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Shawn Marion on the differences in defending Kobe Bryant and LeBron James during 2011 title run
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- Shawn Marion on the differences in defending Kobe Bryant and LeBron James during 2011 title run
When fans discuss the heroics of the 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks team that shocked the world by lifting their first-ever Larry O'Brien trophy, most of the credit instantly goes to Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and Jason Terry.
Despite being repeatedly viewed as underdogs in every playoff series, the Mavs pulled off one triumphant win after another with Dirk averaging 27.7 points per game during the playoffs, Kidd averaging 7.3 assists and Terry providing a solid scoring punch of 17.5 points per game off the bench.
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However, Shawn Marion also played a crucial role in the Mavs' championship run.
The four-time All-Star's two-way presence helped Dallas contain some of the league's most dangerous scorers and he faced two of the toughest assignments imaginable during that postseason.
Marion went up against both Kobe Bryant and LeBron James in the same playoff run, which gave him a unique perspective on how two of the legendary players like to operate on the court and also the precise difference between their playing styles.
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Marion gave issues to both GOATs
Being the reigning two-time Finals MVPs, Kobe was outstanding throughout the 2010-11 regular season, appearing in all 82 games and averaging 25.3 points on 45.1 percent shooting from the field.
The Black Mamba carried that confidence into the first round against the New Orleans Hornets, where he recorded at least 30 points in Games 1 and 3. Naturally, expectations were high when the Lakers met the Mavs in the second round.
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Standing firm on those, he then opened the series with 36 points, giving Dallas plenty of reasons to be concerned.
However, Marion and the Mavericks' defense made life increasingly difficult for him over the next three games. KB24 averaged just 19.0 points on a combined 24-of-54 shooting during that stretch as Dallas completed a stunning four-game sweep of the defending champions.
If that challenge wasn't consuming enough, Marion faced another enormous challenge, this time in the NBA Finals against King James and the Miami Heat.
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After averaging 26.7 points per game during the regular season, LBJ managed just 17.8 points per game in the championship series. A big reason for that drop in production was Marion's physical defense and constant pressure, which disrupted James' rhythm and made it impossible for LBJ to control the tempo in the series.
Marion on guarding Kobe and LeBron
Having spent the same postseason defending two all-time greats, Marion recognized the difference in their mentality on the court: while King James used his muscular frame, strength and brute force to attack the paint, he also kept opponents on their toes with his versatility to make plays.
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Kobe, meanwhile, was relentless in his pursuit of scoring opportunities whenever he had the ball.
"Listen, LeBron was a tank. One of the attributes of his longevity is his transition; he's been amazing. Still, in his 40s, he's a tank in transition. He found a lane and something to capitalize on that nobody's ever done in NBA history," Marion said. "Got to pay homage to that. But Kobe was a handful because he really wanted to score more than anything."
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Make no mistake about Shawn
Interestingly, Marion also wanted to make one thing clear: his contribution to Dallas' championship was not limited to defending the opposition's biggest stars.
In fact, he was an important part of the Mavs' offense, too, averaging 13.7 points per game against the Heat in the NB Finals.
And if not scoring, Marion made a winning impact in other ways too, such as when facing the Lakers, he logged 6.8 rebounds per game.
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"I made it hard for guys too. They had to guard me too. It wasn't just one-sided," Marion continued. "They had to guard me too."
Sure, other players like Dirk did carry a heavier burden on their shoulders; however, had it not been for Marion, opposing scorers may have never allowed the Mavericks to dictate the tempo in different playoff series.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Oct 22, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
