Is Lebron protecting his FG%?

[Rasho_libre]

You must have missed that 52 point triple double he tried to get in NY a few years back and the NBA had to take away a rebound because it was blatant LeBron tried to force his own miss to get a board to get the triple double.

You must've missed Kobe stat-padding his assist totals tonight. Again.

Right?

5 rings

[fatal9]

I'm not sure you guys are getting it, because you're going to extremes that aren't even relevant to the question OP asked. I even stated that it most likely doesn't hurt the Heat to make an issue about it, but it doesn't mean LeBron doesn't protect his FG% *at times*. LeBron and the team he plays on, are good enough where they can be a top 3 offense in the league and LeBron passing up 2-3 shots a game that technically he should take isn't going to matter (something would have to be seriously wrong if a team with LeBron, two all-stars, great shooting support, 3 years of continuity and loves to play small ball isn't putting up great offensive numbers), so citing these numbers doesn't answer the question OP asked. The question is, does LeBron sometimes protect his FG% (ie. by passing up shots he should take) and from watching him play at times this season, to me, the answer to that is, yes. This isn't the same thing as saying LeBron is hurting the team or that LeBron needs to start chucking jumpers and look off his teammates.

[john248]

Honestly, it's not hating. He clearly passes up shots that don't yield a high percentage for him, which sounds like a good thing, but someone still has to take those shots. Not every possession (especially in the half court) is going to yield a 50+FG% shot opportunity. When you get a good look in the half court, it's often a bad play to pass it, it can put other players in short clock situations to create a shot. Only pass a good look if you're certain you can get a better one. He mainly does it against bad teams though, because the Heat are so much better than those teams and LeBron can get basically anything he wants against them.

It probably doesn't hurt the Heat to make an issue about it, but the obsession with FG% is kind of annoying to me. Most of the greatest offensive superstars to ever play are good enough where they can control their FG% with the kind of shots they take (especially against bad teams). The point isn't to play in a way to maximize your own FG%, it's to get your team the best shot given the clock situation and how the defense is positioned, and sometimes that means star players have to take shots that they might only make 40% or 45% of the time. There's a reason all that historic shooting stuff disappears in the playoffs, even for LeBron.

You're confusing Lebron with harden. Lebrons doesn't side to side dribble to pass it last minute to a guy with a defender on him for no apparent reason. If Lebron passes up a shot it's usually to a more open player, usually a dude like Allen who's the best three point shooter in nba history. Hell he's kind of toying with the league playing with Allen, daring teams to double him. You should know he did against our raps team and gave Ross a lesson after it.

Where on earth did the guy you quote say LBJ dribbles away only to pass it at the last minute like Harden? At least if you're going to make a point, do it right. Fan boys will be fan boys. Haters will be haters. Sad really.

And don't take this to mean I think LBJ is protecting his FG% as I don't.

[EscapoTHB]

How does one define "passing up shots you should take" within the best offense in the league? Surely conventional models of shots that should be taken, are thrown out the window. The same shot for the Heat isn't the same shot for the Cavaliers. The same open look doesn't mean the same thing because of the context of team goals and ideologies. Without knowing to what end he is "passing up shots you should take" it is impossible to judge if they are in fact "shots you should take".

The most bizarre section of this argument is that Lebron's FG percentage is inflated because he "passes up shots he should take"--but that argument implies that he would miss the "shots he should take"--and if we've established the certainty of that the shots "he should take" will end up misses which will lower his field goal percentage---then they are no longer "shots he should take" are they? Even if you are assuming he only makes 40 percent of the "shots he should take" that is below the Heat average--so it is hard to make an argument that he should take them.

Basically this entire argument is an impossible logical game that is its own negation.

[washderice]

I have never seen another player in my life purposely miss triple doubles this much. Every other player in the league is so aware when they are close to a triple double. Yeah but this guys is all about stats right?

You must have missed that 52 point triple double he tried to get in NY a few years back and the NBA had to take away a rebound because it was blatant LeBron tried to force his own miss to get a board to get the triple double.

lol he didnt force a miss to get a rebound, the rebound was taken away because it was incorrectly given to him when it was on a controlled tip by another member of the cavs that went to lebron (so the rebound was actually that player's). thanks for showing that you will falsify things to try prove your point though.

[Rock Hardy]

He takes better shots and spends the rest of the time looking to get his teammates better shots. It's reflected in the team's increased offensive efficiency. I see no problem with it. I don't want him gunning recklessly to just boost his point tallies.

He takes far less heat checks now. He mostly takes 3s in the flow of the game. He doesn't settle for shots outside of his comfort (efficient) zones either. I like it. He's a really smart player.

[ry1234]

no he is not

[MisterWestside]

I'm not sure you guys are getting it, because you're going to extremes that aren't even relevant to the question OP asked. I even stated that it most likely doesn't hurt the Heat to make an issue about it, but it doesn't mean LeBron doesn't protect his FG% *at times*. LeBron and the team he plays on, are good enough where they can be a top 3 offense in the league and LeBron passing up 2-3 shots a game that technically he should take isn't going to matter (something would have to be seriously wrong if a team with LeBron, two all-stars, great shooting support, 3 years of continuity and loves to play small ball isn't putting up great offensive numbers), so citing these numbers doesn't answer the question OP asked. The question is, does LeBron sometimes protect his FG% (ie. by passing up shots he should take) and from watching him play at times this season, to me, the answer to that is, yes. This isn't the same thing as saying LeBron is hurting the team or that LeBron needs to start chucking jumpers and look off his teammates.

Well then, prove the selfish intent. Prove that he is actively and willfully refraining from shooting the ball because he is looking to protect his fg%.

If you cannot do that, then you're simply playing the psychoanalysis game.

[MKG35]

Again...this little competition between Wade and James has been going on for years. Three straight Finals appearances and back to back championships suggest it's not harming anything...

Look how close they were to losing to SA.

If they won only 1 out of 3 finals, would you have said something else? People would probably blame someone for losing. Wade not stepping up, Bosh not stepping up, Lebron not doing ....random somehing.... enough etc.

WHAT?!?!?!

Seriously, this isn't rocket surgery here, folks!

The playoffs isn't where you screw around with field goal percentages. If you don't think they know that, then I don't think you've been watching. You don't win two consecutive championships by not taking the games seriously. In the regular season? Sure, you can mess around. In the post season...the Finals?!?!?!?!

Gimme a break.

The LeBron Hate has reached epidemic proportions...

Talk about overreacting. You are missing my point completely.

If Miami won only 1 out of 3 finals, 'people' would start to judge this team and would look for any kind of flaws or things that should be different. I'm not talking about the FG%. I'm talking about the overall perception of a team.


Where exactly was I hating on Lebron? I truly think you are seeing things that aren't there. No problem.

[Damon_3388]

This entire thread is bloody ridiculous.