I thought this was very interesting about what these three coaches would do in certain situations if they had both of them to put in to the game at certain points. I think most of it is pretty spot on about how wade would take the shots while james if he could attack the rim. (taken from http://www.prosportsdaily.com/forums/showthread.php?t=335808 thanks MasterMind) http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basketball/heat/sfl-wadelebron030109,0,1773168.story?page=2 Quote: Three respected former NBA coaches -- Jack Ramsay, Mike Fratello and Jeff Van Gundy -- recently offered their thoughts about how they would choose between Wade and James if they still were on the sidelines. Each was presented with a variety of coaching scenarios and then asked to make a Wade-or-James choice. Scenario: Your team is down two, inbounding from midcourt, with five seconds to play. Which player would be your preference to get the ball, Wade or James? Quote: Ramsay: Wade. "He creates better than LeBron. I would rate LeBron as stronger, but not as inventive as Dwyane." Fratello: Wade. "He is more likely to be able to thread and weave his way through the defenses, and his ability to finish or find an open teammate." Van Gundy: Wade. "He has a better pull-up game, and that is what you're going to get at that point." * * * Scenario: Your team is down three, inbounding from midcourt, with five seconds to play. Which player would be your preference to get the ball, Wade or James? Quote: Ramsay: Wade. "He doesn't have more range. LeBron can shoot it from halfcourt, but Dwyane's mechanics are better." Fratello: James. "His percentage is higher and his size makes it easier for him to get the shot off." Van Gundy: James. "Because of more size to get one off." * * * Scenario: You could have Wade or James at the line with no time left and your team down two. Which would be your choice? Quote: Ramsay: Wade. "No question. From my observations, I think he makes a higher percentage of clutch, end-of-the-game shots." Fratello: Wade. "I've seen Dwyane make more in those situations than I have LeBron." Van Gundy: Even. "I feel the same on both of them." * * * Scenario: Your team is down two, with no timeouts left, having to go the length of the court with 10 seconds to play after the opposition makes a free throw. Which player would be your preference to get the ball, Wade or James? Quote: Ramsay: James. "LeBron is a runaway locomotive. With his size, nobody can stop him." Fratello: Wade. "Dwyane, with the ball in his hands, can cover more ground more quickly than LeBron." Van Gundy: Wade. "He's a better pull-up shooter." * * * Scenario: Your team needs a steal, blocked shot, or a defensive stop with other team in possession in the final seconds. Which player would you prefer to have on the court, James or Wade? Quote: Ramsay: Even. "Off the ball, I would take LeBron, as a great shot-blocker who has more elevation. Defending the ball, I think Wade is better." Fratello: James. "He anticipates passing lanes so well, his size, his shot-blocking ability. He's chased down so many shots this year." Van Gundy: Even. "I would have a high confidence in both right there. I think James is more consistent defensively. I think Wade has as good a one-possession ability defensively as anybody." * * * Scenario: Your team is down 14 with six minutes to go. You try to get one last rally from your players. Which player would you choose to insert, Wade or James? Quote: Ramsay: Equal. "They're both great. Either of them can do that and has done that." Fratello: James. "Because it evens it out at 3-3 (laughter). He has Reggie Miller-type runs, like the 16 points he scored in the first three minutes of the third quarter against Milwaukee." Van Gundy: James. "Right now, I think his ability to get to the rim and his ability to create for his teammates. Of course, he's playing with better teammates right now."
That was interesting, thanks for the post. I would like to see their answers with Kobe Bryant's name added to the mix.
Interesting comments from JVG on the importance of shooting pull-up two-pointers in those hypothetical situations. Ironically during his years at the helm of Rockets head coach, I never saw him stress the needs for guards/SFs to sharpen their pull-up shooting skills.
If Wade has the cast Lebron has on Cleveland, their records would be the same if not a bit better... Lebron is just bigger and stronger, but Wade is more of a complete player who doesn't settle for jump shots...watching Lebron lately i see him settling for more jump shots...Wade goes in and either scores or gets fouled I would take Wade over Lebron.... hope he comes to the rockets in 2010 to play with YAO!!!
End of game situations with the clock running down is different from a typical offensive possession. He prefers LeBron over Wade over the span of several possessions, and the reason is because he can get to the basket better. On a last possession, down two, teams are going to pack in the paint and force a jumper.
i think down 2 from halfcourt you would take lebron. not that i wouldn't like wade, but they only mentioned jumpers. we've seen lebron get game winning/tying layups. quite a few actually. and he can seemingly get a teammate an open 3 at the end of a game any time he wants. so i don't think you'd necessarily be choosing the better jump shooter. lebron can get you a layup or an open 3 easier than wade and would even give you the chance to win the game. down 3, i think i'd take wade b/c i'd just trust him to make the shot more than lebron. of course, teams are very stupid when it comes to giving up open 3's when up 3 and i bet lebron could drive and draw the D and get a teammate an open 3. but assuming i wasn't playing a stupid team, i'd take wade. you definitely take wade at the line. i think you have to take lebron for length of the court possession. i take lebron for defensive possession because he could possibly make a freakish play wade couldn't. down 14 with 6 to go i think they're even. wade can get on fire better, but lebron can generate open shot after open shot in addition to his own good shots if he really gets fired up. if you threw kobe into this? i think i'd take him down 3 at midcourt and at the line just because he's the best shooter.
i was thinking the same thing.. i would take kobe on all of those situations.. best closer in the game
Nice idea. I agree with most of what was said. I like Wade over Lebron in most of those situations because I think his mid range shot is more consistent, he is more creative with getting his shots off (especially at the rim) and he just seems more clutch to me than Lebron. Lebron's size and strength is unreal but I think he becomes a bit predictable and thus easier to defend late in games. One shot to win and I'll take Wade.
