In Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith criticized LeBron James’ shooting selection. The Nuggets won despite James missing six three-point attempts.
Stephen A. Smith of ESPN had some issues with the shot selection that LeBron James made at key portions of the fourth quarter of Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on Thursday. The final score of the game was 108-103 in favor of the Nuggets and the Lakers’ loss.
In a turn of events that was disheartening for the Lakers, despite James’ excellent performance in which he scored 22 points, dished out 10 assists, and grabbed nine rebounds, he fell short of a triple-double by only one rebound. However, his efforts were not enough to earn a victory as the Nuggets controlled the fourth quarter, spearheaded by an exceptional performance by Jamal Murray.
Despite his best efforts, the Warriors were unable to seal the victory. The Nuggets have established a comfortable 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series they are currently competing in. It is important to point out that James was unable to make any of his six tries from beyond the arc due to his struggles.
James has shown in the first two games of the series that he is effective at obtaining switches on smaller Denver players, such as Murray, and exploiting this advantage to score in the post or drive to the hoop, perhaps earning himself free throw opportunities. This has allowed James to increase his chances of winning the free throw shootout.
According to Smith, it’s high time for James, a 19-time All-Star, to stop taking shots from beyond the three-point line and start making the most of the advantages that come with his stature on the court.
During an appearance on The Stephen A. Smith Show, Smith advised his audience to “show your muscles every chance you get, use them.” The request made by the person is that three-point shooting be stopped immediately. The person appealed to others around them, pleading with them not to cross the three-point line or go any closer to it.
The athlete, who is 38 years old, has had a difficult time in the playoffs this year, as shown by the fact that he missed 19 straight three-point shots in the fourth quarter. This run began during the Lakers’ opening-round matchup against the Grizzlies, which was Game 2 of that series. According to ESPN Stats & Info, this is the player who has amassed the longest winning streak of any player in any of the previous 25 postseasons.
The surprising change of events that occurred in the fourth quarter saw the Nuggets making seven three-point shots, with Murray adding an astounding 23 of his total 37 points in the period. They were able to mount a comeback against Los Angeles thanks to their remarkable accomplishment.
According to the comments that Smith made, it is anticipated that James’ shooting performance would increase in the supportive environment of Crypto.com Arena
