Are we finally seeing LeBron James decline? It's easy to forget sometimes, but the Los Angeles Lakers star is already 38 years old. And while what he's doing is impressive (nearly 29 points per game at 38 is nuts), the King is starting to show his age in the playoffs. Last night, LeBron shot 0-for-6 in the Lakers' Game 2 loss. That awful shooting (especially in the fourth) is becoming a recurring trend for James, per ESPN Stats and Info.
“LeBron James has missed 19 straight 3-pointers in the 4th quarter dating back to Game 2 of the 1st Round this year. That's the longest streak by any player in the last 25 postseasons.”
LeBron James has missed 19 straight 3-pointers in the 4th quarter dating back to Game 2 of the 1st Round this year.
That's the longest streak by any player in the last 25 postseasons. pic.twitter.com/xMzmc1sINI
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 19, 2023
That's… not good. Part of that is LeBron not being a good enough shooter anymore: the Lakers star shot at a 32% clip in the regular season. That shooting goes down to around 23% in the playoffs. However, James has always had an uncanny ability to make timely shots in the fourth. To see him miss 19 straight threes in the final quarter is surprising, to say the least.
Another explanation is that James is starting to get gassed as the postseason rolls along. The Lakers star had to carry a heavy burden in the regular season just for his team to win, often logging 40+ minutes. We might be seeing the ugly effect of those games. LeBron is taking these fourth quarter threes early in the shot-clock, which is usually a indicator of fatigue.
Unfortunately for the Lakers and LeBron, it's not going to get any easier. LA's next game is in two days, with one of those rest days likely being spent travelling back to Los Angeles. Being away from the thin Denver air might help, but LeBron basically just has to push forward.
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