Why Is LeBron So Bad In The Finals?

[Mass Debator]

He makes 25/8/6 look so damn bad.

Diaw was backpedaling every time Lebron tried to drive. Doesn't he know better to just perform his step back jumper instead of trying to draw contact on a guy who is not even trying to make contact? What about a floater or hop-step or 360 spin off the dribble? How about stop being scared of Diaw's size and post him up and go around him from there instead of driving from the triple threat all the time? How about running around the perimeter through screens to knock some wind into a fatty who's 50% fat? Geez...talk about shrinking in the moment.

[ReturnofJPR]

didn't know prime Shaq was in the Lakers in 09 and 10.




the only decent game lebron has had this finals, he was outshined by Wade, maybe because Lebron doesn't want his teammates to out perform him. i.e. 2011 finals. what a choker and loser he is.

Remember when he came into Game 4, during garbage time, to score 7 points in order to outscore Wade by 1.

[ILLsmak]

He's not stupid. I think he's got anxiety which, I believe, comes from being overly sensitive. As someone who has anxiety, I understand what it can be like. However, I don't understand why it comes through in basketball for him. It shouldn't. He should be able to push it out of his mind.

I think the reason is that he doesn't really have "bad games" and he doesn't want to have them. He won't "ride it out." He is holding himself to a high level of perfectionism. It's like he's worried about how each game affects his legacy and that pressure affects him.

Pop has played him well, but let's be honest. They only have one player who can check him. The other players can only take away one thing, at most. So basically what Pop is doing is mixing it up. Seeing Diaw was a sad moment for Bron.

Plus, I really think there is underlying problems between Wade and Bron and I think Pop is playing to that, too, and not allowing them to get rhythm between them.

-Smak

[thefatmiral]

he needs those fastbreak plays, lots of turnovers to look like how people believe how great he is. good ball control, fundamental team defense, have held him back.

[guy]

I'm really starting to think the theory that Lebron didn't feel nervous last year because he was comfortable going up against Durant who was his friend, didn't try to intimidate him, and whom he had trained with actually holds weight now. Although I wasn't sure that he had gotten over his pressure issues unlike most people, now that we know that its pretty clear that he hasn't gotten over them, I am quite surprised.

[K Xerxes]

I'm really starting to think the theory that Lebron didn't feel nervous last year because he was comfortable going up against Durant who was his friend, didn't try to intimidate him, and whom he had trained with actually holds weight now. Although I wasn't sure that he had gotten over his pressure issues unlike most people, now that we know that its pretty clear that he hasn't gotten over them, I am quite surprised.

No, this isn't the reason. If he chokes away this finals series again, it will be because the teams he's come up against know how to effectively shut him down in a 7 game series.

The biggest reason he dominated in the finals last year is that Scott Brooks is arguably the worst coach in the league, and was incapable of adjusting for LeBron in the post. By game 4, he still had Harden or Sefolosha () guarding LeBron down low with no immediate double team. Which meant LeBron could back down and hit simply layups.

Spurs and Mavs have zoned more often and always left a big man to prevent drive penetration. He is so visibly uncomfortable in this series. Now, that doesn't explain why he cannot drive past Boris Diaw - that part is mental. I guess when he feels uncomfortable on the biggest stage, he crumbles. He has no go to move to get easy buckets and gets discouraged when he bricks a jumper or gets blocked in a layup.

Game 6 and 7 could prove all of that wrong, but what a let down this season will have been if he closes this series off with more subpar play. One of the greatest regular seasons of all time followed by a poor playoffs performance.

[OhNoTimNoSho]

I think Pop is just psychologically destroying lebron. I remember there was a interview with Bird where Bird said he would feel disrespected when the other team's best defender was not on him and he would go out and make it personal. Having Diaw on him must have destroyed Lebron's ego. Lebron really is a child inside a giant super body. Its like he needs a dad or something.

Pop just keeps playing these games with him, throwing new defenses at him, and everytime it makes lebron think about himself introspectively and it takes him out of the game.

Wade playing better than Bron was the worst thing that could have happened for the heat I think. Now Lebron is completely lost about his role, so he will defer to wade and they will both be out of rhythm

[Kiddlovesnets]

Spurs just get his number, nothing more nothing less. Same reason why Kobe always plays poorly against Pistons.

[upside24]

It sucks that the league's best player and once in a generation talent has confidence issues and cannot dominate in the Finals.

What a waste.

He may be the best in the RS but in the Finals I'd rather have KD.

[bleedinpurpleTwo]

3 doesn't count as Shaq carried Kobe and could have done it with LeBron, TMac, etc.

Thats the stupidest argument ever.
OK, KOBE could have won championships with Lebron, Tim Duncan, etc.

GTFO with that lame discussion.

[Nick Young]

I think Pop is just psychologically destroying lebron. I remember there was a interview with Bird where Bird said he would feel disrespected when the other team's best defender was not on him and he would go out and make it personal. Having Diaw on him must have destroyed Lebron's ego. Lebron really is a child inside a giant super body. Its like he needs a dad or something.

Pop just keeps playing these games with him, throwing new defenses at him, and everytime it makes lebron think about himself introspectively and it takes him out of the game.

Wade playing better than Bron was the worst thing that could have happened for the heat I think. Now Lebron is completely lost about his role, so he will defer to wade and they will both be out of rhythm

bingo.

[Ballin095]

Lol at all you guys acting like you're Lebron psychiatrist or something.

[outbreak]

Anyone think it has to do with spoelstra not coaching him? a good coach would watch his problems and then drill into him a goto move and how to play in the big moment. Would change up when things aren't working. Spoelstra ddoesn't coach him at all, I'm fact for his whole career coaches just let him stat pad and Noones had the balls to challenge him. Imagine him under pop doc jackson he'd be so much better

[Clifton]

Anyone think it has to do with spoelstra not coaching him? a good coach would watch his problems and then drill into him a goto move and how to play in the big moment. Would change up when things aren't working. Spoelstra ddoesn't coach him at all, I'm fact for his whole career coaches just let him stat pad and Noones had the balls to challenge him. Imagine him under pop doc jackson he'd be so much better

Sometimes I think I'm going insane when I watch NBA ball. It's like there is no coaching, at all. I really suspect that NBA coaches don't do anything more than the "okay, let's really buckle down on defense here, all 48 minutes, etc etc" stuff you hear at timeouts.

The way NBA players set picks and cut and move without the ball is just pathetic. Nobody ever seems to have any idea what to do unless they're on a run. Heat included. Nobody on the Heat can do anything unless they get hot by getting a few transition buckets first. Even Lebron. Almost all of his points this series are either garbage buckets or jumpers he made when the game was already decided. He doesn't approach it with any game-plan.

There was a moment in game 5, right after Lebron cut from the baseline to the low block on Green, caught a pass, and put it right in, when I thought "Lebron's not just the most talented player ever; he WILL BE the greatest player ever. And Spo's not such a bad coach after all." He proceeded to do nothing (Lebron) for the rest of the game. What would be easier than making Lebron the GOAT? Most college coaches could do it. My high school coach could have. You observe what works and adjust your game plan accordingly. The only guy in the NBA I see doing that is Popovich, and maybe Vogel, and also Rick Carlisle (forgot about him huh? So do I sometimes. I think he's an all-time great. Remember, he was Indiana's coach when they played .500 ball after the Brawl with their entire starting lineup out).

[Andrei89]