What caused LeBron's scoring skillset to decline so much in one season?

[blacknapalm]

his jump shot was broke all playoffs.

other than that, i don't necessarily see a decline in skillset. his post game was dominant at times, including in the finals. his post game was really went made him effective considering his jump shot was nowhere to be found.

i do think fatigue is a factor...let's remember no player has played more total minutes than lebron the last 4-5 years.

he also had to do everything for the cavs after irving went down. his usage rate and the points/assists he generated for that team was absurd

[inclinerator]

fatigue like l23 said

[ralph_i_el]

He attacked less this year. Yeah the team was less experienced and obviously needed time to gel, but LeBron played a less aggressive style of ball. Probably in an effort to extend his career. His play in the finals was due to lack of spacing.

[warriorfan]

I think we can all agree LeBron didn't score with his usual efficiency this year, especially in the playoffs. This was far from the case in the 2014 playoffs. From what I saw of LeBron in 2014 (admittedly not much outside of highlights until the playoffs, I didn't have access to TV very much) he had the best scoring skill set for his career. He's always been a great slasher, we know that, but 2014 LeBron had a consistently above average jumpshot and a very good post game, which enabled him to retain his excellent efficiency throughout the playoffs. This year, LeBron had an awful jumpshot in the playoffs, and his post game looked significantly weaker. His finishing ability also was nowhere near what it has been. He was missing shots that he NEVER misses Is it age and/or wear and tear? Is LeBron no longer capable of scoring 25-30 PPG on elite efficiency?

Still, IDK why he has regressed in areas he worked hard on to improve (shooting, posting up) and in his strongest asset of all (finishing) in just one year.



Thoughts? If you come in here with an idiotic agenda, I am not going to acknowledge you in this thread.

Declining athleticism while not adding other elements to his game to make up for it.

[Angel Face]

He was never an elite scorer to begin with, okay scorer, yes but elite... nah! it was bound to happen. His high fg% during his Heat run was due to the fact that his team was stacked as ****. Without elite scorers playing along side him, he was bound to get exposed. Just take a look at this year's finals. 36ppg on 35 shots not only that but regular season stats dropped as well and he shot atrocious the whole playoffs.

[lilteapot]

He was never an elite scorer to begin with, okay scorer, yes but elite... nah! it was bound to happen. His high fg% during his Heat run was due to the fact that his team was stacked as ****. Without elite scorers playing along side him, he was bound to get exposed. Just take a look at this year's finals. 36ppg on 35 shots not only that but regular season stats dropped as well and he shot atrocious the whole playoffs.

Dumbass.

[sdot_thadon]

I don't think enough thought is given to being in Miami 4 years and getting the most out of the system with spo. Spo may not be great but he deserves a bit of credit. He's the 1st coach to maximize Lebron on the floor, he tweaked things to put Lebron in better situations to succeed than this 1st year back in Cleveland. Playing with a guy like wade who appreciated the easy buckets lebron got for him, would always look to give lebron easy buckets in return. Although they had a redundancy, they had great chemistry. Kyrie doesn't have that sort of awareness or vision just yet, and may never have to be honest. With time the team will tweak strategy and the big guns will start making the game easier for each other more.

[StrongLurk]

The way I see it, if his driving game is on, and hes getting easy buckets in transition, then his jumper compliments that. If a team has the personal and philosophy to make him a jumpshooter, thats where things go awry. Its very much a confidence/ rhythm thing with his jumper.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ofMwRzJynnc

I looked up some highlights and this series to me exemplifies Lebron at his peak best, getting out in transition, driving and finishing in the lane with incredible athleticism, but look at the confidence he's shooting the jumper with. If he was able to shoot with that kind of consistency over his career or at least the last 5 years, he very well may have another ring under his belt. THAT Lebron, though people consider 2012/2013 his peak, was the scariest one to me. All over the floor, the from-behind blocks, the athleticism, and shooting with that kind of confidence? This was the point when I first thought 'oh shit, this guy may be the one who tops MJ' just off that kind of display he was putting on back then. He never quite got there in spite of 2012 and 2013, but still. Unreal talent on display there....

His athleticism in his first stint in Cleveland is so crazy, much crazier than now. He just looks so much more bouncy and effortless in his movements than he does now.

[imdaman99]

Father time has no mercy.

[ShawkFactory]

He was never an elite scorer to begin with, okay scorer, yes but elite... nah! it was bound to happen. His high fg% during his Heat run was due to the fact that his team was stacked as ****. Without elite scorers playing along side him, he was bound to get exposed. Just take a look at this year's finals. 36ppg on 35 shots not only that but regular season stats dropped as well and he shot atrocious the whole playoffs.

Oh wow. Not one of the smarter posts I've seen on here, I can tell you that much.

[J Shuttlesworth]

I won't lie... I really miss watching 2012-14 LeBron, 09 LeBron as well 15' just didn't feel quite the same