Coach Nick breaks down LeBrons lack of Finals effectiveness, calls him a "statpadder"

[Ne 1]

only on a basketball forum is 28ppg on 57% shooting considered "average"

LeBron's Finals this year were a lot like Durant's 2012 Finals. Yeah, his efficiency was great and his stats look pretty good on paper, but the rest of the game just wasn't there. His defense was mediocre, his play-making wasn't the same, and he was a turnover machine. Also, LeBron was clearly outplayed by Leonard in the two biggest games of the series on Bron's home court, he's a role player but looked like an All-Star in games 3-5 with LeBron defending him. Although unlike LeBron, for Durant's performance, he has the explanation of not being in his prime yet and inexperience/still learning the playoff ropes. LeBron was just inconsistent throughout the series outside of that great game 2. His lack of a killer instinct and passiveness in moments when the team needed him to step up was clearly an issue.

[russwest0]

Westbrook played better against the Spurs than Lebron did.

Westbrook was easily the best player in the playoffs this year. Or "Playoffs MVP" so to speak.

He shit on Conley, Paul, and Parker and provided elite offense, rebounding, and defense throughout.

I wish more coaches understood the value of rest like Popovich. Not only does it have your stars firing on full gear in the playoffs but it also gets some of the bench players more ready should they be needed in the playoffs.

Westbrook was 100% rested for the playoffs because of the injury concerns. I wish they would have done the same for Durant regardless. Riding a guy that hard late in the year while he's in a shooting slump and two other starters are down is stupid as hell. Just take the damn 3rd seed and get the man some rest.

[Rose'sACL]

LeBron's Finals this year were a lot like Durant's 2012 Finals. Yeah, his efficiency was great and his stats look pretty good on paper, but the rest of the game just wasn't there. His defense was mediocre, his play-making wasn't the same, and he was a turnover machine. Also, LeBron was clearly outplayed by Leonard in the two biggest games of the series on Bron's home court, he's a role player but looked like an All-Star in games 3-5 with LeBron defending him. Although unlike LeBron, for Durant's performance, he has the explanation of not being in his prime yet and inexperience/still learning the playoff ropes. LeBron was just inconsistent throughout the series outside of that great game 2. His lack of a killer instinct and passiveness in moments when the team needed him to step up was clearly an issue.

Thunder lost because Heat focused on shutting harden. Lebron put a lot of pressure on thunder defense by barely taking any 3s and scoring in paint only on drives and post-ups.
Durant had a great series. there was very little he could have done more. He was hitting jumpers with lebron's hand on his face. Lebron was just not giving him easy drives. He rarely got easy drives to the basket with lebron on him. He still had a great series.
Guys like you just can't give credit to the other team. Heat played better than thunder. Durant was the second best player in that series and not by a very huge margin.

[navy]

LeBron's Finals this year were a lot like Durant's 2012 Finals.

I only give Durant trolls a hard time for that Finals. (0-1)
There was nothing wrong with Durant really. Didnt play good defense, but whatever.

Harden and Scott Brooks just shit the bed.

[Rose'sACL]

Westbrook was easily the best player in the playoffs this year. Or "Playoffs MVP" so to speak.

He shit on Conley, Paul, and Parker and provided elite offense, rebounding, and defense throughout.

I wish more coaches understood the value of rest like Popovich. Not only does it have your stars firing on full gear in the playoffs but it also gets some of the bench players more ready should they be needed in the playoffs.

you also have to think about how much difference a player like durant makes to defensive scheme of the other team.
Without durant, westbrook wouldn't have as many easy drives to the basket as he does now. he shot under 40% in all the losses against grizzlies. His rebounding is what made him a good player in that series.

[Dresta]

It only slows down Miami though. Like I said, Lebron was scoring at a decent pace, even if he posted up more he wouldnt have improved the efficiency much. It wouldnt stop the Spurs from scoring.

30% is also a completely new offensive structure and would take away more from the team...

The way Miami were defending and how they were effectively being run of the floor energy wise means they definitely should've slowed the game down and it would have helped them on both ends. They still would've lost, but it wouldn't have been as embarrassing.

[russwest0]

In the 2012 Finals Durant defended well until foul trouble became a huge problem in 3 straight games and he was forced to guard chalmers and got torched.

He held LeBron to 9-27 shooting for that series, but he got in foul trouble a lot and then was asked to guard chalmers and did pretty bad. A lot of the calls against were questionable at best though, some of them blatantly horrible calls.

But thats just how it goes, you couldn't breathe on the Heat that year. OKC got the same treatment in the WCF, just not in the Finals at all vs Miami who's treatment continued.

I mean LeBron made like a total of 5 jumpshots that whole series

as a basketball fan thats the main reason I started to not like the guy, it was one of the more boring displays I've ever seen from a star. the ref assistance and espn nonsense just put it all over the top

[Rose'sACL]

In the 2012 Finals Durant defended well until foul trouble became a huge problem in 3 straight games and he was forced to guard chalmers and got torched.

He held LeBron to 9-27 shooting for that series, but he got in foul trouble a lot and then was asked to guard chalmers and did pretty bad. A lot of the calls against were questionable at best though, some of them blatantly horrible calls.

But thats just how it goes, you couldn't breathe on the Heat that year. OKC got the same treatment in the WCF, just not in the Finals at all vs Miami who's treatment continued.

I mean LeBron made like a total of 5 jumpshots that whole series

as a basketball fan thats the main reason I started to not like the guy, it was one of the more boring displays I've ever seen from a star. the ref assistance and espn nonsense just put it all over the top

lebron made a clear effort not to take many 3s. he pretty much hit OKC at their weakpoint which was their interior defense. lebron made the clear effort after 2011 loss to play as much as he could in the paint. He got so many open 3s for his role players because of playing the paint because no single okc player could defend him.
You really don't know much about basketball, do you?
you should always get more free throws for playing the paint as opposed to hitting jumpers. Lebron was hitting jumpers against Spurs in the finals and that is why he got fewer free throws.

[russwest0]

lol I know, I was just talking from an asthetics standpoint.

when okc fell apart with perkins in there on game 1 and then in like the second half westbrook and durant alone outscored miami to win the game I was like this is badass, and then when they almost did the exact same thing in game 2 but had the refs completely screw them (and pretty much in game 3 as well) I was like damn, this sucks.

I think game 3 was actually worse than game 2 because at the start of the 3rd quarter Miami got a ridiculous amount of calls and put into an early bonus and still barely won the game.

That series would have been far more epic had the refs not taken over. OKC would have started up 2-0 and Brooks probably would have stayed stubborn with Perkins keeping Miami in it and it would have went at least 6 games but probably 7.

[Dr.J4ever]

Nice analysis by Coach Nick. I liked the last part about "buying talent" as the Heat's only solution. Coach Nick correctly says "there is so much to be done" with their existing lineup, but it proves they(the Heat) lack the imagination and real commitment to a team ball system that the Spurs run.

[AirFederer]

Imho Nick calls out Spo..,

[riseagainst]

i've been saying this since 08. This guy is a stat padder, he cares more about his stats than wins...

[Da_Realist]

It's not the end of the world. Lebron just led his team to 4 straight deep playoff runs with an Olympics stint within. The 80's Celtics started breaking down after a similar run. Detroit started slowing down after 3 straight trips to the Finals. Kobe/Gasol Lakers were embarrassed in the conference semis after a 3 year run to the Finals. Lebron and the Heat should get some slack.

They carried a bull's eye on their back for 2 years

They played a risky, gambling defense that was exposed by a team with pinpoint passing and they simply wore down.

It happens. It wasn't that long ago NOBODY aside from Russell's Celtics ever won back-to-back. Now Miami can win 2 straight titles and everyone yawns because they didn't win more. Until this year, San Antonio had never even made it to the Finals two years in a row.

[Dresta]

It's not the end of the world. Lebron just led his team to 4 straight deep playoff runs with an Olympics stint within. The 80's Celtics started breaking down after a similar run. Detroit started slowing down after 3 straight trips to the Finals. Kobe/Gasol Lakers were embarrassed in the conference semis after a 3 year run to the Finals. Lebron and the Heat should get some slack.

They carried a bull's eye on their back for 2 years

They played a risky, gambling defense that was exposed by a team with pinpoint passing and they simply wore down.

It happens. It wasn't that long ago NOBODY aside from Russell's Celtics ever won back-to-back. Now Miami can win 2 straight titles and everyone yawns because they didn't win more. Until this year, San Antonio had never even made it to the Finals two years in a row.

This. But everyone hates Miami so any logical thinking pertaining to the matter goes straight out the window.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Why did he only talk about offense?
Lebrons shitty team/help/man defense was the biggest reason they lost