"There are times I’ve seen him where he has that look" - Ty Lue could sense when LeBron wanted to score a lot of points

“There are times I’ve seen him where he has that look” – Ty Lue could sense when LeBron wanted to score a lot of points originally appeared on Basketball Network.

Tyronn Lue is one of the coaches who developed a strong bond with LeBron James. He knew James well as a player. In fact, Lue could tell from James’ demeanor at pregame warmups if he was about to have a high-scoring night.

According to Lue, whenever he noticed that LeBron was feeling it early on game day, he would more than likely take over the competition on the offensive end. Lue reckoned that it had become a pattern throughout the years they worked together back in Cleveland.

Looking back, Coach Lue pointed out that it didn’t just prove how great a scorer James was; it also showed how remarkably versatile his game was.

“There are times I’ve seen him where he has that look,” Lue said of James in 2023. “Then I know tonight is going to be a great night. He’s always been able to put together those type of games where his back is against the wall. If he needs to be a scorer, he will do that.”

Lue remembers LeBron’s best high-scoring games

James’ second stint with the Cavs was defined by redemption and a series of historic performances. Lue was fortunate to be there with LeBron during those moments, especially on the nights when “King James” dominated the game with his scoring prowess.

For Lue, James had a couple of high-scoring games that he considers truly unforgettable. To this day, Lue still vividly recalls how James scored a playoff career-high 51 points on the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals and his 57-point explosion against the Washington Wizards in 2017.

“That 51-point game he had against Golden State in the Finals was so easy. It wasn’t loud,” Lue recounted. “At the end of the game, I was like, ‘Damn, he had 51?’ The 57 against the Wizards was very loud. He had a lot of dunks and 3s. The fans were really into it. He loves playing in Washington, and the fans were going crazy.”

Lue says LeBron has killer instinct

Lue coached James for three consecutive seasons. The Cavs won an NBA championship and two conference titles during that stretch. Admittedly, Lue credits James’ greatness for those incredible runs. He recognized how James went out of his way and did everything he could, as far as playing goes, to lead his team to success. Despite that, naysayers are still quick to criticize James.

Lue couldn’t understand how some people could say that, as great a player James has been, he doesn’t have that killer instinct in him. For Coach Lue, the narrative is either baseless or people just refuse to acknowledge it, even if LeBron has proven time and again that he always delivers when the going gets tough.

“Whenever [LeBron’s] back’s against the wall, he always produces,” Coach Lue once said. “You have to have a killer instinct to be able to do that. Just because you’re not talking stuff, and you’re not in people’s face. I just don’t understand. Why does that mean you don’t have a killer instinct?”

Lue continues to be impressed by James’ ability to score and dominate games at this point in his career. At 40 years old, LeBron is still one of the best scorers in the league, and it’s no surprise that he still feels like he could score a lot of points in certain games.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 27, 2025, where it first appeared.

“There are times I’ve seen him where he has that look” – Ty Lue could sense when LeBron wanted to score a lot of points

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