There wasn't anything especially fancy about the play design that got LeBron James wide open to hit the game-tying three-pointer with under a minute remaining in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics. As we noted, Dwyane Wade and James ran a pick and roll, like they have often in this game. The difference: this time, James slipped the screen and popped open on the left wing.
VIDEO: Breaking Down LeBron James’ Game-Tying Three-Pointer
Here’s the video.
“Slipping” the screen is something we see guys do a lot. Basically, it just means that, instead of setting the screen, the player darts into open space before the defense reacts. It’s honestly done all too often by most players, which limits the play’s effectiveness. However, James hadn’t slipped a screen once in this game, so when he did it in this critical moment, the defense wasn’t ready to react.
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