The hoopla around LeBron James signing with the Philadelphia 76ers is primarily hinged on the general overview of just him moving teams for the final time in his career. Obviously, a lot has been said about the extra firepower the franchise will be getting from the megastar, but there has not been a lot of talking heads doubling down on the one trait he is directly importing from the Lakers –– his stellar play in the clutch.
Last season, the Lakers were heads and shoulders above all other teams when it comes to close games. They turned in a 22-8 record in games decided by five points or less, easily the best mark in the league. James was unequivocally a major part of that. Luka Doncic may have taken the lead for LA, but The King proved that he remains the most dangerous closer in the NBA. That is the kind of advantage the 76ers should be able to enjoy this coming season.
The 76ers are poised to import a key Lakers edge thanks to LeBron
The 76ers were not too shabby in close games last season, finishing with a respectable 23-18 record in clutch games. Still, that could be a lot better, and in an Eastern Conference race where the margin for error is slim and the difference between seedings is razor-thin, racking up those tight wins and securing a high footing will be of utmost importance to their quest to win the title.
James will not necessarily be the go-to option for the 76ers on the scoring end for the most part. However, when the games start to get tight, the team will most likely defer more to him to lift them finish strong. That was what the Lakers did as their M.O. last season, and it worked to great effect during the regular season. In fact, it is their LeBron-led brilliance during crunch time that allowed them to have a great record despite an average net rating.
With their boatload of talent, the 76ers should have little issues when it comes to scoring the basketball. However, it is not always that smooth when facing battle-tested teams, and it is in those situations that having someone like James, arguably the greatest clutch operator the NBA has ever seen, will come in handy.
LeBron worked his magic with the Lakers last season despite their team having a flawed design. The 76ers are constructed much better, and combined with the megastar’s proficiency in close games, this group might just reach a level the franchise has never seen before.
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