The NBA's scoring wave this season is unprecedented, with Embiid, Doncic, Booker and Towns scoring more than 70 points in a game, setting a new record in NBA history. The scoring prowess of these players is unquestionable, but it also brings to mind the question: Why did James, the NBA's No. 1 man, never reach the 70-point mark in a single game in his long 21 seasons?
James is one of the most well-rounded players in NBA history, with top scores, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks in his career, and his career average of 27 points per game ranks fourth all-time, behind Chamberlain, Jordan and James Harden. He also once scored a personal high of 61 points in a game, but he never broke the 60-point mark, let alone 70. Why is that?
To answer this question, we need to analyze it from multiple aspects. First of all, we have to consider James's style of play and style. James is an all-round player who not only scores, but also organizes offenses and creates chances for his teammates, and his assist tally is also among the highest in history. His style of play is not based on singles, but on the team, and he will choose the right way to attack according to the situation of the game, sometimes it is a breakthrough, sometimes it is a shot, sometimes it is a pass. He doesn't force his shots to score a point, nor does he ignore his team's wins in pursuit of personal data. While this style of play is good for the team's overall performance, it also limits his individual scoring ceiling, as he doesn't constantly seek shots, take risks, and constantly challenge opponents' defenses, as some scorers do.
Secondly, we have to consider James's skills and abilities. James' technique and ability are very well-rounded, his physical attributes are top-notch, his breakthrough ability is unmatched, his mid-range shooting is also stable, his three-point shooting is also somewhat threatening, and his free throws are acceptable. However, his technique and ability are not perfect, his outside shooting is not very consistent, his free throw shooting is not very accurate, his mid-to-long range shooting is not very varied, and his offensive means are not very rich. These shortcomings do not affect his average score, but they do affect his single-game score. Because in the NBA, if you want to get a high score in a single game, you need to have enough shots, you also need to have enough shooting percentage, and you also need to have enough three-pointers and free throws. And James is not particularly outstanding in these aspects, his shots are affected by his style of play, his shooting percentage is affected by his skill, and his three-point and free throws are affected by his ability. Therefore, it is difficult for him to quickly improve his score through outside shooting, free throws, etc., like some scorers.
Finally, we have to consider James's environment and opponents. James' career has gone through many eras in the NBA, from the traditional interior line as king, to the modern outside line, from defense as the focus, to offense as the fast, from single-player, to team first. In these different eras, James has been able to adapt and lead, but he has also faced different challenges and obstacles. In the era of traditional interior king, James' breakthrough will be blocked by the opponent's tough defense, his shooting will be interfered with by the opponent, and his scoring will be limited by the opponent. In the modern perimeter-dominated era, James' shooting will be contrasted with that of his opponent, his score will be disproportionate to his opponent's score, and his advantage will be offset by his opponent's advantage. In an era where defense is the most important, James' offense will be suppressed by opponents, his shots will be limited by opponents, and his efficiency will be affected by opponents. In the era of fast offense, James' offense will compete with the opponent's offense, his rhythm will be disturbed by the opponent, and his performance will be challenged by the opponent. In the era of singles, James' individual ability will be contrasted with the opponent's individual ability, his style will be different from the opponent's style, and his stats will be contrasted with the opponent's stats. In the era of team-first, James' team ability will be contrasted with that of his opponent, his role will be different from that of his opponent, and his contribution will be contrasted with that of his opponent. In these different environments and opponents, James can perform well, but it is also difficult for him to show absolute dominance, he also has difficulty in gaining absolute freedom, and it is difficult for him to achieve absolute high scores.
To sum up, the reason why James has not scored 70 points in a single game in 21 seasons is because of the comprehensive influence of his playing style, skills, ability, environment and opponents, so that his scoring has been limited to a certain extent, and has not reached his limit.
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