J.R. Smith had a great game against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, and now it looks as though the NBA is just too easy for him.
The Cleveland Cavaliers swingman scored 28 points off the bench during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals en route to a 97-89 victory for the Cavs. Smith shot 10-of-16 from the field and 8-of-12 from the 3-point line, and plenty of those shots were contested.
And apparently, that’s just how Smith likes them.
“I’d rather take a contested shot than an open shot any day,” Smith said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. “It’s kind of boring when you take open shots.”
While Smith’s comments certainly sound cocky, his playoff numbers actually back up his preference. According to Sporting News, Smith is making 48 percent of his contested jumpers in the playoffs compared to just 29 percent of open ones.
Thumbnail photo via Brett Davis/USA TODAY Sports Images
