LeBron: again, I don’t see why people are so confused about this.

is he the best player in the league? most certainly.

is he a “choke artist”? no, that’s maybe the dumbest and most overused term in sports (example: the Yankees did not choke in 2004, they lost four straight games to a superior team who shouldn’t have been down 3-0 to begin with).

does he have problems over the last few seasons delivering in tight, end-of-game situations? pretty obviously, yes. whether that’s because of a flaw in his game or because he expends SO MUCH energy on both ends all game long or because of mental issues a la A-Rod circa 2007 or so, who knows, but there’s certainly an issue there.

d-mar: I still think he has to force the issue. If he gets triple teamed as he drives, so be it, make something happen. But I do think it’s absolutely unfair to criticize LeBron if he passes to an open shooter who misses, Jordan did that countless times with Paxson and Kerr, and they happened to make the shots.

Oh, I agree. I’d much rather see Lebron make the right basketball play, and I don’t care who shoots as long as you get the best shot. But that attitude is rare, and a lot of the people criticizing Lebron’s shot choice are the same people who would criticize him if he passed the ball. To me that’s a contradiction.

Best play available in my opinion was to back down Rondo, wait for Dooling to double, which he would have, and kick to Chalmers, who was hot, for an open wing 3. But I think Lebron actually got a good shot there. He makes that what 40% maybe? You’re not going to get a better look than that in that situation very often. Didn’t go in, but it was a fine look.

thenamestsam: Everyone likes to say this, but I think it’s a silly criticism. When was the last time you saw someone get a layup to win a playoff game on the last shot? It just doesn’t really happen, and it doesn’t happen for a reason.

Go back to the tape and look at that play again. As, Lebron looks to drive both Allen and KG are right on the edge of the lane, and Dooling is helping way off of Chalmers to Lebrons left if he tries to cross over. There’s no lane to drive there. If he drives all the way to the basket he’s going to be trying to finish over three players who are in position. He’s not going to get a call there. If he drives further than where he did to pull up, Allen is going to double him and he’s either going to get a more difficult jumper with a second guy on him, or kick to Battier in the corner for a 3. If he does that, he A. Gets killed again for passing, and B. Is a Battier 3 really a better look than the jumper he got? There’s just no way to get any better look than what he got without getting doubled which means either passing it or taking a shot while doubled, which is more difficult. If you want Lebron to shoot, I can’t see where he could get a better look than what he got.

I still think he has to force the issue. If he gets triple teamed as he drives, so be it, make something happen. But I do think it’s absolutely unfair to criticize LeBron if he passes to an open shooter who misses, Jordan did that countless times with Paxson and Kerr, and they happened to make the shots.

d-mar:
BTW, I have zero sympathy for any Celtic crying about the non-call on Rondo, they’ve been getting the benefit of the whistle for years (see Paul Pierce’s exaggerated falls on touch fouls, KG’s blatantly illegal screens,etc. etc.)

d-mar:
I think what raised everyone’s eyebrows a little was that last possession for Miami, where LeBron has Rondo guarding him and ends up shooting a brick fallaway at the buzzer. Not saying you can judge his entire game by that play, but he has to come up with a better shot than that or at least drive it to the hole to try and draw a foul.

I guess you could say it’s a good sign that he even took the last shot, as opposed to giving the ball up to Wade as he has done in the past.

Everyone likes to say this, but I think it’s a silly criticism. When was the last time you saw someone get a layup to win a playoff game on the last shot? It just doesn’t really happen, and it doesn’t happen for a reason.

Go back to the tape and look at that play again. As, Lebron looks to drive both Allen and KG are right on the edge of the lane, and Dooling is helping way off of Chalmers to Lebrons left if he tries to cross over. There’s no lane to drive there. If he drives all the way to the basket he’s going to be trying to finish over three players who are in position. He’s not going to get a call there. If he drives further than where he did to pull up, Allen is going to double him and he’s either going to get a more difficult jumper with a second guy on him, or kick to Battier in the corner for a 3. If he does that, he A. Gets killed again for passing, and B. Is a Battier 3 really a better look than the jumper he got? There’s just no way to get any better look than what he got without getting doubled which means either passing it or taking a shot while doubled, which is more difficult. If you want Lebron to shoot, I can’t see where he could get a better look than what he got.

d-mar: I think what raised everyone’s eyebrows a little was that last possession for Miami, where LeBron has Rondo guarding him and ends up shooting a brick fallaway at the buzzer. Not saying you can judge his entire game by that play, but he has to come up with a better shot than that or at least drive it to the hole to try and draw a foul.I guess you could say it’s a good sign that he even took the last shot, as opposed to giving the ball up to Wade as he has done in the past.

There is no victory for LeBron James. Remember the All-Star game, where he tried to make the right play, turned it over and cost the East the victory? Except he was single-handedly the ONLY reason the East was in the game late in the first place?

Remember him passing to UD for a wide open jumper close to the end of the season, only for Udonis to miss and his psyche to be called into question for the trillionth time?

In clutch situations, it isn’t enough for LeBron to simply take shots. The narrative is established already. Despite the facts, LeBron will be seen as not clutch unless he leads his team to at least 3 titles. Kobe can continue to shoot under 35% in crunchtime because his rep is solid. LBJ has no such luxury.