LeBron James can be one of the NBA’s best defenders when he puts his mind to it. This was not one of those times.
In the first quarter of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ playoff rematch against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden, James found himself chasing down Jonas Jerebko, who got open for a corner 3-pointer after a quick Amir Johnson pass.
James could have gone up for the block. Instead, he did this:
Believe it or not, LeBron’s odd strategy worked: Jerebko, perhaps surprised by how open James left him, took a step inside the 3-point line and missed his 2-point jumper.
Well played, LeBron.
