The LeBron James Thread

[Vast]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Yeah I don't get that Cleveland is rotting thing some people throw out there, who knows now what they could've added but they were absolutely a contender when he was there. I just see Miami as a once in a lifetime opportunity to try and build a dynasty and not just a one ring type deal in Cleveland where he carries them playing the kind of game he seems to not really want to play and ends up shot at 32.

The other side of the coin though is people acting as if one championship in Cleveland would've been enough to satisfy their Lebron thirst. Obviously Lebron felt that wouldn't be enough for his "legacy" and I agree with him from that standpoint, when it comes to Lebron nothing is good enough.

Thats the thing that i don't understand. I feel Lebron winning ONE championship in cleveland means soooo much more for his legacy than any championships he wins with the trio he has now.
Also losing with Wade and Bosh by his side hurts his Legacy more than anything that could've happened in Cleveland.

[Vast]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

I agree with this in theory, but the problem with it in this scenario is that LeBron wants to be the best basketball player ever, and joining up with two of the top 25 players in the league,one of them top 3, is basically an indictment on him on the court. Leaving your team, in your city, to join up with other all stars shows that you just aren't as good as we thought.

Great post bro. i agree on all points.

[celg35]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

But doesn't it say something that if you want to win and put your ego aside , you would go to the Heat and combine the talents to achieve that goal. I would think a guy with a big ego would not want to share the lime light. From what I saw this year was when it was just LBJ on the court minus wade, it showed flashbacks of his years in Cleveland . When Wade was on the court, i didn't get that same feeling.

[da ThRONe]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

But doesn't it say something that if you want to win and put your ego aside , you would go to the Heat and combine the talents to achieve that goal. I would think a guy with a big ego would not want to share the lime light. From what I saw this year was when it was just LBJ on the court minus wade, it showed flashbacks of his years in Cleveland . When Wade was on the court, i didn't get that same feeling.

This how I felt until Lebron just stopped playing hard.

[celg35]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

But doesn't it say something that if you want to win and put your ego aside , you would go to the Heat and combine the talents to achieve that goal. I would think a guy with a big ego would not want to share the lime light. From what I saw this year was when it was just LBJ on the court minus wade, it showed flashbacks of his years in Cleveland . When Wade was on the court, i didn't get that same feeling.

You know I was watching the replays offend game and it def seabed Lebron was not himself. I really only noticed it in game 5 and 6 in the fourth quarter. With that being said he did try to facilitate the ball to othe guys who did not produce. And on another note. Terry, kid , and Barrea shot lights out and it would have been hard for any team to beat that performance. Let's not down play Thier performance while we nit pick lebron's

[Trevytrev11]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

But doesn't it say something that if you want to win and put your ego aside , you would go to the Heat and combine the talents to achieve that goal. I would think a guy with a big ego would not want to share the lime light.

I see your point, but I think from a fan stand point, fans appreciate loyalty (though it's damn near non-existant in sports these days). We appreciate a Dirk or a John Elway who stays the course, goes through the ups and downs and eventually earns the championship that he's worked so hard for.

What he did, in the majority of peoples eyes, was take the so-called easy route. Instead of working hard, building a team and mentoring teamates like an MJ, he left his city, collaborated with other stars to try and build a super team that could just dominate.

Because he took the so-called easy route, his championships, however many he ends up winning, will never compare in the publics eyes, to what Dirk just went through. Even if it's 3 or 4 to Dirks one.

Even the Celtics big-3 didn't take that route, though it seems like James likes to use them as a "we just followed their blue print". They were assembled by the Celtics, not some evil-genius plan devised between KG, Pierce and Ray Allen.

Loyalty is just admirable to fans.

[Vast]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Does anyone have video footage of Wade yelling at lebron in that game 3?

[King_B_Mack]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

I think what will also hurt LeBron in the long run looking back at everything is seeing that Dirk was in pretty much the same situation to start this year. You could argue that the Mavs just didn't put the pieces around him to win like we all do in regards to the Cavs and LeBron. However Dirk put his faith in the Mavs and resigned. How many people really gave the Mavs a legit shot to win a title this year? How many if you did give them a shot, still gave them that shot when Caron went down? Here we are though. It just goes to show that you really don't know what will unfold over the course of an NBA season and WHO will end up coming out on top no matter how things may look going into the year and even into the start of the playoffs. Not to say that Cleveland and Dallas were close to having the same pieces, but that chemistry would have payed off in the end I believe.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

I think what will also hurt LeBron in the long run looking back at everything is seeing that Dirk was in pretty much the same situation to start this year. You could argue that the Mavs just didn't put the pieces around him to win like we all do in regards to the Cavs and LeBron. However Dirk put his faith in the Mavs and resigned. How many people really gave the Mavs a legit shot to win a title this year? How many if you did give them a shot, still gave them that shot when Caron went down? Here we are though. It just goes to show that you really don't know what will unfold over the course of an NBA season and WHO will end up coming out on top no matter how things may look going into the year and even into the start of the playoffs. Not to say that Cleveland and Dallas were close to having the same pieces, but that chemistry would have payed off in the end I believe.

OK this is where I draw the line. Mavs had a much more balanced team, and if you're really gonna compare JKidd to Mo Williams, or Jason Terry to whomever you want from Cleveland, that's on you.

Cleveland never had a guy like Tyson Chandler. Never had a guy like JJ Barrea. Never had a guy like Shawn Marion.

So let's leave it there man.

[mpbaseball22]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Nobody gives the Cavs credit....

Is basketball a team sport? Yes. Did Lebron win every game for the Cavs? No. They needed one above average player and some role players to add to that and they could of won it. Lebron didnt leave because he had a bad team he left to be with his buddies I guarantee it

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

OK this is where I draw the line. Mavs had a much more balanced team, and if you're really gonna compare JKidd to Mo Williams, or Jason Terry to whomever you want from Cleveland, that's on you.

Cleveland never had a guy like Tyson Chandler. Never had a guy like JJ Barrea. Never had a guy like Shawn Marion.

So let's leave it there man.

Well like I pointed out earlier (maybe in this thread, not sure), Mo Williams and Jason Terry had pretty similar post-season success until this year Terry finally kicked it up a notch, but before this year, Terry played about as well as Mo Williams in the playoffs.

That's where I'll leave the comparisons between these two teams though. I still think Cleveland had enough to win a championship, just not enough to be like the LA Lakers where anything short of the championship is a letdown. But I do think Cleveland was right up there with the other teams.

It is kind of ironic though because LeBron gets to see Dallas cherish Dirk the way Cleveland would have cherished LeBron had he stayed in Cleveland like Dirk elected to do in Dallas.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Well like I pointed out earlier (maybe in this thread, not sure), Mo Williams and Jason Terry had pretty similar post-season success until this year Terry finally kicked it up a notch, but before this year, Terry played about as well as Mo Williams in the playoffs.

That's where I'll leave the comparisons between these two teams though. I still think Cleveland had enough to win a championship, just not enough to be like the LA Lakers where anything short of the championship is a letdown. But I do think Cleveland was right up there with the other teams.

It is kind of ironic though because LeBron gets to see Dallas cherish Dirk the way Cleveland would have cherished LeBron had he stayed in Cleveland like Dirk elected to do in Dallas.

Fine comparison between Mo and JET

But my point still remains about Kidd. The quarterback of the team who never panicked and was instrumental in keeping everyone calm when they would get down.

Cleveland never had a guy like that.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

OK this is where I draw the line. Mavs had a much more balanced team, and if you're really gonna compare JKidd to Mo Williams, or Jason Terry to whomever you want from Cleveland, that's on you.

Cleveland never had a guy like Tyson Chandler. Never had a guy like JJ Barrea. Never had a guy like Shawn Marion.

So let's leave it there man.

Don't get me wrong ex, I just said that the pieces aren't close to the same. However that having been said, most people didn't give the Mavs a shot in hell of winning the championship and here we are.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Fine comparison between Mo and JET

But my point still remains about Kidd. The quarterback of the team who never panicked and was instrumental in keeping everyone calm when they would get down.

Cleveland never had a guy like that.

Definitely agreed regarding Kidd. But at the same time, does anybody in the league besides Dallas really have someone like him? Nash and maybe Rondo are the only two I can think of that have that gene. I think of Deron and CP3 as guys that are just excellent playmakers. They're excellent at making things happen. Kidd is excellent at knowing where to put the ball to allow things to potentially happen. It's a subtle difference, but to me, that's the difference between the guys like Kidd, Nash, and Rondo, and the guys like CP3 and Deron who are great passers as well.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Definitely agreed regarding Kidd. But at the same time, does anybody in the league besides Dallas really have someone like him? Nash and maybe Rondo are the only two I can think of that have that gene. I think of Deron and CP3 as guys that are just excellent playmakers. They're excellent at making things happen. Kidd is excellent at knowing where to put the ball to allow things to potentially happen. It's a subtle difference, but to me, that's the difference between the guys like Kidd, Nash, and Rondo, and the guys like CP3 and Deron who are great passers as well.

True. But that's part of my point, Dirk was very privileged to have a seasoned and still productive PG like Kidd. A guy who locked up Kobe and wasn't a liability against OKC or Miami.

Mo was a headcase and choker. He is a scoring guard like JET, and Cleveland never had a cerebral PG to set things up and calm everyone down.

Kidd's value goes well beyond the court.