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During the third quarter of Game 4 of the 2015 NBA Finals on Thursday night, Andre Iguodala was fouled by LeBron James as he attacked the basket in transition. The foul seemed insignificant until Iguodala slumped over and immediately held his forearm as if he was severely hurt.
However, it soon became clear that Iguodala was not affected by the foul, as he began playfully smiling and laughing. Much of the basketball community has presumed that Iguodala was mocking his former Team USA teammate, a highly questionable move from the 10-year veteran.
Although the Golden State Warriors outplayed James and his Cleveland Cavaliers for most of the game, the series still has at least two more games to be played. Because of this, Iguodala will go toe-to-toe with James many more times. Despite players downplaying the need for added motivation, Iguodala should have never taken this chance.
Ironically, in the 2011 NBA Finals, James and his former teammate Dwyane Wade mocked Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks. Nowitzki had been playing with flu-like symptoms, although still performing at a high level. Before Game 5, Wade and James were taped mocking Nowitzki’s flu, coughing and then laughing hysterically. In the end, Nowitzki had the last laugh, averaging 26.0 points and 9.7 rebounds per game and winning the series in six games. Nowitzki, of course, shot down the motivational factor, saying, “If you need an extra motivation, you have a problem.”
In the end, Iguodala got the best of James in Game 4. However, James is known to bounce back after mediocre performances, and this time is not likely to be any different. As Game 5 rolls around, it will be interesting to see if Iguodala’s move sparks any bad blood between the two competitors.
Nicholas Sciria is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Nick_Sciria, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
