2. LeBron James Against DeMarre Carroll’s Stellar Defensive Play
From an offensive standpoint, superstar LeBron James has a clear and definitive advantage over Hawks small forward DeMarre Carroll. Based off their numbers from this season, James should have no issues with his matchup against Carroll, right?
2014-15 Regular Season Per Game Statistics Comparison:
| Player | Season | Age | G | MP | FG% | 3P% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeMarre Carroll | 2014-15 | 28 | 70 | 31.3 | .487 | .395 | .702 | 5.3 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 12.6 |
| LeBron James | 2014-15 | 30 | 69 | 36.1 | .488 | .354 | .710 | 6.0 | 7.4 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 25.3 |
2014-15 Playoffs Per Game Statistics Comparison:
| Player | Season | Age | G | MP | FG% | 3P% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeMarre Carroll | 2014-15 | 28 | 12 | 35.2 | .524 | .439 | .811 | 6.8 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 17.1 |
| LeBron James | 2014-15 | 30 | 10 | 41.7 | .424 | .146 | .776 | 10.2 | 7.9 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 26.5 |
Wrong. Don’t let the statistics fool you. Carroll was an absolute pest on defense during the regular season against James.
According to ESPN Stats & Info, James was a dismal three of 15 from the floor and had five turnovers against Carroll when the Hawks small forward guarded him one-on-one.
“I like the challenge and I love opportunities,” said Carroll on guarding James during the upcoming series. “I’ve been through a lot in my life. Whenever you get an opportunity, you’ve got to take advantage of it.”
James will need to be a lot more aggressive than in the past against Carroll and the rest of the Hawks, who continue to prove all season that they are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA as a unit.
Next: Win The Point Guard Matchup
