Is There Room For Improvement In LeBron James’ Game? – NBA Special Report
Throughout the history of basketball, great players like Wilt Chamberlain, Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan continuously strove to improve their game, which is what helped them achieve mounds of success. Great players try to
outdo themselves even when they are in their prime.
In this regard, nobody has been an exception and nobody will ever be.
LeBron James is already being classified as one of the most talented players to have played the game. His strength, athleticism and ability to score at will, from all over the court, have helped him attain a level at par with the
hotshots of this sport.
But, like all those who belong to the crème de la crème of any sport, James needs to further develop his game in certain areas to become an even better pro.
In order to improve as a player, James will have to work on certain weaknesses of his and make them air tight. The 2011 NBA Finals gave everyone a sneak peek into the weak aspects of James’ game and there are both physical as
well as psychological facets that need to be addressed.
First and foremost, James needs to concentrate on his offense, because that is where he is most dangerous. His ability to ruthlessly drive down the court upon seeing an open line is any defender’s nightmare.
However, he needs to incorporate an element of rapid adjustment in his offensive play. Because, as we saw in the Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, James got lost in his own shadow once he realized he couldn’t figure out the
Mavericks’ defense. He started hanging around in defense and was unable to come up with alternative plays with Dwayne Wade.
The reason behind Miami Heats’ success against Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls was the offensive barrage of James and Wade, which completely disappeared against the Mavericks, who were happy to let James shoot from distance rather
than let him drive.
In short, secondly, he needs to play with the minds of his opponents by bringing more diversity to his game and always maintaining an offensive stance. Because if he continues to attack, not only will it tire out the opponents
defense, it will keep them guessing.
Third, James needs to work effortlessly to improve his jumper. That is what will bring more range to his game. Moreover, he should work on developing a trustworthy midrange jump shot. It can be either a two or three pointer,
but it should be something that players like Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant use on a regular scale when things are not going so well.
James has already shown that if he starts on a hot streak of jumpers, he can win games almost singlehandedly. However, his inconsistency might mean otherwise.
Lastly, James should set aside his ego and work on creating spaces without the ball. Now that Dwyane Wade is in charge of dictating the offense, James should try and pester the defense as much as possible. This will allow Dwyane
Wade and Chris Bosh to be more creative and make it much easier to breach a defense as that displayed by the Dallas Mavericks.
Amidst the heavy criticism that LeBron James has had to face over the past year or so, this seems like the perfect opportunity for him to not only better his individual game, but also display an element of team work and self sacrifice.
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