[SportsNinjaParticipant]

I realize this may be a dumb thing to address but. . .

This article was posted about LBJ and Jordan’s “scouting report” on him going left: http://espn.go.com/nba/conversations/_/id/9305856/lebron-james-says-michael-jordan-scouting-report-wrong

In summary, it is saying he can go left, he did it last night and did it a couple days after Jordan’s statement. I don’t remember the play from earlier in the season, however I have a little beef with saying he went left yesterday. In my humble opinion, and I am obviously not a pro player or probably as good as most of you, a player’s preference to go left or right has more to do with the first step than the angle to the hoop.

Last night LBJ got the ball with his back to the hoop and spun right. Technically he is coming from the left side of the hoop, and getting to the hoop on the left side of the defender and making a left handed layup, but he still went to his right to get around him.

Am I wrong here? I think what Jordan meant, and I think what going left implies to a player, is when facing up your first move is left. That is what is hard for most right-handed players. That isn’t what he did here. I don’t think MJ was saying he can’t make a left handed layup. Also he was so open after his spin move he could have dribbled with either hand, his head, his knee or anything else, so it wasn’t about not being able to dribble with his left.

I’m not trying to ridicule James here, he’s the best player in the league, I LOVE his game for the most part, and it REALLY doesn’t matter which way he went to score the game winner. I know I’m just splitting hairs here, I just want someone else’s opinion on whether he actually went left. . .

[BigChamp12Participant]

I see what you’re saying, but we still consider that going left.The spin right has little to do it with it. It was still done with his left hand driving to the left side of the basket.

[SportsNinjaParticipant]

I get what you mean, I guess we just disagree. I am much better going right than left when facing the hoop, and when my back is to the basket I am much quicker at spinning on my right foot than left.

If I’m scouting a player and saying he can’t go left, I’m not considering his ability to spin right when his back is to the basket. To me, this still doesn’t change his ability to go left.

[SportsNinjaParticipant]

I get what you mean, I guess we just disagree. I am much better going right than left when facing the hoop, and when my back is to the basket I am much quicker at spinning on my right foot than left.

If I’m scouting a player and saying he can’t go left, I’m not considering his ability to spin right when his back is to the basket. To me, this still doesn’t change his ability to go left.

[BigChamp12Participant]

I see what you’re saying, but we still consider that going left.The spin right has little to do it with it. It was still done with his left hand driving to the left side of the basket.

[NickWayne87Participant]

Irrelevant.

[NickWayne87Participant]

Irrelevant.

[ChewyParticipant]

to say how to shut down a player, let alone the greatest player on the planet playing today. NBA players are so good that “stopping” them is usually impossible. No matter what situation you force Lebron into, he ALWAYS has a chance of making the shot. He is tall, strong, athletic so he will be able to get the shot off whenever he wants

The whole forcing him left MIGHT lower his shooting percentages a little bit and I assume by now every team in the league would gladly do just about anything to make Lebron even a little bit worse than his usually game performance.

Also, if you are Lebron and you are strong enough to bully a SF all the way to the rim, then why put the extra effort of going to your off hand?

[ChewyParticipant]

to say how to shut down a player, let alone the greatest player on the planet playing today. NBA players are so good that “stopping” them is usually impossible. No matter what situation you force Lebron into, he ALWAYS has a chance of making the shot. He is tall, strong, athletic so he will be able to get the shot off whenever he wants

The whole forcing him left MIGHT lower his shooting percentages a little bit and I assume by now every team in the league would gladly do just about anything to make Lebron even a little bit worse than his usually game performance.

Also, if you are Lebron and you are strong enough to bully a SF all the way to the rim, then why put the extra effort of going to your off hand?

[MalcolmxParticipant]

Lebron is left handed. Most people forget that. He writes and does his daily things with his left hand. Watch him sign autographs he is a lefty……..another scenario like this is Darius Johnson odom. He shoots lefty but he is right handed.

[SportsNinjaParticipant]

Ok, but still, it was one dribble, and kinda one where he threw it ahead a bit. I don’t think the dribble makes a bit of difference like I said before. His move to the left isn’t that strong. He isn’t able to get by players as easily when he goes left. This is because of his first step. When you spin right you take away your first step being to the left. Is that making sense?

[SportsNinjaParticipant]

Ok, but still, it was one dribble, and kinda one where he threw it ahead a bit. I don’t think the dribble makes a bit of difference like I said before. His move to the left isn’t that strong. He isn’t able to get by players as easily when he goes left. This is because of his first step. When you spin right you take away your first step being to the left. Is that making sense?

[MalcolmxParticipant]

Lebron is left handed. Most people forget that. He writes and does his daily things with his left hand. Watch him sign autographs he is a lefty……..another scenario like this is Darius Johnson odom. He shoots lefty but he is right handed.

[Ghost01Participant]

The point Jordan was making is when LeBron goes left, he tends to pull up more. If you’ve watched his career, its pretty true. But LeBron gets super offended anytime anyone ever says anything about him because he’s obsessed with his “brand” and what people think, hence why he handled the 2011 season so poorly.

[Ghost01Participant]

The point Jordan was making is when LeBron goes left, he tends to pull up more. If you’ve watched his career, its pretty true. But LeBron gets super offended anytime anyone ever says anything about him because he’s obsessed with his “brand” and what people think, hence why he handled the 2011 season so poorly.

[ThepessimestParticipant]

Mike didn’t say Lebron couldn’t go left…he said when he does go left he tends to pull up for a jump shot and when he goes right he goes all the way to the basket. This is primarily due to his shooting motion and how he positions his body why this tendency exists. He turns his body to his left and brings the ball across his body (slight from his left) to shoot. Making it really comfortable for him to shoot going to his left and making it tougher to do the same shooting motion going right.

These players are so sensitive these days. First Lebron is upset because Vogel says the Heat are just the next team and now Lebron is responding to something Jordan said and not even responding to the correct context in which the statement was made.

[ThepessimestParticipant]

Mike didn’t say Lebron couldn’t go left…he said when he does go left he tends to pull up for a jump shot and when he goes right he goes all the way to the basket. This is primarily due to his shooting motion and how he positions his body why this tendency exists. He turns his body to his left and brings the ball across his body (slight from his left) to shoot. Making it really comfortable for him to shoot going to his left and making it tougher to do the same shooting motion going right.

These players are so sensitive these days. First Lebron is upset because Vogel says the Heat are just the next team and now Lebron is responding to something Jordan said and not even responding to the correct context in which the statement was made.

[rileymcshea3Participant]

Ok obviously a player that shoots with his right hand is gonna be better at going right, so yes teams rather make him go left. But Lebron is probably better then any one in the league at driving left except maybe Harden.So making Lebron go left wont help your cause, if anything Durant is weak with his left hand(no I’m not a Lebron fan,Durant is my favorite player but it’s the truth) Durant rather do a pull-up leaner over the bigman instead of shooting a difficult left handed layup, I mean why not he is 6’10 with long arms and hops.

[rileymcshea3Participant]

Ok obviously a player that shoots with his right hand is gonna be better at going right, so yes teams rather make him go left. But Lebron is probably better then any one in the league at driving left except maybe Harden.So making Lebron go left wont help your cause, if anything Durant is weak with his left hand(no I’m not a Lebron fan,Durant is my favorite player but it’s the truth) Durant rather do a pull-up leaner over the bigman instead of shooting a difficult left handed layup, I mean why not he is 6’10 with long arms and hops.

[Author]

Posts