Home »
Misc »
How did lebron get so good at basketball
How did lebron get so good at basketball
Breaking Down How LeBron James Is the Most Unique NBA Star Ever | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
There is a case to be made for why LeBron James is the most unique NBA star we’ve ever seen.
People will often say he’s the same size of Karl Malone except he plays like a guard. Some people mention the incredible passing ability—not just for his position but in general. Some people will talk about his strength going to the basket and his otherworldly defense.
Well, Serge Ibaka might not agree with that last sentiment. If he starts arguing with you about the subject, just pump fake him and he’ll be out of your hair.
Do I think LeBron James is the most unique star to ever play the game? I think he’s very close to being classified as such. There is a big part of me that is hesitant to just give him that status because of the era we’re currently in and the eras that came before us.![]()
When discussing whether or not a guy is the best ever at something or the most unique ever, one must consider the era in which they were playing. When George Mikan was dominating the BAA and the NBA, he was 6’10” and 240 pounds. Almost every other center playing against him was around 6’7” or 6’8” and weighed a lot less.
He was ahead of his time.
When Wilt Chamberlain was setting every scoring record imaginable in the 60s and 70s, he wasn’t just the biggest guy in the league; he was also a world-class track and field athlete. There wasn’t anybody else during his time that could do the things he was able to do athletically.
He used to make free throws by dunking them, causing the NCAA to change rules in order to stop him from doing it.
Then you get to someone like Magic Johnson—a 6’8” player that was probably the inspiration for everybody’s attempt at creating a player in basketball video games the first time around. For his era, there weren’t guards even close to his size, and yet he was able to do everything your typical point guard could do.
So is LeBron James unique to the era he’s playing in?
He is and he isn’t. The NBA has evolved into a league of hyper-athletic small forwards masquerading around other positions on the court. Positions are becoming less of a necessity and more of a novelty. Instead, coaches are putting out their best five-man lineups, regardless of what position a guy naturally plays.
LeBron embodies this more than any player in the NBA. He can literally play all five traditional positions and he gives you the versatility in your lineups that the mad scientists on the sidelines crave.
LeBron fits into his current era perfectly and maybe that’s what makes him so unique. There are four reasons he’s able to accomplish these feats and play anywhere on the basketball court.
Passing Ability
I always have a problem with teams playing off of Rajon Rondo because it allows him to see the floor perfectly. For any great passer, the more of the floor you allow them to see, the better odds they’ll see the pass they need to make.
Because LeBron is such a perimeter-oriented player, the defense is at a catch-22 with him. The smaller perimeter guys are the only ones quick enough to stay with him until he bumps them out of position. And bigger defenders are too slow and worried about him driving to the basket. This means they have to play off of LeBron and it gives him a great view of the floor.
What makes LeBron such a great passer (outside of his vision) is his strength. James is so strong that it’s merely a flick of the wrists and a pop of his hands to fire a pass 25 feet on a straight line.
On this play against Dallas to start the season, Marion is playing off of LeBron (partly because LeBron is 30 feet from the basket but also because of the driving capabilities) and it gives LeBron an open view of the floor.
As Wade comes across the lane and plants in front of the basket (something every coach tells you to do), LeBron has enough room and strength to fire the pass in there before Delonte West can recover and pick it off.
Another way in which LeBron is so good at picking apart defenses is his passing out of the post. With today’s help defense rules and schemes almost completely taking away straight-up post play, patient passing out of the post is key.
LeBron watches the help defense set up shop. His teammates know that as soon as their defender turns toward LeBron, they can cut down the lane if a third defender isn’t shading the basket. That’s exactly what Udonis Haslem does here with Roy Hibbert hanging around Joel Anthony for no reason.
LeBron is one of the best bounce passers in the league too, which is instrumental in delivering the ball out of the post to cutters.
I put these two videos together to show you just how special his crosscourt passing is. One of the biggest parts about being a gifted passer in the NBA is willingness to pass. There are times in which we see stars (LeBron included) force up shots on drives where there isn’t much daylight.
On these two plays, LeBron’s drives are almost completely designed to set up the shooters in the corners with Miami.
He uses himself as his own decoy for the defense, knowing they’ll suck in to take away whatever shot he might put up.
There are only a few players (Chris Paul, Ricky Rubio, Rajon Rondo) in the league that rival LeBron’s crosscourt passing ability.
There are plays like this in which he dissects your halfcourt defense by being patient enough to wait for guys to be open under the hoop. When that happens, he can look away and deliver a bounce pass on the money for an easy score.
It leaves defenders wondering who was supposed to defend the player that scored because everyone was rotating over to worry about LeBron.
Rebounding
Don’t worry; I’m not going to make you watch individual clips of LeBron grabbing boards. But check out this video.
I used these three rebounds because I wanted to show you a couple of different ways in which he attacks the glass.
First, LeBron has been matching up against bigger players the last two years and he’s been much more adept at boxing out.
Here he adjusts on a block by Wade and uses his strength and lower center of gravity to root Serge Ibaka out of rebounding position.
On the second rebound, LeBron skies into the lane to flush down the missed shot by Bosh. As soon as Bosh puts up the awkward shot, you can see LeBron tracking the flight of the ball like it’s some kind of prey. And once he decides to go get it, nobody really has a chance.
On the third rebound, it’s just an example of how he can use his athleticism in traffic to go up and snatch the ball. And his vice-like grip is so strong that it’s hard to tear it away from him once he gets two hands on the ball.
Consider this stat about LeBron. In the history of basketball, only five players have ever been able to score the ball at a clip of 25 points while dishing out seven assists and grabbing seven rebounds or more per game. LeBron has done it five times.
Guys that score and pass well just don’t really seem to find a way to crash the boards. And with LeBron, the cliché of having a “nose for the ball” does seem to fit.
He gets a lot of rebounds just by being around the basket on missed shots. Sometimes, it’s that simple.
Defense All Over The Court
The key with what Miami does defensively, especially since Shane Battier signed with them, is they put pressure on the perimeter and switch almost everything. They can do this because they have the athletes to keep up with a lot of perimeter offensive weapons.
By knowing the help will be there if they get beat, Heat perimeter defenders are able to be aggressive and contest shots off the dribble. That’s exactly what LeBron James likes to do.
In this play against Paul Pierce, James does a fantastic job of forcing him away from the middle. When Pierce drives middle, LeBron slides his feet, cuts him off and forces him to find another way to get a shot.
While Pierce loves that pull-up jumper from the elbow, LeBron forces him to fade a bit more than he’d probably like and shoot the ball from farther out than he was likely hoping to.
Every coach in the league preaches to force guys baseline and use it as a defender. They want to keep the ball out of the middle of the floor because that gives you the most options on offense to beat the defense. LeBron does a really good job of taking away the middle.
In this video against Carmelo Anthony, LeBron seems to know exactly what Carmelo wants to do. He knows Melo loves to shoot the step back jumper and he takes away any space and comfort.
LeBron isn’t as physical as Ron Artest used to be, but he defends in a similar manner. He takes away the space the offensive player tries to create and make them feel like he's in their jersey.
I love this video of LeBron fronting the post against Gasol. You heard Jeff Van Gundy talk about how high school coaches want to teach fronting the post. This is textbook.
All of those wall sits your coach made you do over the years pay off right here. LeBron sits down in the post, keeps his butt on Pau’s thighs, and doesn’t allow him to get any leverage.
He beats Pau to the spot, he gets physical on each collision, and he keeps his arms bent and back so he can feel where Gasol will want to go next. He completely takes away the pass on the first possession and gets Pau to commit a frustration foul on the second possession.
And this is the versatility LeBron has added to his defensive game and to Miami’s strategy. They can go small because he’s willing to be physical with bigger guys and take away any advantage they might have. He still struggles to defend longer post players if they do get decent position on him, but that doesn’t happen often.
Then of course there is the chasedown block. He gets blocks in other fashions, but his ability to stalk and attack a layup on the fastbreak can get in your head as an offensive player.
You might hear footsteps and think he’s ready to imprint Spaulding on your forehead. It’s a psychological advantage that shows up every now and then.
Multi-faceted Offensive Game
There isn’t a lot missing from LeBron’s offensive repertoire.
Like many NBA stars, you can’t defend LeBron one-on-one. Match him up with a small forward and he’s probably too strong to stop.
Durant did a lot to improve as a defender last season, but LeBron is just quick enough and far too strong for Durant to really stay in front of him consistently. And weak reach-in fouls against LeBron clearly don’t stop him from getting to the basket.
You also have those times in which LeBron is matched up against more traditional power forwards. Here Brandon Bass is left on an island and he really has no chance. LeBron’s crossover is a lot less sloppy than it used to be. It’s lower to the ground and quicker. That’s not fair for opposing 4's he’s going against.
There’s the athleticism James has. The Celtics do a good job of cutting him off from the basket on this play, and yet he still has the hangtime to gather himself in the air and put up a good runner. He’s so good at getting himself balanced and squared to the basket on these, that opponents are just hoping his depth perception malfunctions.
And then there’s his post game. For years, people cried for LeBron to put together a post game. Last season, he showed that he possessed an ability to score in the post. The problem was that he seemed reluctant to go do it.
In 100 games (including playoffs) during the 2010-11 season, LeBron had 205 possessions in the post in which he ended up with a field goal attempt, free throw attempt or turnover. He was 17th in the NBA with 1.04 points per possession, making 54.4 percent of his shots.
This past season, LeBron had 325 post-up possessions in 85 games. He got in the post and did a lot of damage. His numbers went down to 0.94 PPP (25th in the league) and 49.4 percent shooting, but his effectiveness and volume in the post helped diversify Miami’s offense.
As you can see from the video, LeBron has a lot of moves. He’s added the fade-away to both sides, he can do a quick spin as soon as he makes contact in the post and his hook shot is solid.
His outside jumper has gotten a lot better. Two years ago, he shot 44.5 percent from 16-24 feet. It dropped to 38.4 percent this past season, but his balance looks much improved from his days in Cleveland.
He still settles for it too much for a lot of people’s liking (including my own), and he has a tendency to fade unnecessarily. If he can iron out making that shot more difficult, you can expect his percentage to get back to his 2010-11 performance.
How He Can Become The Most Unique NBA Star Ever
So how can LeBron end up being the most unique star ever? As much as I don’t like him settling for long jumpers and three-point shots, adding that to his game as a more consistent weapon would probably set him apart from any other player there has ever been.
Now, don’t confuse that for me saying he’d be the best player ever. I don’t think that’s true. But I do believe he’d end up being the most unique player we’ve ever seen.
He’s a career 33.
1 percent three-point shooter but did shoot a career-high 36.2 percent last season. If by some chance he was able to up that to around 40 percent, it would be hard to imagine a more unique player to NBA history than James.
As of right now, I’d give the nod to Magic Johnson as the most unique star we’ve ever seen. Considering his era and his ability, nobody has been as unique to the game as what Magic did out there.
Then again, LeBron is only 27 years old. He has time to get there, which is scary.
6 Reasons LeBron James Is NBA's Best Player...for Now | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
- Facebook Logo
- Twitter Logo
- Copy Link Icon
Brittany Johnson@brittanyjo008Twitter LogoContributor IIIFebruary 18, 2013
6 Reasons LeBron James Is NBA's Best Player...for Now
0 of 6
If there is any doubt that LeBron James is the best player in the NBA right now, then the rest of the season may erase that notion.
Otherwise, most of us can agree that he is dominating the league.
Various factors have contributed to his success as a player, but certain characteristics have propelled him to being the best. LeBron James has evolved, and that evolution has cast his name among the greats.
For now, LeBron James is the créme de la créme. Few have contested him.
While the definition of "best" is entirely subjective, for the most part, LeBron James is considered to be the best right now.
He's in His Prime
1 of 6
LeBron James is right at the peak of his career.
And that's the scary part.
He is just at the tipping point, which means he can get better. This could be trouble for opponents. LeBron is currently the most efficient he has ever been.
He is averaging 27.3 points per game this season and has scored at least 30 points in the past seven games. The only person to obtain a longer streak this season is Kobe Bryant (10 consecutive games).
He is faring better against defenses, striking whether they back off of him or not. He's lethal when he needs to be and appears to be unstoppable.
What sets him apart from Bryant is that LeBron is only 28, and there's so much more basketball for him to play. It seems ludicrous to think that he could improve his game, but with the way his career is going, it can only go up from here.
He's Become a Team Player
2 of 6
People were outraged that LeBron would abandon the Cleveland Cavaliers when they needed him the most. It seemed as if it was all for personal gain.
And it was.
Fast-forward to the present, however, and you can't help but believe that LeBron made the right choice. What may be different for him now is that he is not only playing for himself, but he's also playing for his team.
When the Miami Heat first started out with the trio of James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, it was rough. Many believed that LeBron wasn't going to be getting his ring any time soon.
However, LeBron took on a whole new perspective, and began to utilize the other players for the benefit of a team victory. Since then, LeBron has developed in ways you could only dream of and has acquired the elusive championship ring he had wanted for so long.
He has made his teammates better.
Miami is on the road for another ring, and LeBron's "for-the-team" attitude has been the largest contributor.
He's Got the Stats
3 of 6
LeBron James is on a hot streak right now, and he's got the numbers to prove it. The numbers don't necessarily make the player, but in LeBron's case, it is telling of just how great he is.
In just the past five games alone, he averaged 32.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists and a .663 field-goal percentage. This kind of productivity is rare, and James is forcing doubters to pay attention.
In the past seven games, he scored 224 points, yet he only took 116 shots. This is evidence of James' maturity as a player; when he takes a shot, he's confident in it.
The hesitation is gone.
Since he made the move to Miami, LeBron has improved every season in nearly every category.
The numbers don't lie, and James' numbers point to greatness.
He Can't Be Stopped
4 of 6
So far, no one has been able to contest LeBron. This is part of what makes him the best player: No one can stop him. He's shutting down defensive efforts game after game. You would think that someone would have figured him out by now.
Not yet. LeBron shows no signs of slowing down or stopping. He's on a mission, and no one is going to stand in his way. Using his size and skill, he defeats any chance of challenging his shot. He's tough to defend down low, and with his efficiency, he's nearly invincible.
Perhaps the only person that can stop him is LeBron himself.
He's Matured
5 of 6
Long gone are the days of LeBron throwing up powder at the beginning of each game.
Instead, LeBron has quietly matured into a player that respects the game for what it is.
He is no longer concerned with the superstar status and undying attention. LeBron is simply playing to win and playing to be the best.
This has made him the excellent player he is today. Focus and determination have brought LeBron full circle. He has taken a step back from the celebrity and walked right into the essence of the game.
With time and age, LeBron has shaped himself into a player that is more concerned with leading his team to victory rather than fattening his bank account.
LeBron wants to win, and his maturity has led him to do just that.
He's Got It All?
6 of 6
LeBron James seems to have it all. He's at a pivotal point in his career, he's playing team basketball and he's got the stats.
What more can you ask for from a player?
Championships.
The debates and comparisons continue as LeBron attempts to cement his name in NBA glory. While he believes that rings don't define the player, he knows that it will take more than one occupied finger to finally hush the doubters and write his name alongside the elite.
For now, though, he's the best.
Ten years down the road, it could be someone different.
That's the beauty of the game. You never know what you're going to get.
🚨 SPORTS NEWS ➡️ YOUR INBOX
The latest in the sports world, emailed daily.
How the Spurs defended against LeBron James
LeBron James had 19 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and two steals in a recent game against the Spurs. That's not a bad statistic, even for LeBron. The King's throw didn't go right away: all the first three throws were missed. Although he sells 37 percent of this zone seasonally. Part of the reason for this, according to the King, were T-shirts with sleeves. This is partly true, as many league players have already complained about these jerseys. In addition, the mask that LeBron had to wear due to a nose injury greatly interfered with him. And then he took it off. Plus there are failing games like this, even for players like LBJ. This is all true. But there's no denying that the Spurs did a great job of taking down the superstar.
How the Spurs got LeBron to throw
This is what every team tries to do every game when defending against LeBron. LeBron can shoot long shots well, but you can live with that if you make him shoot more often. LeBron's long shot percentage isn't that low, but it's not the highest in the league either.
Here's a chart of his shots:
Here's what some of his long-range shots looked like
You might have noticed that the players barely interfered with LeBron's shooting. The Spurs wanted him to make those shots. They dared to do it and did not fail. Regardless of the outcome, they won by forcing him to make such reckless throws.
Consider what LeBron scored: one was in the pass, two after passes from teammates, and another of the same type. Where he was the main tip of the attack. There was also a messed up alley-upp blocked by Duncan's reverse-lay-up. Plus a shot blocked by Splitter. Only once he was able to push through and finish it all with a runner.
So the Spurs turned LeBron into a thrower, and when he tried to go into the pass, they tried to team up to help each other neutralize him. It seems simple enough, but when it comes to practice, the whole plan falls apart as LeBron is playing against you. However, the Spurs did an impeccable job and were rewarded with James completely shutting down the shot.
The Kawaii Effect
LeBron's Freeze was made possible by teamwork. The Spurs used a strategy that turned player LeBron into a roulette wheel. If he hadn't used the shot (or rather, if the Spurs hadn't forced him), then his stats would have been completely different. One of the main roles in this performance was played by Kawhi Leonard. Especially in two key segments of the game: the beginning and the end.
First quarter
Miami tries to get LeBron into the post. The idea was probably to put Kawhi on fouls or score easy points from under the basket. LeBron has a size advantage over many small forwards and even power forwards in the league.
He certainly surpasses Leonard. So how did the young lad manage to hold off a player who ranks fifth in the league in points per possession in the post?
Apparently he tried to keep LeBron out of the ball at first, but the Heat were aggressively looking for their star.
When James was far from the basket, Lenard gave him an opportunity to score from a distance
When James used isolation and tried to work with his back to the basket, Lenard used his long arms and cleared the ball:
James tried this trick several more times, but unsuccessfully. Then I forgot about it for a while, but in the third quarter I tried to do it again. What came of it, see for yourself:
Without his main weapon, James played the entire first half as a bait or fumbled his game to no avail
Fourth quarter
trying to lean on pick-and-rolls. But Leonard turned out to be extremely smart and knew how to act in such situations.
The Spurs tried their best to keep LeBron off the screen. And Kawhi did a great job of using his body in such a way that it was hard for LeBron to use the screen.
The work the Spurs did against LeBron and his pick and rolls helped the team neutralize the Heat star, get him to play against Duncan and shoot very badly from the field. James hit a shot from the left side, but fouled on offense against Duncan and lost the ball after running into the "crowd" of Spurs players. After that, the "Hit" finally "left" the game.
The two interceptions in one minute that Kawai made in the fourth quarter were fantastic and will probably get most of the attention. But the work that Lenard had done prior to that, when he single-handedly took out LeBron in the post and blocked the way at pick-and-rolls, was his biggest contribution.0003
No amount of defense really can shut down a talented and versatile player like LeBron. However, the Spurs tried to do it, and they succeeded.
They protected him from the passages, forced him to perform long-range throws. And Kawhi Lenard managed to neutralize two of LeBron's favorite types of attacks at once. If LeBron flew, then who knows how the game would have proceeded further. Again, I repeat, no one knows when the player will fly, and when not. But the Spurs' defensive strategy was good, and they were lucky to have a smart and gifted defenseman like Kawhi Leonard to help them carry out their plan.
Anthony Davis is the perfect partner for LeBron James. Plows in defense, does not pretend to be the first star - openers - Blogs
Robin under Batman.
In 2012, Anthony Davis entered the NBA as such an undeniable talent. He was not just the first pick in the draft, A.D. was seen as one of the main people of the generation.
NCAA Champion, Collegiate Player of the Year and Final Four Player of the Year, Davis clearly stood out from his peers. But more importantly, he looked like a man who was made for modern basketball.
Such a hybrid "big", tall, athletic, with good arm span, but at the same time agile and skillful: he could play high in defense, was not afraid to go into dribbling in attack and had decent shooting mechanics.
Upon entering the NBA, Davis began to rapidly live up to expectations. He lost the Rookie of the Year award to late-comer Lillard, but in his second year as a pro, he hit 20+10 and went to the All-Star Game. Yes, it was a home All-Star game, and Davis went there as a replacement for the injured Bryant, but since then, A.D. has not missed the All-Star meeting. And in his third year in the NBA, Davis led his New Orleans to the playoffs. Everything went according to plan: the symbolic teams of the NBA and the defensive five, the MVP of the game of the stars, Davis showed the highest individual level.
But the years went by, and somehow no more victories were added. In 7 years with New Orleans, Davis took one playoff series, and in general, he only went to the elimination games twice.
And there were objective reasons for that: the composition of the Pelicans did not cause admiration, but there was little that could be presented to Davis himself.
But there were doubts about how much Davis can influence the result of a decent team. Some find this important when it comes to a player who claims to be the top talent of a generation.
In the summer of 2019, Davis and LeBron arranged for A.D. to join the Lakers. And now we see Anthony as part of a powerful organization that sets itself the highest goals. Now Davis plays for one of the most popular sports teams in the world, and he is always in the spotlight. And while A.D.'s first major playoff run is still over a month away, we already know a lot more about Davis than we did before the start of the season.
What AD does defensively
Ironically enough, "defense" is often perceived as one skill. We are accustomed to breaking the attacking game of basketball players and teams into components, and considering the defense as a kind of single indicator.
Well, Davis gives a lot on defense.
A.D. is very mobile, because of this he can defend high on pick-and-rolls and have time to bounce back under the basket. He works on the safety net, and does not miss his own.
Lakers with great team defense here, Howard rotates to Favors, Davis recovers to Zion, KCP on the first pass, Green with a good closeout on Ingram, forces the turnover then finds LeBron in transition for the dunk. pic.twitter.com/wVS3AN6gPP
— Mo Dakhil (@MoDakhil_NBA) February 26, 2020
Davis has a great one-on-one defense closer to the basket. He is long-armed, wiry and simply does not stick out of large opponents.
Anthony Davis locks up Nuggets best players Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray in crunch time! Defensive Player of the Year favorite hands down in the NBA.#LakeShow#AD#Lakers pic.twitter.com/ShdInsj2hg
— LakeShow Highlights (@LA_HighLights24) December 4, 2019
Separately, it is worth noting his cool defense against Giannis, when A.
D. decently pinned the Greek, not giving him any freedom, which partly forced Antetokounmpo to switch to long-range shots (however, these throws Giannis hit Good).
Davis is also good at team defense. When A.D. is a four-man and needs help defending against pick-and-rolls, Davis is a great backup. On the one hand, he has a huge arm span, so it’s difficult to pass the ball into the corner to the person left by Davis. On the other hand, he really helps under the basket.
Solid team D from the Lakers here. LeBron/Bradley switch the initial P&R. McGee ready to help on a drive. Watch how their defense is able to stay solid and show help. On the P&R McGee has to step up but watch Davis/Green on weakside. Davis rotates early, Green drops to play 2D pic.twitter.com/jYvre9zGhF
— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) November 9, 2019
Davis doesn't shut down from the moment, and even if he falls behind a player, he can always catch up with him closer to the ring in the best traditions of his teammate.
This adds up to an outstanding defense effect. This is already the maximum level, accessible for the most part only to owners of anomalous anthropometry, who use the capabilities of the non-standard body to their full potential.
What A.D. does NOT give in defense
Notwithstanding the above, there are things that Davis cannot. It is generally accepted that the mobile "big", who are not yet 100% center, can trade. Based on this (and given his decent arm span), Davis is often described as a versatile defensive player. But it is not so.
Yes, he is indeed more versatile than most centers. But Davis often plays fours, and there he has to work against perimeter players from time to time, because many modern fours are just big wings. Also, forwards are much more likely to need the ability to trade for smaller players. These things often force A.D. to defend on the arc against players with a shot, and Davis is not very successful in this, he lacks maneuverability.
A recent game against Boston made this problem clear: Tatum hit so many times that he forced the Lakers to double on themselves.
Tatum with the 3 over Anthony Davis and knocks it away from Anthony Davis the other way! #Celtics pic.twitter.com/W8Zvg5fSql
— SUSPENDED AGAIN (@FTBeard1) February 23, 2020
Who used to say they'd trade Jayson Tatum in a heartbeat for Anthony Davis? Couldn't have been me. Certainly not me. #Celtics
pic.twitter.com/8rNpuK8ERb
— Nick Quaglia (@NickQuag) February 23, 2020
And this is not an isolated incident, perimeter players feel comfortable when they attack against Davis, and A.D. sways noticeably at such moments.
Kawhi Leonard rises up over Anthony Davis and hits the 3.pic.twitter.com/zEYuXyuFWy
— Sporting News (@sportingnews) December 26, 2019
Kristaps Porzingis crosses over Anthony Davis and pulls up for THREE pic.
twitter.com/RL4B0BfyMc
— Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit) November 2, 2019
I repeat, by the standards of the center, Davis is quite stable on the perimeter, and most importantly, he can practice on his feet, so exchanges can often simply be avoided. But at times, the inability to trade confidently is still important.
How A.D. attacks
The longer we look at Davis and the more we try to analyze his game, the more striking is a certain hybridity inherent in his basketball: A.D. is not only an intermediate link between positions, but also between generations.
Defensively, he combines the classic "paint" defense and an emphasis on back-up play with mobility. It does not have the lack of dimensions often found in the mobile modern "big men", and there is no sluggishness inherent in classic big men.
In attack, the connection between generations is expressed in the fact that Davis seems to play post-ups, but, as a rule, not at the expense of strength and ability to push the opponent.
It is not heavy enough to trample opponents, pushing them right under the ring. But Davis can get closer to the guardian, swing him a little or push him, and then turn around sharply and quickly go to the ring.
Clippers haven't figured out how to contain Davis or where to send help from. Another post up with 3 shooters spaced. Williams is helping but watch how Davis waits for him to dig and slide back and then attacks the middle. Harrell shows baseline double, something to watch. pic.twitter.com/lJdbZQTTKq
— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) October 23, 2019
Often, when receiving the ball in the middle, he generally prefers to attack facing the ring.
Another post up for Anthony Davis and again look at the spacing. This is where the lineups help the Lakers put pressure on defenses. Three shooters spaced, they even fake a post split. No automatic help sent to Davis driving, ends up at the foul line.
pic.twitter.com/4BSpLLiRGP
— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) October 23, 2019
Moments like these make it possible to make the most of Davis' speed. And, having passed under the ring, A.D. uses his inadequate arm length in order to take the ball to where the opponent will never cover it.
In general, front and back play is the basis of Davis' attack. But to say that Davis is wildly effective in this basketball is impossible. 0.89 points per post-up is the 3rd best among 19 NBA players who shoot at least 3 times from post in a game. Beating a face, however, is probably calculated as an isolation. In fact, this is the "aizo", just on the middle, where there is little space, it is difficult to hammer the ball into the floor for a long time, but a bunch of jabsteps appear. So, in isolation, Davis has 0.99 points per possession, which is noticeably better, but still not top of the list, and most importantly, A.D. has only a couple of such possessions per match.
And historically, Davis has never shown post-up performance on par with the best of Jokic, Embiid or Aldridge. He's also not exactly one of the leaders in the NBA in terms of the frequency of discounts from the post (although progress in this direction over the past two seasons is obvious). In such independent possessions, Davis looks much more modest in numbers than he feels. On the other hand, he is certainly good enough to attract increased attention from the defense.
Rondo/AD P&R and the Celtics give the switch again taking Smart off AD and putting Hayward on him. Smart doubles off Rondo who is one pass away, nice cut by Rondo down the middle and a great pass to the corner. Extra pass and LeBron hits the 3. pic.twitter.com/f2FV1ISck5
— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) February 23, 2020
The other part of his attack is the "big" pick-and-roll, the man who puts up a screen and quickly goes under the basket. And here Davis is good, he has excellent speed and long arms, allowing him to catch aley-ups.
And it's not about the dunks themselves, because we have hardcore nerds sitting here, not lovers of highlights. The point is that Davis, who goes under the basket so quickly, makes himself available, and anthropometry allows you to catch any pass. And it simplifies the work of the ballhandler.
Anthony Davis rises to throw down the lob with two hands.@Suns 12@Lakers 30 pic.twitter.com/M65koZRyyV
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2020
You see, even with Denny Green passing and Aaron Baines backing under the rim, Davis has a good chance.
And Davis, who gets the ball on the move, doesn't get lost in the traffic. At the sight of a large-scale safety net, he easily finds an open one.
LeBron and Anthony Davis pick & roll.
AD alley-oop to JaVale.
I need a cigarette. pic.twitter.com/904s3PChXo
— Grant Goldberg (@GrantGoldberg) October 17, 2019
Confianza ciega de Anthony Davis en el triple de Kentavious.
¡Y entro! #NBASundays pic.twitter.com/ivvvcMPWMO
— NBA en Movistar+ (@MovistarNBA) February 23, 2020
In addition, it should be noted that A.D. is great at supporting early offense, he always makes himself available in front.
Anthony Davis throws down the lob over Brandon Ingram🔥 pic.twitter.com/F2wsiVNfum
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 4, 2020
LeBron James full court pass to Anthony Davis #lakeshow #lakers pic.twitter.com/GJJioFtWrT
— NBA Hustle (@Hustle_NBA) February 5, 2020
Davis also seems to be a decent help in offensive rebounding at times. As has been said many times, Davis is light on his feet and long-armed and often picks up rebounds that look like something that can't be taken. But the numbers show that without Davis, the Lakers have a higher percentage of offensive rebounds than they did with him. Offhand rebounding percentage also sags when Davis plays center.
The difference isn't huge, but A.D.'s positive impact on Lakers rebounding isn't going to be found.
But it is easy to find such episodes that eat into the memory and model the perception of A.D.'s talents on the selection.
It amazes me how little players actually box out, Plumlee throws his hands up on the Kuzma shot and does nothing while AD comes flying in for the offensive rebound and dunk. pic.twitter.com/GLaaqe3bU0
— Mo Dakhil (@MoDakhil_NBA) December 23, 2019
One-handed putback by @AntDavis23. He makes it look so easy. 💁🏻♂️😎 #LakeShow
🎥: @NBAonTNT
pic.twitter.com/SS0kntgiym
— LakeShowScoop (@LakeShowScoop) January 24, 2020
Anthony Davis SKIES for a putback that keeps the Lakers alive 👀 pic.twitter.com/p9KHPJWGaL
— ClutchPoints NBA (@ClutchPointsNBA) February 1, 2020
Anthony Davis with the putback dunk & the foul! pic.
twitter.com/pN4jv9duhF
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) October 6, 2019
What's A.D.'s trick
In New Orleans, Davis often opened under the basket without a screen. He showed that he was starting to come out of the "paint" up or trying to take a position for a post-up, and then abruptly turned around and took off behind the alley-up.
Anthony Davis with the back door lob on Draymond Green. pic.twitter.com/qlvx94zx54
— RealGM (@RealGM) April 29, 2018
This Rondo-Davis duo is scary... 😮#NBAPlayoffs | #DoItBigger pic.twitter.com/lGfyAmJ0yM
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 21, 2018
Anthony Davis spins off his defender for the @PelicansNBA oop!
End of Q1 in Boston:#DoItBig 21#CUsRise 28
Tatum: 9 PTS
AD: 8 PTS, 4 REB#PlayersOnly on @NBATV pic.twitter.com/Qgi2pOkUnf
— NBA (@NBA) December 11, 2018
Davis has long arms, he only needs to swing his opponent a little with a false step in order to get a relatively easy throw on the counter.
The Pelicans felt like they played every game. Now Davis starts possession more often in the corner, and there are fewer such moments, but his hands remember.
That Rondo – AD connection! 👏
End of Q1 on @NBATV:#RepTheDistrict 23#LakeShow 37
Anthony Davis: 15 PTS
Rui Hachimura: 8 PTS pic.twitter.com/55zmW2YXYZ
— NBA (@NBA) November 30, 2019
Rondo goes up top to AD! 👀#LakeShow 27#DubNation 14
13 early PTS for Anthony Davis on @NBAonTNT. #NBAPreseason pic.twitter.com/OpLpbgTNf8
— NBA (@NBA) October 6, 2019
First Assist for Rondo tonight is a beautiful lob to Anthony Davis #NBATwitter #LakerNation pic.twitter.com/5ToOrpVtRA
— stilo (@yungestilos) November 18, 2019
In general, it should be noted that A.D. is good at moving without the ball, and this season he has decent numbers for opening under the basket.
What did A.D. have with the shot?
Initially, Davis showed great promise in terms of shots: since his second season in the NBA, he has consistently shot over 40% with an average (more often around 43%). This is not a super-elite indicator, but it is a good implementation for the "big". For example, Aldridge attacked with such a percentage, who at that time was one of the most successful adepts of medium throws among the “big ones”.
All in all, Davis shot well and looked like he was about to unlock a 3-pointer. In fact, everything went wrong: in the last three seasons, A.D. not only did not start shooting more accurately from behind the arc, he also began to hit noticeably worse from the middle - around 35% of .
While Davis has hit 40% from 3-3 since January 1, including some important shots, there is little faith that he can maintain a decent level of accuracy over the distance. He is still about 33% on long shots this season, was 33% last year, 32% the year before, 30% in 2017 and 32% in 2016 (it was noticeably worse before, but there he shot less than 1 three-pointer per game).
This is a fairly large sample with a very modest spread. At times there were months with outstanding accuracy, but at the end of the season, the indicators returned to our usual values. And everyone knows it.
That's why the Lakers don't use Davis much on pick-and-pops on the arc.
That's why Lakers rivals regularly leave Davis on the arc if they need backup in the deep.
That's why Davis doesn't shoot three-pointers at all.
On the arc, A.D. not only does not create a throw for himself, he cannot help his partners, forcing the opponent to take care of himself tightly. However, all this is not so painful, especially if Davis plays fifth: they are not required to set the throw. Or if attacks often go through A.D., then you will have to defend against him anyway.
What is confusing is the degradation of accuracy on the average. Because the main source of points for Davis is, of course, shots from under the basket, but the ability to hit the jumper will make the opponent defend higher and make it easier to pass.
These are complementary skills. Anthony passes a couple of times, after which the opponent begins to bounce on each jabstep, giving an opportunity for an open throw. And these throws need to be hit in order to make it easier to pass in the future. But with 35% from the middle and 76% from under the ring, Davis' opponent will bounce off A.D. on the first step, concentrating on trying to remove the pass d.
What's even more embarrassing is the shots that Davis "falls" on. When Anthony fails to get past the opponent, he takes the middle with resistance. If Anthony is initially looking for a jumper opportunity, then everything is fine, but when Davis tries to pass and is stopped, he takes this mad middle through his hand with a deflection. And such a throw from such a player is an obvious victory for the defense.
That is, the middle shot should help Davis decently, but this tool should only be used in certain situations. Perhaps then the implementation will suddenly become higher.
In the meantime, his throw is far from reliable.
What position should A.D. play in
There was a lot of talk about Davis. The player himself seems to prefer the "four", but many analysts believe that the maximum benefit from A.D. can be obtained in the place of the center, and there were reasons for that.
Davis can be useful in defense both on the "four" and on the "five". But forwards, as already mentioned, are more often required to exchange and play on the perimeter, and this is not really Davis' theme. And in the game under the ring, on the contrary, he is gorgeous.
Offensively, most forwards have a set shot (or exit near the throwing center). Davis cannot boast of this. But he is an excellent rollman and plays a lot from post-up, and this is the functionality of the center.
In general, the only good thing about Davis playing in the four for the Lakers is that A.D. gets to hit forwards instead of centers. And, perhaps, he is more effective in this.
And maybe it's worth it.
This season the situation has cleared up a bit.
So, a LeBron-AD pair plays better when there is no center nearby. James-Davis-McGee gives "+10" points per 100 possessions, James-Davis-Howard gives "+5" points per 100 possessions, and LeBron and A.D. without centers give "+12.5". And no, you can't do without the participation of LeBron, because he has too much influence on the "+/-".
By the way, it's interesting that the pace without centers takes off, but the effectiveness drops. The Lakers are averaging 113 points per 100 possessions and conceding 106 points this season. But without centers, the game dries up: an offensive rating is 107, a defensive one is 94.5.
Either way, it's clear that the Lakers play better when the defense is more mobile. And it is the lineups with Davis-center that more often close matches .
Davis himself, coming out with Howard, sags somewhat in accuracy (eFG% drops by 5 points), but does not suffer at all from the presence of McGee.
When JaVale is on the floor, Davis even starts shooting a little more accurately. By the way, McGee, leaving both without LeBron and without Davis, gives a "no-rating" of "+11".
In general, Davis can play a 4, and in some cases it will be very appropriate. But there are simply more situations where Davis' optimal position is the center. And in the playoffs, when opponents are trying to punish for every vulnerability, such situations will occur even more often.
Maybe that's why the Lakers signed Morris: if they plan to use Davis more in the 5's in the elimination games, they'll have minutes at forward and they'll need a player there.
How much A.D. influences the game
But this is the most important question.
On the one hand, he is an outstanding defensive player. Still on the same side, Davis is a superb scorer. Despite mediocre performance in post-ups, A.D.'s overall offensive output is pretty damn high. This season, he has more than 26 points per match with eFG% under 54.
Only 9 players have submitted such a line in the current regular season. And Davis holds this level for the third year in a row . Besides him, only LeBron, Giannis and Harden managed to do it (maybe Curry and KD could have done it too, but they don't play this season). This is an outstanding combination of efficiency and load.
On the other hand, A.D. is not attacking.
Davis was never able to increase his influence on offense. He, of course, is not a ball handler at all, this role is rarely available to the "big". But he does not act as such an attack node through which the draw goes - something that Jokic, Adebayo, Vucevic and Towns have honed. The same Bam does not have a higher role in the attack, but he is more significant for the draw. And Davis' entire role in setting up the offense is post-up discounts on doubles. And we must give him his due: he began to fold much more often and at times goes to receive only in order to pull off the excess and pass.
But it is not possible to regularly create an attack for partners in this way.
Moreover, he himself is addicted.
To be a rollman, he needs a ballhandler.
In order to run into the gap and catch the parachute, he needs someone who will disperse this gap.
Most of his throws are after a partner pass.
And even for his post-ups and isolations, which look like independent possessions, he needs easy passes, and ideally a preliminary exchange created by someone else.
And it's not that Davis can attack only in greenhouse conditions: he finishes even difficult situations amazingly, it's about the fact that he finishes these situations exactly. He is a projectile that can hit any target, but someone has to pull the trigger. He needs a ballhandler.
On shooting after a pass (no dribbling) Davis eFG% 60.8. On throws with 1 or more hits on the floor, this drops to below 49% . In terms of efficiency, this is the difference between the elite elite and the worst examples of Westbrook.
On throws in catch-and-throw mode, Davis has an eFG% of 48.6, and on throws with a dribble 37.2% .
Here are some command numbers.
Lakers with LeBron and A.D. on the court:
112.9 offensive rating, 102.7 defensive rating, +10.2 difference per 100 possessions.
Lakers when LeBron is on the court without Davis:
115.7 offensive rating, 104.0 defensive rating, +11.7 difference per 100 possessions.
Lakers when A.D. is on the court without LeBron:
103.5 offensive rating, 108.9 defensive rating, -5.4 difference per 100 possessions.
Without James, the game falls apart on both halves (can anyone figure out why the A.D. team has a worse defensive rating than the LeBron team?!).
Without LeBron, there is no one to feed Davis, and A.D. himself is unable to keep the best team in the West in positive values . It's just that Davis is not a backbone offensive player, he doesn't create an attack.
LeBron creates it, and he is the only such player on the team. And, by the way, LeBron does not need Davis at all for this creation. Without A.D. he has an offensive rating and the difference is better than with Davis.
And the point is not that James constantly goes to the parquet with the stars, and Davis drags the second five. LeBron has positive +/- with ALL partners. Take James to duet with any Lakers player, there will be a plus.
Davis has the biggest minus paired with Rondo - -7.9 points per 100 possessions. LeBron has +11.1 paired with Rondo. And now the question is: with whom, in theory, Rondo should be better combined - with the playmaker who takes the ball, or with the "big" who needs to be fed?
Let's go from the other side.
Five people who most often play with LeBron: Davis, Green, Kentavius, McGee, Bradley. Next: Howard, Kuzma, Caruso, Rondo.
5 people who most often play with Davis: LeBron, Green, Kentavius, Bradley McGee. Next: Caruso, Kuzma, Rondo, Howard.
Not much difference. But without LeBron, the Lakers' net rating is still worse by more than 13 points, and without Davis, it's improved by more than 2 points. It's just that LeBron doesn't care who he plays with because he is the team.
And of course, LeBron is one of a kind. And James is so good that he improves the results of the team. And it is understandable that James's teams regularly fell apart without him, because they are too used to him leading the entire attack. But Kyrie and Wade improved the team's net rating by 9 in their early seasons with LeBron.points: The score difference got better as they played. Davis, I repeat, worsens this case by 2+ points.
And the reason is precisely that without LeBron Davis is deprived of this much-needed ballhandler. Because of this, the output difference is too wild.
Look at other duets.
Giannis goes to +13 without Middleton, Middleton goes to +10 without Giannis, and they are even better together: +17.
George and Kawhi are profitable separately (and together too).
Embiid and Simmons don't mix well, their team doesn't shine, and there are no ballhandlers at all, but they come out on the plus side individually (and together too, albeit only slightly).
Westbrook and Harden have struggled, but have been on the plus side since the beginning of the year individually (and together).
Damn Booker and Ubre are in plus both separately and together. Actually, no, but for a second you believed.
E.D. since the beginning of the year began to fail even more. Since January 1, James without Davis gives "+13", Davis without James - "-9". Minus nine is the level of the Warriors, the worst net-rated team in the NBA. The minus five that Davis gives without LeBron for the season is between Washington and the Knicks.
AND With such influence figures, it's hard to call Davis some kind of superstar of the first magnitude, despite all his defensive and goalscoring talent .
In New Orleans, where there was a rather weak lineup and modest goals, Davis had a positive effect on the “no rating”, although even there at times he seemed to be more comfortable in the shadow of Cousins. But as part of the contender for the title, things got more complicated.
And that's probably the main takeaway from the first part of A.D.'s season with the Lakers.
Davis is an amazing player, but not a backbone. It is quite difficult to imagine a full-fledged contender for the title, where the first star is Davis. Like he needs a good ballhandler, but not so good that anyone has any doubts that this is still the Davis team? Great, he's already played with Holiday.
So for Davis' team to be a contender for the title, it probably doesn't have to be Davis's team. A.D. is perfect for his current role as such a pronounced Robin: Davis is definitely inferior in level to the first star and just as definitely better than the rest of the team.
A.
