Dr Spaceman wrote:Do you guys think this is really just a "streak", or is this the new norm for Lebron? Honestly, I see a guy who "flipped the switch" and is working his way out of cruise control to gear up for the playoffs.
Also, has there ever been a guy who dominated the league mentally AND physically like he is this year? I mean, he'll beat everyone down court and get his head at the rim for the dunk, and then the next play call an iso, jab step 5 times, and drill a 3 with a hand in his face. He is just on top of the world right now mentally, physically, and skill-wise. It's gotta be so demoralizing to play against.
TBH he's still in cruise control to an extent. You have to look beyond the outstanding numbers to see it. While the PPG and FG% in this streak look nice, they paint a slightly misleading picture.
Take the Charlotte game for example. Most of the world sees the 13/14 and thinks "
93% shooting and the only shot he missed was a fastbreak layup!" But go back and watch the game. His lack of aggression in the late second quarter and really throughout the 3rd quarter let Charlotte stay in the game far longer than they should have. He largely disengaged himself from the game because it seemed like it was already in hand, and cause, you know, its the Bobcats. That's not to say he wasn't doing other positive things, but had he maintained his aggressiveness consistently through the first 3 periods, the game would have not needed to be close in the fourth, James would've sat, likely with a lower FG% and perhaps fewer points as well, but it would have been a better game in my mind. Or the Houston game. The first 25 minutes of that game were absurd. He looked on pace for 40 in just three quarters, he had it firing on all cylinders that night. Once the lead had widened in the third quarter however, he took his foot off the gas again, and further, Houston started shading hard. He never really readjusted after that (he certainly could have), and just sort of pulled it out in the 4th. Underwhelming game to me, but again, looks ridiculous on the stat-sheet.
Now I don't want to make it look I'm saying he was playing awful, because he certainly wasn't, but it's clear to me that he's still not playing at top gear right now (which actually makes his current run sustainable), and that he's got another level or two he can jump up to in the postseason. I may be nitpicking, but I do think there are a handful of things that he can and will improve on when the games become more important.
