LeBron in the Clutch

[Glen Infante]

I couldn't agree anymore Narl. There has been times where he recieves the ball from the inbounder down court, doesn't look for his team mates, and jacks it up.

I love the fact that part of his game has improved, but he is much more effecient in the other aspects of his game.

The good thing about him taking these shots is that we have someone already who can do the slashing and playmaking if LeBron decides to be a shooter, and that is Larry Hughes.

Down the stretch when we needed a bucket, Larry drove into the lane and drew contact to get us closer to tie. That was something that LeBron should be doing also. He has done it all last season, but for some reason, this season he has toned it down a bit and has been settling for his outside shot.

funny most players dont have an nba body,some are selfish, some are bad chemistry guys..and we are on LeBron for taking a bad shot?

Good point. But it's more than just that one shot. He has done it for 7 games in a row. And also has done it alot last season also.

 

[cdt]

Previous years were acceptable who was gonna hit the clutch jumper? Ira? Nah..give em time to gel with everyone he will learn he doesn't have to be Mr. Everything anymore.

 

[PIP]

Once he starts to hit clutch jumpers... And starts to take better shots it will probably be his non ability to get offensive rebounds..

LeBron would be like soooooooooooooo good, but he can't get offensive rebounds

 

[insshc]

sure he sometimes makes decisions that seem ill-advised to us watching on TV from above, he's not perfect and he'll make mistakes

the problem is as cavs fans we're keyed into every possession and every game, all the flaws come out... if kobe or iverson or tmac were on our team, we'd be groaning over their shot selection too, maybe even more so

it's just the nature of the game, sometimes he'll make the shot and be a hero, sometimes he won't... he does have the physical and mental ability to be Mr Clutch - he's already proved this many times, maybe not so much with the buzzer-beating 3 but so far, more with his driving and finishing ability (but that seems to be changing) - at this point he just lacks experience, and he's lacked coaching as well. Fortunately, both of those are being addressed more and more every day now.

 

[LyXo]

I wasn't disappointed that he missed that shot. I was that he took it in the first place. Sure, he didn't have help to get a clear look. But in that situation, we did not need that three. We were down by two. You are the best penetrator, or at least one of the best, in the NBA. Take it to the hole. Get fouled and go to the line. That, IMO, would have been much better than an off-balance three. It was just a completely bad call in general. The first play was drawn up and failed, then no time out, so just give it to LeBron and watch.

 

[Pioneer10]

Lebron for how much I love the guy does not have a quick first step (ala a kobe or Iverson) just because he is so damn big. (Again he is amazingly quick for his size). This make it difficult for me to understand why call a play with 6 seconds left with him to get the ball in the corner w/o a pick, screen, or anything.

This was a play that did not use the advantages of you're player. It should have been something like a quick pick and roll with Z where Lebron's strenght of passing, driving would have been utilized. Instead people are ragging on him because he was put in the one situation where he's not the most effective. The same thing happened last year against Detroit where the dumb play was watching Lebron go one on one with Prince. In the playground that work but not with the interior defenders in the NBA. Because he doesn't have the first step of a pg that is the one situation where he can't create in the times span that was given to him

 

[CBBI]

What sorta worries me so far this season....

Last year, LeBron was the scorer AND the creator and while he was effective at scoring, he was still clearly a better creator then scorer.

This year, Hughes is taking over the role as primary creator in the half court and LeBron is slowly turning into just a scorer and not a creator.

LeBron's biggest strengths are his passing and court vision and it seems like since we now have a similar player on the wing in Hughes, LeBron is looking more and more to score and less and less to create.

All that said, as long as we keep winning games (especially road games), I don't mind one bit.

 

[cavincali]

all he has to do is go to the hoop. its not like its difficult. he can go to the hoop and get fouled whenever he wants to, so settling for that three was setteling for medocrity.

 

[PIP]

all he has to do is go to the hoop. its not like its difficult. he can go to the hoop and get fouled whenever he wants to, so settling for that three was setteling for medocrity.

Sounds like a future Sac State alum

 

[West Remy]

all he has to do is go to the hoop. its not like its difficult. he can go to the hoop and get fouled whenever he wants to, so settling for that three was setteling for medocrity.

You go to the hoop when your teammates clear the floor, you have proper space and when you get the step on your opponent. Even if you get past your man, if the lane is clogged (because nobody is moving, or the other team KNOWS you are going to shoot it), then driving in the lane would only be running into defenders who are already standing there and in essence, waiting for your arrival (which can result in an offensive call being called on the charge or a turnover once you're swarmed and your shot/pass gets smothered).

 

[bail]

hey guys do you think he is going to average 25ppg,7apg,7rpg this season?

is he trying to be selfish?how come he is not passing the ball that much to his teamates?what is his APG this season?

 

[Dungong]

Lebron doesn't look like he's going to get 25/7/7 but thats not because his game is deteriorating or anything.

1) He's playing less minutes, so less minutes = less numbers
2) Rebounding - Gooden, Z, and Marshall are all pulling down nearly 10 rebounds a game. There just aren't that many more for Lebron to get. The important thing here is that the Cavs are up there in rebounding differential. Also, Lebron is also defensively more on the perimeter, or rotating out, so his position to get the defensive rebound isn't as good.
3) Assists - Last year, every single play basically went through Lebron. Jmac was the PG, and he wasn't going to contribute much on the playmaking end. When you get the ball that much, you're going to rack up stats. This year, we got other people to give the ball to, Larry, Lebron, and Snow all have about the same amount of assists. No one is going to get 10 assists a game when you got so many people that can dish.

Basically, we're going to see a reduction in numbers individually for Lebron, but thats going to translate into a better team. It'll allow Lebron to get better on the defensive side of the ball, putting more energy there since he doesn't have to do everything offensively anymore.

 

[MarkPrice25]

I haven't gone through all the posts, but was I the only one that noticed that during Orlando's 4th quarter run, LeBron went about 4 straight possessions without touching the ball? I'm smart enough to know that one man can not do it by himself and I don't want him to turn into a chucker, but that really surprised me.

The only time he got his hands on the ball in that couple minute stretch was when he blocked the shot and took it coast-to-coast for the hoop and the harm. I think that in MOST pressure situations, the offense should go through him. At the very least, we get a double-team and with the weapons we have, combined with his unselfishness, long scoring droughts should not happen.

But, in response to the CLUTCH factor, give him time. As great as he is, he is still learning and we have to remember that. If anything, forget the end of the game.....he needs to improve on generating good shots at the ends of quarters. Too many times, he's pounding it at the top of the key and letting the clock run down to 2 or 3 seconds before he does anything....and then it's usually a long jumper or a tight pass in traffic that mostly ends in no points. But, if all we can bitch about is LeBron not being "clutch" in a game that we won, that's not too bad.