LeBron James didn’t mince words when breaking down a major trait in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving’s game.
The Los Angeles Lakers superstar has competed against and played with these two stars during his 22-year NBA career. The four-time MVP has never shied away from praising them, more so at this stage in his career.
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During Tuesday’s episode of his “Mind The Game” podcast with Steve Nash, the 40-year-old noted how Durant and Irving played and shot better during a normally unfavorable situation.
One of the topics of discussion centered around players finding rhythm in their midrange shots. Durant and Irving have mastered this seemingly forgotten art and James gave them their flowers for thriving under pressure.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23).Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Explaining how defenses prepare for games and sometimes decide to go easy on mid-range shots, he added that some players are simply unstoppable once they find their rhythm.
James named four players who excel in that area, including Durant and Irving.
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“It’s just certain guys that are literally assassins at contested twos,” James said. “Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander] being one of them, DeMar DeRozan being one of them, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving… They’d much rather you contesting than not contest.
“It’s literally their rhythm and it’s a challenge for a player when you’re guarding these guys and you say, ‘(Expletive), I just made him take a contested two and he keeps making it.’ And you have to realize, ‘I’m not making him take contested shots. This is what he wants to do.'”
Durant and Irving are two of the most prolific scorers of this generation. Just like James said, they look for those moments during games. Proof of that is their game-winning or game-tying attempts, even during playoff games.
James has become a better scorer over time, especially from distance, but when it comes to mid-range shots, Durant and Irving belong to the elite.
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