LeBron praises Paul George for passing, says 'best player' doesn't have to take last shot
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Paul George was in a familiar position for superstars Saturday: ball in his hands in the final seconds with the game on the line.
LeBron Jamesrecognized that and double-teamed George, who passed the ball to C.J. Miles for a shot at the buzzer that missed, sealing the Cleveland Cavaliers' 109-108 win over the Indiana Pacers.
Anyone but Paul George can take that final shot and we live with it, James told ABCs Lisa Salters after the game.
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Naturally, Skip Bayless and other critics complained that George, the Pacers' best player, needed to make sure he took the last shot.
But LeBron, who's been known to pass up a big shot at the end of the game, said George "made the right play" and argued that "the best player on the floor doesn't (have) to take theshot."
"If I get doubled, I'm giving it up," James told reporters. "That's me. …Ifyou get doubled, I think we all know math in here: If it's two guys on the ball, that means it's a 4-on-3. We have good numbers. You know, so, the best player on the floor doesn't (have) to take the shot. You know, I think he made the right play."
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George, however, didn't completely agree, saying he needed to get the ball back.Situations like that, Ive got to get the last shot," he told reporters.
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