LeBron James: 2012 Season Review

LeBron James' top 10 plays, performances, stats and splits from the 2012 season.

Since NBA TV decided to make 9/10-9/17 HEAT Week and broadcast the best HEAT games from the 2012 regular season and playoffs, the Miami HEAT Index will review each HEAT player's performance from the 2012 season, from the most productive to the least productive. First up: LeBron James.

This analysis uses Estimated Wins Produced, a statistic created by sports economist David Berri. Since an average team's winning percentage is 0.500, an average player produces 0.100 est. wins per 48 minutes (est.WP48). A star player produces 0.200 est.WP48 and great players produce 0.300 est.WP48. See the HEAT Produced Page for more information on Est. Wins Produced.

Season Analysis

LeBron led the HEAT with 14.8 est. wins produced in the 2012 regular season (0.305 est.WP48) from 34.7 points on 56% shooting efficiency, 10.1 rebounds, 2.4 steals, 1 block, 8 assists and only 2 fouls per 48 minutes. 

He produced 35% of the team's wins in the regular season and 38% in the playoffs (LeBron produced 5.9 est. wins). See this article for his playoff stats.

Top 10 Games

 LeBron's two biggest performances of the season came just in time: when the HEAT trailed in the Eastern Conference playoffs against the Pacers and Celtics. 

His most productive game of the season came when he murdered the Celtics on their own shit in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals with 0.530 est. wins produced in 44.8 minutes for 0.568 est.WP48 from 45 points, 77% shooting efficiency, 15 rebounds and 5 assists per 48 minutes.

LeBron's 2nd most productive game of the season was when he murdered the Pacers on their own shit in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals with 0.502 est. wins produced in 43.9 minutes for 0.549 est.WP48 from 40 points on 52% shooting efficiency, 18 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals per 48 minutes. Four of his top 10 performances last season were against the Pacers.

The spreadsheet below lists LeBron's production in every game from last season, sorted by est. wins produced.

Splits
LeBron was most productive last season in the 2nd quarter and back-to-back games.

In the 2nd quarter, he produced an est. 4.9 wins in 615.5 minutes (0.382 est.WP48) from 38.5 points on 60% shooting efficiency, 74% free throw shooting on 13.3 attempts, 11.2 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 5.1 turnovers, 2.7 steals, 1.1 blocks and 2.4 fouls per 48 minutes.

In back-to-back games, LeBron produced an est. 5.4 wins in 714.9 minutes (0.360 est.WP48) from 36.5 points on 55% shooting efficiency, 80% free throw shooting on 11.9 attempts, 10.7 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 3.8 turnovers, 2.2 steals, 0.9 blocks and 2.1 fouls per 48 minutes.

Below is a list of LeBron's best splits in every category of the box score (all stats per 48 minutes):

• Minutes: 2,384.5 vs. Playoff teams
• Est.WP48: 0.382  in 2nd quarter
• Est. WP: 16.6 in wins
• Plus/minus: 822 in wins
• Shooting efficiency: 60% in 2nd quarter
• Free throw shooting: 80.2% in back-to-backs
• Shot attempts: 27.6 in overtime
• Free throw attempts: 13.9 in 4th quarter
• Points: 38.5 in 2nd quarter
• Offensive rebounds: 2.9 in overtime
• Defensive rebounds: 14.5 in overtime
• Total rebounds: 17.4 in overtime
• Steals: 2.7 in 2nd quarter
• Turnovers: 3.6 in 4th quarter
• Blocks: 1.5 in overtime
• Assists: 10.2 in overtime
• Fouls: 1.6 in 1st quarter

The spreadsheet below lists all of the splits for LeBron from last season.

Next up: Dwyane Wade