Baron Davis calls out LeBron James critics after Lakers’ Game 5 loss
LeBron James had a split-second to make a decision: Shoot or pass.
<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="With the Los Angeles Lakers trailing by one in the final seconds of Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Friday, LeBron drove to the hoop. Several Miami Heat defenders converged him.» data-reactid=»22″>With the Los Angeles Lakers trailing by one in the final seconds of Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Friday, LeBron drove to the hoop. Several Miami Heat defenders converged him.
Does he try to take a contested shot over multiple Heat players or pass to one of his open teammates and trust them to make a shot?
<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="LeBron picked the latter option. As NBC Sport Bay Area's Monte Poole wrote, it was the right play. LeBron just picked the wrong player to pass to. Danny Green had a WIDE OPEN look at a go-ahead 3-pointer, but he left it WAY short.» data-reactid=»24″>LeBron picked the latter option. As NBC Sport Bay Area’s Monte Poole wrote, it was the right play. LeBron just picked the wrong player to pass to. Danny Green had a WIDE OPEN look at a go-ahead 3-pointer, but he left it WAY short.
<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="The Lakers got the offensive rebound, but Markieff Morris threw the ball away. The Heat would hold on for a 111-108 win.» data-reactid=»25″>The Lakers got the offensive rebound, but Markieff Morris threw the ball away. The Heat would hold on for a 111-108 win.
After the game, LeBron received criticism on Twitter and from the basketball community for not shooting.
<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="Former Warriors star Baron Davis doesn’t want to hear it.» data-reactid=»27″>Former Warriors star Baron Davis doesn’t want to hear it.
Lebron is a genius when it comes to this game. Stop playing with him.
Y’all sorry ass fools who would have shot the ball. Always Be the one waiting next..
— Baron Davis (@BaronDavis) October 10, 2020
LeBron defended his decision to pass and defended Green against the naysayers.
<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content=""I mean, if you just look at the play, I was able to draw two defenders below the free throw line and find one of our shooters at the top of the key for a wide-open 3 to win a championship," James told reporters after the game (H/T ESPN.com). "I trusted him, we trusted him, and it just didn’t go.» data-reactid=»30″>»I mean, if you just look at the play, I was able to draw two defenders below the free throw line and find one of our shooters at the top of the key for a wide-open 3 to win a championship,» James told reporters after the game (H/T ESPN.com). «I trusted him, we trusted him, and it just didn’t go.
«You live with that. You live with that. It’s one of the best shots that we could have got. … Danny had a hell of a look. It just didn’t go down. I know he wishes he can have it again.»
<h5 class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="RELATED: Draymond says idea of suspending AD for Game 6 is "whack"» data-reactid=»32″>RELATED: Draymond says idea of suspending AD for Game 6 is «whack»
LeBron, Green and the Lakers have another chance to close out the Heat in Game 6 on Sunday night.
You can expect LeBron to silence the critics with another all-time performance.
<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="Download and subscribe to the Runnin’ Plays Podcast» data-reactid=»35″>Download and subscribe to the Runnin’ Plays Podcast