Colin Cowherd: “One of the great gifts of the greatest players ever… Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, LeBron James, just to name a few— is that they understand basketball, and they’re very smart. LeBron showed you a lot about his intelligence yesterday. He’s 38, he gets tired, he gets ugly turnovers, he takes a lot of long, uninspiring three-pointers. At times, if you don’t have your legs that’s the easiest shot. But in the fourth quarter LeBron had three points, he had one shot and no assists. He’s 38 years old and you could see it. This is where he’s anti-Westbrook, he’s got great self-awareness. He pulled back. Rui, shoot it, young man, had nine points. Reaves, control the offense, 14 points. AD, six points, two blocks. This is where LeBron really shows another layer of greatness. He knows what he is but he also knows what he’s NOT, and he’s not going to be in a fourth quarter a guy you can put the entire offense on. He knows he needs performers around him. He knows what works with his game, he knows what he needs. LeBron was a little gassed in the fourth quarter and he lets others at 38 year old, with one of the highest basketball IQs of my life— he lets others take control. That is a real thing and it’s my biggest knock on Westbrook. He lives in a tunnel, LeBron doesn’t. Like Magic Johnson, LeBron knows what he is, knows what he’s not, and leans into others. Austin Reaves is undrafted and LeBron had no problem stepping back. In December and January when AD was hurt, LeBron needed to carry the team. Back then the roster was a mess. This was a crucial game for the Lakers and here in the fourth LeBron pulls back and let Austin Reaves control the offense. A lot of stars do not age gracefully, that was a graceful fourth quarter. Go all-in when needed, gracefully step back when not, and LeBron has no problems after the game saying ‘Austin Reaves is why we won.’” (Full Segment Above)
Watch Colin Cowherd explain why LeBron James has been so dominant in the NBA Playoffs his entire career, as Colin says LeBron has the type of exceptional basketball IQ to make himself the ‘anti-Westbrook and still control a game despite scoring just 21 points.
Check out the segment above as Colin discusses the Lakers’ Game 1 victory in Memphis.
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