The quick read regarding LeBron James’ offensive brilliance is that he’s a pass first guy that just happens to have a Karl Malone-sized physique. That it’s just fine not to send him to the line a Dwyane Wade or Kevin Durant-level of times per game, because James is looking to score first and dive toward the rim second. If even then.
You don’t have to be rooting on LeBron James’ behalf, though, to notice that the rules behind his trips to the lane don’t always seem on the level. Yes, James is allowed to use a big butt and a smile while backing down defenders in the post, but that’s because he’s stronger and better than most – the same way Earl Campbell was allowed to do what he did, and Mike Trout is allowed to do what he does. We don’t penalize Klay Thompson’s skills from behind the arc by turning his threes into twos.
From 1992 until his career faded into that of a journeyman role player, that’s why Shaquille O’Neal was allowed to use his size, quickness and hops in order to dominate the low post. Shaq never had the footwork of a Tim Duncan, but he hardly needed it on his way toward what turned into a legendary career.
Tyronn Lue, who played with Shaq for three seasons to start his career, has noticed one other similarity between Shaq and LeBron. Lue, who currently coaches James in Cleveland, tends to think James gets the short shrift because of his strength, as if the fouls that would be called in the favor of other NBA forwards don’t apply to him due to his abilities and size. Especially, as the tape bears out, in his team’s series win over Detroit. From ESPN’s Dave McMenamin:
"He's the Shaq of guards and forwards.”
[…]
"He's so strong and so physical, when he goes to the basket, guys are bouncing off of him. Those are still fouls, but he doesn't get that call because he's so big and so strong and so physical.
"We used to tease Shaq all the time about soft fouls. He said: 'Listen, if I pinch you, it feels the same way when you pinch me. No matter how big I am, it feels the same.' I never thought about it like that. That's kind of how LeBron feels."
From James’ teammate Tristan Thompson:
"He gets beat up the most in the league," Thompson said of James. "He takes a lot of hits night in and night out, especially in this series, and he keeps pushing, and he stays mature. As our leader, that's what you need from him. Stay mature and just keep playing and let the refs handle what they need to do. If he's doing that, then we have no excuse."
For those of you busting out the tiny violin, can it. The dude gets hit, non-calls that you couldn’t handle even given pads and the blanket you’d inevitably weep into. Kindly save your anonymous, internet tough guy nonsense.
An elbow or forearm shiver, sent into an athlete regardless of size, is always going to hurt. It’s going to hit and bruise muscle, it’s going to hit bone and/or cartilage, and it might even break the flesh. Just because certain athletes are used to it more than others (be they a perimeter shooter or someone that doesn’t play contact sports for a living), it doesn’t mean the pain isn’t there, or that they’ve become oblivious to the pain. They might be used to the pain, but it doesn’t absolve them of the aftereffects of taking the foul.
Even if the foul goes uncalled. Apparently we haven’t learned from the lessons of O’Neal, who probably worked through more un-whistled flagrant fouls in his 1996-2004 Los Angeles turn than the league has seen in total in 12 years since.
Shaq and LeBron gave and currently give out plenty, and they’re not averse to tossing out their own slaps and elbows. Still, there’s a difference between a defender being unable to hang with a frightening combination of speed and strength, and out and out fouling. A lot of fouls just aren’t called because, with LeBron or Shaq on the other side, they just don’t look all that bad.
Some bigger players just take on more knocks than others, even in a league that allows stars to create their own fortune, even in a league that will always award the benefit of the whistle to a star over whoever happens to be guarding them.
Is Tyronn Lue angling for his particular star? Of course, especially with a series of strong and active Atlanta or Boston defenders waiting in the next round. But nobody of sound mind – and those that blindly root against NBA stars just to be that guy are rarely of sound mind – could have watched his turn against Detroit last week and come away thinking LeBron James was being called correctly.
The stats aren’t usually the place to go, here, but we’ll drop in just for those that are giving this a quick scan.
James shot just 15 free throws in the series, though he did play off the ball quite a bit with Kyrie Irving handling and scoring at will and with Kevin Love becoming more and more of an option. Also note that in the regular season James’ free throws per 36 minutes and free throw attempt rates were the second lowest of his career, since a rookie year spent with Darius Miles and Ricky Davis.
There’s also this:
 | @Manny_Navarro | |
Jeremy Lin has drawn 24 fouls in the series -- as many as LeBron James and James Harden in the playoffs.
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You might recall heaps of Jeremy Lin and Charlotte Hornets fans rightfully put together a protest of sorts in response to Lin missing out on a series of egregious calls during the regular season. Lin is taking his game to the basket against a slower Miami Heat squad in this postseason, and he’s earned his freebies.
James is just going to earn the scorn of scores of anonymous dudes who want him to quit whining.
Even if he isn’t the one doing the complaining. Reading is hard.
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