LeBron James, speaking on the ‘Mind The Game’ podcast with JJ Redick, delved into the nuanced differences between great, good, and bad teams in the NBA. He emphasized the importance of minimizing possessions that have little to no impact on the game’s outcome, highlighting the efficiency and strategic execution that distinguishes great teams from the rest.

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“See the difference between great teams, good teams, and bad teams is how many possessions can you go throughout the course of the game that meant absolutely nothing.”

“Meaning a great team won’t go through too many games where they had terrible possessions, where it was like what the f**k are we doing, where a great team would never throw the ball into the post to a guy and we going to expect him to score if that’s not what the f**k he do.” 

“A great team would never run a pick-and-roll with a player if he’s not a pick-and-roll player. That’s where the great, the good and the bad lies.”

“Denver they know what their strengths are and it’s not nobody on that floor that does something that they shouldn’t be doing and I think that’s what makes them ultimately makes a great team.” (15:21)

According to LeBron, great teams rarely have possessions where they make critical errors or execute plays that don’t align with their players’ strengths. He illustrated this by suggesting that a great team wouldn’t force the ball into the post for a player who isn’t adept at scoring from that position or run pick-and-roll plays with players ill-suited for such actions. Instead, great teams play to their strengths, maximizing the effectiveness of every possession by leveraging their players’ skill sets optimally.

In contrast, LeBron suggested that bad teams often struggle with executing plays that suit their players’ abilities, resulting in wasted possessions and inefficiencies on both ends of the court. These teams may lack cohesion, understanding, and strategic clarity, leading to disjointed performances and inconsistent results.

LeBron singled out the Denver Nuggets as an example of a great team, citing their cohesive understanding of each player’s role and their commitment to playing to their strengths. He praised Denver for their ability to maximize their roster’s talents, ensuring that every player contributes in ways that align with their capabilities.

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This, he believes, played a significant role in their success against the Lakers, highlighting the importance of strategic coherence and player alignment in achieving greatness. LeBron had earlier gotten real on the Lakers’ playoff exit and he admitted that the Nuggets were just a better team.

Overall, LeBron’s insights underscore the intricate dynamics that define success in the NBA, emphasizing the critical role of strategic execution, player alignment, and cohesive teamwork in distinguishing great teams from good and bad ones.