Guarding LeBron James is a nightmare. The King is one of the greatest players to ever step foot on a basketball court and has been a constant menace throughout the NBA Finals. 

Despite being 3-1 down, the five-time MVP has put up incredible numbers. 31.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 10.5 assists per game are not stats to be taken lightly. However, energy expended on defence has led to some questionable fourth quarter decisions from James. 

Even though LeBron is averaging a triple-double, Kevin Durant has done a stand-up job of defending the three-time champion. Up until game four of the series, the 2014 MVP had come out on top in his battles with James. 

Defending a superstar is never easy. Durant is never going to be able to completely stop James, and LeBron will only be able to limit the impact of KD on the other end. 

However, former L.A. Lakers star Kobe Bryant, who is considered one of the best wing defenders in NBA history, believes stopping a superstar player - whether that be LeBron, KD, Micahel Jordan or Wilt Chamberlain - is all about mentality. 

In a video that was released ahead of the Christmas Day game between Golden State and Cleveland, but has total relevance as we head into game five of the NBA Finals, Bryant breaks down how best to counteract the talents of an all-time great. 

OBSESSION

Now, every player is not Kobe. That's what made the Lakers legend so great. His obsessive personality and drive to be the best helped him become a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. 

Bryant believes that in order to stop a player of LeBron's quality, you have to believe you can hold him to zero points. Going into the game with the thought of limiting his output will lead to worse results.

He also claims you have to look into the personality of a player, not just what he does on the court, but what he does off it. Questions include 'what is his favourite colour?', 'what was his favourite subject at school?' and 'who was his favourite teacher?'

Not exactly questions you'd associate with elite level competition, but the 38-year-old believes it can help you get a better understanding of their game and how to counteract their strongest points. 

You can watch the full video below. 

Whether or not Durant has watched this video is unknown, but advice from a 12-time All-Defensive player can never be ignored.