Champion for the second time in his career, JR Smith certainly played only a small role in the coronation of the Lakers. Despite everything, Swish doesn’t really take criticism, and he has made it clear.
In the midst of criticism, trolls and controversies, it should be remembered that JR Smith is (for now) a double NBA champion. His first title, the whimsical back had acquired with the Cavs in 2016. And he did it again with the Lakers, after being on the sidelines and without a team for much of the season.
Exuberant as usual, Swish celebrated the title shirtless, and did not fail to appear with the trophy. What attracted him criticism from several fans, who criticized him for a little excessive behavior in view of his contribution.
Over all of these 2020 playoffs, Smith took part in 10 games for… 2 points, 0.3 rebound and 0.3 assists in 7 minutes on average, all at 27% shooting. No matter, JR heard too much about him, and he took advantage of a live Instagram with Anthony Davis to let go:
“I’ve been hearing a lot of sh*t. ‘You ain’t even do nothing.’ Sh*t man, let me tell you something. Them mf things they call chips. Them sh*ts is earned, they ain’t ever given. Them sh*t’s is always earned.”
– JR Smith with a message to the haters on his IG Live ???? pic.twitter.com/opMchObYG1
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) October 16, 2020
I hear a lot of bullshit, like, “You didn’t do anything”. Damn man, I’m gonna tell you something. This fucking thing called championships, this stuff is earned, and it never gets cheap. These fucking things deserve.
Concretely, would the Lakers also have been champions without JR Smith with them? It’s very likely. But Swish was there, and to put together a dressing room that goes to the end, it’s not just the pitch – the role of a veteran in privacy can also be invaluable.
Anyway, the former Cavs and Knicks in particular is indeed NBA champion, and it is an unexpected end to the season for one who has long believed to never push back the NBA floors.
JR Smith emptied his bag and reminded the haters that a title is earned, no matter what role on the team. It remains to be seen if he has convinced his world …
