Dwyane Wade: LeBron James is completely different player – NBA Update
The Miami Heat offense has been highlighted by LeBron James especially when the game is on the line and Sunday night`s Game-3 win over Oklahoma City Thunder was no different.
He has provided Miami with the much needed steadiness required down the stretch in close games. So dominant has been LeBron`s play as compared to last year that it has even surprised Dwyane Wade;
He’s just a total different player,” Wade said “I thought up until the finals last year he was having an amazing playoffs. He had a game where he struggled and he let that get into his mind a little bit and he was thinking too
much. Now he’s playing, he’s on the attack, he’s been very aggressive.”
During his two years with the Heat, LeBron has gotten his fair share of criticism for not being able to deliver in the closing stages; however in the NBA Finals so far, James seems to be the relishing in fourth quarters.
There has definitely been a huge difference in LeBron’s approach this year and he has been very assertive in trying to make plays for his team.
In the final quarter of Game 3 against OKC, he had 8 points from 4 field goal attempts and to top it all off, got the final say in the match by making the last two free throws.
Drawing comparisons to last year James has also been very dominant inside the paint. There is no doubt that once LeBron decides to drive to the basket, opponents do not have any other option but to foul him, but for some reason
he was reluctant to do that last year. This year, he seems to have learnt the lesson;
“I’m just trying to make plays,” LeBron said after the game on Sunday. “I told you guys last year I didn’t make enough game-changing plays. I can kind of pride myself on that; I didn’t do it last year in the finals. I’m just trying
to make plays.”
The approach to consistently get into the paint and try to finish at the rim allowed James to go 9-for-15 from inside the key in Game whereas he shot the ball only 2-of-8 from outside.
If LeBron and the Heat go on to win the championship, and they should given a chance to close out the series at home, it may not put an end to the ‘biased’ media mongrels, however it would definitely etch his name in the list of
all time greats.
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