Oh My-lanta! Cavs vs. Hawks Behind The Box Score
March 7, 2015Enduring the Rally of the Suns: Phoenix vs. Cavs Behind the Box Score
March 7, 2015Having spent much of the last week subbing in as his harshest critic, LeBron James succinctly and demonstrably described his season-long bout with turning over the basketball.
“As far as turnovers, I suck, I suck,” James said following his nine-turnover night in the team’s Friday night loss to the Atlanta Hawks. “Tonight was another one of those nights.”
James is on pace to finish the season with a career-worst mark in the turnover category, averaging 4.2 turnovers per game this season, and is the only player in the NBA with at least five eight-turnover nights. Interestingly, all of the 12-year veteran’s numbers indicate that his turnovers balloon when he’s placed in new situations—ESPN.com’s Dave McMenamin points out that the other two high-water marks of James’ career have come during his rookie season and his first year in Miami.
Year | Team | TO |
2003-04 | CLE |
3.5 |
2004-05 | CLE |
3.3 |
2005-06 | CLE |
3.3 |
2006-07 | CLE |
3.2 |
2007-08 | CLE |
3.4 |
2008-09 | CLE |
3.0 |
2009-10 | CLE |
3.4 |
2010-11 | MIA |
3.6 |
2011-12 | MIA |
3.4 |
2012-13 | MIA |
3.0 |
2013-14 | MIA |
3.5 |
2014-15 | CLE |
4.3 |
While James, as he has for most of his career, is prone to turnovers due to how much he touches the basketball, the heady four-time MVP has mentally divided the faux pas into two categories: Attacking and carelessness.
“Some of them were attacking,” James said. “I remember I had a couple I drove left hard, I thought [Kevin Love] was going to be at a certain place, he cut, I threw it out of bounds. The first two turnovers, I got my arm grabbed. I wasn’t strong with the ball. I turned the ball over. My last turnover, I seen [Kyrie Irving] open in the paint. I tried to throw high, I should have thrown low. Those are careless turnovers, so it was split. Of my nine, I think five of them were unforced, four of them were attack turnovers. But, I suck. As far as me turning the ball over, I got to do better.”
Atlanta’s DeMarre Carroll pestered James from opening tipoff to the final buzzer, limiting James to five points on 14.3% shooting while forcing four turnovers when serving as his primary defender. According to ESPN Stats & Research, only one other time in LeBron James’ career did he have a half in which he shot 16.7% or worse and had at least five turnovers—January 20, 2006 against the Golden State Warriors.
The Hawks attacked James (and Irving) with a trap-based defense that they had not used in previous games, putting the onus on the two ball handler’s ability to make snap decisions. It was the ninth game this season James totaled seven or more turnovers. Cleveland is just 4-5 when this happens.
4 Comments
Gotta say that even a hint of self-reflection from Bron Bron is a positive sign. Tough game but I think it’s time people start taking the Hawks seriously. The nice thing is that once Blatt really gets his offense established it will hopefully have the same level of ball movement and pace along with unstoppable ISO plays when necessary.
Thank you Bron for messing it up again. You made me loose $20.00 Again!
There comes a point when all of this self reflecting is either going to get old or just seem like the boy who cried wolf. I think the turnovers are a direct effect for LBJ feeling like he has to do everything. I know he wants the ball but that doesn’t mean he has to continually bring it up the court possession after possession. I don’t know why we haven’t seen him post up or start in the paint with KI handling the ball. Where have the pick and rolls with LBJ & KI gone? Where has any offensive plays gone?
Don’r worry LeBron, the rest of the team did too.