That's the problem, there has never been any kind of accountability for Lebrons actions. I am sick of the coddling in an attempt to keep him from leaving. If he doesn't like reaching the next level and doesn't want to hear some tough love from coaches then he can be gone for all I care. I honestly think that he is enough of a professional to be able to take a little lashing for freelancing.
I appreciate what he has done and he seems to have an incredible work ethic but I witnessing a lot of lackadaisical effort on the defensive end (The one area you'd think there would be some accountability) and an arrogant approach to the offense that takes us out of our game plan. How many pissing contests are we gonna witness where Lebron flexes his ego muscles at the expense of the team? I can live with the bone headed off balance passes that lead to turnovers because he makes so many great ones as well but these pull up 5 ft beyond the arc 6 seconds into the shot clock heat checks are growing old. It makes me mad even if he makes them.
Yes we don't want to coddle LeBron, but the kid has been coddled his entire life.
The only way he has ever learned is from failure.
I posted an article a couple weeks back from that trainer he worked out with back in 2008. That guy told him straight up he couldn't dribble, had no goto move and LBJ basically blew him off and I don't he has worked with that guy since.
So today we have Mike Brown and Chris Jent. Both have done wonders with LBJ. They taught that defense was important and he responded. Which to me in this day and age is probably one of the hardest things to get across to these players today. Who wants to play defense today? Matt Barnes himself was just quoted that he wished he was in Phoenix running up and down. Mike Brown got LBJ to love playing defense. Thats a huge accomplishment.
Mike Brown is a players coach and LBJ has responded to it as well. He likes being in control which he always has been even back in his days he played at STV. The kid was always the PG. It makes sense that when he hit the NBA, he wanted to have the ball in his hands.
Jent and Brown had him working on a mid-range game and post game in the offseason. He talked about using it in games. I'm sure Brown calls plays for it, but It is up to LBJ to get down on the block and get dirty. If Mike Brown forced him to do that, he might be turned off just as he was with the trainer.
This is LBJ's world. I don't think any coach except for Phil Jackson is going to get LBJ to change his ways. LBJ is going to run any team he is on. Right now failures like last night are the only way he is going to learn.
Its up to the coaching staff to reply that part of the game several times and not just note what LBJ did, but how they were up 6, and should have went for the throat. Penetrated, got to the line, etc....
I'm sure Mike Brown does that.
It also didn't help Ferry and Paxson gave this team zero pgs until Mo was obtained.
Even Mo isn't a true pg. LBJ was basically the pg of the team for 5 years until Mo and Delonte showed up. LBJ has been playing pg his entire life.