As long as LeBron James continues to take games over like he did in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the question of his ability in the clutch will mercifully be put to rest.
There isn't much need for last-minute heroics after an entire game of one-sided domination.
And yet, there has remained a curious tentativeness in LeBron's decision-making when games are on the line, a trend we saw reemerge in Game 4 against those same Boston Celtics.
It would be an overstatement to suggest James is making the wrong decisions or somehow failing to live up to his promise as the planet's best basketball player.
But, it would be an understatement to suggest that there's nothing whatsoever to all those criticisms of the three-time MVP.
In an insightful glance into the infinite complexity of clutch moments, SI.com's Zach Lowe reviews LeBron's play-by-play decision-making in that Game 4 and his conclusion is as nuanced as you'd expect from an unbiased assessment:
He will go through bouts of clear and obvious tentativeness, possessions on which he passes too readily. But he is such a clever passer that those passes will often be productive in ways even seasoned viewers will miss on first watch, as some dishes were in Game 4. We saw this as well during Miami’s Game 2 loss against the Pacers. He is never going to be an unconscious “crunch-time” gunner on the level of Wade or Kobe Bryant. Sometimes his team will be better for that, and sometimes it will be worse for it.
To the extent there's at least some truth to the notion that LeBron isn't a Kobe style closer, here are three reasons James may not trust himself to be the finisher his detractors prefer him to be.
1. He Trusts His Teammates Instead
This is what separates LeBron from the shoot-first legends against whom he's so often compared. It's also what makes him so rare.
We've seen great scorers come and go, and James certainly isn't alone in his world-class athleticism—but how many guys have taken those abilities and supplemented them with uncanny court vision and a willingness to defer.
It never made sense to frame LeBron as the heir to MJ's throne.
He's always had too much Magic Johnson in him, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. It may limit his opportunities to hit the shots that generate the most fanfare, but sometimes that's what it takes to win games.
Sometimes, it's someone else's turn to be the hero.
2. He's Not a Pure Shooter
James may be the best all-around player of his generation, but he's certainly not its best shooter. From Reggie Miller to Ray Allen, this league has seen plenty of guys who were born to take the last shot—and just about any other shot.
While LeBron is a formidable shooter from the perimeter, it's not what he does best. That can be a problem at the end of games when defenders clog the paint and officials swallow their whistles.
Rather than force shots that don't fall squarely in his wheelhouse, James sometimes faces the unenviable task of bearing his club's scoring burden even when he's not in the best position to score.
3. At the End of the Day, He's Only Human
There's no question that LeBron's already long history of success has required a healthy dose of mental toughness.
But, even the fiercest warriors are susceptible to distraction.
Though he's the biggest of superstars, he almost certainly still wants to be liked—by his own fans if no one else. And yet, he remains one of the league's most disliked players.
Whether it's a need to prove his detractors wrong or a fear of lending credence to the endless barrage of criticism, there has to be a nugget of doubt when the big game is on the line.
At least for now.
That could all change soon enough.
Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1219469-3-reasons-lebron-doesnt-trust-himself-in-the-the-clutch
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