The LeBron James Thread

[dexvex]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Like I said...If the Heat are for real. They could easily beat the Celtics. But I expect Boston to win in Boston.

Definitely all im saying is that win or lose there should be no celebrations/red flags after their first game even if it was against NJ.

[jeebs9]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

^^You know there will be....^^

[dexvex]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

I'm not even gonna go the sarcasm route, I just have a question. If you were in LBJ's shoes...huge megastar, and you make a controversial decision...have your public image take a hit because of the way you go about announcing your decision on July 8th, and you wait until after all of this, almost a month later, and then you release a thank you letter to Akron?

You have to admit that the timing seems fishy, especially with the hit his public image has taken....unless you wait nearly a month to show gratitude to people. Then maybe you don't see how the timeline is leaning towards "repairing public image" as opposed to "this is heartfelt and sincere."

I'm not saying he doesn't love Akron, but that doesn't mean he won't use that love for his hometown to his advantage. We see things like that all the time.

He's made sum dumb behind decisions and probably needed some time for things to cool down. His image in the gp certainly isn't taking that much of a hit considering his jersey sales and such. There's no doubt in my mind that he loves akron and is sincere he just made a stupid decision thinking it would help his brand ....

[Brankles]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

No one was laughing 3 months ago. Hindsight FTW.

Lebron was the biggest reason we never built an elite roster, and even though the cast could have been much better, he's still the main culprit in this years playoff exit.

The crappy way Lebron handled everything has people calling him the worst competitor ever, or labeling him sidekick, etc, which is all pretty shortsighted...but sympathetic reaction to LeBacklash has in turn made alot of folks cling to really silly notions like Lebron having absolutly no blame for Cleveland not getting over the top.

Dude carried the franchise. Unfortunately, carrying the franchise all the way wasn't #1 on his priority list. Truth.

If you're saying hindsight is 20/20, then you're recognizing that LeBron's teams do suck.

But while you recognize how bad his team was you simultaneously blame LeBron for not winning a championship.

So what is it? Did Cleveland lose because he had a bad team or because LeBron wasn't a good enough player?

Was his inability to carry a team to the championship, a team that had a starting lineup of of Maurice Williams, 34 year old Anthony Parker, 33 year old Antawn Jamison, and 36 year old Shaq, something that he can be blamed for? Or is it something that would have been completely unprecedented, something that Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird or Isiah Thomas have NEVER done? Something that has never been done in the modern NBA era?

Again, look at the rosters of the Lakers, Celtics, Pistons, Spurs, Rockets, Heat and Bulls championship teams and compare that to LeBron's teams.

I think it's a testament to how great LeBron is that so many people expected him to win with these Cleveland teams. That so many people were disappointed and let down that LeBron could not carry a team where his best teammate was a 2nd round draft pick, shoot first PG who made the All-Star team once, only after three players ahead of him got injured.

You all weren't expecting greatness out of LeBron, you were expecting the impossible. And he was very close to delivering it.

[PeruvianPlaya954]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Anyone read this little piece on James? Interesting read although there's a lot of hyperbole in it.

http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/07/29/a-boulevard-called-chagrin/?eref=sihp

[capp34]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

To the guys that are saying Lebron was the reason that Cleveland could not bring in talent to put around him. REALLY!!! Bosh could have went to Cleveland in a sign and trade but he chose not to. I wonder why? It sure wasn't because of Lebron.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

If you're saying hindsight is 20/20, then you're recognizing that LeBron's teams do suck.

But while you recognize how bad his team was you simultaneously blame LeBron for not winning a championship.

So what is it? Did Cleveland lose because he had a bad team or because LeBron wasn't a good enough player?

Was his inability to carry a team to the championship, a team that had a starting lineup of of Maurice Williams, 34 year old Anthony Parker, 33 year old Antawn Jamison, and 36 year old Shaq, something that he can be blamed for? Or is it something that would have been completely unprecedented, something that Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird or Isiah Thomas have NEVER done? Something that has never been done in the modern NBA era?

Again, look at the rosters of the Lakers, Celtics, Pistons, Spurs, Rockets, Heat and Bulls championship teams and compare that to LeBron's teams.

I think it's a testament to how great LeBron is that so many people expected him to win with these Cleveland teams. That so many people were disappointed and let down that LeBron could not carry a team where his best teammate was a 2nd round draft pick, shoot first PG who made the All-Star team once, only after three players ahead of him got injured.

You all weren't expecting greatness out of LeBron, you were expecting the impossible. And he was very close to delivering it.

Honestly LeBron screwed himself. Everyone can keep looking at their team months after the fact and talking about how terrible they were, but the fact is they dominated the NBA for the last two years and both years people talked about them winning championships but as soon as they lose then suddenly LeBron is the most amazing thing ever and his team is awful. They could have and should have beaten the Celtics and with the way the Magic folded, they could have beaten them too, the matchups that killed them against the Magic the previous year in the playoffs were gone. Shaq would have been better for them against Dwight, Jamison would have been a better look against Shard who'd probably just pull his disappearing act anyway. Anthony Parker could definitely D up Vince. But LeBron and his team flushed they're own chances down the toilet.

When they smacked Boston in game 1 everyone said the series was over, everyone said it was going to be an ECF rematch. They got smacked in game 2 and everyone got a little nervous but wrote it off as a one time thing. They come out in game 3 and curbstomp Boston in Boston and everyone was talking about the Cavs being back on track, but after game 4 it all changed, LeBron wasn't playing like LeBron from there on out and yet somehow it's all his team's fault that they didn't beat Boston. All of a sudden they don't have a roster that can stand up against the Celtics, Lakers and Magic's. Fact of the matter, Cleveland against those teams last year

Boston: 2-2
Lakers: 2-0
Magic: 2-2

Seems like they can compete against them pretty well. LeBron is single handedly worth 55 wins a year. Good to know.

[wwharton]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

To the guys that are saying Lebron was the reason that Cleveland could not bring in talent to put around him. REALLY!!! Bosh could have went to Cleveland in a sign and trade but he chose not to. I wonder why? It sure wasn't because of Lebron.

Maybe bc Bosh, Wade and James decided to go to Miami if at all possible... 3 years ago? Or maybe that little note about James trying to recruit Bosh was about as flimsy as it appeared from everyone following the saga that led up to "the Decision". You didn't really buy into that crap did you?

[King_B_Mack]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Maybe bc Bosh, Wade and James decided to go to Miami if at all possible... 3 years ago? Or maybe that little note about James trying to recruit Bosh was about as flimsy as it appeared from everyone following the saga that led up to "the Decision". You didn't really buy into that crap did you?

Clearly he did lol. I don't care what anyone says these guys were going to sign together no matter what. Whether they had a great team in place where they were or not, they're goal was to play together if at all possible which is why they put together they're extensions the way that they did.

[Brankles]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Mo Williams is a shoot-first, streaky point guard
34 year old Anthony Parker is a dime a dozen player
33 year old Antawn Jamison is half the player he was three years ago
36 year old Shaq is one quarter of the player he was three years ago

The bench of Z, Varejao, Moon, West, Hickson is above average, but nothing to write home about

Like I said, if you really think LeBron should have won a championship with this team (which he could have if his teammates ever showed up, which never happened), then it's a testament to how great you think he is. If you compare this team to the champions of the last 30 years, it would be one of a kind, easily the worst supporting cast surrounding a superstar to have won a title.

[capp34]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Maybe bc Bosh, Wade and James decided to go to Miami if at all possible... 3 years ago? Or maybe that little note about James trying to recruit Bosh was about as flimsy as it appeared from everyone following the saga that led up to "the Decision". You didn't really buy into that crap did you?

So now that Lebrons gone Cleveland should be signing a couple of marquee free agents in the coming years since he was the reason holding them back.

[jeebs9]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Clearly he did lol. I don't care what anyone says these guys were going to sign together no matter what. Whether they had a great team in place where they were or not, they're goal was to play together if at all possible which is why they put together they're extensions the way that they did.

Where is the proof?....lol jk

[King_B_Mack]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Mo Williams is a shoot-first, streaky point guard
34 year old Anthony Parker is a dime a dozen player
33 year old Antawn Jamison is half the player he was three years ago
36 year old Shaq is one quarter of the player he was three years ago

The bench of Z, Varejao, Moon, West, Hickson is above average, but nothing to write home about

Like I said, if you really think LeBron should have won a championship with this team (which he could have if his teammates ever showed up, which never happened), then it's a testament to how great you think he is. If you compare this team to the champions of the last 30 years, it would be one of a kind, easily the worst supporting cast surrounding a superstar to have won a title.

It's sooooo easy to just rattle off ages and say how terrible a 66 win team is when they lose in the playoffs. Guess Bron's 24 TOs in their losses and 27 overall in the series had nothing to do with the team not winning at all right?

[Brankles]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

It's sooooo easy to just rattle off ages and say how terrible a 66 win team is when they lose in the playoffs. Guess Bron's 24 TOs in their losses and 27 overall in the series had nothing to do with the team not winning at all right?

Of course it's easy to do that. Hindsight is 20/20, right? I'm not claiming to be a prophet or anything.

And I never said LeBron was partly at fault for losing in the playoffs. But help from teammates like Pau Gasol/Ron Artest/Andrew Bynum/Lamar Odom or Rajon Rondo/Ray Allen/Kevin Garnett/Kendrick Perkins or even Jameer/Vince/Rashard/Pietrus would have been nice

Kobe had plenty of games where he could hide his flaws behind his teammates. Same with Pierce and same with Dwight. LeBron had to win the game by himself or the Cavs weren't winning. I can't think of a championship team that had a superstar LeBron's position.

After looking at the rosters of those championship-caliber teams, it amazes me how good LeBron is to take that team to that record and put them in that position every year. Clearly that title would have been his and his alone had he won it. But, as I keep repeating like a broken record, no star has ever won a title on their own.

[Jasong7777]

Re: LeBron James Signs With Miami Heat

Lebron quits in the Celtics series. The Cavs lose. Blame it on the rest of the team? Cool