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

[RRR3]

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.

[Rose'sACL]

First year back with a very inexperienced team. I am sure he will score more this season. He is getting older though.

[RRR3]

First year back with a very inexperienced team. I am sure he will score more this season. He is getting older though.

It's not about his PPG, necessarily he scored a ton in the playoffs obviously. But there is no way in hell 2012-14 LeBron is made so inefficient the way 2015 LeBron was. LeBron used to DESTROY Iguodala IIRC

[Lebron23]

I think over fatigue, and he played with an inexperienced team. Expect LeBron to be his usual self in 2015-16.

[RRR3]

Rose's ACL, do you know how to find ISO scoring stats? I can't access 'em online. I could have sworn LeBron used to have much better ISO stats than he did this year...NBA.com still has him as pretty good at points per possession on ISOS (or is it PPS?) but only at 40% shooting.

[SpecialQue]

I think part of it may have been a "win at all cost" attitude. He didn't have the luxury of taking smarter shots that he usually does, his team was injured, and he has a very irregular response to pressure.

[WayOfWade]

Maybe in general the team wasn't as good/didn't have that chemistry he had in Miami. But with Cleveland being healthy(we hope)and a year under the team's belt, he should improve once again.

[Sigmund Freud]

I think part of it may have been a "win at all cost" attitude. He didn't have the luxury of taking smarter shots that he usually does, his team was injured, and he has a very irregular response to pressure.

Honestly, I wish he had the aggressive mentality back when he could shoot


Yes this is RRR3, too lazy to log out

[Indian guy]

I personally didn't see a decline besides his jumper completely bottoming out in the playoffs. But that's an aspect of his game that has always been erratic. And that, along with the massive volume he had to undertake because of a depleted roster, is why his FG% was so low. If Love/Kyrie are healthy next season though, I see LeBron's efficiency going right back to 50%. I mean, that's what he shot all regular season too. He didn't just magically lose that ability come playoffs. But you take away a 30 year old's 2 best teammates, take away his jumper, put him on a 1st year team with little chemistry and a very unimaginative offense that requires him to do everything, and the 2015 playoffs is what you get. But I didn't see any notable loss in physical ability. After his 2-week hiatus in January, his athleticism was essentially back to 2014-level.

His 2014 postseason, FG% wise, was an anomaly. None of his other postseason runs are anywhere close to that level of efficiency. His mid-range and 3pter were money in every series and he was part of a team and system that had been together for a long time. But it's not at all realistic to judge his other playoff runs to that outlier. LeBron's jumper is never that consistent.

[RRR3]

Honestly, I wish he had the aggressive mentality back when he could shoot


Yes this is RRR3, too lazy to log out

Silence you fool, they'll know.

[RRR3]

I personally didn't see a decline besides his jumper completely bottoming out in the playoffs. But that's an aspect of his game that has always been erratic. And that, along with the massive volume he had to undertake because of a depleted roster, is why his FG% was so low. If Love/Kyrie are healthy next season though, I see LeBron's efficiency going right back to 50%. I mean, that's what he shot all regular season too. He didn't just magically lose that ability come playoffs. But you take away a 30 year old's 2 best teammates, take away his jumper, put him on a 1st year team with little chemistry and a very unimaginative offense that requires him to do everything, and the 2014 playoffs is what you get. But I didn't see any notable loss in physical ability. After his 2-week hiatus in January, his athleticism was essentially back to 2014-level. He was back to shooting 75% at the rim, which is what he was shooting in Miami.

His 2014 postseason, FG% wise, was an anomaly. None of his other postseason runs are anywhere close to that level of efficiency. His mid-range and 3pter were money in every series and he was part of a team and system that had been together for a long time. But it's not at all realistic to judge his other playoff runs to that outlier. LeBron's jumper is never that consistent.

You didn't see a decline in his finishing ability and post game in the playoffs? I could have sworn you commented on that, especially his decline in scoring with his left hand.

[RedBlackAttack]

It's not about his PPG, necessarily he scored a ton in the playoffs obviously. But there is no way in hell 2012-14 LeBron is made so inefficient the way 2015 LeBron was. LeBron used to DESTROY Iguodala IIRC

Yes, but Iggy's job with the Sixers was to be their best offensive and defensive player. He was their LeBron, basically. He had no viable backup to spell him or teammates who could feasibly defend LeBron for extended minutes.

In Golden State, he was asked to defend LeBron and hit an occasional wide open jumper. It's a lot easier when you can put 100-percent of your focus on trying to stop one player than it is having to do that plus all of the other stuff in Philly. Add to the mix that GSW actually had a couple of other guys they could throw at LBJ to give him a completely different look and give Iggy a break, and that explains your last sentence.


From the Mozgov, JR, Shump trade forward, LeBron was dominating. Even with his jumpshot broken, LeBron was the best player in the world without question for the last few months of the season and even in the playoffs considering the load he was forced to carry with first Love and then Kyrie having to take a seat.

It's just that, when really good defenses only have one guy to worry about, it's hard lead teams on the biggest stage while maintaining ridiculous efficiency.

After wondering in the early part of the season whether or not James had gotten old overnight, I thought he was as good as ever in the second half of the season.

[ArbitraryWater]

I think part of it may have been a "win at all cost" attitude. He didn't have the luxury of taking smarter shots that he usually does, his team was injured, and he has a very irregular response to pressure.

[RRR3]

Yes, but Iggy's job with the Sixers was to be their best offensive and defensive player. He was their LeBron, basically. He had no viable backup to spell him or teammates who could feasibly defend LeBron for extended minutes.

In Golden State, he was asked to defend LeBron and hit an occasional wide open jumper. It's a lot easier when you can put 100-percent of your focus on trying to stop one player than it is having to do that plus all of the other stuff in Philly. Add to the mix that GSW actually had a couple of other guys they could throw at LBJ to give him a completely different look and give Iggy a break, and that explains your last sentence.


From the Mozgov, JR, Shump trade forward, LeBron was dominating. Even with his jumpshot broken, LeBron was the best player in the world without question for the last few months of the season and even in the playoffs considering the load he was forced to carry with first Love and then Kyrie having to take a seat.

It's just that, when really good defenses only have one guy to worry about, it's hard lead teams on the biggest stage while maintaining ridiculous efficiency.

After wondering in the early part of the season whether or not James had gotten old overnight, I thought he was as good as ever in the second half of the season.

I'm just basing this on what I saw in the playoffs. LeBron missed a lot of shots that I am not used to seeing him struggle to convert.

If he is really slowing down, then Kyrie may need more touches.

[STATUTORY]

what decline?

he never had a consistent jump shot

weak post moves

even in his peak he was never a great or even good iso scorer, always requiring a pick to get by his man

it was the same lebron, defense just caught on and stopped doubling him. The worst thing you can do to Lebron is to double him because he will kill you with the pass. Single cover him and sag off on the perimeter and he will be rendered impotent