The LeBron James Thread

[wwharton]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

That Cleveland team was probably the worst Finals teams in a long time. This Miami team could've beat the Thunder this year. Let's not overreact here.

The Spurs shot the ball like gods, and nobody else could hit shots for Miami. I don't think us losing this year is a bad thing, I mean who in the last 30 years could've beat that Spurs team? It was unreal offense being played.

The team that went to the championship was horrible. The teams that won 61 and 66 games the year before James left were not. Those teams had the best record in the conference and I believe the league (not sure if the 61 win team was best in the league). And that was with Mike Brown's god awful offense, and James being much less of a player than he is today.

Wanted to add, your second paragraph is exactly what I'm saying. If the results the Heat have had during his time there means he needs to find MORE somewhere else to reach the level he wants then what is that really saying about him? I thought Riley's speech was right on point.

If the talent on those Cleveland teams was so freaking great, why did they fall off so much when James left? If the talent around him there wasn't "horrible" then why didn't they win at least 30 games? They went from 61 wins in Lebrons last season there to 19 wins the next, the worst single season drop off in NBA history. But the talent on those teams around James wasn't horrible.

Because people only focus on James leaving and then years later, act like that was the only change between the two years. Shaq and Ilgauskas both gone. Mo Williams traded midseason. Jamison missed almost 30 games. Varajao missed over 50 games. Delonte West? Gone. Danny Green? Gone.

I'm pretty sure that's the entire starting lineup and then some. Their big add that year was Baron Davis and he was old and injured... only played 15 games. Yes, the 2010-11 team was horrible.

[BleedCleLumbusSports]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

For all the folks who say "this all reminds me of when LeBron left Cleveland", how can you say that? Lol. LeBron will be in his 12th season and has a lot of mileage oh him and the Heat have actually won titles because James has actually had acceptable talent supporting him. This is nothing like the Cleveland situation.

Didn't the Heat just get the biggest beat down in Finals history? I can easily see why he leaves, old aging talent that wont get any better and the don't have the cap space to get better.

[turty11]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

if he left his hometown team that was winning 60+ games a year why can people not see him leaving a miami team that is toasted and roasted

[OkayC]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

if he left his hometown team that was winning 60+ games a year why can people not see him leaving a miami team that is toasted and roasted

because he already has two titles with this team. Miami may not be in a position to win for another 1 or 2 more years, but they will be in a postion to win again very soon. Lebron can't just leave every time the contending team hes on isn't winning championships anymore, on top of that lebron cares too much about his legacy, and switching teams this many times would further taint the minds of people who are gonna be talking about him years down the road. And his decision to go to miami didn't exactly put him in a good light with those people to begin with. It'd be just like if shaq left the lakers the year after they threepeated, or if duncan left in 2000 after winning his first title. it doesn't make sense for lebron to leave just because dwade is old and the role players are aging and/or leaving. role players are easily replaceable, and im sure miami can replace wade within the next few years. Plus the teams that lebron can go to can't really afford him without getting rid of major pieces, then we'll be calling one of those teams cleveland 3.0. With that said, i think theres still a possibility lebron could leave. Especially if riley had to basically challenge lebron not to leave.

[BleedCleLumbusSports]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

How is Miami going to be in a position to win again soon if not in the next 2 years? you think Lebron is going to sit thru a rebuild with Miami instead of Cleveland? who is Miami going to get Lebron that's going to be better then Irving and Wiggins?

because he already has two titles with this team. Miami may not be in a position to win for another 1 or 2 more years, but they will be in a postion to win again very soon. Lebron can't just leave every time the contending team hes on isn't winning championships anymore, on top of that lebron cares too much about his legacy, and switching teams this many times would further taint the minds of people who are gonna be talking about him years down the road. And his decision to go to miami didn't exactly put him in a good light with those people to begin with. It'd be just like shaq left the lakers the year after they threepeated, or if duncan left in 2000 after winning his first title. it doesn't make sense for lebron to leave just because dwade is old and the role players are aging and/or leaving. role players are easily replaceable, and im sure miami can replace wade within the next few years. Plus the teams that lebron can go to can't really afford him without getting rid of major pieces, then we'll be calling one of those teams cleveland 3.0.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

if he left his hometown team that was winning 60+ games a year why can people not see him leaving a miami team that is toasted and roasted

Because a year ago they just won B2B titles and appeared in now 4 straight Finals, which is something that hasn't been done in years.

And now people want to act like the team can't reload and make it their 5th straight Finals or act like there are much better situations other than Miami when it reality, there really isn't.

The Cleveland comparisons are just ridiculous and stupid.

[BringTheHeat]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Wanted to add, your second paragraph is exactly what I'm saying. If the results the Heat have had during his time there means he needs to find MORE somewhere else to reach the level he wants then what is that really saying about him? I thought Riley's speech was right on point.

I loved Riley's speech also, just to clear things up, you were asking what does that say about LeBron?

I just don't buy the Cleveland comparisons, it's just that fans and the media these days are so critical of everything. When a team wins they have to be compared to the greatest teams ever, when they lose it's "era over?" "Is LeBron leaving?" "is Wade done?"

Why can't people just win and lose anymore. Not a problem with you just the league in general. The Heat went 2-4. So what? That's good, we won two.

The comparisons to the past have really hurt the accomplishments of players and teams today. If LeBron ends up going say 5-5 in the Finals are they really going to discredit him? What about Duncan losing one or Kobe losing twice?

[Sportsbuck]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

I think one big reason the Cleveland comparisons sprung up again was due to how similar the numbers were for this years supporting cast in comparison to the 2007 Cavs.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

You mean the same group of dudes who only won 19 games after James left?

I mean the same team that everybody and their moms were talking about (which was really throwing out their conspiracy theories mind you) were supposed to be meeting up with Kobe and the Lakers in the Finals the two years they won 60+ games but as soon as they lost, suddenly they became the worst team ever and LeBron wasn't ever going to win anything with the scrubs on that team.

[The 24th Letter]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Man, looking back at the past 7 years...58-60+ regular season wins don't mean ****. Winning 25 straight going into the playoffs didn't mean ****. It's all about how equipped you are to perform in the playoffs. I happen to think those Cavalier teams were pretty good...but I never thought they had the right formula to succeed in the playoffs...don't think you can just look at RS win totals as a base of how good teams are...

[King_B_Mack]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Who's just looking at regular season win totals though? Those Cav teams could have used a new coach just like the Thunder need one now, but they swept they're way through the eastern conference playoffs and just ran into two teams that came out on top. Nobody said anything about LeBron not being able to win in Miami because they lost to Dallas. They get a few breaks here or there and we're talking about completely different outcomes. Same as back then.

107-106
96-95
99-89
116-114
112-102
103-90

Those are the finals from the series against Orlando. I'd post the Boston results but LeBron was already in South Beach mode so those numbers are tainted. Dudes act like the Cavs were getting their heads kicked in and had zero shot at winning a championship. That really wasn't the case though.

[OkayC]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

That 2007 team seems to me at least, to be the one that took the most heat. Though you got gooden and ilgauskus both avering close to a dub dub, mo willims was avering almost 19 points a game, and a few other role players were shooting in the neighborhood of 40% from deep. I dont think there team woulda won a championship, but that team was far from a team full of scrubs like people suggest.

[The 24th Letter]

The LeBron James Thread

Very true, I just think some are going to the other extreme as well..of course no one said that about the Heat after the DAL series...the Heat were miles better than any of those Cav's teams. Our 60+ teams that didn't win the chip weren't getting blown out in the playoffs either...neither did the Mav's teams, or those Suns teams...I could post even closer scores than yours...we could play 'what if' with every close series though...hard to do that with basketball,.

That 2007 team seems to me at least, to be the one that took the most heat. Though you got gooden and ilgauskus both avering close to a dub dub, mo willims was avering almost 19 points a game, and a few other role players were shooting in the neighborhood of 40% from deep. I dont think there team woulda won a championship, but that team was far from a team full of scrubs like people suggest.

Mo Williams was on the Bucks in 2007...

[King_B_Mack]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

So what are we arguing then? It's going to the other extreme to say that they weren't a team full of scrubs as it continues to get painted every time LeBron on the. Cavs is brought up?


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[The 24th Letter]

The LeBron James Thread

I'm not even really arguing, lol

I just think that no, those Cav's teams weren't completely void of any talent, but I also don't think they we're built to win a championship,..despite any RS or early playoff success..