LeBron James Shocked by NBA’s Unstoppable Scorers: ‘I Force Tough Shots, But They Still Score!’ – NBA King Reveals Frustration in Guarding Elite Players Who Defy Defense with Jaw-Dropping Accuracy!
LeBron explains why contested shots don’t bother scorers like SGA, KD, and DeRozan.
In a league full of elite scorers, sometimes the best defense becomes part of the highlight. Even when you force a tough, contested shot, some players still knock it down, and LeBron James knows that feeling all too well. In a new episode of the “Mind the Game” podcast with Steve Nash, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar shares the frustration of trying to contain the NBA’s premier scoring threats.
“It’s just certain guys that are assassins at contested twos. Shai being one of them, DeMar DeRozan, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving,” the four-time NBA MVP said. “They much rather you contest than not contest. It’s literally their rhythm. It’s a challenge for players when you’re guarding these guys, and you say, ‘S***, I just made him take a contested two, and he keeps making it.'”
“Then, you realize, ‘I’m not making him take contested twos. This is what he wants to do.’ And you just gotta hope they miss, and you hope that it wears,” added the 6’9″ forward.
How to slow these guys down
One can only imagine the feeling of helplessness when the only solution you can think of is “to hope they miss.” However, that’s the reality when guarding the Association’s walking buckets. These guys make shots in their sleep, and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop them from eating.
Yet, according to Bron, defenders can make an impact by staying the course, especially when legs get heavy in the fourth. Stoppers have to invest in their work early and often, and then it might happen.
“When the fourth quarter comes around, maybe because you’ve been doing things offensively. Putting them in actions, maybe being a little physical with them, running up and down the court. You hope that towards the fourth quarter, maybe that contested two that was going through the first three quarters maybe becomes a little short. So, it definitely is a mindf*** for you as a defender,” the “Chosen One” stated.
As LBJ highlighted, guys like SGA, “Deebo,” and KD are very proficient in making contested perimeter twos. These shots are often characterized as “low percentage” attempts. Yet, these scorers have a habit of making them at a steady rate.
For instance, all three are among this season’s league leaders in two-point field goals made when a defender is within two to four feet.
The OKC Thunder guard and Sacramento Kings swingman are third and fourth in the entire NBA, while Durant is 14th. Gilgeous-Alexander makes almost 61 percent of his shots (580 attempts), while DeRozan (688 attempts) connects on a 51 percent clip. KD (484) does not attempt this type of basket as often as the two do, but the Phoenix Suns forward is still elite at 57 percent.
LeBron explains why contested shots don’t bother scorers like SGA, KD, and DeRozan.
In a league full of elite scorers, sometimes the best defense becomes part of the highlight. Even when you force a tough, contested shot, some players still knock it down, and LeBron James knows that feeling all too well. In a new episode of the “Mind the Game” podcast with Steve Nash, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar shares the frustration of trying to contain the NBA’s premier scoring threats.
“It’s just certain guys that are assassins at contested twos. Shai being one of them, DeMar DeRozan, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving,” the four-time NBA MVP said. “They much rather you contest than not contest. It’s literally their rhythm. It’s a challenge for players when you’re guarding these guys, and you say, ‘S***, I just made him take a contested two, and he keeps making it.'”
“Then, you realize, ‘I’m not making him take contested twos. This is what he wants to do.’ And you just gotta hope they miss, and you hope that it wears,” added the 6’9″ forward.
How to slow these guys down
One can only imagine the feeling of helplessness when the only solution you can think of is “to hope they miss.” However, that’s the reality when guarding the Association’s walking buckets. These guys make shots in their sleep, and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop them from eating.
Yet, according to Bron, defenders can make an impact by staying the course, especially when legs get heavy in the fourth. Stoppers have to invest in their work early and often, and then it might happen.
“When the fourth quarter comes around, maybe because you’ve been doing things offensively. Putting them in actions, maybe being a little physical with them, running up and down the court. You hope that towards the fourth quarter, maybe that contested two that was going through the first three quarters maybe becomes a little short. So, it definitely is a mindf*** for you as a defender,” the “Chosen One” stated.
As LBJ highlighted, guys like SGA, “Deebo,” and KD are very proficient in making contested perimeter twos. These shots are often characterized as “low percentage” attempts. Yet, these scorers have a habit of making them at a steady rate.
For instance, all three are among this season’s league leaders in two-point field goals made when a defender is within two to four feet.
The OKC Thunder guard and Sacramento Kings swingman are third and fourth in the entire NBA, while Durant is 14th. Gilgeous-Alexander makes almost 61 percent of his shots (580 attempts), while DeRozan (688 attempts) connects on a 51 percent clip. KD (484) does not attempt this type of basket as often as the two do, but the Phoenix Suns forward is still elite at 57 percent.
As LBJ explained, stopping these guys outright isn’t realistic. The goal is to make them work, wear them down, and stay in their space long enough for fatigue to do its part. With scorers this skilled, even the smallest edge can make a difference.
