It's pretty simple: nobody won more scoring titles and nobody averaged more points. LeBron James averages for the NBA season and Playoffs, including points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and other categories, year by year and career numbers. His greatness has hurt his own cause in the eyes of many uneducated basketball onlookers. Sure they were butchers on the defensive end at times, but the hall of fame talent around them covered them up nicely. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & resort (KS). WebFind detailed LeBron James Stats on FOXSports.com. I feel like my game would fit any era in basketball history from the time that the great James Naismith created it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL). He hasnt officiallyopted out of next year with the Cavs but that is the exception. Looking at James shot charts from those seasons, its difficult to recognize them as the same player. WNBA all-time (since 1997) unless otherwise noted. Not only do Durant's three career game-winning buzzer-beaters pale in comparison to the seven for James, he's never hit one in the playoffs. James left after making only five of 17 shots and one of nine from three-point range. Throughout his career, he has adapted his game to become a proficient scorer from 3-point range, mid-range and at the rim. The Lakers scored only two more points over a nearly six-minute stretch in which Memphis push its lead from one to 25. 3. And yet, James feels that he has not received the reputation of being a great scorer. Whether he's attacking in isolation, posting up or cutting off ball, James is most effective when he's inside. Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA (select parishes)/MA/MD/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OH/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. He might be the greatest tough shot maker in NBA history not named Durant. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. WebLeBron James.5877: 57. Think of MJs career. (Credit to NBA.com and basketball-reference for statistics and House of Highlights for GIF). James entered play with a career record of 40-10 in games where his team could end the series with a win, according to StatMuse. Warriors, Steph Curry beat Kings, advance to face Lakers But that impression of consistency might actually undersell the amount James has changed his game in 19 NBA seasons, and as he chases down the all-time regular season scoring record, hed like some credit. 2. In every instance Jordan is first, James is second, and Bryant is third. Chart showing percentage of each players made shots that were 3-pointers and 2-pointers for the 250 top scorers in N.B.A. WebLatest on Los Angeles Lakers small forward LeBron James including complete game-by-game stats on ESPN LeBron's rebuttal:If you line up their combined 16 Finals appearances, James owns the five highest-scoring averages and eight of the top nine. So, its fine. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions. While James might not have his version of the skyhook, he's a more well-rounded scorer with more answers to increasingly complex defenses. The Lakers didnt fold despite being down by 14 at the end of the first quarter and 17 deep into the second. How many players could just decide to play with their off-hand and still drop 47? Abdul-Jabbar and James had divergent paths to setting one of basketballs most coveted records, a reflection of how the N.B.A. Alexander: When Anthony Davis does it, Lakers can be devastating While he cooled off a bit, he still hit 49.6 percent (5.5 attempts per game) in the playoffs, a clip few players have been able to match this regular season. James adapting as a long-range shooter late in his career may inform Westbrooks path to aging more gracefully in the game. LeBron was incredible in the mid-range this postseason, making 59-of-121 (48.8%) so good it would have been a playoff best % for Kobe Bryant. I can only imagine somebody who can be the all-time leading scorer in NBA history who doesnt get the credit of being a scorer, said Anthony. I do know, just being around daily, seeing him being locked in and playing at a level that a lot of people dont really expect him to play at at his age, to see it firsthand, its something I can learn from as I continue to get older in this league and find ways to be able to be effective, Westbrook said. Chart showing the regular-season scoring average by age for the 250 top scorers in N.B.A. A James team hadnt lost a closeout game since April 27, 2018, when the Pacers clobbered Cleveland in Game 6, only to lose to the Cavs in Game 7. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. The fadeaway and quick-pivots all from a mid-range post or face-up is now a mythical quality thanks to Jordan and his six NBA Championships. He shares that durability, plus creativity and talent, with Abdul-Jabbar, who played from 1969 to 1989. James rock-steady counting statistics only create the impression that his game is standing still. By Half. Heres how Basketball-Reference sees the seeding playing out: While things are a bit precarious, the entire basketball world knows that IF LeBron James and Anthony Davis can get back to 90-plus percent of themselves by playoff time, Los Angeles remains one of the top championship favorites. Baylor was the first sky-walking, above-the-rim perimeter threat. James is averaging a team-leading 24.0 points and Davis is averaging 19.5 points going into Wednesdays potential close-out game at FedEx Forum in Memphis. As recently as a few weeks ago, the team looked destined for a Western Conference Finals rematch with the Denver Nuggets one that looked particularly advantageous given Jamal Murrays torn ACL. This isn't to say that James won't stop shooting jumpers and that he won't occasionally jack up a lazy jumper. He has five of them. How many 3s has LeBron made? Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant brings the ball up court during the first half of Game 5 in a first-round NBA playoff series against the Lakers on Wednesday in Memphis. Leslie described James as the most dominant point guard, two-guard, small forward and power forward all in one because of his size, speed, explosiveness and overall basketball I.Q. The four-time MVP is averaging an embarrassing 18.5% from downtown, which is the lowest in his 20-year career. 2. LeBron James is shooting 36.9 percent on 3.3 mid-range shots per game this season. LeBron James jogged backward, lips pursed after another jumper rattled in and then bounced out. Sure. TOV and ORtg since 1977-78. It is this reason why many feel LeBron shouldnt be considered one of the 10 best to ever do it. On NBA 2K23, this All-Time Version of LeBron James' 2K Rating is 96 and has a 2-Way Inside-Out Point Forward Build. For as dominant as Chamberlain was during the regular season, his scoring average went down in the playoffs in each of his 13 trips to the playoffs. Open jumpers either missed badly or rimmed out, but the Lakers stayed close and again had the chance to take the lead with four minutes left in the third quarter. Try a week on us. Abdul-Jabbar took one 3-pointer in his career; 3-pointers made up a much larger share of Jamess output. Bane has found his rhythm in this series. Hes one of the best of all time, and hes showing exactly why hes that.. Odds and lines subject to change. LeBron James has won 65.0 percent of the time in his career. LeBron James. The reason for the ghastly confusion has nothing to do with some of his questionable off-the-court decisions, such as The Decision. It has nothing to do with flopping or his perceived whining on the court. His poor shooting the Lakers are essentially leaving him open, thus clogging the lane didnt hurt the Grizzlies on Wednesday. Desmond Bane, the guy the Lakers couldnt stop in Game 4, stayed hot. James averaged 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.6 steals, and 2.3 blocks per game in the finalsbecoming the first person to lead all five statistical categories for players on both teams in the finalsand was unanimously named finals MVP. Ja Morant, the guy the Lakers couldnt stop in Game 3, attacked and told them they were too small.. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. He was especially good range from hitting from the midrange during the Of course, clutch stats go beyond simply hitting shots with all zeros on the clock. Even contemporaries like Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony are often considered better bucket-getters than James, who even called himself not a natural scorer. While it might be a semantics-driven discussion, it does motivate James. In addition to the sketch of your Soulmate, you will receive a complete description of characteristics and qualities of this person that will help you connect when you are at the right time with this person. Abdul-Jabbar took at least one 3-pointer in each of his 10 seasons with the shot at his disposal. Where this lack of a picturesque shot really hurts James is when the game needs a hero. Im willing to play 48 [minutes], Davis said. Jenkins changed his rotation, going away entirely from reserve forward David Roddy. In fact, hes a completely different player all together. Seven of the 29 are shooting <= 2.0 percent better from the mid-range than they are from downtown. Your high quality sketch and reading will be delivered to you via email within 8 hours. His career averages (27.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 7.4 apg) closely mirror every year of his career with only minor deviations. All company, product and service names used in this website are for identification purposes only. WebLebron James Mid Range Percentage. But for the most part, LeBron has stopped taking so many mid-range shots and is instead doing most of work inside where he's a lot harder to defend. After two NBA Titles, two Finals MVPs, four NBA MVPs, a Rookie of the Year, and 10 All-NBA first teams, Jamess place in history among the Top 10 is cemented. They got to talk about something. They had to have that closers mentality or ultimately pay the consequences as LBJ does to this very day. Oh, and when it comes to LeBron? history. The series between the Lakers and the Grizzlies could only come down to one thing only: the dominance of LeBron James. Should the Los Angeles Lakers panic over their playoff situation? It wasnt until Scottie Pippen matured and Jordan developed his mid-range game that Chicago started reeling off NBA titles. And when he's harder to defend, so are the Cavs. Related Articles The Lakers, faced with shutting down their best players or trying for the miracle comeback, chose the latter. They got within 12 with four minutes to go, but by then, James was on the bench and the rest of the Lakers were gassed. Theyll have to do it twice more. Subscribe to Stathead , the set of tools used by the pros, to unearth this and other interesting factoids. This season, dozens of players take more than that by themselves each game. Of the 29 players, only one Julius Randle is actually shooting a better percentage from three than the midrange (41.7, 40.8), but some arent too far off. They had more than enough to do something that doesnt happen often beat LeBron when the alternative is the season ends. James, with the good timing of being able to start this journey at 18 years old, is still proving every day just how much he has left, scoring 40 points on several nights this season and almost reaching 50 in a January game against Houston. First and foremost, erase any notion that you may have about Kobe being a better scorer than LeBron. But when thinking about ranking Kobe ahead of LeBron in the overall scoring category, these numbers have to make you think twice. These guys dominated the game without needing to even hoist a shot up. LeBron James, on the other hand, has none of these mid-range qualities at his disposal. Fans waved towels and chanted Whoop that trick. Fans and arena staff loudly made plans for Sunday, when the Grizzlies would host Game 7 if the Lakers cant end things. No longer could an NBA great have their own unique style of play. Line chart showing career points for the top 250 scorers in N.B.A. When Abdul-Jabbar was 38, he was in just his 17th professional season. A huge part of his night were his six 3-pointers three of them came in the fourth quarter of the 124-116 win and as he discussed how Steph Curry sent the NBA on course for a 3-point shot-centric version of the game, he realized he had to change. LeBron James' criticism of NBA Play-In game comes across as hypocritical, NBA play-in: 3 ways the tournament could lead to total chaos, Lakers News: LeBron James's return could come Friday night vs. Kings. Barry poured in an astounding 36.3 points per game in the Finals, the most in NBA history. Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelpline.ma.org (MA), Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). End that speculation, Koby Altman has no plans to replace J.B. Bickerstaff. Last season, 31 players averaged at least three mid-range attempts, and James only hit 34.3 percent of them the worst mark of the entire group. Durant holds the edge in total points across their 35 career head-to-head matchups. His inefficiency could unlock a ton of chances for the squad to start making an impact in Game 5. So, as long as Im in this league and the game changes again and Im still in it, hopefully Ill be able to continue to have that growth mindset and continue to adapt.. Anthony Davis had 31 points and 19 rebounds while LeBron James had an off shooting night during the Lakers' loss at Memphis in Game 5. Chamberlain's video-game numbers will never be matched. James mid-range game particularly his fadeaway is beautiful when This is what you play an entire season for.. In the mind of all basketball purists, this is incredibly wrong. Bryant is the closest we'll ever see to Jordan. Jamess made shots have been 53 percent 2-pointers, 10 percent 3-pointers and 36 percent free throws. LeBron James is averaging around 30 points per game in his age-38 season; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar averaged around 23 points in that season, and he fell off sharply afterward. His blend of unique talents and quickness to go along with a beastly 68, 250 lbs. Luke Kennard over Dillon Brooks? Email: robby.sabo[at]jetsxfactor.com. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 18 points and 10 rebounds. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame receives No. When they talk about the best scorers of all time, they never mention my name, James said in a recent episode of his show The Shop. LeBron thanks to his specific skill-set doesnt have that mid-range/long-distance game that can allow him to play the role of a pure closer. 1 seed for Division 1 baseball playoffs, High school tennis: Southern Section playoff pairings, High school baseball: Southern Section playoff pairings, Dig this: Long Beach States Mason Briggs could be next big thing at libero, Kentucky Derby storylines: Training death puts early pall over Churchill Downs. The line for LeBron James is just past the 38,387 points scored by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He set a new playoff career high in Game 4 with 36 points and followed it up with a 12-of-21 shooting effort, four 3s and 10 rebounds with his teams season on the line. Larry Nance.5864: 60. Before this? We have to come ready to play and ready to pour everything we have into this moment.. They were the NBAs best team at home during the regular season at 35-6, setting a franchise record for wins in their building. CLICKBANK is a registered trademark of Click Sales, Inc., a Delaware corporation located at 1444 S. Entertainment Ave., Suite 410 Boise, ID 83709, USA and used by permission. Robby Sabo is a co-founder, CEO and credentialed New York Jets content creator for Jets X-Factor - Jet X, which includes Sabo's Sessions (in-depth film breakdowns) and Sabo with the Jets. The result has been that LeBron is shooting 51 percent from the field, although his true shooting percentage has roughly stayed the game. He could be the first player to score 40,000 points. Its a simplistic notion that holds true from every angle. frame is something none of us has ever laid eyes on before. It's one thing to drop 40 in Game 5 of a 1st round series up or down 3-1. By the time he hit his 20th year, he was no longer as dominant as he had been. And if you cannot have a growth mindset on how you can find ways to get better with the team, then youll get left behind.. Many people have found that their sketch resembles someone that is currently close in their life, their current significant other / partner, or someone they admire or have feelings for. With the game on the line, James outshines even Durant. LeBron is already the all-time leader for points in playoffs. If he gets doubled inside, LeBron can pass out to a shooter - Dellavedova, Smith,Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love,Channing Frye, etc. James finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, shooting 5-of-17 overall and 1-of-9 from 3-point range. But since returning to the Lakers (he spent his first two seasons with them), Russell may have become a better version of himself. Even if these shots have been inefficient, how much damage can roughly three shots per game really do? I've already broken down my thoughts on the top five but here are some quick hitters on the rest of the top 15. The four-time MVP is averaging an embarrassing 18.5% from downtown, which is the lowest in his 20-year career. As we fade out to farther in the perimeter, his field goal percentage drops from the elite 73.3% at 0-3 feet to 42.4%, 36.7% and 38.5% at 3-10 feet, 10-16 feet and 16-23 feet respectively. A glance over LeBron James career stat page initially paints a portrait of bedrock consistency. Swanson: LeBron James, Lakers are much better in closeout win, as promised However, he's developed into a reliable shooter from beyond the arc as he ages. receiving yards total: seemingly unreachable. LeBron James had statistically one of his best regular and postseasons ever. The team seems likely to end up in the play-in tournament. Use of these names, trademarks and brands does not imply endorsement. Debating the King's case amongst the NBA's all-time great bucket getters, MJ vs. LeBron career stats in G.O.A.T. The answer is LeBron, remarkablybut hes less than halfway to Wilt Chamberlains total. 30 games) that have averaged at least two 3-point attempts this season, only two are shooting worse from downtown than Davis 28.6 percent. Should he really stop taking them? James had acknowledged after Mondays heroics that Game 5 would be the toughest in the series, the first crack at closing out the Grizzlies coming on Memphis home floor. So whats the solution? All trademarks and brand names are the property of their respective owners. LeBron is the youngest player to reach 30,000 points at 33 years old. In fact, the gap from Chamberlain to second was wider than the gap from second to eighth. Shaquille O'Neal* .5858: 62. At his worst, LeBron wastes possessions by dribbling away the shot clock and firing up a jump shot. Where would LeBron go if he wanted to own the mid-range a la Kobe/MJ/KD? Our team will get better and Friday is another opportunity to close the series.. 7 seed and came through the Play-In to make the playoffs. He previously worked at The Salt Lake Tribune covering the Utah Jazz and Utah Utes. James is ninth in career 3-pointers after relying more on long-range shooting as he aged (its usually easier on the body) and as 3-pointers soared in popularity. Add in LeBron's evolution as a 3-point shooter he's quietly become one of the NBA's best at making step-back 3s and it's apparent that James can beat opponents in more ways than even Jordan. The series shifts back to Los Angeles for Game 6, which is set for 10:30 p.m. Nobody during his generation came close to matching his dominance as a scorer. Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra once said of James: I just think you can book it every year 27, 8 and 7. LeBron's rebuttal:There's a compelling case that James simply has more tricks in the bag. His second best year was in 2009 where he shot 45.3 percent from midrange attempting 243 shots. Where he should be placed in this Top 10 is the question. Last season, the number was about three times that. Brooks shot 3-of-15 and 2-of-10 on 3s in Game 5, continuing a disturbing trend through the series. James isn't the best shooter from beyond the arc, but his ability to knock down 3-pointers could be one of the biggest changes in their quest to defeat Memphis. How far this ultimately goes depends on how committed Tyronn Lue is with using James in different ways. LeBron was a bit better, shooting 43.1 percent in 2018-19 and 38.9 percent in 2017-18. Field-goal percentage: 52% LeBron is attempting 20.1 shots per game and is making 52% of them. We were told we wont be here in the first place, said Lakers coach Darvin Ham, whose team is the No. You have the most points scored ever, youre the best basketball player to ever touch the court.. James had a head start on catching Abdul-Jabbar because he was drafted out of high school, which wasnt allowed in Abdul-Jabbars day. There's never been a player with his combination of size and skill. Hes simply amazing, and its this amazing quality thats naturally spurred on comparisons to Michael Jordan the man, who in many eyes, is the greatest to ever lace them up on the hardwood. The 48.8 percent from the field is a better percentage than Kobe Bryant ever shot from the midrange. 10 scoring titles to one speaks for itself as does the all-time mark in both the regular season and playoffs. James finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, shooting 5-of-17 overall and 1-of-9 from 3-point range. This model was so popular among youngsters that it spurred on an entire generation of imitators. One reason for that is because of his inefficiency to knock down attempts from beyond the arc. LeBron James has played 20 seasons for the Cavaliers, Lakers and Heat. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Few 3-pointers were taken in the N.B.A. What Magic Johnson and Larry Bird did in the 1980s was the idea of basketball. James has long ago passed Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, but there are critiques of how he scores compared to those two. LeBron's rebuttal: With the game on the line, Durant's reputation can't match LeBron's results. WebLeBron James on NBA 2K23. NAME. AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/MI/NH/NJ/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. LeBron also has a habit of settling for long twos when teams switch a big onto him in the pick and roll. But he never tried more than three in a single season and he made only one: in 1986-87. Lakers | Moreover, its my contention that Jordan changed everything. Theres a lot of subtext to those details, not the least of which is that James wants more respect for how hes rewriting NBA history. At his best, you can make a case that no scoring champion has been more efficient. Jamess brilliance put three Cavs teams in the position to play in the NBA Finals when they had no business being there. After the loss, Ham said hed use all options Friday to give the Lakers the best chance to end the series on their court. When we saw him completely take control of high-pressure games in the 1990s, everything we knew about a great NBA player changed. ClickBank is the retailer of products on this site. But when these shots go in at roughly equal rates, it becomes REALLY hard to tune out the math. He can still being up the ball and initiate the offense - and that's definitely something the Cavs should do - but he can give the Cavs some variance if he comes off the ball as a cutter. Hachimura finished with the best plus-minus rating: a minus-18. Jamess made shots have been 53 percent 2-pointers, 10 percent 3-pointers and 36 percent free throws. In 2020-21, Davis has been subpar from this area of the floor, making only 36.3 percent the 2nd-worst rate of the 29. LeBron James Stats and news - NBA stats and news on Los Angeles Lakers Forward LeBron James. The third-best scoring average in league history, Baylor was Eurostepping long before anyone knew what the Eurostep was. Though James has leaned into 3-point shooting along with the rest of the N.B.A., part of what makes him such a fantastic offensive player is that he can score from all over, whether through dunks, relentless drives to the basket, postups or mid-range fadeaways. If LeBron starts working on his 3-pointers, he might get a chance to be closer to the top five shooters in this year's playoffs. Joel Embiid has the highest per-minute scoring average in NBA history. Bane, who had been relatively quiet for most of the first three games, ran his defender, Austin Reaves, through bruising screen after bruising screen, Memphis physicality getting its best perimeter scorer going. Latest update for Suns at Lakers. His 118 50-point games are 87 more than Jordan, who has the second-most. As much as I want to go with James and his fully evolved bucket-getting arsenal, I can't quite get there over Jordan. He's not for everyone but Harden's steady diet of free throws and 3s nearly toppled the 2017 Warriors. Why would anybody be considered a better scorer than another player who boasts a far superior shooting percentage? And I kind of just relayed that same message to him tonight. That includes the stars, who are the ones supposed to take the lead and make an impact on their teammates. ET on Friday. The Cavs admitted what we all saw play out over the last week and a half. While his efficiency on threes (35.4%) is a little down from his percentage 10 years ago (36.2%), it makes sense that James averages would level out now that hes taking more than three times as many 3-point attempts (7.9 per game). MP and PER since 1951-52. Here, Matthew Dellavedova brings up the ball and James heads off toward the left corner. Grant Williams, MarJon Beauchamp, Miles McBride and Miles McBride are all shooting 100% from long distance. Theres also relevance to Russell Westbrook, James teammate who has struggled with the decline of his athleticism. He turned the ball over five times in 37 minutes and vowed hed be better in Game 6. 10 scoring titles (most all-time) 30.1 PPG in regular season (most all-time) 33.5 PPG in postseason (most all-time) It's pretty simple: nobody won more scoring Throughout his entire career, LeBron James has always avoided being labeled a scorer. Its a travesty among all travesties. And there's never been a scorer with his ability to do it efficiently at every level, as evidenced by his career true-shooting percentage which is by far the best in NBA history by any of the players with 25,000 career points. Quarter. Its now common to see James swishing a few 40-footers in his pregame warm-up routine, a weapon he started to put into more use after Currys long-range stroke became a league-wide craze. This is the mark that reveals just how efficient a player is when shooting the ball. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onLos Angeles Lakers and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. Is this just a blip driven by small sample size, or has LeBron struggled from the mid-range the last few years as well? Throughout the entire series, the Lakers have struggled to shoot the basketball from long distance. Lakers | - who might be open for a three. Players cant simply attack the basket on every possession. Now? And should they be allocating some of these shots to the 3-point line instead? One of these copycats includes Kobe: Furthermore, just take in how eloquent the mid-range game is for both guys. At his best, he uses his size and speed to bully defenders, get optimal position and either score or get to the line. For us to relax would be asinine, Lakers coach Darvin Ham said before the game.