LeBron James is shooting down the legitimacy of a recent ESPN poll among 26 of his NBA peers in which 88 percent said they would want Michael Jordan taking a final shot and 12 percent picked Kobe Bryant. James shrugged off the report telling the website, "I don't let teams hang around too much for the last shot."
"Players in our league said that? All right," a somewhat shocked James told ESPN. "I really don't care what 30 guys in our league say about me taking the last shot... I don't think the definition of clutch is who takes the last shot."
One Eastern Conference guard said, "I'd want the ball in LeBron's hands at the end of the game, but I'd want him to pass to Kobe or Jordan for the last shot. And don't forget, LeBron is not a great free throw shooter, either."
It's a criticism that continues to dog James despite his recent late game heroics. During last season's playoffs, he made a game-winner against Indiana in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and in Game 7 of the Finals he swished a 19-footer against San Antonio late that more or less sealed the deal on his Miami Heat second straight NBA title.
"That was a big shot but people forget about it because I made it," James told ESPN. "And I got the steal on the way down on the next play, too."
According to ESPN Stats & Information, James actually is a better shooter from the field than Bryant on game-tying or go-ahead field goals in the final 24 seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime of postseason games. He checks in at 41.2 percent (7-for-17), while Bryant is at 25 percent (7-for-28). Jordan rules that stat, though, at 50 percent (9-for-18).
"I want the ball in my hands, I'm going to make the play that's best for our team," said James said. "I'm not always going to succeed obviously. I had a few turnovers in Game 6 (of the Finals) and I had a few turnovers in Game 2 (on the conference finals) against Indiana but I want it in my hands."
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