LeBron in the clutch...

[Ace]

On the season, James has played 86 minutes of clutch time, which is defined by NBA.com as when the game is within five points in the final five minutes. In those 86 minutes of high-stakes basketball, James has registered 62 points, 28 assists and 24 rebounds. The assist total is what's most astounding when you think about it. He has more clutch assists this season than any other player. Actually, James has more clutch assists in 86 minutes than Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Russell Westbrook have combined for in 213 minutes.


If we put it all together on a per-36 minute level to better wrap our heads around it, we find that James is averaging a staggering 26 points, 11.7 assists and 10 rebounds in crunch-time. That's right, James is playing at such a high level in the clutch that he's averaging a triple-double on a per-36 minute level. No one else really comes close.


James isn't the ruthless scorer in clutch situations that Kevin Durant can be (Durant's averaging a gaudy 39.1 points per 36 minutes in those situations), but James dissects opposing defenses like a surgeon. Of those 28 assists, 11 of them have gone for 3s. In other words, while James has scored 62 points on his own in clutch time, he's also set up an additional 67 points with his passes. When James has been on the court for the Heat in clutch circumstances this season, he has accounted for 129 of the team's 207 points, or 62 percent of the team's scoring.


Sixty-two percent.


With James controlling the game in so many positive ways, it's no wonder that the Heat have outscored opponents by 50 points in the clutch this season with James on the court. And Thursday's performance against Bryant -- widely considered the most clutch player in the league -- and the Lakers was yet another example of James' winning ways when it matters most.

http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/

[HarlemHeat37]

Wade was the best closer in the NBA for years, and he passed the torch to Lebron during last year's playoffs, tbh..

:lol shitty Facebook 4th quarter memes
:lol Kobe ever being considered the best clutch player in the NBA
:lol still coasting, tbh

[baseline bum]

LOL considering Kobe clutch in any year since 2004. Truth on Wade being the best clutch player prior to last season.

[Ace]

LeBron has been unreal this season, definitely a different player since winning the championship. Much more confidence and aggression in the clutch.

[scanry]

LeBron has been unreal this season, definitely a different player since winning the championship. Much more confidence and aggression in the clutch.

The sad thing is he may not win the MVP this year. Lebron is playing like how Mike did after winning his 1st ring in 1991. Efficient as hell too.

[TIMMYtoZO]

Lebron is doing exactly what I thought he would be doing since he rang. He has that championship swagger which is bad news for the rest of the NBA. Lebron is not even close to done winning titles in Miami. The dynasty is just starting in South Beach. :lol

[Cry Havoc]

LOL considering Kobe clutch in any year since 2004. Truth on Wade being the best clutch player prior to last season.

Messi playing basketball would be more clutch than Kobe.

[irishock]

Kobe was pretty clutch in 09 and 10.

[Baseline]

Actually, James has more clutch assists in 86 minutes than Kobe Bryant has in his entire career. In fact, Bryant hasn't actually passed the ball 28 times in the clutch during his career, much less amassed 28 assists.

LeBron plays basketball. Bryant plays one-on-five.

[Cry Havoc]

Kobe was pretty clutch in 09 and 10.

No. This has been refuted many times.

[TDMVPDPOY]

clutch performance is the most overrated bullshit whoever came up with it

dude is too good to be allowing his team to be playin from behind or anywhere in that position, say whatever u want about his coasting for most of the game and turning it on in the last 2mins....good players dont do that shit, good players should be winning games without being pushed by teams they are meant to beat to the final shot....

[Cry Havoc]

clutch performance is the most overrated bullshit whoever came up with it

dude is too good to be allowing his team to be playin from behind or anywhere in that position, say whatever u want about his coasting for most of the game and turning it on in the last 2mins....good players dont do that shit, good players should be winning games without being pushed by teams they are meant to beat to the final shot....

No one goes 100% HAM all season. No one. Jordan didn't go beast mode every regular season game. It's dumb to do so, too easy to get hurt.

[midnightpulp]

A common complaint about James is that he hasn't hit many last-second shots in his career, which is true. But Thursday's game showed one reason why: He often doesn't let it come to that.

Something Kirby fans have failed to grasp for his entire 17 year career. I can't count how many times Kobe's started off the 4th 1-6, 1-7, 2-9, etc, etc, opposing team makes run, Kobe hits a big shot late and his retarded fans jizz themselves about how "clutch" he is. There's not one metric in existence that validates Kobe being exceptional in the clutch, nor does his clutch reputation pass the "eye test" from an objective point-of-view. Kobe's overrated clutch myth is largely based on selective memory, fans remembering the spectacular, high degree of difficulty shots he's hit over the years while forgetting the misses.

That said, with 1 second left on the clock I probably take Kirby over anyone in the league, since he's pretty damn phenomenal at getting a quick shot off with 5 defenders in his face, and I'd guess he probably does have a higher success rate in that situation than his contemporaries, but otherwise, give me Lebron, Dirk, Melo, CP3, Wade, Durant in crunch time.

[TDMVPDPOY]

No one goes 100% HAM all season. No one. Jordan didn't go beast mode every regular season game. It's dumb to do so, too easy to get hurt.

jordan never relied on last second shots to pull out wins to create self made hero fairytale stories to get more hype

[irishock]

No. This has been refuted many times.

?

Guy hit like 10 winners that year. Was never clutch before or after those years.

[TDMVPDPOY]

like i said clutch is bullshit

why does a shit kent get so much credit for hitting winner shots, if his that good his team shouldnt be in that position playin from behind...

while guys who beat teams by wide margins and sits out in scrub minutes dont get any credit...

[racm]

LeBron is the same guy who scored 25 straight against Detroit in the ECF. Are you nuts?

[TDMVPDPOY]

LeBron is the same guy who scored 25 straight against Detroit in the ECF. Are you nuts?

1 man team, if u have enough or most of the teams touches, theres no excuse you cant put up +20pts.....

[rayjayjohnson]

Messi playing basketball would be more clutch than Kobe.
So would Peter fucking Crouch

[Killakobe81]

LeBron is creeping on GOAT status ... LOL niggas still gotta talk Kobe even when giving James props. Wtf Kobe gas to do with this thread?

[scanry]

Kobe was really efficient in 2007 - 2008 season.

Even though they won it all in 2009, Kobe was actually pass friendly in 2008. :wow

[100%duncan]

Bron doing what he's supposed to do.

[StrengthAndHonor]

Lebron's a great player but the only thing I don't like about him is he stat pads shamelessly which helps him in this category. It has been documented before and he's still doing it now.

Case in point. Heat were up against the Lakers with less than 8 seconds, game was already over but he stat padded for a quick 2 points.

That's the kinda stuff Ricky Davis or JR smith would do, not superstars like Lebron.

[stretch]

clutch performance is the most overrated bullshit whoever came up with it

dude is too good to be allowing his team to be playin from behind or anywhere in that position, say whatever u want about his coasting for most of the game and turning it on in the last 2mins....good players dont do that shit, good players should be winning games without being pushed by teams they are meant to beat to the final shot....

You are a fucking idiot.

[stretch]

jordan never relied on last second shots to pull out wins to create self made hero fairytale stories to get more hype

So you think Lebron purposely tanks games to keep them close and then bail his team out in the end for the sake of it?

If that is actually the case, while not necessarily a smart thing to do, it speaks even more volumes about how insanely good Lebron is, and according to your logic, that may actually make him better than Jordan. MJ had to shoot plenty of last second shots and bail his team out, but according to you, he never did that intentionally, while Lebron does.

I agree he is coasting, but he certainly does not intentionally allow his team to lose just to try to bail them out for fun.

Regardless, you are fucking stupid.

[stretch]

LeBron is creeping on GOAT status ... LOL niggas still gotta talk Kobe even when giving James props. Wtf Kobe gas to do with this thread?

No clue. Then again, this is people like Baseline Bum, Cry Havoc, and other dumbass GNSF we are talking about...

[Hoops Czar]

http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/That stat about having more clutch assists than D-will, Paul and Westbrook is misleading. Most of tht falls on the shoulders of Deron Williams who's having a terrible season. Both Paul and Westbrook are usually way ahead in the final 5 minutes so clutch assists need not apply.

[whitemamba]

i just remember lebron choking in 2 nba finals.. untill he closes out a few more, im still remembering him for the losses.

[StrengthAndHonor]

That stat about having more clutch assists than D-will, Paul and Westbrook is misleading. Most of tht falls on the shoulders of Deron Williams who's having a terrible season. Both Paul and Westbrook are usually way ahead in the final 5 minutes so clutch assists need not apply.
Agree. Clippers have a LOT of blowout wins where CP3 sits for a good amount of time in the 4th quarter.

[baseline bum]

?

Guy hit like 10 winners that year. Was never clutch before or after those years.

LOL Gasol and Artest hitting the game winners he blew in the 10 postseason and then Artest hitting the title winner when Capt 6-24 was shitting the bed.