Most NBA fans have heard of Skip Bayless for the sole reason that he’s such a detractor. Bayless did not even leave the man alone after a 40-point display in Game 5.
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James carried the Lakers on the night, acting as both their best perimeter shooter and their best interior scorer. He was only 3 assists short of a triple-double.
His teammates got open looks all night, but failed to capitalize. The game was a back and forth between James and Butler at the end. Butler gave the Heat the decisive lead with 2 ice cold free throws at 107-108 to put the Heat up 109-108.
Skip Bayless says LeBron James is deflecting the blame for botched last possession
The final play of the night was with LeBron receiving an inbounds pass with 16.8 seconds remaining in the game.
He took 3 steps with the ball, an obvious uncalled travel, before sizing up Jimmy Butler and driving towards the paint. This created a defensive collapse on him, and left 2 shooters open on the 3-point line.
Danny Green received the pass for the wide open 3, but it was a little lower than to his liking. In his haste to reset to a proper shooting stance, Green took a shot that bounced off the front of the rim.
In the post-game presser, LeBron James conceded that he tried making the right play and found a wide-open Danny Green. He said the entire Lakers squad trusteed Green to make that shot, but it didn’t go in and that the entire franchise would have to live with it and move on.
Skip Bayless, however, feels that LeBron James cannot get away with saying that ‘he’ll live with it’, as he should have taken up the responsibility to make that title winning shot.
LAKER NATION: Don’t let LeBron get away w saying he’ll “live with” a wide-open missed 3 by Danny Green. WRONG. He’s been shirking his duty, deflecting blame this way his whole career. He had played one of his top 3 playoff games ever. HE HAS TO TAKE THAT SHOT.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) October 10, 2020
LeBron James is 6 feet 9 inches tall. Jimmy Butler is 6-7. HE HAS TO TAKE THE SHOT TO WIN HIS 4TH RING, NOT DANNY GREEN. LeBron could’ve shot a 5-foot runner off the glass. Or just powered up and gotten to the free throw line. He was hot. He could’ve at least made one to tie.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) October 10, 2020
Even though Markieff Morris ended up with the long offensive rebound, he ended up turning it over on a horrendously off target pass. The Lakers had to then foul Tyler Herro and send him to the line with 1.6 seconds in the game.
