Lakers' Reaves defends LeBron's shot selection: 'He can shoot all he wants'
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves maintained that LeBron James has no reason to stop firing from deep after the team's 108-103 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals.
"I mean, he can shoot all he wants," Reaves said, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "It's LeBron James. I don't think anybody bats an eye when he shoots a shot or questions his shot. We want him taking whatever he feels comfortable with just because he's a winning basketball player for his whole career, and that's all he wants to do: He wants to win."
James missed all six of his 3-point attempts in Game 2, including three in the fourth quarter.
The 38-year-old superstar is now 0-of-10 from deep in the series and has missed 19 straight fourth-quarter 3-pointers dating back to Game 2 of the first round, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
"He was open, they're playing off of him," Lakers head coach Darvin Ham said. "He's a highly capable 3-point shooter; he let it fly."
The Lakers collectively shot just 8-of-30 (26.7%) from beyond the arc in Game 2. They went 11-of-24 (45.8%) in Game 1 but were outdone by the Nuggets, who knocked down 15 triples on 46.9% shooting.
L.A. led in the fourth quarter of Game 2 before a hot shooting stretch by Denver that included three 3-pointers by Jamal Murray, two by Michael Porter Jr., and one by Bruce Brown. The Nuggets outscored the Lakers 32-24 in the final frame.
James finished Game 2 with 22 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds in 40 minutes.
He and the Lakers will look to bounce back in Saturday's Game 3 at Crypto.com Arena and remain undefeated at home this postseason.