What's the one biggest hole/weakness in LeBron's game?

[Im Still Ballin]

The mid-range game has always been something he has lacked. He developed the post-up game and the three-point shot, but he's never been solid on the long twos. He's shot like 37-38% on two-pointers from 10+ feet for his career.

His best mid-range shooting season was 2010-2011: around 44.5%. 2012-2013 was close to that. Like with his post-up game and three-point shooting, his mid-range shot peaked in Miami. Around 42.5% from 2010-2014. Outside of those four years? Not good. like 36-37%.

Not surprisingly, his best mid-range shooting playoff runs are 2008-2009 and 2017-2018. Those are the postseason runs where he looked the best. MJ-like. Around 47-48% in 2009 and 45% in 2018.

That in-between shot gave him a third level to his offensive game and unlocked his complete scoring and playmaking potential. Huge situational/clutch value.

[Im Still Ballin]

In comparison, Kobe shot around 42-43% for his career or so - on much higher volume. With many high-volume seasons around 45% roughly. And playoff runs above that. Bryant shot like 46% in the postseason from 2008-2012.

[Carbine]

His late game turnovers in big games.

You can point to different times in his career to a weakness. Shooting when he came into the league, post game until last year of Cleveland or so, mental side of things first year Miami.

After that, he didn't have something you could exploit.

[Full Court]

His biggest weakness is his weak mind. He more often than not blows it in the clutch. 4th quarter free throws are a huge weakness for him.

"LeShrivel."

[Akeem34TheDream]

Size where it matters

[rmt]

Mental - that 2011 Final up close here in Miami left an indelible stain - can never think of him like MJ. But his basketball game has come a LONG way - especially since 07 Finals.

[90sgoat]

His specific issue has been his inability to hit tough shots when tired in the clutch.

We did the clutch stats for him and compared to MJ and Kobe and he is a lot worse than both of them.

His overall issue and the reason for the specific issue, is like you write, that he can't hit a (midrange) jumper to save his life, never have.

He stopped shooting jumpers entirely in Miami, which was some analytics thing, which overall was probably both a good decision and a bad decision. A good decision, because he had D-Wade and Bosh to hit them and later Kyrie and Love, but a bad decision, because he should have kept shooting those jumpers and improved them like he improved his 3 point shot.

Also, if he had developed a better post game, like he showed some talent for in Miami, his lack of jumper would have been less of an issue.

[1987_Lakers]

I wouldn't say mid-range. He's pretty average in that department, he has years where he looks great from mid-range while other years where he is off. He is a career 39% shooter from mid-range, which is around league average. For me it is free throws.

[beasted]

I'm going to say there's two: Post game and free throws.

Although he's gone from no post game to a serviceable one, if he made a converted effort nobody can guard him there. He's too quick, strong, and has too good of passing to not wreak all types of havoc there.

But if Lebron were an 83%+ free throw shooter like most the other greats (MJ, KB, Magic, Bird, etc) that would make him basically unstoppable.

[FultzNationRISE]

His biggest 'weakness' is his unparalleled loyalty. To his coaches and to his franchise.

It's not necessarily a weakness because it does help elevate others to higher levels than they could achieve on their own, and that's supremely admirable. But Lebron could have achieved EVEN MORE if he was the type to kick a coach out or collude with other franchises in free agency, etc. But he's not and never has been.

[paksat]

His biggest 'weakness' is his unparalleled loyalty. To his coaches and to his franchise.

It's not necessarily a weakness because it does help elevate others to higher levels than they could achieve on their own, and that's supremely admirable. But Lebron could have achieved EVEN MORE if he was the type to kick a coach out or collude with other franchises in free agency, etc. But he's not and never has been.

lol this troll...

he's a stat padder, reminds me of chris paul but a way more annoying version of him. That particular flaw is a poison to a team in different ways

mechanically I would say that he never reformed his jump shot worth a shit. He's always had that retarded looking shot. Jordan's jumper in the 80s was pretty ugly, by the early 90s he had the smoothest looking mid range shot ever.

his obsession to want to be compared to jordan doesn't help him either. He's much closer to magic than jordan in his style of play and he refuses to accept it.

[3ba11]

He should start at point guard and should've done so his entire career. That's the secret

This would've yielded better teams and more titles because his ball-dominance is normal at point guard..

But instead, he starts at forward, so he's actually a 2nd point guard on the floor (a 2nd ball-dominator).. These 2 point guard lineups have major chemistry issues such as bad fit with the other ball-handler (ingram, hughes wade, westbrook, d-lo etc), while also giving teammates less hold-time and assists then playing in traditional 1-point guard lineups.. Lower assists for teammates yields low TEAM assists that gets stomped on the championship level.

In addition to the weaker brand of ball and chemistry yielded by his skillset of frontcourt ball-dominance, this abnormal ball-dominance imposes spot-up roles that stall young players, thereby needing ready-made stars to win (can't win organically).

Ultimately, the rim is fixed at 10 feet, so there's a finite aspect to the game in that a player can be "too tall" (tacko fall) or "too small" (ish poster)

In Lebron's case, it isn't optimal to have a player his size dominating the ball unless they start at PG.

[1987_Lakers]

Weaknesses from other all time greats

Magic - Shooting (early in his career), defense
Bird - Man defense
MJ - 3 point shooting
Shaq - FT shooting, defense could have been better with a man his size
Hakeem - Passing could have been better
Russell - Scoring, FT shooting
Wilt - More of a "Me" player, FT shooting
Duncan - Never really an "elite" scorer
Curry - Defense was "meh"
Kareem - Defense and rebounding declined significantly as he aged.
Kobe - Took lots of dumb shots

[Hey Yo]

lol this troll...

he's a stat padder, reminds me of chris paul but a way more annoying version of him. That particular flaw is a poison to a team in different ways

mechanically I would say that he never reformed his jump shot worth a shit. He's always had that retarded looking shot. Jordan's jumper in the 80s was pretty ugly, by the early 90s he had the smoothest looking mid range shot ever.

his obsession to want to be compared to jordan doesn't help him either. He's much closer to magic than jordan in his style of play and he refuses to accept it.

LOL @ comparing him to Magic. He had no jumper at all and didn't play defense worth a shit.

Yes, LeBron isn't comparable to MJ. He didn't quit the league 2x to rest.

[3ba11]

MJ - 3 point shooting

When did MJ shoot below today's standard from three when he had today's volume?

There are no examples of MJ shooting below today's standard when he had today's volume (3+ attempts)..

Specifically, from 85-93', he shot 36.4% in games that he had 3+ attempts and this includes a season of 38% (1990), and he also has 150 attempts in the playoffs at 39% for series with 3+ attempts (regular line).

So again, there are no examples of MJ shooting below today's standard when he had today's volume,.. So since MJ shot 36-39% when he had today's volume and this was WITHOUT practice, he would easily shoot 40% or more WITH practice and be one of the best shooters in the game.. Anytime he wanted to shoot threes, he was breaking Finals records for 3's and shrugging that this was possible in the game of basketball (30 years later it's standard)