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Commentary, news, analysis and reader-driven discussions focusing on this year's NBA playoffs.
Upon first (and second and 112th ...) glance, it appeared as if LeBron James had a relatively easy window toward either a layup or game-tying dunk with under 10 seconds left Monday, but he instead decided to go with what seemed like his first option all along -- finding Cleveland's sometimes sweet-shooting big man for the go-ahead basket that wasn't. The decision hasn't exactly polarized observers: Most tend to think LeBron made a mistake in giving up the ball, and many of those critics are also finding something in the split decision that they think is representative of James' attitude toward the game. Which is silly. It was a pass -- not The Pass -- and you can't chalk it up to anything more than the result of a few obvious influences that begged for a pass instead of The Dunk. Let's start with what still seems obvious: James should have attempted a shot, and if he finds himself in the same position in Thursday's Game 2, here's hoping he's does just that. Considering the fallout, I'm assuming many observers shared my initial reaction before the ball even touched Marshall's hands: "LeBron, you gotta take that!" That reaction wasn't created by a need to see James win the thing on his own or create some Jordanesque play for the ages; it was merely a visceral response to what looked like the easiest open lane to the rim the Cavs had seen all night. Had Larry Hughes been driving the ball, just replace one L-word with another. Eric Snow? Not so much. Though some intelligent observers have argued passionately in defense of the pass, it still seems like a high-percentage take for James. Rasheed Wallace, a help defender with seven blocks already to his name, was still technically on the weak side as James made his decision, hardly in prime blocking or shot-changing territory. Tayshaun Prince, who could stay in front of a '68 Mustang even without the benefit of hand-checking, was a half step behind James for the first time all night. It looked like a gimmie, even if James had to lay it in or jump off the wrong foot. But there were no gimmies, all game long, for James. It's hard to spend nearly 48 minutes adapting to that knowledge and then, in one split second, disabuse yourself of the notion that each layup attempt will be contested (or summarily rejected) by three defenders at a time. To me, this was a reaction made out of near muscle memory, not an attempt to pacify the Play The Right Way crowd and go for that proverbial win (not a tie) on the road. Again, James just didn't have a clear look at the rim all night, as Detroit's defense was that sound, and in a low-possession game with sound decisions at a premium, each suitable reaction is worth its weight in gold. When a 20-year-old Magic Johnson led his Lakers, sans Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, to a win in Game 6 of the 1980 Finals, the two teams combined for 230 points. When a 23-year-old Michael Jordan dropped 63 on the Boston Celtics in 1986, the final score (aided by two overtimes) was 135-131. The score of Monday's game was 79-76, a low-possession slugfest of the highest order. The 22-year-old James' decision ended with his team's best three-point shooter having an open look to win the game. I still don't think it the ideal move, but I also can't get too upset by it. And I certainly don't think it indicative of any fault in LeBron's makeup. He was just doing what seemed right. And, in the end, he gave his team its best chance to win, on the road, against a team that has made the conference finals five years in a row. Do you want to see him try to send it into overtime? Definitely. Was James somehow at fault for not attempting to? Absolutely not.
posted by SI.com | View comments |
Comments:It seems to me that LeBron decided that if he saw Donyell's man coming in, he'd dish, otherwise he'd shoot. Yes, looking at tape again and again, he did have an open shot, but he also did have three people coming at him. It will be interesting to see his approach in tonight's game.
100% agreement, great take on the situation
As a Piston fan, I can tell you that my heart was in my throat when Lebron passed the ball. If he had laid it in, I could have lived with that. But when Marshall had a wide open 3 , I thought for sure we were done. Just because he missed it doesn't mean it was the wrong thing to do. And I am not a Lebron fan. But I think people should get off his back. And if their coach whines a little more about no Phantom calls on his superstar, maybe the refs will go back to the usual blowing of the whistle before contact is made.
One problem with Lebron taking the shot instead of dishing it. If you notice, the defender tariling him is Tayshaun Prince, a man known for wiping shots off the glass at the most opportune moments, lest we forget Reggie Miller.
The issue to me is not that last play of the game, arguing whether LeBron should have, or shouldn't have passed the ball. The issue, that was rather clear to me throughout the game, was LeBron's passiveness, and his general apathetic attitude. His body language spoke loud and clear. Almost every time he touched the ball, regardless of whether he was double/triple teamed, his initial reaction was to pass. His willingness to settle for a pass consistently throughout the game needs to be questioned, because too often he legitimately seemed completely disinterested in scoring, and frankly, the game in general.
Couldn't say it any better myself.
James did the right thing. If it was in, it would have been a finish Pistons will remember for some time.
I question Lebron about the play before, when he was on the low block. He had the ball and dribble for couple seconds then posted up. He seem like he waited for the double team to come. In my opinion he seem like he did not want to shoot. I can not fault him for the last play. Marhshall was wide open.
Finally someone realized maybe what was going on in Bron-bron's head when he gave the ball up for a crack at the W. You can't fault him, you have to trust your teammates to put those shots down when you are obviously the center of the defenses' attention and the game is on the line. Well written, Sir.
Totally Agree with your article!
Everybody seems to expect LeBron to be the MJ that won 6 Titles, forgetting that there were some serious bumps in the road along the way that shaped the MJ that has now become legend. Wouldn't it be great to only be 22 and have everybody comparing you to MJ or the all-time greats? LeBron will bounce back and will continue to grow and learn and succeed. He has every step of the way, and I'm confident that he will continue to grow & mature into one of the greatest hoops players the world has ever seen. Ask Chris Webber -- at least LeBron didn't call for a Time Out! Hindsight - and TV replays - are always 20 / 20. I think your point about muscle memory is spot on. All night, Prince had been in front of, or catching up to James. All night, Rasheed Wallace was coming out of nowhere on help defense. And in the midst of a game, with 9 other behemoths running around, and arguably one of the leagues best 2 or 3 defenders on him, James cannot be expected to see the entire floor. Any critic needs to step back, forget the play, then imagine an alternative reality where that shot wnet in:
James is lauded for a triple double James is lauded for opting for the win on the road James is lauded as an unselfish player James is lauded for bringing all the defense to him, then thoughtfully passing to a wide open, well established 3 point shooter. Could he have made the layup? Probably. But I do not think anyone gets to second guess him, until they have played 43 minutes in a 79 to 76 slugfest, with Detroit's defense thwarting EVERYONE on the floor. i'm a huge LeBron fan and don't usually critticize him, but where is the LeBron of last years playoffs? his team may be a little bit better than last year, but if they want to win a championship he's going to have to take 20 shots a night
The key point is that Marshall's shot would have won it and Lebron's would have tied. Let's play a little amateur moneyball here. Marshall is a 35% 3 point shooter, probably 40% uncontested. I'm going to say there's a 40% chance he hits that shot.
Now, assume that Cleveland would have a 45% chance of winning in OT, probably generous because they were an underdog on the road and the Pistons had controlled the second half. What success rate would justify Lebron going for the layup? Answer is .40/.45 = 89%. I didn't watch the game, but was Lebron really going to make that shot 90% of the time? This whole debate seems silly. Best case, it's .35/.50, which is 70%, still no gimme. The best percentage shot should always be the first choice because it always puts you in the best position to win, or in this case, at least tie with a chance to win in OT. However, if he would have taken it himself to the rim and missed, we all would be talking about how he should have passed to the open man in the corner.
You have to admire LJ's team concept of play. Remember the first several years of MJ's career, virtually no team play and no champoinships. And while he had many opportunities to and did win many big games with his individual heroics, later in his career he won more because of his team play and passing. In the team concept of play, for his age LJ is right now far ahead of MJ, and if LJ stays healthy, he will have the opportunity to and most likely will win many big games because of his own individual ability. Maybe if Lebron went to college for a year it would have improved his decision making just a tiny bit.
Ask yourself this question. If this was Kobe Bryant would anyone be coming to his defense? I'm willing to bet this would be a straight one sided argument with remarks about why Kobe isn't Michael Jordan or how could Kobe even think about passing in that instance.
No way. he should have taken the shot. You need to listen to the rest of the media: The world is ending and because of this moment, he will never be the same player. He probably won't even start tonight, and I would be surprised if they even play the game. I think sprite pulled his endorsement, and David Stern is even thinking of kicking him out of the league for failuer to meet the expectations of the general media and basketball watching population.
I am a real Clevelander and I had absolutly no problem with that shot. Detroit is the team that has to make the adjustments for tonites game
Doesn't anybody remember MJ passing to Kerr to make the shot, win the game, and clinch the series? If Kerr had missed, would we be questioning MJ's heart? (No.)
Trust your teammates. It elevates their game and keeps opponents honest. Kudos to LeBron, missed shot or otherwise. What happened to the old saying of going for the win on the road and the tie at home? Maybe he was thinking it through after all.
I don't think the Pistons would have let him take the layup. Between, Tayshan and Rasheed - Lebron would have been going to the line for two free thows while his team and coach stand in disbelief at not passing to the wide open Marshall.
This article was right on! Everyone who's second guessing LeBron's decision now would be praising him to high heaven for his court awareness and his unselfish play, etc., etc. if the shot had hit. He made the choice that would have won the game. When is that not a good thing, even if it doesn't go the way you'd like?
sorry, but how can donyell marshall be the cavs' best 3-point shooter when they also have the world's best shooter on the roster?
Anytime you're the star of your team, you have to expect criticism when it doesn't roll your way. To the person who referenced MJ to Kerr, I agree completely. The dish was the right move in that game, and it was the right move in this game. Let's say LeBron makes the layup and the Cavs lose in OT, we'd all be talking about how Marshall was wide open at the end of regulation and had a chance to win. It's way to easy to criticize the a team's star after the fact. LeBron made the best move under the circumstances...I just hope he doesn't overcompensate in Game 2 and forget about his teammates so he can get off 30 shots...the media would have a field day with that, too.
The debate over whether or not LeBron should've taken the "open" shot to tie is tired and an utter waste of time. If Marshall burries that shot, LeBron is a generous genius instead of being maligned for his team-first attitude. Has everyone forgotten Jordan kicking it out to Paxson for the game winner against the Suns, or Jordan passing to Kerr for the game winner against the Jazz? Come on.
Why is it someone is always saying he is no Jordan cause he didn't take the shot.
I guess Michael never passed up the last shot. Those highlights of Paxon and Kerr hitting shots are not real??? Pippen could only score if he got a rebound and dribbled it up himself...this is what you people on this blog are telling me. I need to go back and watch those old Bulls games. Yes I know Michael hit some great clutch shot but he didn't hit them all. Took a couple of years to get past the Pistons and the "Jordan Rules". I was a bit annoyed at Magic Johnson, Mr. Share-the-Ball, for immediately second-guessing LeBron.
How many times did I see Magic drive the lane, draw three defenders, and rather than lay it up or try to get fouled, he sharply passed out to Byron Scott or Michael Cooper spotting up at the three-point line? If Marshall's shot had gone in, LeBron would have had a triple-double and the Cavs a 1-point lead with less than 4 seconds. LeBron is ahead of schedule in terms of his development as a superstar. Basketball fans should just enjoy the ride. I agree with Kelly in general. However, as a Clevelander who has seen most of the Cavs games this season I have to say that the real issue here is not this one pass. The issue is the overall attitide that LeBron has in terms of not using his advantages (size, strength, speed and skill) to attack the defense and score or get to the line early and often to ensure his team has an advantage throughout the game. As Magic and Charles said on TNT after the game - he has to realize he's the best player in the building and he has to play that way the entire game! If he does that there will less scruting on any single pass.
LJ is not good at the line under pressure....maybe he felt he might get fouled. I've seen him miss 2 in a row when it *really* counted.
the media is making such a big deal over the fact that lebron passes too much, if he stopped passing so much he will just be another kobe bryant and you see how far that can lead a team into the play off's and besides lebron is only 22 he's got alot of years left in the nba to truly craft his game
I'm the most die-hard Cleveland fan there is. Two points: If he tries to lay it up, 1 of 3 things happen.
1. He gets fouled and goes to the line. 2. He makes it and ties it up. 3. A combination of both, he makes the shot and gets the continuation to put us up by one point. Second point: He was passive. There is no sense in trying to argue. Was the play to marshall a good one? Yes. If he hits it, LB is the most patient player in the game. If he misses, we have discussions like this. The pass gave us the best chance to WIN the game. But in my opinion not taking the shot gave the Pistons a better chance of winning. We can't win if he doesn't shoot the ball. How is it that only one comment deals with the possibility (probability) of Detroit fouling the bejesus out of James? Now alter the choice from "Layup or dunk for the tie vs. 3 for the win" to "2 free throws by a 70% foul shooter to merely tie vs. wide-open 3 for the win on the road".
James's age and desire are not there yet if I take Kobe and Wade to compare.
Paul from Los Angeles. Lebron was very sluggish throughout the entire game. Forget about the last play of the game, let’s talk about a crucial play in the game…If my memory serves me correctly, Eric Snow was trying to inbound the ball, Lebron stood at the top of the Key and didn't make any effort to get the ball and the Cavs were called for the 5 seconds violation....Cavs turned the ball over! What was Lebron thinking?
I'm a Laker fan and I see the same thing with Kobe every game. If the Lakers lose, Kobe either shot too much or deferred to teammates too much. It's the same thing with Lebron. Had Marshall made the shot, this post would not exist and no one would have questioned Lebron. That's what you get for being a superstar. You're loved if you win, but if you lose, it was your fault because you should have played the game differently. This is because we the likes of Kobe and Lebron can do whatever the heck they want. Meanwhile, if it had been Pavlovic driving to the basket and kicking the ball out to a wide open shooter, no one would have said a thing. That's because he is not immortalized in our minds. I'm rambling, but you get the point.
Give the kid a break.
Jordan Didn't win until his 7th year. He didn't make it out of the 1st round until his 4 try. 85 - 1st round loss(Bucks maybe?) 86 - 1st round sweep by Celtics 87 - 1st round sweep by Celtics 88 - 2nd round loss to Detroit 89 - Conference Finals loss to Detroit 90 - Conference Finals loss to Detroit 91 - Championship Funny how people talk today as if he stepped on the court and won every game. Give Lebron a break! See you in a couple of years then we can compare. when the game is on the line and all you have is a split second to make a decision, your decision should be made out of instinct and not thought. At that crutial time, LBJ's instinct was exposed. Double, or even triple teams are expected at that time. The instinct of a star player should be to take the shot. There is always an open player when the defence double/triple teams. That's a given, that's the chance the defence takes. The defence dares to provide open looks to someone else than the star player. The bottom line is that LBJ needs to sharpen his instincts and end games on his own terms instead of counting on Marshall or anyone else.
It was the right basketball play. It is a team game and an assist is as good as a score.
Old Axiom that's been around since the Dinosaur Age: Play for Win on Road and For Tie at Home: Kudos for passing the rock King to "Brick" Marshall
lebron is scared.
he knew he hadn't made a shot all night. he knows his rep. for not making shots when the game is on the line. he knew he didn't want to have to go to the line to try and tie the game-which would have been the most probable result had he looked to finish at the basket. he made an awful choice. I don't care if donyell marshal shoots %50 from three. lebron was %85 or better to at least go to the foul line to tie (maybe even win) the game. lebron is overrated and that is all there is to it.-he just doesn't have the instincts that jordan had, or kobe has. he is a great player but.......enough said. I didnt like the move Lebron did only because it seems like almost everytime the game is on the line he wants to pass the ball and Lebron being the leader of the team needs to go ahead and take charge and do what he has got to do to win or tie the game in crucial situations. Thats why he is the leader and why he gets paid the big bucks!
Yes, it was the right play at the right time.
This is stupid. If Marshall makes the three pointer to win the game we would have columns written on how he trusts his teammates and is a great team player.
I still don't like the Jordan comparisons. When MJ passed to Kerr, he had already picked up his dribble and had two defenders on him. The only shot MJ had would be to rise up over two defenders and try to use his length and jumping ability to hit a fallaway jumper. He was quite capable of that, as we know, but it wasn't the same.
Same thing in the 1991 Finals. All those Jordan assists to Paxson were mostly after Jordan had been stopped. Ironically, growing up in Chicago, Kerr's jumper wasn't even my favorite Steve Kerr play. His offensive rebound (off his own miss) and quick pass to Jordan in Game 2 of the 1998 Finals seemed more important. Had he not grabbed that board and gotten the assist on a Jordan three-point play, the Bulls would have likely gone down 0-2 in the Finals without the luxury of home court advantage. The shot in 1997 may have won the Finals, but that was a better team playing against a weaker Jazz club, with one game left to play in Chicago. damn if you do,damn if you don't
most of the people that don't like what he don't know are never played. Bottom line...LB would have been fouled hard if he would have attempted the shot. Remember, up until that point, he had zero free throw attempts. There is no way the Pistons would have let him take an uncontested shot at the basket. They would have put him at the line for two and taken their chances on him having to make his first and second free throws of the night to avoid losing the game. LB made the right decision.
when you look at the pass, you can see how more mature lebron is compared to other players his age. normally when someone is drafted, wouldnt you think that they would want to do everything themselves, since that was what they were used to at university/high school? hes only 22 and yet he has such an amazing eye for an open teammate. yes, he didnt show how good of a shooter he can be at crunch time, but he is an excellent passer in crunch time. personally, that was a play that can underline how good he truely is. he tries to make his other teammates better and shows his confidence by passing (that show of respect and confidence can really boost his teammates self-confidence and their abilities which is a great plus, especially when you are facing a team like detroit). i can only say kudos to lebron, he didnt do the wrong decision in the end.
If Marshall makes the 3:
1) Cavs beat Pistons in Game 1, in Detroit. 2) LeBron is the next MJ, a Hero, The Chosen One. 2) LeBron gets a triple-double 3) Every pundit says The Pass showed the great unselfish poise of a leader. Since Marshall missed the 3: 1) Cavs lose 2) Lebron is too passive and immature to make the key play. Ridiculous haters will always be there... you just have to tune them out. percentages don't count. could've, should've, would've don't mean anything anymore. Game has ended and they lost. Wrong choice was made by Lebron.
The coach put the ball in Lebron's hands so he could make the decision with what to do with the ball. The play designed gave him plenty of options and I think he made the wrong one. The panned out that Lebron beat Prince to the basket and had a pretty easy 2 for the tie. He decided to kick it out and gamble on a lower percentage shot for the win. Its not about Lebron not taking the last shot or being selfish (we know he's not) but he simply made the wrong choice. I know if the three sinks we aren't talking about this but it didn't and the team had to trust a role player instead of star with its fate.
During the game with a lot of time left on the clock, everyone (except LBJ) has two options (in order of priority) 1) pass the ball to LBJ 2)take the shot or pass to the open man. For LBJ...1)take the shot 2) pass the ball to the open man.
LBJ picked the less of two options. He sub contracted the important job of carrying the team to an unqualified contractor. That is unacceptable regardless of the result. I am guessing if I was on the court LBJ would have passed the ball to me just like he did to Marshall. The buck stops at LBJ. he needs to understand that. I dont fault him for taking the shot. My problem is that he was so passive the entire night, that its a miracle the Cavs were even in a position to win! I hate all the bashing that Lebron takes, because I think most of it is unfair. With that said though, he does seem to not play 100% every night. Its incredibly frustrating to watch as a fan.
Shouldn't we praise a young, unselfish superstar? I think that we would want our youngsters to play more like Lebron and less like Kobe.
I have no problem with the pass at the end of the game. But I am surprised that anyone who wants to criticize Lebron is not talking about the play before. He had a couple of seconds where he could have done something but he looked more content to wait for the double team so that Z could be the one to take the shot. That is the passive play that I have a problem with.
Very well put. Cavs in 6.
Ok all you bench warming, couch potato pro's who all know how to play all the games that you watch on television or pay a good chunk of your salary to claim "season ticket holder" status!
The game is the game, leave it up to the athletes and enjoy what they do and quit your whining. After all, you're never going to feel the win or the loss, its just not in the cards you're holding! I agree 100%. If Marshall had made that shot critics would have been like "what a selfless play by Lebron" "what great vision" if Lebron had missed the shot or blocked or whatever the critics would have said "how selfish" "shows he has a lot to learn" etc.
I think Lebron is a class act and a great player that is maturing very nicely. It seems to me that Lebron has been spoiled since he came to the NBA. He doesnt look hungry to win. He's a great talent but has a long way to go to be a leader.
Team play is all about TRUST. He put faith in Donyell but he missed. So lives another game. Why is this even a discussion? True Lebron is the man on the team but look what he's done for the Cav franchise already. He'll be fine. Champions aren't champions without a few good mental beatings. Didn't anyone see the karate Kid! HA!
Let's face it, Lebron doesn't have the killer instinct it needs to win the game. He was afraid to go to the foul line the whole game. Lebron James is an upgraded version of Vince Carter, except Vince isn't afraid to shoot. No comparisons to Michael Jordan are need because James will never win a championship. And could someone please tell him to stop biting his nails...dang...
This over hyped discussion was made possible by someone who called LeBron as the 'King'. Therefore it is assumed that he should take the shot because he 'was' the best player in the house. We have yet to see a matured player demonstrating his superior skills qualified for the 'king' status, not biting his nail so often on screen.
Yeah joshia reveryone that average 27ppg over 6 reb and 6assist and 1.5 steals per game is overrated. see the great thing about sports you can argue values and you may not like certain players but numbers for hte most part can tell you a lot.
i think that LeBron did the right thing by passing to the open man. Had he taken the shot and missed he would've been scrutinized just the same. For him it was a lose/lose situation. For me it was great....DEEEtroit BAAAsketballl!! Go PISTONS!
The general rule of thumb is to go for the win on the road and go for the tie at home. Lebron made the right decision. Rasheed was close enought to either block the shot or foul him. Donyell has got to make that shot (that's what he's being overpaid to do). Any way you look at it, the Cavs missed out on a great opportunity to win.
Everyone is trying to compare this to MJ passing to Kerr and Paxson but aren't looking at all circumstances. In 97, deciding game of the Finals, during the timeout MJ told Kerr to be ready if Stockton doubled. MJ was ON THE WING when Stockton doubled and hit Kerr at top of the key for the GW jumper. In 91, deciding game again found MJ passing from FT line extended to Paxon for the GW 3pt. The difference? MJ was on the perimeter BOTH times as opposed to LeBron being a few feet away from the basket. LeBron made a bad decision in passing when he had a full head of steam toward the rim. I've seen him have much less clearer lane to the hole and still dunk with never-seen-before force over opponents. This time, he choked, IMHO.
Kelly,
Always a big fan of your columns and once I again I agree with you...for the most part...Everyone should stop over-analyzing Lebron's psyche and whether he can/wants to take the "big shot" to win the game. He proved it last year in the playoffs and will prove it again...and again...Donyell had a WIDE OPEN look for the win...if that goes in then Bron Bron gets his triple double and everyone is calling him the savior of basektball for playing unslefish even as the superstar..at least that's my take..keep up the good work Let's not forget that he does have a coach. I'm sure in that timeout, Coach Brown told him to look for a wide open Marshall for a 3 to win. It worked during the season and it worked in the last game of the Jersey series. Lebron is the ultimate team player and it will take them a long ways. May not be this year though. I believe he will be aggressive in this game, but if it's not working, he's not afaid to depend on his teammates to hit open shots. Let's see if they hit them though.
All this criticism is ridiculous. Somehow LeBron is responsible for other people not hitting wide open shots. He didn't kick it to a player who was covered. As Brown noted, Marshall had time to get some coffee and make a sandwich.
This crazy because Kobe would be blistered for taking the shot and ignoring an open teammate, and LeBron is blistered for making the right play. We get so caught up in the Jordan hype that we give him credit that he doesn't deserve. He didn't make the pass to Paxson to beat the Suns, Horace Grant did. In fact, MJ never touched the ball in the front court. the pass was fine, but the post-game comments by James sounded likvintage Dirk. James said, in essece, "I took what they gave me." Why is no one jumping all over LeBron the way they did Dirk?
Great article. I agree totally, its just like saying how come Jordan passed up the shot to Paxson in the finals with the game on the line. Paxson made it and Marshall missed it but both of them had the right idea with the game on the line, anyone who is a teammate would do the same thing. Instead of bombing LeBron on passing it how about giving some to Marshall about missing it and how he most likely was out there taking 100 shots from the same spot the next day.
All of you need to get a life. It is a basketball game not life or death. Just enjoy the entertainment, the thrills and the spills, but analyzing a person's body language and trying to get into the head of someone indicates a lack of satisfaction with one's own life. Paraphrasing a great book, "move the log out of your eye before you complain about the splinter in someone elses.
I recall Michael Jordan dishing to John Paxson in the '93 finals against Phoenix and to Steve Kerr sometime during the second three peat. Both for game winning three pointers.
Lebron made the right play. Marshall just missed the shot. My guess is Kelly Dwyer is a ball hog on the recreational hoops circuit. He probably doesn't go to the rim either. This seems a bit odd coming from arguably the internet's leading critic of Lebron James. However: just think - had Marshall made that shot Lebron would have scored a triple double in leading his team to a win against a superior team, away from home. The kid can't do a thing right, to some.
Everyone saying MJ passed the ball to Kerr Game 6 97 finals and Game 6 93 finals to Pax need to stop using that as an excuse for the Silver Spoon Queen. Jordan in each of those games had over 35 pts. Double team, triple team it did not matter Jordan was going to find a way to make it happen. There were countless times that Jordan relied on his team but he didn't disappear for the entire game. Jordan will be the first to tell you that without his teamates the rings would not have come. But this reminds me of a great quote from his Airness "There is no 'i' in team, but there is one in win."
I think this situation is resulting in a much bigger deal that it is. If they make the 3 he's a hero, if not, well, you see what happens. If he takes the lay-up and makes it, he's a hero, if he misses then everyone will say he didn't trust his team and that he should have dished it out to the wide open man for the game winner. Either way, the make and he's praised, the miss and he gets this. Unreal. And yes, I'm a Pistons fan. DEEE-TROIT BASKETBALL
I remember a certain Michael Jordan passing the ball to the likes of John Paxson and Steve Kerr in the last seconds of critical play off games. Does anyone second guess the mighty MJ? No... but Paxson and Kerr did drain their shots.
Also, let us not forget this is the playoffs: Winning is on everyone's mind. Lebron saw a chance to WIN with a triple by his teammate. If I were in his shoes, I think the pass would be a natural reflex. I coach my son's little league baseball team, and I tell them 'just because a play doesn't work out, it doesn’t mean it was the wrong decision'. Good column Kelly, but ask yourself this, if Marshall had made the shot, how many 'Lebron shows maturity with great, unselfish decision at end of game' columns would we see today?
Mike Jordan did plenty of dishing to Hodges, Paxson, and Kerr and they almost always hit the open winning shot. The difference between those Bulls teams and this Cavs team is the Cavs don't have the perimeter shooters that can make the defense honest, hence the constant collapsing on LeBron. He did the right thing, it was Marshall's inability to hit a wide open 3, that was the problem.
its funny, when Lebron does something great "he is the greatest", when he does something that leaves us scratching our heads its "oh he's still a kid"...to be fair Lebron is kid who is learning how to be great just like all the others who came before him...enourmous talent but still trying to figure the game out...no question he had a layup or a dunk on that play, but if you look at his eyes you can see he never intended on taking that shot...a shot and play he executed time after time in last years post season...to me I feel like Lebron took a step back compared to last season...I was expecting much more...phyically he has it but, I think we are waiting for him to get to the level of Kobe Bryant, who in my humble opinion is the best non-big man the game has seen since His Airness
if garbage donyell would have made the shot we would be talking about this.
Everyone talks about MJ passing the ball to Kerr and Paxson but MJ was known to take the big shots, LeBron has not. People are waiting for the Jordan moments for LeBron.
LeBron needs to go "Kobe" and forget about passing. For instance, those last two critical moments he choose to pass rather than trying to get to the free throw line. How can you stop this man who is 6'8" packing 240 and change with the ball handling skills of Kobe? C'mon now. LeBron, I love him but he needs to be a LITTLE selfish sometimes. It won't hurt because he's going to catch the flack no matter what he does. He either shots too much or passes too much but the bottom line is his mates MISS the basket too much. And quiet as it's kept I believe LeBron doesn't have THAT much confidence in his OWN shot. If he didn't, he shot the thing.
The only thing that displeases me is the fact that D. Marshall had just checked into the game, so of course he will miss his first shot. He is comfortable in the three point range, but usually after he has taken a few shots inside the line.
Of course it was a good decision, win on the road, tie at home. It was a well designed play that left Marshall wide open, and if he had been in the game and warmed up prior to the shot, I think it would have been a Cavs win. HE
MADE THE RIGHT PLAY! The math answer someone gave is more or less correct. It's 40% chance to win versus x chance for a 50% chance to win (50% chance in overtime). Lebron would have to be 80+% likely to score for him to not pass the ball. How likely was that?
All the talk about Jordan passing the ball can stop. Jordan was known for taking clutch shots, LeBron has not. You have to look at the entire game. The last couple of offense plays for the Cavs, LeBron did not shoot one shot. He needed to impose his game on the Pistons.
The same people who are now criticizing LeBron for passing the ball are probably the same ones who deride Kobe and Iverson for taking all the shots all the time. Remember Paxon and Kerr? Sometimes superstars have their teamates take The Shot to win. If it was all about individuals, Charles Barkley, Dominique Wilkins and Kevin Garnett would all have a bunch of rings. It's sill a TEAM sport. LeBron made the right play.
James made the right decision that could have won them the game.
In order to judge James' game performance, the more appropriate question should have been: how many free throws did he attempt and make in game 1? I'm sure last year's Finals MVP D-Wade is asking the same question. Cheers! King4kong, Sactown Does anyone remember the first quarter when someone at the scorer's table pushed the air horn as Larry Hughes sank his first foul shot? The ref gave the ball back to him and told him to take it again because he didn't want him to be "disadvantaged by the distraction." How stupid. He had already made the shot. On the re-shot, of course, he missed. That one point...what a difference it would've made in the end.
To respond to josiah's comment; LeBron is def not overrated. He is 22 years old and has lead his team to the playoff's the past two years. Weather he is 85% from the line or not, he didnt take a foul shoot the whole second half. It was the absolute rite call to make by passing the ball. How are peolpe comparing him to Jordan? He's not Jordan and no one will ever be Jordan....let LeBron be LeBron and play his own game...
I don't think we should be talking about "the pass" as much as "the passES". I have no problem with LeBron dishing that last shot to an open Marshall on the road. I have a problem with him passing on the last 5 offensive possessions of the game, not scoring in the final 4 minutes. Inexcusable.
People keep screaming that he made the right play...WRONG!!...the right play wins the game and any other play is the wrong play...people need to understand that Lebron is still wet behind the ears and trying to play in the "moment" which you hear Jordan and Kobe and even D-Wade talk about...Lebron has been getting by on his natural talent and ability(Size, strenghth, vision, speed), and if you know basketball you know that those intangibles will take you but so far...Despite everyone wanting Lebron to be the greatest he is 3rd behind non-big men Kobe and D-Wade right now. He has to figure out how to get a feel and get that killer instinct KB and D-Wade has...D-Wade or Kobe would have finished off Detroit in that game, Lebron played far more loose last year...I think this year he is starting to think too much, not wanting to mess up, For a guy that goes to basket a lot he really needs to tighten up his Free throws, he needs to shoot no less than 80%...IF he figures it out watch out!
One major difference nobody has mentioned is that Lebron's position is a point guard as opposed to a shooting guard - meaning he has to set up the offense for the best shot. The problem with this is that he IS their top offensive weapon, and it's more difficult for him to break free of the defensive clamps and get a good matchup with that setup.
I don't see it changing anything about the play itself - whether the 3 drops or not doesn't make it right or wrong, it was good court awareness. If that same play happens now, the Pistons have to keep it in the back of their minds that he may pass, which could open up Lebron's shot even more. The good ones keep them guessing. the only problem with Lebron's pass was the Cavaliers do not have shooters that consistently make shots. When the Gm and owner get shooters around him like Jordan had in Kerr and Paxson, then Cleveland will be the team to beat in the East. Remember Detroit isn't too bad of a team being in the finals the last 5 years. Put Rick Hamilton or Billups on Clevelands team and what do you think the outcome would be?
I appreciate LeBron for not being Kobe. In the end, that's how I look at it. LeBron is concerned with involving his team in the win, because after all, basketball is a TEAM sport. The announcers afterwards were acting like he should just win it all by himself. I know that players are capable of such a feat, but I appreciate that LeBron wants to be a part of a team. Naturally, he is the superstar, but he wants his other teammates to feel confident and valuable. This is precisely why I'm a Pistons fan--because it takes all of our players to get a win, not just one.
This article's stance is absurd. How can one contend that 'most' people believe he made a mistake. Every respectable analyst I heard with respect to that play has offered comments to the contrary. Cleveland was in Detroit with an opportunity to win the game. Donyell just hit 6 three's in his previous appearance. He was WIDE open and LeBron was covered. It was a no-brainer. You wouldn't be saying a word if the shot fell. But what would you be saying if LeBron took and missed the lay-up? Either way, I'm guessing he'd be your scape goat.
Lebron is the Man. I am in Cleveland. Go Cavs. Also I am sick and tired of Charles and Magic. Magic was a great player on a great team. Charles was a good player on a bad team (never won a sausage). Lebron is a superstar on a bad team. Give the guy a break. When he ends up with 5 championships and retires at 30 he can then tell Charles to kiss him were the sun does not shine.
Why is anyone even talking about what Jordan what have done? He's not the only player to ever win a basketball game. He's not the embodiment of God on a basketball court. He's not the one who had the ball in his hands on Tuesday.
Why don't we ask what Magic would have done? Tim Duncan? Isiah Thomas? They've all won at this level, too. I'm sick of everyone criticizing young NBA players because they don't measure up to or even resemble Jordan in every respect. Hmm... I seem to recall the great MJ making a few passes to folks named Paxson or Kerr for game winners. Funny how no one rips MJ for those...
If LeBron wants to be that Billionaire athelete like he talks about, he needs to be able to make the big final second shot. Passing on the game winning or tying shot will not make you a billionaire. You pass on the shot you pass on your billions. Go where the money is and that is scoring.
You have to ask yourself, "What would Kobe do?"
You'd think with the number of times people have laid out the facts and either defended LeBron's choice or at least tried to show it as a 50/50 thing, pass or shoot, that the heat on LeBron would die down. I said it the moment it happened and I'll say it again; James made a solid choice, a leader's choice, and people are riding his case just because it wasn't an in-your-face dunk. Hopefully your article will finally get through.
I think Lebron made the right choice...I was very unhappy with the way Larry Hughes played...he should be benched..
OK--I am a Laker fan and have to listen to the constant griping about Kobe and his choice not to pass the basketball despite the lack of additional talent and scoring ability on his team. Now we are scrutinizing Lebron for passing too much? Sounds to me like all the fans would rather play a video game than watch basketball.
LeBron James is highly overrated. Yes he is a very good player but he never seems to enforce his will over other teams especially in the fourth quarter. Last NBA Finals the Heat just gave the ball to Dwyane Wade and he always made plays and Dallas threw every kind of defense at him. He would be able to split triple teams and make big plays. I like LeBron but I just think that he has that will to win. Only 10 points like game 1 will not cut it. He needs to drive to the basket and not pull up for the jump shot when the game is on the line
Let's give Lebron a break....he was just scared to take a shot the last minute of the game. When it's crunch time you score not pass multiple times. Let's remember just how young he really is and in a few short years he will probably have the guts and experience to take those kinds of shots deep in the playoffs.
The right decision to win the game? Maybe/maybe not. Is he playing the game in a way that makes the Cavs attractive for a consistent 3-point shooter? You bet. The Cavs aren't going to win anything with their current lineup - they need to attract more talent. As long as LeBron keeps playing the way he does, the Cavs should attract the talent they need to get better.
3:31 PM -- Michael Jordan didn't pass to John Paxson for the game-winner in the 1993 Finals, Horace Grant did. And Scottie Pippen was the one who passed to Horace.
Jordan didn't pass to Kerr for a three-pointer, either. When a double-team forced MJ to pick up his dribble, he passed to Kerr for a 17-footer. You're right about the ball-hog part, though. Isiah Thomas was great in that game.
Thank you for an article that was right on target. Lebron is a phenom and is unselfish in his play. Detroit held their breath when that shot went up because Lebron made the right pass to a wide open 40% shooter who missed. Given the same situation I would be willing to bet LeBron would make the same pass again.
I can't believe this is even being debated. The goal of the play is to draw the double team & pass to the open man. James was triple teamed by the guys who held him to 10 points. (BTW he had 10 points because the defense made him the facilitator. Defenses load up on Kobe & he still keeps chucking away which is not how basketball should be played.) How many of you were asked to be on point & lead your coworkers at age 22? 10 times out of 10 I want to see the same thing, draw the defense & pass to the open man. Why hasn't anyone noticed this? I feel like I'm taking Crazy Pills!
I'm getting tired of people insisting that LeBron should have taken the last shot instead of passing to Marshall. The dude was wide open for the dagger 3 that could completely shift the momentum toward the Cavs! Pistons knew they got away with one, I bet.
If it's MJ, would the media even make a big deal about it? Would MJ get blasted if he passed to Kerr for a 3? Geez I hate the media sometimes, making a big deal out of nothing. It was the right play to make! Dwyer, you are off the hook and have earned my respect. And many anonymous bloggers here too, god we all know the game better than the supposed "experts" covering this game. We should take their jobs. every expert should know that Lebron should have done what he did. He did what was right in his mind at the time. The second guessing is irrelevant at this time. There is ABSOLUTELY no comparision with the Cavs and the Bulls. So no one should even think of using this as an excuse. Lebron will have his time. He is still learning. GO ON LEBRON.
People accept the truth. Please. the kid does not want that pressure and does not want that role. The greatest players have a natural killer instinct mindset (jordan, kobe), lebron does not have that and never did. we all know this. it is natural, it cant be taught. so get off his back, and let him be. I mean, he said it himself, he will never have the asassin mentality that kobe has. Listen to him. Or just look at him bite his name, its not a habit, he only does it when there's pressure. think about it.
If Marshall had hit the three, then we would not be having this conversation. Instead, all the talking heads would be praising Lebron as a selfless player who finally began to trust his teammates.
If he had gone for the layup - regardless of the result - then they would be ripping him for not for not trusting his teammates, trying to do too much, playing for overtime, etc. Lebron is the victim of missed shot - nothing more. This serves as just another example of how the media "creates" sports-related stories because ESPN needs something to discuss betweeen games. What's next, Sheed's white patch of hair? "10 Reasons why Sheed should dye his Patch on the next SportsCenter." i meant "bite his nail" not "bite his name".
You play for the win on the road, a tie at home in a situation like Monday night. So, most likely scenario if Lebron takes the shot is he makes it and ties the game with about 5 seconds to go. The Pistons take timeout, get the ball at half court and probably get a halfway decent last second shot to win. If they miss, then the Cavs have to beat the Pistons, on the road, in the playoffs, in overtime. No thanks, I will take my chances with a WIDE OPEN Marshall from the shortest 3-pointer distance for the win. Not only all of that, but Lebron had not been to the freethrow line all game long... he had no reason to think the refs would call a foul outside of wallace pulling out a gun .. we all know refs hate calling fouls with time winding down and the game on the line...heck they wouldn't call fouls committed against Lebron in the 2nd quarter.
MJ 'shoots it' and/or gets fouled. So does D. Wade, Kareem, Larry, AI, Oscar R., etc., etc...Odds are REAL high it would have been an 'and one'...He's just not mature emotionally yet, to get a ring...
How can all you people second guess an athlete who had to make a split-second decision? I'm sure none of you could hve done it, period.
Lebron did the absolute right thing.
Had he taken the shot, then there would have been talk about how selfish he was because of the open player with a free look at a 3 pointer and a win. GET OFF HIS BACK! LeBron is a smart player, and a TEAM player, remember that basketball is a team sport. Unlike that selfish prick Kobe. At least LeBron has class and knows it's a team sport. He went for the win, had trust in his teammate and unfortunately the ball didn't fall in the basket. I guarantee if LeBron had a second chance at that scenario again, he'd do the same thing. J.F. in Colorado After all this scrutiny, all this debate, the media explosion for a late-game millisecond decision, there is one guy who is out there right now, biting his nails, self-questioning, losing confidence.....that man is Donyelle Marshall. Lebron will ignore this crap, but Mr. Marshall has gotta be hurting inside, because, like every other NBA player, he expects himself to make that shot. And in this case, missing it puts his team down as well as opens the floodgates for a media frenzy....at the expense of his uber-talented teammate. Lebron will play better, and the rest of the team will be energized knowing the stakes and the fact that they are ALL part of the team, but I have to imagine Marshall will be the one who is tentative the rest of the series.
if someone said i'll give you a free two instead of a wide open three in that situation i would decline. Good decision by L.B.
Why is everyone talking about the player who passed the ball instead of the shooter who missed? Next time Marshall, don't miss!
Listen lebron is not jordan. period. neither is kobe. period. Nor is wade. period. The fact is we get so caught up in the awe of jordan for the past that we don't seem to stop and look at the great talent we have today. Jordan is long gone and retired. he will never play again, so stop comparing these young players to this guy and lets just sit back and enjoy the players that we have today. It's a disrespect to them. Period. Also, lebron is always pass first then score. Always has been since his high school days so lets just let him be lebron.
In a society that is increasingly 'Me, Me, Me', it's good to see a young player who understands that he is on a TEAM and is playing to win not tie. This is Basketball not Cricket. Anyone who plays for the love of the game would pass the ball for the win.
You can criticize Lebron for being passive during the game, but perhaps the coach's strategy was to use Lebron to draw the defence and dish. Superstars need to involve their teammates during the game. But at the end, the leaders/superstars must carry the team to victory. Even Magic Johnson took clutch shots (The hook shot!!).. There is no way Kobe, Dwyane Wade, or Jordan dish the ball if they have beaten a defender and are at the rim.. They finish (Kobe, game 4 against Phoenix, 2006 playoffs is an example, not once, but twice.. in regulation and OT)..
We have to remember, LBJ isnt Mike and wont ever be him.. Hes also not Magic Johnson.. But he is a hybrid of both in a way, and i think that makes his ceiling a bit higher than MJ's.. He just needs the rings. LJ is no MJ. So please no comparisions. No one can be like MJ.
I believe Lebron made the right basketball play. He had a open shooter to put together a triple-double and steal one in detroit you go for the win first of all cause going into OT in detroit is not a desirable situation.
C'mon! Today everyone would be talking about what a great play and unselfish play it was if the 3 pointer was hit. It should have been hit.
They were on the road and an overtime? I don't think so. When a man is that wide open - for a potential game winning shot - on the road - give him a break. I'd like to see him get more aggressive too but he can't beat Detroit by himself. It is easy to look back and scrutinize LeBron’s decision to pass the ball he had less than a second to decide if he should pass it or shoot the ball, good thing that hindsight is 20/20. There is also no guarantee that LeBron would have even made that shot. What would people have said if Donyell Marshall had hit that three? The headline would read LeBron’s unselfishness leads the Cavs to a 1-0 series lead over the Pistons. Also if he had made the shot the Pistons would still have had five seconds to win the game. In sports you do play to go to overtime? No you play to win and with James did by kicking the ball to the outside he gave his team the best opportunity to WIN the game.
Lebron's decision to pass the ball to Marshall was a good call. When the defense collapsed on him it left Marshall wide open. If Marshall had made the shot everyone would be praising Lebron for his on court intellegence. A superstar must be able to rely on his teammates to get the job done.
Kelly, I usually think your articles are biased and, especially with the Cavs, harsh and overly critical. However, this particular article shows me how you don't let that get in your way in writing solid and objective insight onto situations that are media field days. I now know why SI pays you the big bucks and I have a new found respect for your opinions and will take this into consideration in future readings of your articles. (Not just because I agree with you on this particular situation but because of how you presented it.) Thank you.
Lebron's dish to Marshall was an intelligent move. the open 3 was a go-for -the-kill move. I could live with it not falling in.
They went for the win not the tie, teams play to win! I thought it was a great move and if the 3pointer had gone in, everyone would be singing Jame's praises.
Par for the course with the knee jerk sports reporting we have now a days. dunk + foul = win
Passing the ball was the right thing to do with numerous defenders coming at him.
bravo on needing 89% chance of making the shot for it to be the right move. The logic and math is spot on.
This is all much ado about nothing. The bottom line is that the Cavs are not good enough to win this series. Whether they had won Game 1 or not makes no difference. Lebron could score 60 pts a game in this series and they'd probably still lose in 6 or 7, and even if they went to the Finals, they'd be promptly spanked by the Spurs. So get off of Lebron. His team isn't that great to begin with.
Yes, many put Lebron on the hot seat for the outcome of Game 1. However, as I watched the game and the replays of the final possessions, I can only wonder what Coach Mike Brown was thinking. First, playing for the last shot with your team down (rather than tied) is an interesting strategy. The play sent the ball further away from the basket, wasting critical seconds and removing any opportunity for a rebound and stick back or another possession with a foul.
Second, with the game on the line, drawing up a drive and kick for a 3-pointer--a lower percentage shot--is great for its dramatic effect (or for a long rebound and fastbreak for a score by the opposing team, which is what happened). But a hard drive and a shot or a kick to a man for a 15- or 18-foot jumper, win or lose, might not have me questioning Mike Brown's experience and knowledge of the game as much as I do now. In my mind--and it started with burning up Cleveland's timeouts too early down the stretch--it was Mike Brown's responsibility to put his team in the best position to win the game. And he did not rise to that challenge. This series has been interesting and I laughed to see that when the game was on the line Lebron still didnt take it upon himself to score. He did take the last shot because he knew there would be even more criticism towards him if he didn't but he should have taken the shot before that also instead of passing it to Pavolic or whatever his name is and let him travel with the ball. He needs to be more of a crunch time player. Him taking the last shot did not just as far as I am concerned with criticism he gets and shall receive for not taking the game into his hands when the game is on the line.
If LeBron got half the calls Jordan always got, he would have been at the line 20 times in both games 1 and 2. As it stands, he made a perfect dish. They may have lost, but Detroit, in both games, barely won. They were sweatin' hard!!!
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