The Mysterious Disappearance of LeBron's Shot

[RRR3]

I'm sure I'll get "hurr LeBrick could neva shoot doe" comments, but the reality is that LeBron was a solid, albeit streaky shooter during his best seasons. He's always been prone to cold stretches, but he certainly wasn't embarrassing himself the way he is now during his peak years. We all expected his athleticism to decline, but why are his skills regressing? :hammerhead: His post game, touch around the rim, and especially his jumpshot all seem worse these days.


LeBron Shooting Data (from best to worst) since his first MVP year




0-3 Feet

1. 79.6%, 2013-14
2. 77.6%, 2012-13
3. 75.8%, 2011-12
4. 74.5%, 2009-10
5. 74.4%, 2010-11
6. 72.8%, 2008-09
7. 72.2%, 2014-14
8. 71.1%, 2015-16




3-10 Feet

1. 55.4%, 2013-14
2. 49.4%, 2012-13
3. 48.4%, 2011-12
4. 46.8%, 2009-10
5. 45.9%, 2010-11
6. 45.3%, 2008-09
7. 41.4%, 2014-15
8. 37.1%, 2015-16




10-16 Feet

1. 48.1%, 2011-12
2. 44.3%, 2010-11
3. 41.5%, 2012-13
4. 40.4%, 2013-14
5. 35.6%, 2014-15
6. 34.4%, 2009-10
7. 34.0%, 2015-16
8. 28.6%, 2008-09




Long Twos (16 feet <3)

1. 44.7%, 2012-13
2. 44.5%, 2010-11
3. 39.8%, 2009-10
4. 38.8%, 2008-09
5. 38.4%, 2011-12
6. 37.7%, 2014-15
7. 36.6%, 2013-14
8. 33.9%, 2015-16




3PTers

1. 40.6%, 2012-13
2. 37.9%, 2013-14
3. 36.2%, 2011-12
4. 35.4%, 2014-15
5. 34.4%, 2008-09
6. 33.3%, 2009-10
7. 33.0%, 2010-11
8. 25.7%, 2015-16




Free Throws

1. 78.0%, 2008-09
2. 77.1%, 2011-12
3. 76.7%, 2009-10
4. 75.9%, 2010-11
5. 75.3%, 2012-13
6. 75.0%, 2013-14
7. 71.9%, 2015-16
8. 71.0%, 2014-15





Some of these stats don't include data from yesterday's game btw. Going off of b-ref.





LeBron's shot is horrendous now, and he needs a shooting coach if he wants a chance at winning another ring.

[VengefulAngel]

I'm sure I'll get "hurr LeBrick could neva shoot doe" comments, but the reality is that LeBron was a solid, albeit streaky shooter during his best seasons. He's always been prone to cold stretches, but he certainly wasn't embarrassing himself the way he is now during his peak years. We all expected his athleticism to decline, but why are his skills regressing? :hammerhead: His post game, touch around the rim, and especially his jumpshot all seem worse these days.


LeBron Shooting Data (from best to worst) since his first MVP year




0-3 Feet

1. 79.6%, 2013-14
2. 77.6%, 2012-13
3. 75.8%, 2011-12
4. 74.5%, 2009-10
5. 74.4%, 2010-11
6. 72.8%, 2008-09
7. 72.2%, 2014-14
8. 71.1%, 2015-16




3-10 Feet

1. 55.4%, 2013-14
2. 49.4%, 2012-13
3. 48.4%, 2011-12
4. 46.8%, 2009-10
5. 45.9%, 2010-11
6. 45.3%, 2008-09
7. 41.4%, 2014-15
8. 37.1%, 2015-16




10-16 Feet

1. 48.1%, 2011-12
2. 44.3%, 2010-11
3. 41.5%, 2012-13
4. 40.4%, 2013-14
5. 35.6%, 2014-15
6. 34.4%, 2009-10
7. 34.0%, 2015-16
8. 28.6%, 2008-09




Long Twos (16 feet <3)

1. 44.7%, 2012-13
2. 44.5%, 2010-11
3. 39.8%, 2009-10
4. 38.8%, 2008-09
5. 38.4%, 2011-12
6. 37.7%, 2014-15
7. 36.6%, 2013-14
8. 33.9%, 2015-16




3PTers

1. 40.6%, 2012-13
2. 37.9%, 2013-14
3. 36.2%, 2011-12
4. 35.4%, 2014-15
5. 34.4%, 2008-09
6. 33.3%, 2009-10
7. 33.0%, 2010-11
8. 25.7%, 2015-16




Free Throws

1. 78.0%, 2008-09
2. 77.1%, 2011-12
3. 76.7%, 2009-10
4. 75.9%, 2010-11
5. 75.3%, 2012-13
6. 75.0%, 2013-14
7. 71.9%, 2015-16
8. 71.0%, 2014-15





Some of these stats don't include data from yesterday's game btw. Going off of b-ref.





LeBron's shot is horrendous now, and he needs a shooting coach if he wants a chance at winning another ring.

Doesn't Chris Gent help him with his shooting?

[RRR3]

Doesn't Chris Gent help him with his shooting?
Rondo could help him at this point.

[Giaodollo]

I don't really think it is rocket science as to why his jumper has "disappeared". I have seen people blame his bad back, which could be part of the reason, not being able to get the same lift or even be able to stretch out can be part of the reason but I don't think that is the whole story.. I feel like watching LeBron this season and last he hasn't been as explosive as past years, obviously due to age and other maybe also being fatigued.

LeBron James has been in the finals for five straight years, played internationally and has barley missed a beep. I can't really imagine what toll that takes on a body. I love to root against LeBron but, when you look at it from an objective point of view, his feats are amazing to say the least, this five year stretch from him is one of the most impressing stretch I have ever witnessed. Surely it can be credited to the fairly weak east but he still had to go deep in the playoff every single year with sometimes a team that looked great on paper but in reality was a poor fit with a lot of injuries (Dwade, Bosh, Love, Irving) all been injured, I know people love to talk about the LeBron voodoo, but the voodoo is working against him also, well not against him per se but against his teammates..

Anyway, why I bring this up is because... with all that, he has lost a lot of athleticism, probably due to age, he turns 31 in like four days. And opponents know that, he isn't getting as much space anymore, in his young days it was like, take the three just don't blow past me and dunk it. Today defenders can put their body on him because he has lost a step and he doesn't blow past them as easy anymore.

And part is fatigue, a tired body is more keen to miss a shot, that isn't really a secret, I think. He just doesn't have the energy to go out and do it day in and day out.

Also I think people are forgetting his work on defense this year, I think this is one of his most impressive defensive years ever when it comes to his man defense, part of his game that has been lacking before.

To summarize
*Age
*Toll on body
*Bad back
*Defenders not giving him as much space
*Fatigue

[Akrazotile]

The supporting casts he's had on the Cavs these last two years have been the worst he's ever had.

His previous Cleveland teams didnt have great players but they fit really well together and had great chemistry. Even though Lebron had to single-handedly carry them to any success, I don't think it was as difficult to do. Obviously the Miami teams, once they gelled, were similar to the Cleveland teams in that regard.

This Cavs team seems to just have poorly fitting players. Underperforming players. Guys with hype but who don't produce. Guys getting hurt all the time. It's a mess.

Lebron has to expend way more energy on this team, especially defensively, than he's ever had to. At a given time he may have Kyrie Irving, JR Smith, and Kevin Love on the court together. That's a defensive wasteland. It's up to Lebron to compensate.

Dude is putting in hella work. It's clearly affecting his shot.

[Akrazotile]

I don't really think it is rocket science as to why his jumper has "disappeared". I have seen people blame his bad back, which could be part of the reason, not being able to get the same lift or even be able to stretch out can be part of the reason but I don't think that is the whole story.. I feel like watching LeBron this season and last he hasn't been as explosive as past years, obviously due to age and other maybe also being fatigued.

LeBron James has been in the finals for five straight years, played internationally and has barley missed a beep. I can't really imagine what toll that takes on a body. I love to root against LeBron but, when you look at it from an objective point of view, his feats are amazing to say the least, this five year stretch from him is one of the most impressing stretch I have ever witnessed. Surely it can be credited to the fairly weak east but he still had to go deep in the playoff every single year with sometimes a team that looked great on paper but in reality was a poor fit with a lot of injuries (Dwade, Bosh, Love, Irving) all been injured, I know people love to talk about the LeBron voodoo, but the voodoo is working against him also, well not against him per se but against his teammates..

Anyway, why I bring this up is because... with all that, he has lost a lot of athleticism, probably due to age, he turns 31 in like four days. And opponents know that, he isn't getting as much space anymore, in his young days it was like, take the three just don't blow past me and dunk it. Today defenders can put their body on him because he has lost a step and he doesn't blow past them as easy anymore.

And part is fatigue, a tired body is more keen to miss a shot, that isn't really a secret, I think. He just doesn't have the energy to go out and do it day in and day out.

Also I think people are forgetting his work on defense this year, I think this is one of his most impressive defensive years ever when it comes to his man defense, part of his game that has been lacking before.

To summarize
*Age
*Toll on body
*Bad back
*Defenders not giving him as much space
*Fatigue


^ All good points as well.

[Locked_Up_Tonight]

I don't really think it is rocket science as to why his jumper has "disappeared". I have seen people blame his bad back, which could be part of the reason, not being able to get the same lift or even be able to stretch out can be part of the reason but I don't think that is the whole story.. I feel like watching LeBron this season and last he hasn't been as explosive as past years, obviously due to age and other maybe also being fatigued.

LeBron James has been in the finals for five straight years, played internationally and has barley missed a beep. I can't really imagine what toll that takes on a body. I love to root against LeBron but, when you look at it from an objective point of view, his feats are amazing to say the least, this five year stretch from him is one of the most impressing stretch I have ever witnessed. Surely it can be credited to the fairly weak east but he still had to go deep in the playoff every single year with sometimes a team that looked great on paper but in reality was a poor fit with a lot of injuries (Dwade, Bosh, Love, Irving) all been injured, I know people love to talk about the LeBron voodoo, but the voodoo is working against him also, well not against him per se but against his teammates..

Anyway, why I bring this up is because... with all that, he has lost a lot of athleticism, probably due to age, he turns 31 in like four days. And opponents know that, he isn't getting as much space anymore, in his young days it was like, take the three just don't blow past me and dunk it. Today defenders can put their body on him because he has lost a step and he doesn't blow past them as easy anymore.

And part is fatigue, a tired body is more keen to miss a shot, that isn't really a secret, I think. He just doesn't have the energy to go out and do it day in and day out.

Also I think people are forgetting his work on defense this year, I think this is one of his most impressive defensive years ever when it comes to his man defense, part of his game that has been lacking before.

To summarize
*Age
*Toll on body
*Bad back
*Defenders not giving him as much space
*Fatigue

Very spot on. Posters think wear and tear doesn't mean anything. Wear and tear makes everything a player does, worse. People say about shooters: they will shoot til they are 100. But it takes athleticism, agility, etc to get to the spot and release.

Sure players can walk into an empty gym and outshoot someone. Bird at his age could outshoot a lot of people. But make Bird run around screens, fight for position, etc... his shooting at his age would be very ugly.

Other greats are no different. Wear and tear matters. And LeBron is an **old** 31 year old.

[Marchesk]

To summarize
*Age
*Toll on body
*Bad back
*Defenders not giving him as much space
*Fatigue

So why not rest Lebron for part of the season now that Kyrie is back? Sure, the Cavs might get a worse seed, but as long as they make the playoffs, who is beating them in a 7 game series in the East? The important thing is having Lebron healthy for the finals, because beating GS or the Spurs is going to take a huge effort.

[RRR3]

Or at least have Kyrie be the guy for a while and LeBron takes it easy (relatively speaking).

LeBron's shot is just gone. According to NBA.com, LeBron was 46/100 on isolation scorings about a week ago IIRC. Since then he is 6/27 in ISos. Ouch.

[DMV2]

All top 3 was when he had Wade and Bosh in Miami.

It's not a mystery that Wade and Bosh made basketball so much easier for lebron.

[Fire Colangelo]

So why not rest Lebron for part of the season now that Kyrie is back? Sure, the Cavs might get a worse seed, but as long as they make the playoffs, who is beating them in a 7 game series in the East? The important thing is having Lebron healthy for the finals, because beating GS or the Spurs is going to take a huge effort.

Chemistry....

You want to have your team as synchronized as possible come playoff time as well. Kyrie's been out for like 2 months, you can't afford to miss Lebron and expect them to just click come playoff finals time.

I'm sure Lebron will get his rest when he feels he need to, most likely near the end of the season.

[robby712]

All top 3 was when he had Wade and Bosh in Miami.

It's not a mystery that Wade and Bosh made basketball so much easier for lebron.

I don't think it was Wade and Bosh but the whole Miami system. I'm a Heat fan and I can say I watched a ton of games when he was playing in Florida and it's a clear difference of the way he plays vs the way hr played in Miami. Of course, he never was a great shooter , but he never was this bad. Of course that age and miles have a factor, but it should influence more his jumping and running, not his shot.
If you watch him play in Miami, It feels like they were running more plays, his game feels a lot more natural, free flowing. He was getting a ton of points on the fast break ( him and wade i think were the best duo on the fast break ever) , but his shots were better. His shot selection was clearly better. He is shooting a lot more long 2's than I remember him in Miami, and his 3 pt shot is making me cringe every time. He was getting a lot more catch and shoot oportunities in Miami, now it seems that most of his 3's are of the dribble. He is also very predictable, you can see he is going to take a shot most of the time. His movement is kind of off, I don't know how to explain, he seems sloppy out there, his shot used to be more controlled. His body movement does not seem natural when he shoots.
Also he only shot very good in 12-13 and 13-14, that's when Ray Allen was there. I think he helped with his form a lot, he said that they worked together on his free throws.
One last thing, his fg% is down also because he is not getting the same calls -> more shots missed. He gets some crazy ones every now and then but mostly when he attacks the rim he gets pushed/pulled/hit on the hand and nothing.

[inclinerator]

the funny thing is he's even missing tons in practice

[Lebronxrings]

he has an injury.

[Jacks3]

What's so mysterious about it? He's always been a mediocre shooter. His post-season shooting in particular has been awful. Did people forget the 2013 finals ? Dude was literally given wide open jumpers by the spurs and he was still bricking.

[Sarcastic]

Father Time is undefeated.

[Mr. Jabbar]

back then when I was the leader of the lebron family this shooting issue had me really concerned... to the point I said: why root for this colluding ph.aggot if he can't even shoot?, and left.

[Chokefree]

he has an injury.
:roll: :roll: dude, you got called out by someone and you never responded, you a bitch made fakkit :roll:

[Wade's Rings]

back then when I was the leader of the lebron family this shooting issue had me really concerned... to the point I said: why root for this colluding ph.aggot if he can't even shoot?, and left.

So you ran away/hopped teams just like Lebron?

[G0ATbe]

It's harder to make a shot when it's actually being contested. He never had to deal with that in Miami.

[jrong]

He's not on the Heat anymore. In 2014, he shot 57% and Wade shot 55%. I predicted when he left that neither of them would ever see those percentages again. Neither of them have even seen 50% since then.

But, it's not just the absence of Wade (and Bosh). The Heat offense was designed to get him easy baskets. He was the designated finisher, and the big-three era Heat made a lot of plays for him to finish. Dunks are a very high percentage shot.

[BigNBAfan]

http://i.imgur.com/PCb9Ol5.gif

[diamenz]

:roll: :roll: dude, you got called out by someone and you never responded, you a bitch made fakkit :roll:

sounds like something lebron would do.

[Lebronxrings]

no spacing is the issue.

[LBJMVP]

weird to watch. I know he hasn't been amazing jump shooter but this at the moment you almost scream noooo!!! whenever he shoots a jumper.


shouldn't have quoted him, but the guy who said that kyrie should take over for a while is right. it's to bad that kyrie himself still has to work himself into game shape and be able to play 33-36 minutes a game.

[dhsilv]

I don't really think it is rocket science as to why his jumper has "disappeared". I have seen people blame his bad back, which could be part of the reason, not being able to get the same lift or even be able to stretch out can be part of the reason but I don't think that is the whole story.. I feel like watching LeBron this season and last he hasn't been as explosive as past years, obviously due to age and other maybe also being fatigued.

LeBron James has been in the finals for five straight years, played internationally and has barley missed a beep. I can't really imagine what toll that takes on a body. I love to root against LeBron but, when you look at it from an objective point of view, his feats are amazing to say the least, this five year stretch from him is one of the most impressing stretch I have ever witnessed. Surely it can be credited to the fairly weak east but he still had to go deep in the playoff every single year with sometimes a team that looked great on paper but in reality was a poor fit with a lot of injuries (Dwade, Bosh, Love, Irving) all been injured, I know people love to talk about the LeBron voodoo, but the voodoo is working against him also, well not against him per se but against his teammates..

Anyway, why I bring this up is because... with all that, he has lost a lot of athleticism, probably due to age, he turns 31 in like four days. And opponents know that, he isn't getting as much space anymore, in his young days it was like, take the three just don't blow past me and dunk it. Today defenders can put their body on him because he has lost a step and he doesn't blow past them as easy anymore.

And part is fatigue, a tired body is more keen to miss a shot, that isn't really a secret, I think. He just doesn't have the energy to go out and do it day in and day out.

Also I think people are forgetting his work on defense this year, I think this is one of his most impressive defensive years ever when it comes to his man defense, part of his game that has been lacking before.

To summarize
*Age
*Toll on body
*Bad back
*Defenders not giving him as much space
*Fatigue

Bold, you nailed it! What he's doing is unreal. Nobody ever has had to do what he's doing. And in this era was zone defense where players don't just stand around on defense, it's insane.

[CurryOverLebron]

Youtube comment said its because he bulked up. The extra muscles are messing up his shot.

[WayOfWade]

What's so mysterious about it? He's always been a mediocre shooter. His post-season shooting in particular has been awful. Did people forget the 2013 finals ? Dude was literally given wide open jumpers by the spurs and he was still bricking.
What?!

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--bBeWZ7Rq--/c_fit,f_auto,fl_progressive,q_80,w_320/18rr335mymaeegif.gif

That's what cost the Spurs Game 7, the fact that they did give him those shots. And don't act like he's "always" been mediocre, just read the op

[Dragonyeuw]

Lebron's shooting was always setup by his drives and ability to get to the rim, and when he didnt have to be overly reliant on it. Nowadays he cant get to the rim as much, and when he does he really is 'bulldozing' more than ever, and he cant get any kind of real shooting rhythm. Yes, age/mileage etc has led to the athletic decline.

[Gileraracer]

That's why they call him Lebron "The Airball" James now.

[buddha]

it's a mental thing with him. since he can't use his HGH he doesn't feel like he has an edge anymore which is effecting his confidence.

[CavaliersFTW]

Dare you to shoot defense

[ImKobe]

What?!

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--bBeWZ7Rq--/c_fit,f_auto,fl_progressive,q_80,w_320/18rr335mymaeegif.gif

That's what cost the Spurs Game 7, the fact that they did give him those shots. And don't act like he's "always" been mediocre, just read the op

obviously didn't watch the first 5 games of the series...he was shooting like 37% and averaged under 20 ppg the first 3 games (off the top of my head).

[WayOfWade]

obviously didn't watch the first 5 games of the series...he was shooting like 37% and averaged under 20 ppg the first 3 games (off the top of my head).
I watched all 7 games multiple times you idiot, and you obviously didn't read the post I responded to, learn to read buddy.


He's always been a mediocre shooter. His post-season shooting in particular has been awful. Did people forget the 2013 finals ? Dude was literally given wide open jumpers by the spurs and he was still bricking.
Not only has he not "always" been a mediocre shooter, he's been great at times; prisoner of the moment right here. And was he still bricking? No as I showed. Yeah he played like crap the first 5 games, but don't act like giving him space isn't what cost the Spurs Game 7.

[Indian guy]

Lebron's shooting was always setup by his drives and ability to get to the rim, and when he didnt have to be overly reliant on it. Nowadays he cant get to the rim as much, and when he does he really is 'bulldozing' more than ever

I feel like you and others are saying this simply because he's 30+ now, but nothing on the court suggests LeBron's not a great athlete anymore. LeBron's attemping a whopping 46% of his FGA from 0-3 feet this season. His career average is 34%. Doesn't sound like a player who's having a hard time getting to the basket. In fact, as someone who watches every LeBron game, I'd argue this is the 2nd quickest version of him post-2010. Last season(post 2-week break) being the quickest. He has lost some ups and thus his at-rim percentages have declined a bit, but that doesn't explain why he's having his worst shooting season since his rookie year. Nothing can, really. Maybe a shooting coach really is that necessary for him, because he hasn't had one since leaving Miami.

[Indian guy]

Neither of them have even seen 50% since then.

That's rather opportunistic. LeBron was at 50% entering the Christmas day game against GS. He had been at or above 50% all season up until the last 2 games. Of course, he was never going to touch the percentages he had in Miami for a multitude of reasons. 1) He mostly played the 4 on offense in Miami. He pretty much never does in Cleveland. 2) Miami had a much more sophisticated half-court offense that led to higher % shots for everyone. Cleveland's mostly iso or high pick n roll. 3) Turnovers. Heat were among the best at forcing them. 4) Shot selection. LeBron was very selective with his shots in Miami. His FGA per36 is much higher in Cleveland, even though he's still playing on a loaded squad. He stopped being conscious of his FG%.

[2swift4u]

I wonder what has happened to Lebron's jumper since his Miami days. He used to shoot very well for a while but this year his jumper has looked like s..t so far. I mean he's never been a great natural shooter but lately his shooting has been hard to watch.

[Doranku]

All top 3 was when he had Wade and Bosh in Miami.

It's not a mystery that Wade and Bosh made basketball so much easier for lebron.

This. People like to say Kobe was lucky to have Shaq/Gasol, but LeBron is literally nothing without Wade except two <40% finals performances.

[Straight_Ballin]

Does it matter why his shooting has regressed? I could understand if this guy was 5/5 and on his way to becoming GOAT but he's a 2/6 colluder that complained his whole career about never having enough help. Fixing a jump shot doesn't turn a choker into a champion.

[Wade's Rings]

He's not on the Heat anymore. In 2014, he shot 57% and Wade shot 55%. I predicted when he left that neither of them would ever see those percentages again. Neither of them have even seen 50% since then.

But, it's not just the absence of Wade (and Bosh). The Heat offense was designed to get him easy baskets. He was the designated finisher, and the big-three era Heat made a lot of plays for him to finish. Dunks are a very high percentage shot.

Wade was at 51% last year until his late January injury.

[3ball]

You guys are ridiculous - Lebron's efficiency on shots OTHER THAN at-rim or 3-pointers has ALWAYS BEEN BAD, except for 2 or 3 seasons where it was average or slightly above average.

Every other year he's been a below-average shooter on shots other than at-rim or 3-pointer - the stats show that in obvious fashion.

So there's no "mysterious disappearance" of his shot - HE'S NEVER BEEN ABLE TO SHOOT!!!

[Straight_Ballin]

Wade was at 51% last year until his late January injury.

Shut it down

[3ball]

Of course, he was never going to touch the percentages he had in Miami for a multitude of reasons. 1) He mostly played the 4 on offense in Miami. He pretty much never does in Cleveland. 2) Miami had a much more sophisticated half-court offense that led to higher % shots for everyone. Cleveland's mostly iso or high pick n roll. 3) Turnovers. Heat were among the best at forcing them. 4) Shot selection. LeBron was very selective with his shots in Miami. His FGA per36 is much higher in Cleveland, even though he's still playing on a loaded squad. He stopped being conscious of his FG%.


I agree with everything you said, except the bolded above.. It's flatly untrue.. Lebron didn't play PF on offense in Miami - he might have started at that position, but his duties on the court were not PF.

This is proven by his time of possession.. Time of possession is a point guard stat - the top 50 guys in time of possession every year are all point guards, except Lebron and Harden (http://stats.nba.com/tracking/#!/player/possessions/?sort=TIME_OF_POSS&dir=1&Season=2013-14&SeasonType=Regular%20Season).. Those are the only non-PG's that rank in the top 50 and they rank ahead of many point guards - this was the case in 2014 (the first year where this stat was tracked).

These are the statistical facts.. But by saying he played PF, that implies he wasn't a league leader in time of possession/ball-domination, which the stats show he was... And it implies he posted up a lot, which isn't true - he posted up less than 10% of the time, which wouldn't rate as a PF.

[Dragonyeuw]

I feel like you and others are saying this simply because he's 30+ now, but nothing on the court suggests LeBron's not a great athlete anymore. LeBron's attemping a whopping 46% of his FGA from 0-3 feet this season. His career average is 34%. Doesn't sound like a player who's having a hard time getting to the basket. In fact, as someone who watches every LeBron game, I'd argue this is the 2nd quickest version of him post-2010. Last season(post 2-week break) being the quickest. He has lost some ups and thus his at-rim percentages have declined a bit, but that doesn't explain why he's having his worst shooting season since his rookie year. Nothing can, really. Maybe a shooting coach really is that necessary for him, because he hasn't had one since leaving Miami.

I didn't say he wasn't a great athlete anymore, that would be ridiculous. He's obviously not as explosive as 5-6 years ago, or during his championship seasons in Miami. As far as his percentage of attempts from 0-3 feet, how many of those are post-ups? But in any event, his finishing ability isn't what it was, for the reasons of age/mileage already discussed. I still say that Lebron's shooting rhythm suffers when he either can't get to the rim,or can't finish with the same fervor he once did, take your pick. It amounts to pretty much the same end result. Between 2009 and 2010, he was driving and finishing at the rim as a historically great level. In 2012 and 2013, he was able to get alot of easy transition baskets on top of still-elite rim-finishing, in both situations his shooting was at a higher level than now or earlier in his career. He shoots now almost as if he isn't expecting to make the basket.

[Indian guy]

As far as his percentage of attempts from 0-3 feet, how many of those are post-ups?

Very few. I don't have the numbers, but just from watching every game, he doesn't really post up much. He's creating from outside 75%+ of the time.


I still say that Lebron's shooting rhythm suffers when he either can't get to the rim,or can't finish with the same fervor he once did

Errr, how does that explain how poor of a shooter he was pre-2009 then? His athletic prime was 06-09. Last year was IMO his most athletic since 2010, and yet his shooting had fallen off significantly compared to Miami. His least athletic season as a pro was 2011 by far, and yet that was arguably arguably the best perimeter shooting season of his career inside the 3pt line.

Just not seeing the correlation between his athleticism and shooting that you're trying to draw. There seems to be none.

[Jacks3]

[QUOTE=WayOfWade]What?!

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--bBeWZ7Rq--/c_fit,f_auto,fl_progressive,q_80,w_320/18rr335mymaeegif.gif

That's what cost the Spurs Game 7, the fact that they did give him those shots.

It's always they were able to push the series to 7 games and why they should have won in 7.


And don't act like he's "always" been mediocre, just read the op

You're right. He's had some decent reg seasons, it's his post-season shooting that has been ridiculously bad.

[RRR3]

[QUOTE]

It's always they were able to push the series to 7 games and why they should have won in 7.



You're right. He's had some decent reg seasons, it's his post-season shooting that has been ridiculously bad.
His jumpshooting in 2011 playoffs was damn good IIRC (until the finals). His shot was off in 2012 playoffs, but he dominated in the post and did some damage from midrange. 2013 he definitely had playoff games where he was shooting great. 2014 playoffs he was just a great shooter period. :confusedshrug:

[WayOfWade]

[QUOTE]

It's always they were able to push the series to 7 games and why they should have won in 7.



You're right. He's had some decent reg seasons, it's his post-season shooting that has been ridiculously bad.
I can agree with that, good post

http://gif.co/o77g.gif

[Dragonyeuw]

Errr, how does that explain how poor of a shooter he was pre-2009 then? His athletic prime was 06-09. Last year was IMO his most athletic since 2010, and yet his shooting had fallen off significantly compared to Miami. His least athletic season as a pro was 2011 by far, and yet that was arguably arguably the best perimeter shooting season of his career inside the 3pt line.

Just not seeing the correlation between his athleticism and shooting that you're trying to draw. There seems to be none.

To your question, the only answer I can give is he generally improved as a shooter, at least his mechanics, after 5- 6 seasons. What was the catalyst for his shooting in 2012 and 2013? I would disagree that last year was his most athletic since 2010, his last year in Miami was more explosive.

Lebron is a streak or rhythm shooter. His shooting, even at its best, has always been a complimentary component of his game.
So since you're shooting down my theories, Id be interested in your reasons for the shooting decline. My observation, taking the athleticism aspect out of it, is he sometimes seems to tense up in instances where a team has managed to make him beat them from the perimeter. As for what is going on this year, you tell me.

[RRR3]

Regardless of what you think of LeBron's shooting, it's been a very long time since he's been this bad, and he's actually NEVER been this bad from 3 in a regular season (he was similarly atrocious in the playoffs last year, which is when this whole LeBrokeshot thing really ramped up). Sure, LeBron was streaky even at his best, but he was capable of games where he'd hit a bunch of bullshit jumpers. Does anyone honestly expect LeBron to hit a jumper at all the way he's shooting right now?

[raprap]

I first thought it was about his back, but now i think it's all mental. He's always been a crap shooter off the dribble(unless he's on a streak). He should get his ass on the elbow, in a triple threat position and just shoot over guys. Idk why he doesn't try that anymore. :(

[RRR3]

He needs to stop ISO'ing so much until he can at least shoot competently. Tracking ISo stats on nba.com, he had been one of the best ISO scorers all year until the last handful of games in which he's been beyond horrible.

[TommyGriffin]

Might be time for him to try shooting left-handed.

http://usatthebiglead.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/lbj5.gif

Form looks a little better tbh.

[The Custodian]

I watched all 7 games multiple times you idiot, and you obviously didn't read the post I responded to, learn to read buddy.



http://ci.memecdn.com/861/1980861.jpg

[sundizz]

It's not complicated - he is a flow shooter. He doesn't have the sort of form that is all together amazingly reliable (e.g. Klay = textbook).

So, when he's not flowing as much in the game and his rhythm is off he is more likely to miss shots.

This is a gradual occurrence for a lot of players like him. He is used to making 3-4 shots in a row at some point in the game and that always helps his fg a lot (as well as game impact).

He's simply not getting that "zone" feeling as much these days because he can't create (or rely) on his ability to create separation and get easy buckets to get his in game confidence peaking.

Simply put, the rest of the NBA is luckily experiencing what the Spurs/Dubs/Mavs did to him in the playoffs. They protected the easy shots really well and relied on him to lose confidence. That translated to making less shots (even when more open) from the outside. The rest of the NBA naturally is getting that type of defense on him now because he's slowed down.

[2swift4u]

It's not complicated - he is a flow shooter. He doesn't have the sort of form that is all together amazingly reliable (e.g. Klay = textbook).

So, when he's not flowing as much in the game and his rhythm is off he is more likely to miss shots.

This is a gradual occurrence for a lot of players like him. He is used to making 3-4 shots in a row at some point in the game and that always helps his fg a lot (as well as game impact).

He's simply not getting that "zone" feeling as much these days because he can't create (or rely) on his ability to create separation and get easy buckets to get his in game confidence peaking.

Simply put, the rest of the NBA is luckily experiencing what the Spurs/Dubs/Mavs did to him in the playoffs. They protected the easy shots really well and relied on him to lose confidence. That translated to making less shots (even when more open) from the outside. The rest of the NBA naturally is getting that type of defense on him now because he's slowed down.

Imo it's not that simple. Because if you put it like that then every basketball player on this planet is a "flow shooter". We all shoot the ball better if we get several shots in a row. That's only logical.
Something else has happened to Lebron's jumpshot imo. In his Miami days he was shooting better no matter what kind of shot he would take. Of course he picked his shots better but he made shots of the dribble, catch and shoot, you name it. You can argue he's not a natural shooter but when he was with Miami it was often reported that him and Ray Allen and James Jones would have 3point shoot-outs at the end of training and that he would win a lot of those. I'm quite sure that he couldn't do that anymore. Most likely he has changed his shooting form again in the meantime. Just like he has changed his freethrow shooting form several times over the last couple of years. And I have no idea why he or any other professional player would do that.

[PP34Deuce]

Watching Lebron, I notice a couple of things...

He's trying to play within the flow. He's really not doing Lebron ball nearly as much. the issue is they have been trying to get Kevin Love going in the post and it ends up with Lebron being out at 3 land. He has varying rhythm. The perfect player for lebron offensively is Ryan Anderson. Anderson is a better 3 point shooter than Love and would be flat out dangerous in a Cleveland offense. Lebron has no confidence in that jumper and he's turning into an over passing Rondo.

They want to play a traditional line up but they don't traditional players.
Kyrie is not a PG- He's a decent floor general with 25PPG ability.
Love is honestly a tweener that plays the 4.
Tristan is a true 4 but has no offensive skill to be there at long periods.
Ultimately, this team starts slow because they still can't figure out their best lineup.

This team has a lot of talent but it's also mercurial talent. They are a slightly better functioning Clippers team.

JR Smith is moody and streaky
Iman has been hurt, but he can be very streaky
Mozgof is useless if you don't get him going early.

This team is championship caliber but they also have talented cast off's that can sulk and tune out at any minute.

[34-24 Footwork]

- Nothing is mechanically correct about his jumpshot.

- His dribbling nor his lateral movement doesn't create enough space for him to comfortably get off a clean look off the dribble.

- People are starting to not respect his "blow by speed" anymore (similar to what's happening to Kobe)



This is it. It's no mystery, guys. I just wish he was the type to attempt to shoot himself out of the slump...but I think he cares way too much about his percentages.

[34-24 Footwork]

Watching Lebron, I notice a couple of things...

He's trying to play within the flow. He's really not doing Lebron ball nearly as much. the issue is they have been trying to get Kevin Love going in the post and it ends up with Lebron being out at 3 land. He has varying rhythm. The perfect player for lebron offensively is Ryan Anderson. Anderson is a better 3 point shooter than Love and would be flat out dangerous in a Cleveland offense. Lebron has no confidence in that jumper and he's turning into an over passing Rondo.

They want to play a traditional line up but they don't traditional players.
Kyrie is not a PG- He's a decent floor general with 25PPG ability.
Love is honestly a tweener that plays the 4.
Tristan is a true 4 but has no offensive skill to be there at long periods.
Ultimately, this team starts slow because they still can't figure out their best lineup.

This team has a lot of talent but it's also mercurial talent. They are a slightly better functioning Clippers team.

JR Smith is moody and streaky
Iman has been hurt, but he can be very streaky
Mozgof is useless if you don't get him going early.

This team is championship caliber but they also have talented cast off's that can sulk and tune out at any minute.


Bron is the key, imo. If he doesn't play a traditional role as a SF, they cant win. If your small forward is always in the paint, then where the fvck are your other 4 players? Where is TT, Love and Mosgov? About 10-23 ft away from the basket? Ok, if Bron is doubled, then you have cutters. But what if he isn't doubled? He's essentially taking 2-3 teammates out of their comfort level every possession and the team which won't foster good team chemistry (see Warriors).

[PP34Deuce]

Bron is the key, imo. If he doesn't play a traditional role as a SF, they cant win. If your small forward is always in the paint, then where the fvck are your other 4 players? Where is TT, Love and Mosgov? About 10-23 ft away from the basket? Ok, if Bron is doubled, then you have cutters. But what if he isn't doubled? He's essentially taking 2-3 teammates out of their comfort level every possession and the team which won't foster good team chemistry (see Warriors).


I agree. He needs to take the 3's. I would love to him more pick n rolls with him and Love. If Lebron was just a little more respectable on his jumpshot, it would open up more holes for him to penetrate.

[3ball]

I'm sure I'll get "hurr LeBrick could neva shoot doe" comments, but the reality is that LeBron was a solid, albeit streaky shooter during his best seasons. He's always been prone to cold stretches, but he certainly wasn't embarrassing himself the way he is now during his peak years. We all expected his athleticism to decline, but why are his skills regressing? :hammerhead: His post game, touch around the rim, and especially his jumpshot all seem worse these days.


LeBron Shooting Data (from best to worst) since his first MVP year




0-3 Feet

1. 79.6%, 2013-14
2. 77.6%, 2012-13
3. 75.8%, 2011-12
4. 74.5%, 2009-10
5. 74.4%, 2010-11
6. 72.8%, 2008-09
7. 72.2%, 2014-14
8. 71.1%, 2015-16




3-10 Feet

1. 55.4%, 2013-14
2. 49.4%, 2012-13
3. 48.4%, 2011-12
4. 46.8%, 2009-10
5. 45.9%, 2010-11
6. 45.3%, 2008-09
7. 41.4%, 2014-15
8. 37.1%, 2015-16




10-16 Feet

1. 48.1%, 2011-12
2. 44.3%, 2010-11
3. 41.5%, 2012-13
4. 40.4%, 2013-14
5. 35.6%, 2014-15
6. 34.4%, 2009-10
7. 34.0%, 2015-16
8. 28.6%, 2008-09




Long Twos (16 feet <3)

1. 44.7%, 2012-13
2. 44.5%, 2010-11
3. 39.8%, 2009-10
4. 38.8%, 2008-09
5. 38.4%, 2011-12
6. 37.7%, 2014-15
7. 36.6%, 2013-14
8. 33.9%, 2015-16




3PTers

1. 40.6%, 2012-13
2. 37.9%, 2013-14
3. 36.2%, 2011-12
4. 35.4%, 2014-15
5. 34.4%, 2008-09
6. 33.3%, 2009-10
7. 33.0%, 2010-11
8. 25.7%, 2015-16




Free Throws

1. 78.0%, 2008-09
2. 77.1%, 2011-12
3. 76.7%, 2009-10
4. 75.9%, 2010-11
5. 75.3%, 2012-13
6. 75.0%, 2013-14
7. 71.9%, 2015-16
8. 71.0%, 2014-15





Some of these stats don't include data from yesterday's game btw. Going off of b-ref.





LeBron's shot is horrendous now, and he needs a shooting coach if he wants a chance at winning another ring.
Lebron simply can't shoot and it's a flaw

He shot as low as 32.5% (https://stats.nba.com/player/2544/shooting/?Season=2003-04&SeasonType=Regular%20Season) on jumpers in 2004, up to 42.5% (https://stats.nba.com/player/2544/shooting/?Season=2012-13&SeasonType=Regular%20Season) in 2013, compared to Jordan's 50%+ during a 126 regular season stretch from 90-92' (https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/91so5r/repost_from_last_year_199092_michael_jordan_shot/?utm_source=amp&utm_medium=&utm_content=post_body) (confirmed data) and high 40's during the 2nd three-peat (stats here (https://stats.nba.com/player/893/shooting/?Season=1996-97&SeasonType=Regular%20Season)).

The jumpshooting stats matter because only great jumpshooters get double-teamed... i.e. teams meet drivers at the rim with multiple defenders, thereby not needing to get the ball out of their hands - but the only defense against a hot shooter is to get the ball out of their hands

So Lebron's lack of shooting allows opposing coaches to stay at home and lock down teammates - Stan Van Gundy said he didn't need to double lebron in the 09' ECF and that's how he shut down his teammates - so Lebron's weak shooting and lack of double-teams is a massive flaw in his game.. Similarly, the 15' Warriors doubled Lebron a paltry 5.4% (https://i.makeagif.com/media/3-22-2019/6e5aBZ.gif) of possessions.

[tpols]

his shot has gone cold in many big series...

there's nothing mysterious about it he gets shook if the layup line is cut off.