After San Antonio’s Game 1 victory in the NBA Finals, the topic of conversation isn’t Tim Duncan’s 90 percent shooting from the field or Manu Ginobili’s first quarter barrage. Instead the focus is on the heat and I don’t mean the team in the red jerseys. With the air conditioning in the AT&T Center malfunctioning, players from both teams were subjected to higher than normal temperatures with reports of the temperature reaching over 90 degrees on the court. Players were visibly effected profusely sweating, changing jerseys, icing during timeouts, and, in the case of LeBron James, cramping.
James’ cramps in his lower extremities were so extreme that he was unable to finish the final four minutes of the fourth quarter. While people took to social media to criticize the four-time MVP, James’ situation isn’t as simple as playing through pain.
A cramp is an involuntary and painful contraction of a muscle. James was likely experiencing what is known as a tonic spasm in which the muscle contraction is unrelenting and the muscle fails to relax. With the muscle in contraction, the effected athlete is unable to functional normally and attempting to play through a severe cramp opens the door for a more serious injury.
The cause of cramping varies from case to case. Overexertion and muscle fatigue can result in cramps as can excessive loss of fluids and electrolytes. It also appears that some athletes are more predisposed to cramping. For LeBron it is likely that combination of the aforementioned factors all played a role.
To start James has shown a propensity to cramps. The InStreetClothes.com database had four other cases of James cramping prior to Thursday’s game. The first mention came in the preseason of 2010. He had another episode in April of 2012 during a game against the Bulls. The cramps resurfaced in Game 4 of that season’s NBA Finals when the Heat faced off against the Thunder. The following season James again experienced cramping in the team’s home-opener against the Celtics.
Furthermore James was likely the player most susceptible to fatigue. At the time of his cramps he had played more minutes than any player on either team. His postseason average of 38.2 minutes a game is the highest of anyone participating in the Finals and his 2.4 miles traveled per game also ranks as tops amongst Miami and San Antonio.
It should also be noted that neither team had prepared for the AC failing. The best way to attack cramps is before they occur. Teams, especially in outdoor sports like football or baseball, will prepare their players to play in high temperatures. They will push additional fluids and electrolytes days before the game to insure the body is able handle the excessive loss of both that comes with sweating. While LeBron stated he performed his usual pregame routines, the unusually high temperature was not factored into the plan.
James will spend the next few days replenishing his fluid levels and consuming additional minerals to insure we don’t see a repeat of the cramps in Game 2. He may also utilize other treatment like ice massage, massage, and isolated stretching and rehab. Now, with his team trailing in the series, James will really begin to feel the heat as he will attempt to even things up before they head back to the friendlier and cooler confines of South Beach.