Tuesday, June 7th, 2011 at 9:35 am  |  62 responses

LeBron James Not Concerned With His Scoring in NBA Finals


While the silly debate about whose team the Miami Heat is (LeBron James or Dwyane Wade’s) rages on, LBJ is fighting another battle with the press regarding his relatively low scoring output so far in the championship series. For James, it’s all about the end result: winning. From the AP: “Here’s what constitutes what some might consider a “down” series for James so far: 20.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and six assists per game on just over 50 percent shooting from the field. James, as he’s done most of the season, is shrugging off the criticism. The Heat, which leads 2-1 in the series, is just two victories from winning the NBA championship, and to James that’s the only number that matters now. ‘Anybody that knows me throughout the years, all I care about is the ‘W’ no matter if I’m scoring,’ James said Monday. ‘I’m not just a scoring guy. I’ve got a lot of points in my career. I have had some teammates who have given me great confidence and ability to go out there and score a lot of points. But I’ve done other things. I don’t have to score points to be effective.’”

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  • http://fkjslf.com Jukai

    But to cement your legacy, Bron, you need to steal the ball from Wade and his easy matchups and start chucking and kill the chemistry!!!

  • bull22

    of course LEBRON you have no choice but to say that when you chose to wear someone else’s DRAWERS…. hahahahahahahahahahahhahahaha

  • http://www.slamonline.com Wayno

    LeRobin…

  • http://gmail dirty frank

    Being a good teammate and a smart team player is never something to be concerned with.

  • jeje

    i think no matter what lebron does,he will always be in the spotlight,people should cut this guy some slacks and let him just be,at his age,he is already amongst the greatest.if he is not all that,how come everything he does becomes news?it’s time to stop the hating and just appreciate his skill,by the way-he is the reason this heat team is here in the first place.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Wayno

    bull22 is one of those delusional Chicago fans that thought the Bulls were ready :(

  • http://www.slamonline.com Rutton

    bull22 is one of those delusional Chicago fans that thought the Bulls were ready :(

  • http://www.slamonline.com Max

    #Winning#

  • http://nba.com EJ

    They’re up, why should he be concerned?

  • http://www.newyorkshockexchange.com Shock Exchange

    He shouldn’t be. All he should be concerned with is winning a Championship. Lebron is going to get criticized regardless of what he does. That CBS reporter made those controversial remarks about Lebron not because they were true, but because he knew he would get a lot of website hits http://clicky.me/5XLq

  • Thomas

    Lebron is the greatest player in the league today without questions. What he has done on the defensive end is what has allowed Miami to win games. We all know that he can score as many or more points than D-Wade. I am a big D-Wade fan and have been since he came into the league. In fact, I didn’t really like Lebron when he was in Cleveland, but D-Wade, Lebron, myself and anyone else who knows the game knows that Lebron eclipses D-Wade in talent and ability. As a long-time heat fan, I am just glad He is smart and mature enough to do what the Miami Heat needs him to do to win the championship. That is true leadership. Much respect Lebron.

  • terry

    Playing Defense is how he’s making up for the points.

  • Dagger

    20/6/6 on 50+% shooting while playing some of the best defence the league has seen since a prime KG, and with his team up a game in the Finals . . . what a loser.

  • Anthony

    Lebron doesnt need to score…… WHy score when you have a superstar who can score just as good and a star who could score at will sometimes…… This will make him the best of all time if they wim multipe finals.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Wayno

    9:53 comment wasn’t me…

  • http://fkjslf.com Jukai

    ^^^
    But it was a true statement nonetheless.

  • Mark2307

    Bull22 showing he knows nothing about the game and has clearly never played at any respectable level or he’d understand just how important what lebron’s doing is.

  • AT33

    LeBron will eventually grow into the Heat’s leading role, but right now DWade is the best basketball player on the planet. Without DWade, LeBron would have never won a title, now he’s got a chance holding DWade’s water while he’s killing the Mavs. In a sense, LeBron is Pippen and DWade is today’s “Jordan”. They’re not as far apart as Jordan was to Pippen but DWade’s game is still a little bit more polished than LeBron’s.

  • JTaylor21

    Yawn!!! When will the media focus on the game at hand instead of trying to mess up team chemistry?
    They destroyed whatever bond KD and Russ had and now the leeches are at it again with Bron and Wade.

  • Gee

    If you remember the Chicago Bulls games, everybody was concerned whether Wade was hurt because he wasn’t playing at his potential. Then they started on Bosh. Now its time for James to get his turn. My hope is that all of them have a great game at the same time, I would love to see the end of that kind of game. Not only that, I would like to see the headlines.

  • http://slamonline.com 1982

    20 and 6 and they’re asking if he minds? They’re winning without 35 from two players… That’s a good thing.

  • T-Money

    AT33 waited three long series vs PHI, BOS and CHI to post the comment at 11:00 am. So now the same critics that have always accused him of stat padding want me to.. pad his stats? I laughed yesterday when a journalist asked Bron that it seems he can never win. He replied “no, actually, I did win.” LOL. Bron understands that there’s only one trophy that the media can’t take away from him, the rest is just noise.

  • http://slamonline.com Ben Osborne

    LeBron is a brilliant basketball player.

  • http://countdownnba.blogspot.com/ Clay

    There is nothing wrong with stepping aside when a player like Wade has performances like he’s having. It’s not like he’s shooting on a pace similar to Rose who threw up 20-30 shots a game with poor FG%.

  • Jer dawg

    All respect to Lebron. He is very unselfish. When the team needs it he’s there. He’s been very consistent. Not hurt and picking up where it’s needed. On defense or offense. F*** the critics, Lebron.
    But I’m still not watching these Finals. F*** the hypocrisy of the sports world. Lockout the fans and your business can kiss this fan goodbye. I get my box scores online. I’m not wasting my time going to Sports bars with other angry douches and tipping the bartender who mixes crappy drinks. I’m not turning on my TV because of what the damn business has done to the joy of watching hoops. I’m taking my talents to the local park or fitness club. F*** the NBA.

  • Anthony

    lol @ Jer Dawg i feel you tho… cuz at the end of the day its a distraction….. but we love it lol

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    20, 7 and 6 on 50 percent shooting?
    Dude’s down series are better than 90 percent of the League’s best series. That’s kind of amazing. Those numbers, on a lower shooting percentage, got Tyreke Evans the rookie of the year and comparisons to Oscar Robertson.

  • RobbieJay

    @Allenp, exactly my point. lebron doesnt need to dominate offensively to win games, and hes still better then half the players in the league. i do think hes a little TOO passive on certain plays though.

  • @Deknowz

    @Allenp, exactly,People just simply don’t like LeBron James anymore. They keep finding new reasons to tear him down. I think alot of it is jealousy. It’s sad really, he’s playing great team basketball.

  • AQWORD

    I think thats great that Bron dont have these fans. lol at Bull22 cant bare the fact Bron had grilled steak for lunch. :-) whacha want little guy.

  • http://pickandroll.tumblr.com/ airs

    pff, duh.
    i can’t understand why people can’t understand that a W is ultimately the most important stat in basketball, in ANY game.
    whats even worse is that unlike the bulls and rose, who were killed all season because of “inefficiency” yet winning 62 and getting to the ECF, Lebron is still getting great numbers at a high percentage. and they’re up 2-1!
    ya can’t please everybody.

  • hoodsnake

    Bull22 is still plenty salty. Watch out for him when the Bulls are in the playoffs for him next season. I still don’t understand the hate also. LeBron was a FREE agent and if he chose the Bulls on that July night teabaggers like bull22 would have his um, tea for breakfast , lunch , dinner and a midnight snack which LeBron is finishing off in a couple of days.

  • toinefan88

    I remember seeing Bron for the first time in hs. What stood out about him to me was everything he did beside scoring, the passing, the team play. Bron is built to be a team player.

  • T-Money

    lebron, most hated basketball player on the internet. meanwhile in the real world: first in shoe sales, jersey sales, $34 mil in endorsement money.

  • robb

    We can hate Lebron as much as we want (I know I do) but the guy’s playing incredible basketball. Scoring, passing and defending like a m*therf*cker.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    What LeBron is doing/has done defensively in these playoffs is the most impressive individual performance or set of performances of anyone IMO. well that or what Dirk has done offensively for Dallas. The 20 6 6 on 51% shooting that LeBron is putting up is hardly “disappointing” it should be expected, especially with the Heat winning. Speaking of did anyone catch @kberg_cbs (that’s his twitter easiest way to find the article) column on LeBron yesterday?

  • AQWORD

    T-Money with da reali-T check. Chi-ching !!

  • Ka

    Good for lebron hes helping winning in other aspects. But id rather not see him turnover a pass in transition, unforced n travelling. Thats hella ugly for a guy in future goat discussion.

  • Ben Ireland

    My thinking is that LeBron is playing sensationally, and is no doubt the best player in the game. I want Dallas to win, but the Heat will and fair play to them for getting it done. LeBron has had an unreal postseason and calling his numbers down is stupid. That said, the W is not the most important stat in every way… Would you say Luc Longley is better than Karl Malone? Great players get stats just playing their game… LeBron’s no stat padder and that’s why his numbers are down slightly… He’s tired from defensively playing. The fact that his numbers are still amazing is the most impressive thing about what he’s doing right now. And he’s getting the W along with that… Win-win.

  • http://pickandroll.tumblr.com/ airs

    @ben ireland – you’re kinda taking my point out of context, but i see what youre doin.
    when i say a W is the most important stat, im really addressing those who feel the need to ridicule the way a leader on a team plays when they win, or how that team wins.
    people like to point especially at efficiency stats and say just because they won it isn’t good enough, that they need to be more efficient.
    now am i saying luc longley is better than malone? hell no. i’m not even trying to touch that.
    basically what i’m saying is would you rather have great stats and take a loss or okay stats and a win?
    he luc does have more rings though, ha!

  • http://pickandroll.tumblr.com/ airs

    and* not he

  • http://www.slamonline.com Wayno

    His defense is what has blown me away the most…he’s absolutely a beast defensively. He can take a certain players out of the game comepletely.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Wayno

    That being said, DWade has been the bast player in this series so far.

  • http://www.bulls.com Rigo Gonzalez

    I’ve actually enjoyed the hell outta watching LeBron James play in the finals.
    Dude does what needs to be done when it needs to be done.

  • UND EINE !

    His numbers are down but like Wayno said his D is ill from all angles + don’t get him wrong like you do though hataz, he still throwin down on fools.

  • Byebye

    If I were labron I would never talk to the media
    They are evil they did build a wedge between Russ an kd last series it was what’s wrong with wade now it’s labron is second fiddle these mfs crazy smh

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    First and Foremost they have to talk to the media, they have no choice, unless they want to be exorbitantly fined. Second, there was no wedge between Durant and Westbrook, just a wedge between Scott Brook, Russell Westbrook and Good Basketball.

  • Dre

    People don’t know basketball and are idiots Lebron is shooting 50% from the field in the playoffs. However Idiots, there is one basketball to go around and Wade is being checked by an almost 40 year old. Common sense says go with the best match up. People with zero basketball knowledge would never understand that.

  • http://www.bulls.com Rigo Gonzalez

    LOL @ SooperFadeaway

  • fruizm

    so many SLAM posters have clearly NEVER played basketball…or a team sport.

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