Same Old Lebron Loses To The Celtics

He shot four three-pointers and missed them all.  He shot eight free throws and missed four of them, including two near the end of the game.  If he could have made just one three-pointer and two of those free throws, the game could have been a victory for the Cavs.  Lebron James simply cannot shoot a basketball.

If you play fantasy basketball, you love Lebron because he is a stats machine.  He had two steals, six assists, seven boards and scored 22 points against the Celtics last night.  He also shot the ball 21 times, more than twice as much as any other player on his team.  If you are a Cavs fan, that is a disturbing number.

Lebron has shot 32.3 per cent from the three-point line and 72.8 per cent from the free-throw line for his career.  In last night's season opener against the Celtics, he showed no signs of improving those less than stellar numbers.  Unless he improves those numbers or the Cavs go out and get a real shooter to play with Lebron, the Cavs will never win a title.

Paul Pierce of the Celtics, the 2008 Finals MVP, also shot four three-pointers last night; he made two of them.  Pierce also went to the free-throw line eight times; he made five of them.  Right there is the difference in the game.

It is a very simplistic way of looking at a game to say that it was decided by the shooting of Pierce versus the shooting of James.  There are many other plays that make a difference in a game.  A rebound here, a turnover there, a referee's call can make a difference at a crucial time, but in the end the game is about putting the ball in the basket.  Pierce made his shots and Lebron missed his. 

There are many Lebron fans who will try to chalk up his missed shots to him having an off night, but his career statistics show it to be more than just an off night.  Lebron is a superior athlete that will get the Cavs to the playoffs year after year because he can dominate the inferior teams in the league with shear strength and speed.  When the Cavs have to play the top-tier teams, however, they will always struggle for the simple fact that Lebron cannot shoot.