series.
Yet, for Splitter, who’s now steering a young and shorthanded Blazers squad in the absence of Chauncey Billups, the block isn’t a sore spot. In fact, he wears it with a bit of pride.
“A lot of people think that my career ended there. That’s not true,” Splitter said with a laugh.
“It was just a play. Of course, a spectacular play that he did.
When you get blocked by a superstar like that, everybody’s going to see it.”
Splitter’s perspective is refreshingly grounded. He’s aware that the clip lives on - kids still recognize him as “the guy that got blocked by LeBron” - but he doesn’t let it define him.
“I smile a bit. I’m not depressed about it, far from that,” he added.
What stung more, he admitted, was the loss itself. The Spurs were that close to a title, and it slipped away.
LeBron, for his part, knew the moment mattered. He wasn’t having his best offensive night in that game, and he understood he needed to make an impact elsewhere.
“I told myself, you’ll end up on SportsCenter - either you’re going to get dunked on or you’re going to get a block,” James said after the game. “Luckily, I was on the good side of the Top Ten.”
That 2013 championship would be LeBron’s last with the Miami Heat. But the Spurs, to their credit, didn’t let the heartbreak linger.
They came back the following season with a vengeance, playing some of the most beautiful basketball the league has seen in the modern era. They beat the Heat in the 2014 Finals, with Splitter and company getting their redemption - and doing it against LeBron himself.
Still, the bond between competitors remains. Splitter, now on the sidelines instead of in the paint, holds no grudges. “It’s an honor to play and compete against LeBron James,” he said.
And that’s the beauty of moments like these. They live on not just because of the highlight, but because of the respect behind them - the understanding that greatness often comes at someone else’s expense, and that being part of those moments means you were in the arena, battling at the highest level.