Lakers: The mid-range has not been kind to LeBron and Few 3-pointers were taken in the N.B.A. It's one thing to drop 40 in Game 5 of a 1st round series up or down 3-1. DAngelo Russell mirrored his performance from late in Game 4 early in the second half, scoring eight straight points out of halftime to make it a one-point game, but the Lakers never could grab the lead. Latest update for Suns at Lakers. James has long ago passed Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, but there are critiques of how he scores compared to those two. Then known as Lew Alcindor, Abdul-Jabbar first spent four years at U.C.L.A., where he was one of the most dominant college basketball players in the country across three varsity seasons. Duncan Robinson caps off the top five with 76.5%. Hes one of the best of all time, and hes showing exactly why hes that.. Alexander: When Anthony Davis does it, Lakers can be devastating Lakers | James torched the nets in a 56-point game against Golden State, the team that has arguably forced him to evolve the most in his career. The next big decision for James is what is he going to do this offseason. NAME. Last season, the number was about three times that. Could others do more? But that impression of consistency might actually undersell the amount James has changed his game in 19 NBA seasons, and as he chases down the all-time regular season scoring record, hed like some credit. 30, he'd be in the thick of the MVP discussion. One of the major trends this season for LeBron James has been the decline of his jump shot. A 4-time MVP thats larger than life and always in contention, seeking all there is to offer in Los Angeles by playing for the Lakers after a delivering a title and dominating for the hometown team. Had a fourth-quarter shoulder injury not sidelined Kennard, Dillon Brooks, a lightning rod for controversy in this series, may not have been back out for the fourth quarter. (click on chart to see every dot). LeBron James Eligibility restrictions apply. WebFind detailed LeBron James Stats on FOXSports.com. It came on the road against the Phoenix Suns on his only 3-point attempt of the game. 2. Sorry Kobe fanboys, but here are the 10 Greatest NBA players of all-time#NBAFinals #LeBron pic.twitter.com/Xw7CLyAP5Z, Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) June 10, 2016. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. At his best, he uses his size and speed to bully defenders, get optimal position and either score or get to the line. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL). Lebron James is one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & resort (KS). LeBron James Michael Jordan vs LeBron James: The 15-Year Comparison He hasnt officiallyopted out of next year with the Cavs but that is the exception. It all comes down to his shooting ability. When they talk about the best scorers of all time, they never mention my name, James said in a recent episode of his show The Shop. He's never been a dead-eye shooter, but his decline this year has been notable. Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA (select parishes)/MA/MD/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OH/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. A James team hadnt lost a closeout game since April 27, 2018, when the Pacers clobbered Cleveland in Game 6, only to lose to the Cavs in Game 7. Im willing to play 48 [minutes], Davis said. Gambling Problem? By Half. So, no pressure. A player who operates in isolation as much as James does is going to take bad jumpers from time to time. James doesnt do it the mid-range way. But since returning to the Lakers (he spent his first two seasons with them), Russell may have become a better version of himself. https://t.co/so8BLzs2oApic.twitter.com/GbJdytjHmE, Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) June 25, 2018. Lakers | Though James has leaned into 3-point shooting along with the rest of the N.B.A., part of what makes him such a fantastic offensive player is that he can score from all over, whether through dunks, relentless drives to the basket, postups or mid-range fadeaways. As we fade out to farther in the perimeter, his field goal percentage drops from the elite 73.3% at 0-3 feet to 42.4%, 36.7% and 38.5% at 3-10 feet, 10-16 feet and 16-23 feet respectively. Despite his improvement last postseason, the forward only hit 34.9 percent over the entirety of last season (including playoffs). LeBron will play better, Davis said. However, he's developed into a reliable shooter from beyond the arc as he ages. He was especially good range from hitting from the midrange during the Thats right. Theyll have to do it twice more. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame receives No. Cavs Reacts Survey: J.B. Bickerstaff under pressure? What is LeBron James' playoff 3-point percentage? Looking at This model was so popular among youngsters that it spurred on an entire generation of imitators. Case in point: his back-to-back scoring titles in 1971 and 1972. Brandon Ingram 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Of course, clutch stats go beyond simply hitting shots with all zeros on the clock. Shaquille O'Neal* .5858: 62. That's not a very efficient way to distribute shots for a player who is best playing downhill. They were the NBAs best team at home during the regular season at 35-6, setting a franchise record for wins in their building. ClickBank's role as retailer does not constitute an endorsement, approval or review of these products or any claim, statement or opinion used in promotion of these products. ORB, DRB, STL, BLK, DRtg, BPM, VORP, and per 100 Poss stats since 1973-74. Even contemporaries like Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony are often considered better bucket-getters than James, who even called himself not a natural scorer. While it might be a semantics-driven discussion, it does motivate James. Micah Adams is an Assistant Managing Editor at The Sporting News. A decade ago, James would hammer opponents from the left baseline with turnaround jumpers. The Lakers scored only two more points over a nearly six-minute stretch in which Memphis push its lead from one to 25. Robby Sabo is a co-founder, CEO and credentialed New York Jets content creator for Jets X-Factor - Jet X, which includes Sabo's Sessions (in-depth film breakdowns) and Sabo with the Jets. For us to relax would be asinine, Lakers coach Darvin Ham said before the game. Plus how many players could do this? CLICKBANK is a registered trademark of Click Sales, Inc., a Delaware corporation located at 1444 S. Entertainment Ave., Suite 410 Boise, ID 83709, USA and used by permission. And there's never been a scorer with his ability to do it efficiently at every level, as evidenced by his career true-shooting percentage which is by far the best in NBA history by any of the players with 25,000 career points. By this point, everyone knows the shortcomings of the mid-range when it comes to efficiency, but for some players, they actually are efficient shots. While Jordan perfected the mid-post fadeaway late in his career, James, too, added an unguardable step-back jumper. When he gets across, he's fed a pass inside and scores an easy two points. At theincredibly young age of 31 James has accomplished things in the NBA that many could only dream of. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (CO/IL/IN/LA/MD/MI/NJ/OH/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500(VA). Can you name the 4 other players to do this more than 5 times? Lebron James To finish off a comeback in this series, the Memphis Grizzlies are going to need a lot more of it. LeBron James is averaging around 30 points per game in his age-38 season; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar averaged around 23 points in that season, and he fell off sharply afterward. The Lakers couldnt end it. His jump shot might be less effective, but LeBron James is finding success by eliminating mid-range shot attempts. In four games, LeBron has played a safe game and relied heavily on the contributions of his teammates. Chris Paul, for instance, is shooting 50.4 percent on 5.4 mid-range attempts per game this season. LeBron James has won 65.0 percent of the time in his career. In 2020-21, Davis has been subpar from this area of the floor, making only 36.3 percent the 2nd-worst rate of the 29. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 18 points and 10 rebounds. The Grizzlies staved off elimination in this first-round series by handling James and the Los Angeles Lakers, 116-99, in Game 5 on Wednesday behind 33 points from Desmond Bane. Hes been no Chris Paul, however. Do yourself a favor and Google "Bird left-handed game.". And it shouldnt be overly surprising if one or both manages to flip a switch and improve from this area once the playoffs start for the Los Angeles Lakers. Hes not doing it by scoring 12 points a night and just hanging on, said Philadelphia 76ers Coach Doc Rivers, adding, Its just an extraordinary record and its an extraordinary way that hes gone about it., Of the top 250 scorers, share of each players made shots that were , How LeBron James Outscored Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and All the N.B.A. I do know, just being around daily, seeing him being locked in and playing at a level that a lot of people dont really expect him to play at at his age, to see it firsthand, its something I can learn from as I continue to get older in this league and find ways to be able to be effective, Westbrook said. ESNYs 2023 MLB Preview: Giants are a New York rival again. But he never tried more than three in a single season and he made only one: in 1986-87. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. The answer is LeBron, remarkablybut hes less than halfway to Wilt Chamberlains total. Ive always just wanted to have a game that fits any style of play or any era, he said. Throughout the entire series, the Lakers have struggled to shoot the basketball from long distance. Seven of the 29 are shooting <= 2.0 percent better from the mid-range than they are from downtown. James might meet or speak with a club official or owner at some point, but the elaborate presentations that have become common in NBA free agency over the years are unnecessary after 15 seasons in the league. Kyle has been a Lakers beat reporter since 2018, and was one of a few reporters inside the NBA bubble in 2020. In 2019, James surpassed Jordan's career tally of 32,292 points to move into fourth place on the all-time list. The idea that LeBron doesnt possess a picturesque jump shot confuses many of the fanboys who love and adore MJ and Kobe Bryant. LeBron James James is hitting just under 48 percent of his jump shots. Joel Embiid has the highest per-minute scoring average in NBA history. Hell get better. The third-best scoring average in league history, Baylor was Eurostepping long before anyone knew what the Eurostep was. Last year, he shot 48.8 percent from the field while still trying to operate heavily in the middle of the floor. Abdul-Jabbar hit just one 3-pointer in his career. Has DAngelo Russell broken out of his playoff slump? He previously worked at The Salt Lake Tribune covering the Utah Jazz and Utah Utes. James mid-range game particularly his fadeaway is beautiful when he gets it going, but hes simply not been efficient from this area of the floor. Try a week on us. The Lakers didnt fold despite being down by 14 at the end of the first quarter and 17 deep into the second. Memphis needs two more wins to become just the 14th team in NBA history to win a series after trailing, 3-1. In 17 regular season contests, he averaged 17.4 points and 6.1 assists per game while hitting 48.4 percent of his shots overall and 41.4 percent of his attempts from 3-point range. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. He has averaged 27.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists in 1,421 regular-season games. He upped Luke Kennards minutes and re-inserted John Konchar, who saw court time earlier in the season. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. James finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, shooting 5-of-17 overall and 1-of-9 from 3-point range. For as dominant as Chamberlain was during the regular season, his scoring average went down in the playoffs in each of his 13 trips to the playoffs. Why would anybody be considered a better scorer than another player who boasts a far superior shooting percentage? Is this just a blip driven by small sample size, or has LeBron struggled from the mid-range the last few years as well? Yet after passing Karl Malone for second on the NBA career scoring list, squaring his sights on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time record, pumping in 29.8 points per game (his most in over a decade) and contending for the scoring title in his 19th season, James is forcing us to ask whether he might actually be the greatest scorer of all-time. Among the 29 players, LeBron is the third-worst in field goal percentage. Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelpline.ma.org (MA), Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). LeBron James has the second best midrange FG% among all On NBA 2K23, this All-Time Version of LeBron James' 2K Rating is 96 and has a 2-Way Inside-Out Point Forward Build. The 48.8 percent from the field is a better percentage than Kobe Bryant ever shot from the midrange. Larry Nance.5864: 60. That is a substantial improvement from last season, when he was thrilled to be near 43 percent on jumpers. LeBron James The fadeaway and quick-pivots all from a mid-range post or face-up is now a mythical quality thanks to Jordan and his six NBA Championships. LeBron James This is why hasn't posted insane stats. In 2011-12 for the Miami Heat, he averaged 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists on his way to his third MVP award. How many 3s has LeBron made? It was his lowest field-goal percentage (29.4 Remember last year, when Anthony Davis turned into a mid-range assassin for the Lakers in the playoffs? Like KD, Iceman won three straight scoring titles and four in five seasons. Chamberlain critics claim his preposterous numbers are inflated, merely a product of his generation. For their playoff careers in the postseason, James has easily outperformed Durant when it comes to game-tying or go-ahead shots in the final minute. Even when teams can contest James' shot, James getting inside makes the Cavs harder to defend overall. Analysis: LeBron James understated evolution as a scorer has He just doesnt possess the right pieces around him that allow his unique and phenomenally talented skill-set to flourish 100 percent of the way. The series shifts back to Los Angeles for Game 6, which is set for 10:30 p.m. LeBron's rebuttal:There's a compelling case that James simply has more tricks in the bag. SEO: XL Media. The series between the Lakers and the Grizzlies could only come down to one thing only: the dominance of LeBron James. Chart showing percentage of each players made shots that were 3-pointers and 2-pointers for the 250 top scorers in N.B.A. 10 scoring titles (most all-time) 30.1 PPG in regular season (most all-time) 33.5 PPG in postseason (most all-time) It's pretty simple: nobody won more scoring Field-goal percentage: 52% LeBron is attempting 20.1 shots per game and is making 52% of them. As the chart above indicates, the percentage of all field goal attempts from the mid-range has dropped from 30.3% to just 13.1% over the past decade as more and Now, it's clear that James isn't as explosive as he once was back in his second stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron James Before this? LeBron was incredible in the mid-range this postseason, making 59-of-121 (48.8%) so good it would have been a playoff best % for Kobe Bryant. Our team will get better and Friday is another opportunity to close the series.. Desmond Bane, the guy the Lakers couldnt stop in Game 4, stayed hot. No player in league history has scored more points and no player in league history has a more unstoppable shot than the skyhook. Among 60 players averaging at least 4.9 shots per game within five feet of the basket, here are the five most efficient scorers this season. Chart showing the share of 3-pointers, 2-pointers and free throws by Abdul-Jabbar and James over time. AST% since 1964-65. If he had the ability to, nothing would stop him. As a team, the Lakers are shooting 31.5% from the three-point area, which isn't impressive. LeBron James had statistically one of his best regular and postseasons ever. Ages given are the players ages on Feb. 1 of that season. James had a head start on catching Abdul-Jabbar because he was drafted out of high school, which wasnt allowed in Abdul-Jabbars day. MEMPHIS It doesnt happen often, LeBron James team losing a closeout game in the playoffs. Early on he was all flash and dash while showcasing incredible athleticism near the hole. Also read: LeBron James' version of 'The Last Dance'? NBA analyst believes 4x NBA champion has attained Athlete Nirvana, Be the first one to comment on this story. Their basketball eras have looked so different that they might as well have been playing different sports. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Plaschke: Beating Grizzlies with his grit, LeBron James claims full ownership of the Lakers, Lakers win Game 4 in overtime to put Grizzlies on brink of playoff elimination, Lakers vs. Warriors: What scouts expect in playoff series, Photos | Stars come out to support the Lakers, Game 7 mentality: Lakers close out Grizzlies to earn some rest, Plaschke: Lakers live up to their legacy with a close-out win for the ages. WebTRB since 1950-51. James has only made five shots from beyond the arc and attempted 27 shots. James, with the good timing of being able to start this journey at 18 years old, is still proving every day just how much he has left, scoring 40 points on several nights this season and almost reaching 50 in a January game against Houston.