“That was our year” – Ex-NBA scorer boldly claims LeBron James’ Heatles would have lost to Grizzlies on one condition

Former NBA player Rudy Gay said that his 2013 Memphis Grizzlies team could’ve won against LeBron James and the Miami Heat. During the 2012-13 season, the Heat were in the middle of their back-to-back title wins. They were fresh off a championship win over the OKC Thunder and were looking to win another.

In the West, many had glued their attention on the Thunder. They were the young, energetic and promising group led by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. However, a few people overlooked the Grizzlies, a team that won 56 games that season and entered the playoffs as the fifth seed.

Memphis had a great run and made it all the way to the Western Conference finals. Unfortunately for the Grizzlies, they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs. They lost in part because they were without their favorite scorer.

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During the regular season, the front office traded Gay to the Toronto Raptors. That year, the 6-foot-9 forward was the team's leading scorer, averaging 17.2 points on 40.8% shooting. According to the former player, he believes the Grizzlies could've been unbeatable if they hadn't traded him to Toronto.

Gay talked about it during his appearance on the "Out the Mud" podcast, hosted by his former Memphis teammates Zach Randolph and Tony Allen. Before he talked about the Grizzlies being unbeatable, however, the former player explained why he always went after LeBron James with much gusto whenever they're matched up against each other.

“I really wanted to see where I was against the best,” Gay said. “Bron was, like, he’s been the best for a long time, and he’s a great competitor, and he’s always been great.”

“With that team we had … with all due respect to that team (Miami Heat), they won a championship. But I don’t think they could’ve beat us that year, the year I got traded. I think … that was our year.”

LeBron James vs. Rudy Gay: Head-to-head battles

Throughout the careers of LeBron James and Rudy Gay, they faced each other 34 times. Unfortunately for Gay, he never got a chance to play against the four-time champion in the playoffs.

In the 34 times they came across each other, James often had the upper hand. The current LA Lakers star has a 23-11 record against the retired NBA player, according to LandOfBasketball.com.

James averaged 27.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 8.8 assists in 34 games against the former Grizzlies scorer. Gay, on the other hand, averaged 15.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and two assists.

Good thing Gay has a good memory of playing against James. In a 2010 showdown, he made a game-winning shot over the Akron-born superstar.

But the last laugh goes to LeBron James, since he dominated most of their matchups.

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About the author

Reign Amurao

Reign Amurao specializes in basketball at Sportskeeda, bringing 3 years of experience to his role and a Bachelor's Degree in Communication.

A fervent supporter of the Phoenix Suns, Reign was hooked to their electrifying "Seven-Seconds-Or-Less" offense, which epitomizes high-paced and high-intensity basketball. For Reign, Steve Nash is the ultimate floor general, and he believes Boris Diaw could've been the next Magic Johnson if he had a bit more discipline. 

From Reign's perspective, Anthony Edwards is a 90s player stuck in modern times, and Gregg Popovich is an ultimate winner with unparalleled success and leadership in the sport.

Reign's expertise lies in NBA history, particularly the significant moments and trends of the 2000s and 2010s. He prioritizes in-depth research using only credible sources to maintain accuracy in his articles, and avoids misleading topics.

Beyond basketball, Reign enjoys gaming with friends and watches comedy shows and films.

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