The Lakers‘ loss to the Mavericks has got intense mixed reactions from social media. With the floor wide open, Skip Bayless has taken complete advantage of the opportunity. He has taken to X (formerly Twitter) to post his opinions on LeBron James. The most talked about aspect was his pass to Anthony Davis.
And yes, Skip made a point of highlighting James’ missed free throws. As he always does whenever an opportunity presents itself.
Bayless keeps the jabs coming at LeBron James
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Dallas scored 104 points to win this round against the Purple and Gold. Sailing ever so smoothly through the first three quarters, the Mavs hoped to continue it to the final stretch. But with Lively’s exit in the third quarter and the Lakers getting a sudden power boost, Doncic and co. had to pull out every stop. Yet, the Lakers failed.
COME ON, LEBRON. YOU HAD ‘EM. YOU WERE SHOOTING IT SO WELL … THEN YOU MISSED THE OPEN CLINCHING THREE … AND INSTEAD OF ATTACKING (YOU’D JUST MISSED 2 FTS) YOU TRIED AN ILL-ADVISED LOB TO A HEAVILY COVERED A.D … KILLER TURNOVER. NO CLOSER GENE.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) November 23, 2023
It just so happens that LeBron’s final heave to get his team across the line didn’t work out in favor of him. Instead, those final tactics only served as factors to rip him apart. As Bayless succinctly put it, “INSTEAD OF ATTACKING (YOU’D JUST MISSED 2 FTS) YOU TRIED AN ILL-ADVISED LOB TO A HEAVILY COVERED A.D … KILLER TURNOVER. NO CLOSER GENE.”
No criticism of Skip Bayless is complete without a Michael Jordan comparison. He did not fail to add his signature line this time either. “The truest thing I can say about LeBron James is that he’s no Michael Jordan.”
The truest thing I can say about LeBron James is that he’s no Michael Jordan.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) November 23, 2023
Another thing to take into consideration is how LBJ has said, on multiple occasions, that he will continue to pass shots to his teammates. If the shot makes it, great. If it doesn’t, there will always be another chance. The most recent was with regard to Cam Reddish.
Bayless had sprung up on that too, accusing James of having “no-clutch DNA“. Quite similar to the first post (above) of “No closer gene“. Securing a first-of-its-kind milestone with his 39k points in the game against Jazz, LeBron James has proved his harshest critics wrong with his actions.
It’s quite funny, considering LeBron is his own harshest critic. That might be the main reason why he has yet to acknowledge Skip Bayless directly. The Mavericks game also has another interesting aspect in the form of Kyrie Irving.
Kyrie Irving’s clutch performance takes us down the memory lane
Along with posts on LBJ’s not-so-great night, Skip managed to remind us of the 2016 championship game. Irving and James played for the Cleveland Cavaliers then, and eventually clinched the title that year. Though the post was supposed to be yet another jab, it only served to showcase another veteran’s exceptional talent.
Towards the end of the Mavs game, Doncic, James, and Davis were all fumbling with the ball. But Irving‘s calm and composed clutch 3-pointer sealed the deal. As per Skip, “the same Kyrie who won LeBron a ring with a late clutch three in Game 7 at Oracle.”
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Kyrie clutched up down the stretch … the same Kyrie who won LeBron a ring with a late clutch three in Game 7 at Oracle.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) November 23, 2023
Well, tonight was just not for the Lakers. With everyone looking forward to Thanksgiving alongside family and friends, hopefully, the James family and the Lakers can forget this night and move on. Looking back to Bayless’ comments on how the Akron Hammer can never measure up to Jordan, it is a tricky matter.
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A player might be able to absorb skills or certain tricks unique to a legendary player. But they can never completely transform themselves into someone else. LeBron James was a diamond in the rough when the league found him. A bit of polishing, the right guidance, and consistent hard work all paved the way to the King James we know now.
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