LeBron James averaged 29.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game this season, shooting 51.7 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from three-point range; against the Rockets, James averaged 25 points, 8.8 rebounds and 10.3 assists per game, shooting 45.9 percent from the field and 25 percent from three-point range. Despite the Lakers' 3-1 record, James' efficiency has dropped significantly compared to the season average. It seems that the penultimate Rockets are not useless, at least James's efficiency has not taken advantage.
James, who missed a game, returned from the Lakers' away challenge to the Rockets, and now the Rockets are in a rebuilding period, and it is reasonable to say that they should not cause much trouble for the Lakers, but the Rockets are like divine help, especially in overtime, which is a wave of taking away the game and giving the Lakers two consecutive losses. Jaylen Green showed the strength of the table, with 32 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists on 13-of-21 shooting, including 7 three-pointers, 4 of 2 free throws, and 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting in overtime, which is the key to the Rockets' ability to take away the victory in a wave. In addition to Green, the Rockets also had Eric Gordon, Kevin Porter Jr., Alperen Shenjing, Ken Young Martin Jr., Dennis Schroeder and Josh Christopher scored in double figures.
James, who took one game off, was not in shape, with 9 of 26 three-pointers, including 9 three-pointers, 1 plus 6 free throws, 23 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists, 1 steal, and 4 blocks, the data looked pretty good, but it was inefficient, and the passing in the last minute of regular time also caused controversy. Combined with the performance of facing the Rockets four times throughout the season, James's relatively low efficiency is actually normal, so how does the penultimate Rockets reduce James' efficiency? It's mainly about three players, gordon, Martin and Jeshaun Tate.
Tate has only played two games with the Lakers this season due to injury, he directly confronted James on the defensive end for 4 minutes and 40 seconds, James shot 4 of 12 during this time, shooting only 33.3%; Gordon played three games with the Lakers, he directly confronted James on the defensive end for 15 minutes and 16 seconds, James shot 2 of 9 during this time, shooting only 22.2%; Martin played three games with the Lakers, he directly confronted James on the defensive end for 4 minutes and 10 seconds, James shot 3 of 9 during this time, The hit rate was only 33.3%.
Against Gordon, Martin and Tate, James shot 9-of-30 from the field, shooting just 30 percent from the field, while James' four games against the Rockets this season totaled 85 shots and 39 shots, putting aside the data of the alignment with these three people, James was 54.5 percent from 55 in other moments, far above the season average. Therefore, it is not difficult to understand why James will finally pass the ball, in the face of Gordon's defense, he does not have enough confidence, and then chose to break through, and the Rockets have formed a containment situation, so James can only choose to pass.
Text/Duncan's laugh