Kobe never passed to Artest or Odom in clutch. He trusts Fisher to make an open shot, he'll pass to Gasol if he has an alley hoop, and that's it. That Artest shot in game 7, Kobe picked up the dribble outside of 3pt line and he had to pass, he was expecting Artest to pass back but Artest shot the contested jumper anyway. It's not a good or right play, they were just lucky.
Wade played horribly at the end of the game, but LeBron should not have passed that ball. I agree with Jon Barry that it was the right play at the wrong time. That's a play you make in the 1st 3 qtrs, but not with 4 secs left in the game. The double-team by Utah was not tight. LBJ could have attacked and split the double team and with his strength and athleticism, muscled his way to the basket for a short-range shot. I would take that over Haslem shooting a wide-open jump shot at the end of the game any day. However, from now on, D.Wade should have the ball in his hands at the end of close games no matter what. Guys like Wade, Kobe, and even Carmelo wouldn't have passed that ball.
Wade was terrible to close the game (fouled a 3pt shooter, missed a clutch ft, fouled Harris). If that was LBJ, he would have gotten killed. But after the game, nobody cares for Wade's bad play down the stretch. Sure, LBJ should have taken the shot b/c he made simply ridiculous shots in that 4th quarter (he was in god-mode), but he didn't make the wrong play. LBJ can do no right. If he shot that and missed, people would have said he is a choker. No way around what Lebron does right now until he wins a ring. He can make 10 clutch game winning shots and it wouldn't matter until he wins a ring. I mean, he went 8-9 in the 4th for 17 points. And people are still all over him. Really? Lebron is playing way out of this world right now it's not even funny. BTW, if Bosh was in, LBJ would have done the same thing, and Bosh would have made that. Simple basketball play.
Not if he plays like this. I don't think I hear many people say it's Wade's team like they did last year. The Heat go as LBJ goes.
And that's their right to say that. He made a decision and those are consequences. In the regular season yes. James is better than Wade and hisoty proves LBJ's teams always do great in regular season. But history also shows that if Wade can't carry them in the clutch and important games ( i think he can) LeBron will NOT do that. Regular season: LeBron Postseason : DWade.
This year it was a bad play but as stats show he has been brilliant on those shots in his carreer. He can't buy one this year maybe because he missed most of last year. But as I remember Haslem, he has always been an outstanding shooter from midrange so it was a very well designed play for a good shooter. But yeah, LeBron should have taken the shot.
Back-to-back games of 35+ points, 10+ reb, and 5+ assists, and 0 turnovers for LeBron -- may never have been done -- and people are complaining. The Heat wouldn't have had a chance to win the game if LeBron didn't hit two clutch shots in the last minute of the game.
So Kobe never passed to Artest in the clutch, except for the instance that I mentioned which you also mentioned? Oh, but Artest was supposed to pass it back? Did he tell you that? Did Kobe tell you that? How did you draw that conclusion? I don't believe I mentioned Odom. So you agree on Fisher? Isn't he a role player? The point is there is nothing wrong with making a pass to a wide-open guy who can shoot. WE see it to win games all the time. That's why you want a star....a guy who can either make that shot or draw attention to get someone else open. Any Rockets fan who saw Hakeem play should know this.
Well you can scratch Kobe from that list because we have seen him make that pass numerous times. It's the only reason Fisher still has a job. And guys like Magic, Jordan and Hakeem have done the same.
I honestly believe that folks will criticize LeBron if the Heat win no matter what, unless he averages like 35 for the series and hits 4 game winners. There definately can't be a Jordan to Paxson or Jordan to Kerr sealer for him.
yup, and kobe and lebron are smarter basketball players than melo and wade. it's that simple. why would you ever mention melo in the same breath as kobe and lebron? melo is a nothing.
Maybe, but this year alone Wade has won the at least 2 games (Charlotte, Minnesota for sure). LeBron hasn't had a single one game winner, and he pretty much blew the game at LAC by missing easy shots and free throws. I am not gonna mention GSW game because Wade sucked too.
You do know the Heat LOST the game on defense right? Both times by Wade, after James gave them the lead TWICE in the last minute and 20 seconds. Making stops can also win you games. People seem to disregard defense so often that it's mind boggling. If Wade didn't foul those 2 times, the Heat had the game in the bag.
Sure defense wins games, especially in the playoffs but he COULD have won it with free throws. And that's fact.
And Wade missed a FT to put the game away too. But you don't hear any media talk regarding Wade choking the game away, which is essentially what he did.
And why? Because Wade has proven himself. He is a champion and is known as a pretty clutch player. LeBron on the other hand has reputation of being a chocker in closing minutes and he's earned it.
I believe it was the right decision, Haslem was wide open and he's deadly from that range. The percentage of that shot going down was bigger than Bron making it through traffic. People criticized how Rose didn't give it to Rip Hamilton in that one game and should've passed instead of playing hero, but when Bron dishes it to a veteran it's suddenly stupid and he should've played hero. Where's the logic guys?
LeBron James @KingJames Man I have a sick feeling in my stomach right now! Really wanted tonight's game. I just had to make one more dang play out there. A stop, rebound, a shot, assist, a block, whatever it took. I fell short again!
