[Ghost01Participant]

 We live in a world where every time LeBron James doesn’t hit a fadeaway 3 to win the game at the buzzer, he gets criticized, yet we live in a world where Chris Paul is always named one of the best guys in clutch, no matter what happens. He made an all time terrible play earlier this year against San Antonio to choke a game late, then last night missed a free throw to tie the game against Minnesota. He hasn’t really hit any big shots this year, but he’s "The guy who you want to have the ball in his hands in crunch time". I don’t understand this. Can we please start to call guys out for choking games if every time Lebron does, hes "LeChoke"?

[David Stern a.k.a. da muthaf@cking leader of da kryptsParticipant]

 That’s just people hatin’ on Lebron

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

 You must have not watched Chris Paul win the game on Sunday for Clips, or the when he had a walkoff jumper over Iggy against the Sixers a few weeks ago.  But I get your point, and it’s not that Chris Paul is not clutch it’s that LeBron get’s killed for whatever he does wrong and everyone else get’s a pass. At least that’s the way I see it. No one shoots 100% in the clutch, so you can’t get on CP3 about that, but he has come up big many more times in those situations than LeBron.  

[Michael.S.Participant]

Anthony also missed a game winner against Boston in a game they lost, and Durant missed a crucial free throw as well yesterday.

[mookieParticipant]

 yeah you guys right, but the difference is Lebron looks to pass instead of even attempting to take that shot.  Then people analyze Lebron making the right play.  Look at the last 2 games Lebron was put in a clutch situation.  The all star game and against the Jazz.  In another thread, people started defending Lebron that he made the right play and pass.  But no one, not one time even bothered to talk about he made a horrible decision in the all star game by throwing that pass.  The point is Lebron should be open to critisim as much as he is open to taking all the glory.  Nothing personal, just talking ball

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

When Derrick Rose missed that free-throw versus the Heat, he was criticized for it big time, EVEN THOUGH he hadn’t missed a 4th quarter free-throw the entire season before that miss. Chris Paul definitely won’t get a pass from me. And I definitely didn’t give him a pass versus San Antonio either.

However, I’ve seen Chris Paul step up in the clutch a lot whether it was making the shot, the pass, the steal, etc. I’m used to him making plays when the game is on the line, not him coming up short.

I still think he has ice in veins.

[Ghost01Participant]

 My issue is not with Chris Paul having the inability to come through late (which is not true)

It is that with stars that more "likable", Durant, CP3, those guys, we seem to let off the hook everytime they fail to come through late. 

[Ghost01Participant]

 Indiana- D Rose has never been one of those guys who gets the benefit of the doubt. Of course its not like hes like Lebron, it doesn’t come from his personality. I think honestly it comes from this stat nerd era because Rose is more of an eye-test guy then a PER guy. He doesn’t shoot the best percentage or average the most assists, he just gets it done. And that drives the Hollingers out there crazy. I remember him not getting a pass at all for the Miami series, you know, when CP3, Deron, Rondo, and all the other stud PGs were at home watching. 

[kngojcParticipant]

 Its just that its easier to criticize a guy who has treated his fans to a rollercoaster of emotions. Lebron sometimes takes the shot, most times passes to the open man when he can. But when you’re considered one of the best in the world and possibly ever, you need to take the shot that puts your team in positionn to win. Rose, Durant, CP3 don’t get blamed as MUCH for missing because they’re more well liked. Its juvenile but thats the way it is, where professional athletes are scrutinized under a microscope on how they perform day in and day out.

[A Lil EnglishParticipant]

Lebron & the Heat were the only ones who said (joking or not) they were going to win multiple championships, only to get all the way to the finals first time round and Lebron did not show up. That’s the difference. Neither of these other guys did so obviously the magnifying glass is going to be on Lebron in the clutch more this season. And I don’t think there’s anything you can do about it.

I swear people will ease up on scrutiny when he starts making game winners. Forgive me if I missed one.

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

LeBron is held to different standard.

I also think he puts an insane amount of pressure on his own self. Like nicknaming himself “the closer”. Then claiming to win all of these championships. LeBron supporters will get mad, but it’s true… He said these things.

And LeBron has some of the oddest moments. I know the LeBron supporters will come out and say I’m hating, but it’s true. I sware he’s looked like he’s just mentally checked out of games. Versus Boston. And then versus Dallas. Versus Boston, I remember him just standing in the corner. Even the game he had a triple double, it just didn’t look like he was in the game.

And yea, I remember the game versus Detroit. I remember the game winning layups versus Washington. I remember the gamewinning three pointer versus the Magic. I remember him versus Boston and Chicago last year when Pippen annointed him better than Jordan. I’m not ignoring his clutch moments.

All I’m saying is that he’s had a lot of unclutch/odd moments.

[iWin1988Participant]

When did he call himself "The Closer". I just did a Google search and found nothing of the sort. Care to provide that documentation?

[DanEboyParticipant]

LeBron is the best in the game, and arguably the most talented of all time. That is why he gets criticized more than anyone else. And like some have eluded to, he is the one that called himself the closer, the chosen one, the King, etc.

Some people on here, and I won’t name names, have said that even if he doesn’t win a ring, he is still top 5-10 all time. The problem with that is it just isn’t good enough for the player he is, the player he has basically told us he is.

And by the way, I have to hate on the dude a little, I am a Bulls fan and they are their rivals right now. That is the way sports work. Root for your own, and against the opposition. But if he ends his career without a title, it would be a huge disappointment considering his talent and given the sport he plays allows for one superstar to take his team over the top.

[iguapops420Participant]

 LeBron gets his criticism because he simply doesn’t want to live in the clutch moments. Just like Indiana said, no one can forget LBJ’s clutch moments, but he simply doesn’t have enough of them. He’s simply passed them up far too many times. He simply cares too much about his image to accept failure.

[DanEboyParticipant]

I could be wrong on the whole ‘closer’ thing. Just heard it a couple of times. He does have ‘witness’ and ‘history’ on his legs though.

He just needs that one huge game winner to get his confidence back that he seems to lose at the end of games to take the shot. It’s just a mental block. You can’t argue that his demeaner changes in those situations. The Utah game was the perfect example. Coming out of that time out with 4.4 seconds left, his face was blank, like he was just thinking about failing instead of relying on his instinct like he did that whole quarter.

And don’t worry, once he gets those seven rings he promised, everyone will shut up…

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

@iWin1988

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/news/story?id=5120760

[Michael.S.Participant]

"His teammates dropped the moniker on him recently"

"They call me ‘The Closer’ " – James

 

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

It’s no different than “King James”. He didn’t name himself that, but he embraced it.

He embraced the nickname “The Closer” and the Cleveland organization was running with it as a whole.

[jonwangcbParticipant]

"We live in a world where every time LeBron James doesn’t hit a fadeaway 3 to win the game at the buzzer, he gets criticized"

And rightfully so.  Nobody, especially someone with LeBron’s size and ability to create his own shot, should be consistently taking fadeaway threes to win.  It’s not just a matter of LeBron missing game winning shots; it’s the decision making process behind it.  He makes the right play all game long, but when the right play is to create an open jumper or drive and get a layup, he shoots a fadeaway three.

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

There’s a huge difference between the criticism on LeBron and CP3.  

While CP3 is being challenged and compared to Derrick Rose, Deron Williams and Russell Westbrook, LeBron is being compared to Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson.  LeBron is on a legendary level that not every player gets on.  This is why the need for him to be clutch and great is held to a higher standard because as good as Chris Paul is, while he’s fighting off Rose, Williams, and Westbrook; LeBron James is fighting off history.

[aamir543Participant]

 CP3 is one of the best players in the game today.

Lebron is supposed to be one of the greatest of All-Time(Not saying he is though).

Lebron will be held to whole ‘nother standard, whether it’s fair or not.

[kngojcParticipant]

 His decision making to pull up for jump shots is poor because he can get to the rim almost at ease. But what looks cooler on a highlight reel, driving to the rim for a game winning lay up or a make or break jump shot that leaves the whole stadium on their feet? When it comes to Lebron, my personal opinion is that he goes more for style over substance because of his name and the marketing and hype that comes with it. 

[Ghost01Participant]

 Most of the people in this thread took the topic to route I did not intend on it going.

I understand why the media criticizes lebron. 

I don’t understand why other players get called clutch, when they simply are not. Specifically in this case, Chris Paul. He has hit big shots this year. He has also made two huge errors to cost his team games. 

[PulseGlazerParticipant]

Okay then back to intended topic – Paul gets remarkable end-game credit because throughout his career, despite some mistakes, his teams have played markedly better in the clutch than the average.  The statistical record here doesn’t lie.  Is he perfect? NO! No one is 100% in the clutch, in any sport, ever.  He’s just far superior to most because of his generally outstanding decision making.

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