LeBron James’ Lowest-Usage Playoff Games
Posted by Neil Paine on June 8, 2011
Last night was the lowest-usage game of LeBron James' playoff career, according to the BBR Glossary definition of Usage%:
| Date | Tm | Opp | Mp | Fg | 3p | Ft | Or-Tr | As | St | Bk | To | Pf | Pts | Usg% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/7/2011 | MIA | DAL | 45.7 | 3-11 | 0-3 | 2-4 | 3-9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 17.9 |
| 5/21/2007 | CLE | DET | 45.4 | 5-15 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1-10 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 17.9 |
| 5/31/2011 | MIA | DAL | 45.3 | 9-16 | 4-5 | 2-2 | 0-9 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 24 | 18.7 |
| 5/22/2011 | MIA | CHI | 43.9 | 6-13 | 1-2 | 9-9 | 1-6 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 22 | 20.7 |
| 4/27/2011 | MIA | PHI | 41.7 | 5-13 | 2-5 | 4-5 | 3-10 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 20.8 |
| 4/21/2011 | MIA | PHI | 44.3 | 8-15 | 1-4 | 7-10 | 1-15 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 21.2 |
| 6/2/2007 | CLE | DET | 46.2 | 3-11 | 0-2 | 14-19 | 2-14 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 20 | 21.3 |
| 4/22/2007 | CLE | WAS | 44.3 | 7-14 | 0-2 | 9-11 | 2-9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 21.5 |
| 6/5/2011 | MIA | DAL | 45.3 | 6-14 | 1-4 | 4-4 | 0-3 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 22.2 |
| 4/27/2010 | CLE | CHI | 43.2 | 5-12 | 1-2 | 8-14 | 3-10 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 19 | 23.9 |
It also tied for the fewest shots he ever took in a playoff game, and represented the fewest points he ever scored in a playoff game.
June 8th, 2011 at 1:20 pm
The guy is obviously dealing with something, not many players even attempt to get on the court for 45 out of 48 minutes. Erik is obsessed with controlling Dwyane Wade's minutes but LeBron is far more physical and heavier.
Kobe tried to bulk up in 2004 and he broke down, it isn't easy to play with an extra 20-30 pounds every night.
June 8th, 2011 at 1:22 pm
LeBron is going to end up playing more minutes than his 2005-2006 season, it is something tangible.
June 8th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
They kept saying over and over in the postgame press conference that LeBron was physically fine, because too many dumb reporters were trying to pull that angle, in comparison to Dirk's fever.
Whether they're telling the truth, or LeBron is in denial, there's something mental that's an issue, it can't be as simple as minutes played.
June 8th, 2011 at 2:13 pm
The thing that struck me was how ordinary LeBron looked. Normally when you watch a game, LeBron will prepare to attack a defender and you'll say "there's no way he gets to the basket here." But he finds a way. Last night he probed a little, Stevenson, Marion, or whoever was helping with the double cut him off, and he just passed off, like a regular player would do.
Only in the absence of those "how the hell did he create a path to the basket?" plays do we really appreciate how spectacular he usually is.
June 8th, 2011 at 2:24 pm
#3 Dirk played terrible dude, what is your point exactly? Why don't you get Dirk to play 28 then 44 minutes a game? Oh right.
It is minutes played, even Wade can't play as many minutes as the 06 version. LeBron is the most physical playing style I've ever seen at that position, and he's going to end up playing more minutes now than in any season except 2007, and he's older and just had an injury problem in 2010.
June 8th, 2011 at 2:25 pm
*38 during the regular season, then 44 minutes a game in the post-season
June 8th, 2011 at 2:31 pm
Usage percentage is a valuable stat, but he is shooting 45% in the five match-ups listed from this season and Miami is 4-1 in those games. As much as I dislike LeBron James the person, this makes the case that LeBron James the player is just doing what he is told to do despite his terrible 3-11 shooting last night... Ugh.
His "injury problem" from last season was in his head though... LoL.
And please, lets not talk about how much older he is. Jason Kidd is a dozen years older than him and he isn;t making any excuses.
June 8th, 2011 at 2:32 pm
This talks bad about either Spoelstra/Riley not being able to play without him (for the lack of trust to his real PGs as game-managers) or for not being able to keep him in the bench because James doesn't want to (I'm not saying that is the case, but may be).
OR... maybe LBJ has seen how Wade and Chalmers have been very effective at slashing through the zone, and has seen no reason to take the bulk of the offense in this series.
June 8th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
#7 Lol dude shut your mouth. Jason Kidd plays 35 minutes a game, 33 during the season and he passes the ball not dunks in your face.
June 8th, 2011 at 2:38 pm
Jason Kidd doesn't have to make excuses, he's averages 9 points a game and is washed up. He's supposed to suck.
June 8th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
Three of the four games in this series are in LeBron's bottom 10, but if you set the O/U for his FGA in game five at 25, I'd take the over.
June 8th, 2011 at 2:58 pm
That elbow was wrapped up with ice for months after "the decision" there's nothing fake about it he only played well with 3 days of rest that year.
Anyway I'm not prepared to say the Heat will win, I think Dallas has an edge unless James can shake this off somehow. Maybe get hot on his jumpers.
June 8th, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Stop trolling huevonkiller.
This site is for educated people.
June 8th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
Shake off what Huevonkiller? This isn't some transient, shakable condition Lebron has--he constantly "chokes" in big playoff games. That's why he has zero rings. Wade was playing with 1000 times more energy and passion than Lebron last night. Watching guys like Wade, Nowitzki, and Terry last night I would say to myself 'dang, those guys really want to win'--you can see it in their eyes, the way the play, the way they hustle. I never once thought that about Lebron last night, and honestly I've never really in my life. Lebron isn't a team player no matter how much he says he is. He wants personal gratification and that's it.
I hear every one saying "Oh, this is just a bad game. Every great player has bad games." Open your eyes guys. He's the best player in the world and he scores eight points in an NBA Finals game! That is ridiculous. The least amount of points MJ scored in any playoff game--and he has played twice as many such games than LBJ--is 17 points, and that was in a winning effort. I hope people start to open their eyes and recognize that despite being the most physically gifted player this world has probably ever seen, Lebron lacks a true passion and zeal for the game and for winning. As long as Lebron gets his check in the mail he could care less about winning a ring.
June 8th, 2011 at 3:20 pm
"And please, lets not talk about how much older he is. Jason Kidd is a dozen years older than him and he isn;t making any excuses."
Come on, man. Kidd's not even the focal point of his team, whereas James are Wade are for the Heat.
I DO think Bron could use a breather every now and then to keep his legs fresh during the stretch run of games. He's played nearly 100 more minutes than the next guy in the playoffs and leads the league in min/game. Bobo also made a great point about Bron not asserting himself more with Wade/Chalmers playing well on the wings, so he looks more to maintain ball movement more than scoring.
June 8th, 2011 at 3:23 pm
"LeBron last night, and honestly I've never really in my life. Lebron isn't a team player no matter how much he says he is. He wants personal gratification and that's it."
Here's your troll right here.
June 8th, 2011 at 3:23 pm
#14 - I wouldn't say he doesn't care about winning a championship, because that's basically the only reason he went to Miami (well, that and the party scene, I'm assuming). But I can't explain the invisible-man routine he pulls in games like this, either.
June 8th, 2011 at 3:56 pm
Forced to choose one narrative, I'd rather believe that James is physically exhausted than believe that I can divine his mental and/or emotional state.
June 8th, 2011 at 4:28 pm
james has never been a real consistent end of game closer as a scorer. his preference and greatest strength is more as a creator for others to finish. at cleveland throughout much of his career he was clearly reluctant to take late shots and was also afraid of getting fouled and having to shoot FTs at the end.
as he gopt older he got a little better at taking the last shot, but it still appeared forced or uncomfortable. i think he puts a lot of pressure on himself and gets a lot from others - some of which he has brought on himself - to the point that he just isnt very good making shots at the end. he isnt a really good shooter to begin with, although he has improved his shooting over the course of his career.
he did hit some big shots in the boston series, but i think it is important to note that they came with miami up 2-1 or 3-1, so the pressure was not as great. and boston was clearly banged up and old compared to the heat.
i doubt that larry bird, whom we had some a detailed debate on here recently in comparison with james, ever had such a non-factor finals game as james did in game 4. bird played in 31 finals games over 5 series and was the focal point of EVERY defense almost every minute of those games. yet he didnt disappear, fold or back down. bird's intangibles far outweigh those of james, and his tangibles are better too.
larry was a lot tougher mentally, physically and emotionally. he was more clutch, smarter and was not afraid to make or attempt the big play. in fact, he embraced and relished the chance while james clearly doesnt. he didnt complain on calls that went against him as james often does, even if it is obvious james is wrong. he took 5 steps on a fast break early in this finals and when he was called on it, argued and acted bewildered.
when bird missed the rushed corner 3 at the end of game 4 in the 1987 finals, he just walked off the court. didnt make excuses, didnt claim he was fouled or fall to the floor or cry, didnt grab his eye and claim he was poked, didnt wallow in self-pity or make excuses. and that might have been the biggest miss of his career. cost boston a chance to win the rubber match in a game where they blew a 16-point lead at home amid some very bad calls. still, he didnt crack or complain. he gave johnson credit in the post-game press conference, even though it had to be killing him.
i seriously doubt james or even wade would have the maturity and sportsmanship or level-headedness to do the same. and the 87 finals was as pressure-packed as any, with a lot of racial overtones and great players in a great rivalry. a lot more was at stake in 87 than now, and that shot would have tied the series 2-2. bird had just made a corner 3 to give boston a 2-point lead seconds before, despite worthy unabashedly holding him and his jersey and then mychal thompson flying at him. i dont think james would have the guts to take such shots in the finals unless the shot clock dictated, let alone make them.
im also amused at how much of the media and fans are saying this series could/should have been a heat sweep, reminiscent of 1984. the last 3 games have been decided by 2, 2 and 3 points, all going down to the final shot. game 1 was also an 8-point game that was fairly close.
dallas has not played anywhere near its pre-finals playoff level, yet is tied 2-2. lets give them some credit. miami has helped keep them down with their defense, but the mavs are due for a hot shooting game. miami may be more SPECtacular but it doesnt make them BETTER. take away their easy fast break points off turnovers and they have struggled in halfcourt offense. dallas is a little better on offense and miami is better on defense.
if butler were healthy i think dallas wins. they may still win without him and despite kidd playing poorly and making costly turnovers on bad passes. he has 24 points in 4 games so far, i believe. 0 points over 39 minutes in game 4 despite having the ball a lot is hard to believe, even if he is well past his prime.
June 8th, 2011 at 4:37 pm
Cort: [citation needed]
Contra, see, e.g., http://www.backpicks.com/2011/05/25/cognitive-bias-in-the-lebron-narrative/
June 8th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
@Cort
doens't matter if Kidd scores 0 points, as long as he's having the highest +/- stats of all players in game 4.
June 8th, 2011 at 8:03 pm
did kidd really have the highest +/- in game 4? if so, i am surprised. just from watching the game i dont think he played too well. made several bad passes and turnovers early on. but then again, the +/- rating is pretty flawed too. depends on who is on the court with you and against you, how well your teamates play, the time of the game in which you are playing, garbage time, luck, etc. i can make a great pass but if my teammate doesnt make the layup it doesnt show up in the stats, a la the pass to chandler inside when he got rejected by wade.
June 8th, 2011 at 8:11 pm
anon1
oh i know LBJ has had some huge games in the playoffs. i think he is an excellent player. my point was that bird did not have non-factor FINALS games like james did in game 4. not sure about 2007 finals, they were so boring and non-competitive it was hard to watch, he may have disappeared in some of those games too.
but i do know that the cavs offense was so completely built for and revolved around LBJ that he could get good numbers (such as 20 points, 8-9 boards and 5-6 assists) in an off game. he had the ball roughly 45-50% of their possession time i would estimate. bird had it far, far less. probably 20%, if that.
June 8th, 2011 at 8:44 pm
Cort it doesn't matter how consistent you claim Bird is, he's not as good and hasn't ever won without a great team.
June 8th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
Yeah Tico this site is for educated people, that's why I owned you back there. In reality Kidd is a washed up has-been who plays spare minutes (33-35 a night) in a very finesse manner. You have no business comparing the two and if you continue to, I'll just keep finding amusing ways to address your posts. I'm more interested in seeing Chris Paul get a ring than a non-superstar, or semi-superstar, like Kidd.
#14
Jordan choked plenty of times in his last three title runs, and in a few series against the Pistons and Knicks in his prime too.
Yeah I'm pretty sure the reason James beat the Bulls was to lose to the Mavericks. You're a real genius, lol whatever get out of here. Wade will never win a Finals MVP against an elite defense, the only reason he's going off is because of the guy defending him.
#18
The real point though, is that he already should have a ring. His 2009 run was better than anything anyone ever did except the Cleveland defense was weak. This should be a makeup run for him if anything, where he gets a pass.
I'm not really interested in how many points Wade puts up on the Mavericks, Kobe and LeBron did it better in 2006.
June 8th, 2011 at 10:14 pm
#25
I think you're being unfair to Wade. Wade struggled in ECF, but he had heck of a series against the Celtics.
LeBron is a better player than Wade, but Wade can play well against an elite defense.
June 8th, 2011 at 11:40 pm
@25
Jason Kidd was a lot better than you credit him. Chris Paul needs another 89 triple-doubles to match Kidd, which is more than the #2 player has over the last 25 years. Kidd also dragged two mediocre Nets teams into finals.
June 8th, 2011 at 11:49 pm
What I think that this (and the truehoop post) are missing is that the touches that LeBron is giving up are going to Bosh.
I imagine that getting Bosh going is a pretty high priority for Miami.
June 9th, 2011 at 1:02 am
Man, a year later and Huevonkiller is still trolling for LeBron on this site. The more things change...
June 9th, 2011 at 8:15 am
If LeBron is nursing an injury and he's going to play like he did in Game #4 (energy wise), he shouldn't be in there for all those minutes, then.
If LeBron is fatigued he's going to play like he did in Game #4 (energy wise), he shouldn't be in there for all those minutes, then.
If LeBron is too old now and he's going to play like he did in Game #4 (energy wise), he shouldn't be in there for all those minutes, then.
I don't know what is affecting his play so adversely. It could be ALL of these things. They sound like excuses to me, but they could also be REASONS. With THAT said-------if they ARE reasons, then stop it already with the crazy minutes per game.
You can't cry that sticking your finger in the fan hurts, then stick your finger in the fan. 38 minutes of a sharp LeBron per game is better than 45 dull, sleepy, disengaged minutes------particularly if the crunch-time 4th Quarter minutes are going to be nippy-nap time.
How old is LeBron? 27? How can 'getting older' even be on the table as a reason? He's not a Chinese girl gymnast, he's a basketball player.
I'm not willing to condemn the guy. It was a terrible game 4. He's had a lackluster series---but it's 2-2 and there's every reason to believe he could be THE difference going forward.
I won't condemn him. I also won't make excuses for him. The only LBJ we can ever know is the one he shows us. He will be judged on that. But I'd like to give these performances a little time to breathe rathyer than give micro-manager knee-jerk reactions.
Let's see what he's got going forward.
June 9th, 2011 at 8:24 am
Weird how on both Dirk drives to the basket for game winners-----LeBron gets caught in no man's land on 'D'... neither sliding over to help with Dirk-----nor staying completely with his kick-out man in the corner (particularly in Game #4).
LeBron's a terrific nose to nose defender----just listen to what D. Rose said... but does he have holes in his TEAM defense? Does he not know what to do? Or are those 2 high profile, game-deciding plays just an aberration?
June 9th, 2011 at 8:56 am
I said 'lackluster' series. That's unfair. He's been solid with one strangely poor game.
June 9th, 2011 at 9:15 am
@ # 25...
It's true. Michael Jordan had more than a couple of BAD shooting nights in the Finals. 5/19 & 6/19 and a few others. In wins and losses. He wasn't immune. I think he would have been early to mid-30s then.
And I think Bird was held to 8 points once/ maybe TWICE? (maybe it was 8 and 12) in the 1981 Finals. In the other 4 games he only averaged 19 ppg that year. He was in his 2nd NBA season at the time.
Also though, Jordan was a volume shooter and no matter how poorly he was shooting---he was still going down gunning. He was never disengaged at the end of a tight game.
With Bird, his pedestrian scoring/ shooting (I think he scored 15.3 ppg & shot 42 or 43% for the series) cost him the MVP vote, as Cedric Maxwell scored 17+ ppg with 9+ rpg and a .568 FG% (something exceeded or matched only 6 or 7 other times since 1974 by a player in the Finals)... but Bird grabbed over 15 rpg and led all players in steals and assists for the Finals (a trifecta never done before or since... since they started keeping data on steals).
Jordan never 'checked out' and Bird just filled up other boxscore columns.
I don't think the raw statistics should condemn LeBron as others suggest (though I'd like to see more than 9 rebounds when Chandler is grabbing 9 OFFENSIVE rebounds--- if he's not going to score----and I think he had 3? rebounds in another game?)------but his role and involvement during games, particularly at critical junctures, is what is puzzling.
I expect there to be an eruption from Mount. St. LeBron in Game #5. If there isn't... I won't know what to think.
June 9th, 2011 at 10:30 am
"I expect there to be an eruption from Mount. St. LeBron in Game #5. If there isn't... I won't know what to think."
Same here.
June 9th, 2011 at 11:58 am
#27
I was talking about their primes mostly, Chris is much better.
I recognize Kidd has had a much longer career but Neil has already proved that high peak players are better at winning titles.
#29
Lisa I was a hardcore Laker fan last year, so lol at trying to use that line with me. I just can't stand the hypocrisy, I find Laker fans to be some of the dumbest fans and I know them very well.
June 9th, 2011 at 1:06 pm
I'm not a fan of rugby-style basketball, but what happened to the "no-layups" rule? In the final seconds of two Finals games, the Heat just let Nowitzki get all the way to the hoop for a layup??
I know Nowitzki is just about automatic at FTs, but four fifteen-foot set shots have got to harder than two point-blank layups, right?
June 9th, 2011 at 9:17 pm
"Also though, Jordan was a volume shooter and no matter how poorly he was shooting---he was still going down gunning. He was never disengaged at the end of a tight game."
Well, it's kinda easy to gunsling when you're the clear-cut scorer on your team. The Heat got three (yes, even Bosh).
Also, people DO need to realize that LBJ IS contributing in this series even if he isn't on with his scoring. His defense this series is impeccable - of course people aren't enamored with defense and it's harder to see in the box score than offense so they don't care about it.
June 9th, 2011 at 9:28 pm
""I expect there to be an eruption from Mount. St. LeBron in Game #5. If there isn't... I won't know what to think."
Same here."
Does it matter? LBJ could score 70 and he'll still get blasted if the Mavs win. Part of the irrational LBJ narrative.
June 9th, 2011 at 10:03 pm
huevon
no way is lebron as good a player as larry bird. NO way. bird was 1st team all-nba his firts 9 seasons in the nba and easily could have won the MVP award every year from his rookie year of 1980 through '86, excluding 1983. he is still the only non-center to win 3 MVPS in a row (84-86). until his achilles & back gave out, he was the best all-around player in the world from 1979-88. and when he came back he was still great. check out his stats from his last season in 1992 at age 35 with a bad back and achilles injuries. still better than 95% of the league.
i am guessing you are a laker fan? sorry, LBJ has not done nearly as much despite playing in an expansion-diluted league, and likely never will. james is a helluva player but bird was a better shooter, better scorer, much better rebounder, a better passer and a better team defender. and he did it in the clutch and played harder, inspiring his teammates. LBJ, for all his skills and ability, is immature and unaccountable for his actions. off the court he is not a leader in any way.
bird was smarter, tougher in every way and made his teammates better more than james. he didnt monopolize the ball either. plus LBJ travels and palms th eball all the time to gain an advantage. sorry but 3 steps is traveling, as is 4 or 5.
sean pointed out that bird's field goal shooting was "pedestrian" (43 percent) in the 1981 finals, but that was by his standards. today thats decent. allen iverson shot in the low 40s and upper 30s consistently, even with cherry pick layups making his stats better. he wasnt called on it. allan houston was considered a heckuva shooter yet i think he shot in the low 40s from the field in the 1999 Finals, but no one calls him on that. Durant shot 35 - 35! percent in the 2010 playoffs yet got a free pass.
remember too that bird was coming off probably the toughest and best series ever in the ECF vs. the 76ers that season, and was due for a bit of a letdown. and that houston played an ugly, bruising slowdown style and that robert reid was a fine defender. the rockets designed their defense to slow bird down and gave no easy shots.
larry made maxwell a lot better on offense with great passes, spacing and double teams. cedric was underrated, a good defender and a very good inside scorer, but he rarely shot outside 10 feet. bird was a better shooter LEFT-HANDED than cedric was outside 14 feet with his strong hand. far better amidexterity is just another thing bird has over LBJ.
in the decisive game 6 of the 1981 finals, bird dominated. he single-handedly won the game down the stretch and had 27 points on 12-20 shooting i believe. when houston cut a 17-point lead to 3 late in the 4th quarter, bird responded. he hit a baseline jumper, a jumper from the key, another jumper from the key that was disallowed over a dubious carry call that would never be called against any superstar of the last 15 years, then swished a corner triple that clinched the title. all without a miss, and quieted a raucous crowd in the summit.
bird also averaged over 15 rebounds a game in the series, and as sean pointed out was high in steals and assists. in 2 games i believe he had 21 boards in that series, including an offensive rebound lefty reverse stickback in the final 20 seconds that won game 1. if someone did that today, they'd be feted ad nauseum. but back then the nba marketing sucked and the game was on tape delay at 11:30 pm EST! i remember staying up to watch it even though i was in junior high.
check out the running, hand switching, left-handed floating rebound shot from 11-12 feet he made in game 1 of the 81 finals from the right baseline - off his own 16-foot miss! incredible play. rick barry and bill russell were calling the game for CBS and even these 2 great Hall of Famers were duly impressed.
they talk about things bird supposedly couldnt do. Jordan, James, Johnson, Bryant, et al could NEVER have made that play. outside of paul westphal or maybe maravich no one in the nba had the anticipation, smarts, body control, determination AND above all ambidexterity to make such an incredible play. those other guys had no left hand outside of a layup or dunk.
in his career, bird scored over 20 points in a game multiple times LEFT-HANDED. and he excelled the 2nd half of his career with debilitating injuries. talk about guts, toughness and will. he has those qualities over james BY FAR. above and beyond everything else.
only move i ever saw in the finals that ranked higher was the one Dr. J made in game 4 of the 1980 Finals down the baseline and behind the backboard.
June 9th, 2011 at 11:54 pm
can anyone seriously, with a straight face, compare james with bird after another fourth quarter finals disappearance? i liked the pass he threw to wade for a layup in the 4th period. took 4 steps and then jumped to pass. lol. typical of the traveling and palming he gets away with all the time.
2 points in the game 4 & 5 4th periods combined, and those only on a gimme layup in the final seconds! wow. yea 17-10-10 is a nice game, but not that great. 8-19 shooting and poor defense late on terry, a guy 6 inches smaller and probably 9 inches shorter with reach included.
james is a tremendous player. but bird is in another galaxy, especially intangibly on top of tangibly too.
wade celebrated a bit again too soon with his face after his 3 made it 99-95. dallas went on a 10-1 run after that. similar to game 2 when he held his pose after the corner 3 in front of the dallas bench.
June 10th, 2011 at 12:05 am
#35
Oh I remember you very well from last year, Huevonkiller. You trolled for LeBron under the guise of being a Lakers fan, and then we saw through you here and on SS&R and you got kicked to the curb.
June 10th, 2011 at 12:19 am
how about dallas reserve brian cardinal doubling LBJ and forcing him to lose the ball late in the 3rd quarter? james was intimidated. cardinal actually played quite well and helped put dallas in an aggressive mindset. even if he doesnt look like the stereotypical NBA player, he knows how to play and has size and skill, as well as smarts and a recklessness that is helpful on D and the boards.
being a huge indiana university hoop fan i saw him kill the hoosiers and other teams for 4 years at purdue with his "billy hoyle" game. the guy can play and has better lateral footwork than one might think. a little reminiscent of a lesser bill laimbeer.
james has put so much pressure on himself to win it all with the way he left cleveland (and the pre-season championship parade thing at south each), that he is simply PARALYZED now in the clutch. never liked to take the last shot before, now it is worse. threw a lot of great passes in game 5, and is best when facilitating to others. but i dont think he wants to drive because he doesnt want to shoot late FTs in the crunch. no one to blame on missed FTs but yourself...
June 10th, 2011 at 12:59 am
#40:
well, it's true that James's stats are so far superior to Bird's that such a comparison is a little unfair....
The tangibles come out in James's favor. Only the intangibles favor Bird--except for the tangible championships.
I think there obviously is something troubling about James's performance in this series and at some other notable times in his career--and it looks like something emotional/psychological. But still, his overall playoff numbers are excellent.
Even Bird didn't win every championship when he was in his prime and playing with several other Hall of Famers in their primes.
June 10th, 2011 at 1:29 am
hmm 24 10 and 7 for bird is pretty darn good over a career. so is career 50%fg, 89FT% 38% 3s. dont see how james' tangibles are better than that lol. bird's numbers would have been even better if he werent so unselfish.
hmm and james hasnt had the decline phase of his career yet which will cause his stats to fall. and he played in an expansion-diluted era with more star treatment and gets to travel and palm constantly. had the ball a lot more too.
plus bird has 3 rings and 3 mvps and 2 playoff mvps, and should have won more. put his boston teams in the same time as james and they have 6-7 titles.
LBJ has no rings or playoff mvps, 2 season mvps. those are pretty major tangible advantages for bird!!
June 10th, 2011 at 1:50 am
how are 27.7, 7.1 and 7 for james better than bird - without the decline phase to come too? and all shooting pcts. clearly less: 47, 74 and just under 33? hmm. great numbers for both but i dont see an edge for james except a couple more points, but on a bit more field attempts and almost twice as many FT tries per game.
June 10th, 2011 at 3:21 am
#45
You clearly don't understand the concept of 'pace'. LeBron James played for much slower pace team than Larry Bird ever did. That's why his 27.7-7.1-7.0 is more impressive.
June 10th, 2011 at 8:25 am
"can anyone seriously, with a straight face, compare james with bird after another fourth quarter finals disappearance? i liked the pass he threw to wade for a layup in the 4th period. took 4 steps and then jumped to pass. lol. typical of the traveling and palming he gets away with all the time."
Were you watching the same game I was in which Dallas was raining 3s from everywhere? Miami as a team yielded 130 pts/100 possessions. For a defense that gives up 103 per in the playoffs, that's unacceptable.
Win or lose, great game or not, LBJ gets ripped regardless. Game 3, anyone? The Heat WON THE GAME, but the media shifted their focus on LBJ's subpar game offensively and him being a "role player" if Wade wins Finals MVP. This is the same culture that dogged LBJ for not winning in the first place and just "piling up stats" in Cleveland. What's up with the change of heart here? I was always told by the "smart" old-schoolers that stats didn't matter and you play to win the game, now they care about stats?
There's hypocrisy galore going on in basketball, and it always had more to do with how people feel about LBJ the person than his actual basketball play. I'm looking at YOU, Cort.
June 10th, 2011 at 9:45 am
Lisa says:
#35
Oh I remember you very well from last year, Huevonkiller. You trolled for LeBron under the guise of being a Lakers fan, and then we saw through you here and on SS&R and you got kicked to the curb.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I don't know what's of more dubious character, trolling as a pretend-Lakers fan OR being a 'hard core' Lakers fan LAST year for real------but dumping them THIS year. How can you be 'hard core', then NOT? Lol.
June 13th, 2011 at 11:50 pm
Cort says in #40:
can anyone seriously, with a straight face, compare james with bird after another fourth quarter finals disappearance?>>>>>>>>>>
Let's say that at the VERY least... it's a really, really, REALLY bad week to be mentioning LeBron James with Larry Bird.
June 16th, 2011 at 11:14 pm
I got an idea why dont they send the no good Lebron James to Denver. I`ll put up with him for the rest of his career