LeBron James says he’s playing better than ever
James, who has put up huge numbers while leading his banged-up Cavaliers team to the NBA Finals, believes he’s playing the best ball of his career.
LeBron James has enjoyed an illustrious career, but the four-time MVP and two-time champion has pulled off one of his best feats yet by getting his banged-up Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in dominant fashion. Despite some shooting struggles this postseason, James feels he's playing the best basketball of his career, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
“I think if you put it all together, yeah,” James said. “If you put everything together as far as my mind, my body, my game. If you put everything in one bottle, this is probably the best I’ve been.”
James is averaging a double-double in these playoffs, putting up 27.6 points per game and grabbing 10.4 rebounds per game. He’s also dishing out 8.3 assists per game, which places him in elite company: Oscar Robertson is the only player in NBA history to average over 27 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in the playoffs, per Basketball-Reference.com. Robertson did it twice, but one of those times came in only four games.
James’s 27.6 points per game this postseason is just shy of his 27.9 career playoff scoring average, but he’s currently well above his career playoff averages in rebounds (8.6) and assists (6.6). James is also blocking 1.3 shots per game this postseason, and he’s only blocked a shot per game three other times over the course of his playoff career.
Where James has struggled compared to previous years is his shooting. He’s shooting just 42.8 percent overall and 17.6 percent from three in these playoffs, well down from his career playoff marks of 47.7 percent overall and 31.9 percent from three. He’s getting to the line less often despite shooting more than ever, which is playing a role in the decrease in efficiency.
When you focus on those shooting numbers, it’s hard to argue that James is playing the best ball of his career. But when you look at the total package on both ends of the floor and consider how much of a burden he’s taking on, the argument can be made.
Besides, nobody knows how he’s feeling better than James himself.
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