The LeBron James Thread

[King_B_Mack]

Re: The LeBron James Saga

You answer the bolded question with the red part of your statement. I dont really see what the but is for? Once again we are all just guessing here so using barometers are the best way IMO to make an educated guess on how something plays out.

You can't just say that because the C's big three worked that automatically this one will work. That's ridiculous. If all the things were equal about the situation yeah, but it's not.

[mKoz26]

Re: The LeBron James Saga

The C's situation was totally different than the Heat. Who on the C's had an ego like LeBron's?

[NC State-31 UNC-27]

Re: The LeBron James Saga

so the 2k forum got me thinking...

is Bron gonna do his chalk routine at CLE? Is he gonna do it at all anymore? It's about time he loses the "look at me" routine right?

[Jasong7777]

Re: The LeBron James Saga

It's about time he loses the "look at me" routine right?

Lebron's life since high school, has been based around "look at me". I doubt that changes.

[Eman5805]

Re: The LeBron James Saga

Did LeBonehead really just use the race card? Did Al Sharpton get to him over night or what?

[Dollar Theater]

Re: The LeBron James Saga

Did LeBonehead really just use the race card? Did Al Sharpton get to him over night or what?

He's unable to comprehend that calling a narcissistic one-hour special to announce where he's going in free agency - while simultaneously crushing and crapping all over Cleveland - MIGHT rub people the wrong way and cause a dislike for him. So the only other possible answer is because he's black. Yeah, that's gotta be it.

[da ThRONe]

Re: The LeBron James Saga

You can't just say that because the C's big three worked that automatically this one will work. That's ridiculous. If all the things were equal about the situation yeah, but it's not.

You people are funny. Instead of reading you just see what you want to see. I never said just because the C's won the Heats will. And you will never find a post inwhich I say so. You say throwing stars together wont work. I pointed out the last time we've seen big time players team up it has worked. This not counting Gasol and Artest moving to the Lakers. It has happenned recently and has worked. That was all I said then you just pull this arguement out of thin air.

[WTF]

Re: The LeBron James Saga

Fellas, I know that Lebron and his bonehead manager have played the card, but let's leave it out of this thread. It will only lead to the locking of the thread. OS has shown in the past that we have members who aren't able to handle things...

Back on topic.

[da ThRONe]

Re: The LeBron James Saga

McNabb and T.O were known to be friends for quite sometime(was also friends with Ray Lewis until that mess went down)before they got together and then once **** hit the fan(aka Actual Games played in which it didn't go their way)it was then we got to see how they would handle adversity like that and they didn't handle it very well.

This is off the point so I wont get into this.

because it's the only example of a Big 3 forming(going by the new definition of the phrase "Big 3").

This is my point. This is the best thing to refer to with this situation simply because the C's joining is the cloest thing we have seen to the Heats trio. Nothing more nothing less.

You say they were never friends(as if you know)but yet say they were friendly. So are you saying that they were moreso associates than friends or that they were friends?

From what I remember hearing things were always stand off-ish between Shaq and Kobe even when things were good. If you can present something to contest this I'd like to see it.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: The LeBron James Saga

I thought the "Practice is going to be like this every day. My leadership skills won't let me go easy and joke around." quote was the funniest myself

[King_B_Mack]

Re: The LeBron James Saga

You people are funny. Instead of reading you just see what you want to see. I never said just because the C's won the Heats will. And you will never find a post inwhich I say so. You say throwing stars together wont work. I pointed out the last time we've seen big time players team up it has worked. This not counting Gasol and Artest moving to the Lakers. It has happenned recently and has worked. That was all I said then you just pull this arguement out of thin air.

You know for someone crying about people making things up and seeing what they want, you have a knack for doing that yourself. I didn't say throwing stars together won't work at any point in this. I simply said it's no guarantee that it will work and it's getting annoying seeing so many people speak about what they ARE going to do simply because they can all fill stat sheets. This is not the first time in the history of sports let alone the NBA that guys who can have ridiculous boxscores will be on the same team. There's more to it than 'ZOMGz they're going to run through every team and get guys open shots!!'

While there are those saying that you're pointing to the C's talking about using them as a barometer of what the Heat will do because it's the only time THREE guys have joined up. That's YOU implying that it will work because it worked for the C's. You even tried to justify that by saying they're friends and younger, better players than the C's were at the time so it is more likely to work if they were able to make it work. That's negligent evaluating considering you aren't factoring in all the other variables in the equation.

[Dollar Theater]

Re: The LeBron James Saga

Fellas, I know that Lebron and his bonehead manager have played the card, but let's leave it out of this thread. It will only lead to the locking of the thread. OS has shown in the past that we have members who aren't able to handle things...

Back on topic.

Understood.

[TMagic]

Re: The LeBron James Saga

There shouldn't be very much doubt concerning this Miami Heat team.

I, for one, fully expect them to finish atop the Eastern Conference. It's not just because they have talent, although that is a big help.

Here is my reasoning:

The Heat finished with 47 wins and were 5th in the East last year, with Dwyane Wade being a one man show. Now they've added LeBron and Bosh to the mix, as well as a solid group of role players. Their record should improve at the very least by 10 wins which would have made them a 57 win team, one game behind Orlando last year.

This team is going to lead the league in free throw shooting. LeBron, Wade, and Bosh are #2, #4, and #6 respectively in the league in free throw attempts. All three are too tough to guard for opponents and are able to get inside to rack up fouls on the defense.

Which will result in the other teams best bigs being constantly taken out the game for foul trouble (Bynum, Perkins, Dwight, I see you). This will lead to a decrease in rebounding for the other team. As well as weaker interior defense. Even if the big that gets into foul trouble comes back into the game, they are not going to be as aggressive because of them not wanting to pick up additional fouls. This is going to make it even easier for the big three, and the Heat as a whole, to get points inside.

Teams cannot hide their best perimeter player on offense. Whoever that may be is going to have to guard Wade or LeBron the entire game. This is going to decrease the production of this player due to having to work on defense. It also will probably result in foul problems for the player, taking him out of the game for stretches at a time.

Plus, most teams just don't have players at the 2, the 3, and at the 4 that are defensive stoppers. Somebody on the Heat is going to have an offensive advantage every night.

Opposing defenses will get no break. More than likely (at least I would hope), either Wade, Bosh, or LeBron will be on the court and have the offense ran through them. For most teams, when the star goes out, the offense becomes stagnant. This should not be a problem with the Heat who have the luxury of having three 24+ ppg players on the team.

To add to that, all three guys should be much more fresh throughout the course of the game. In the past they've had to carry the load all by themselves. Now that load is going to be split between three guys. That's going to do wonders at the end of any close game.

This team is going to cause ruckus on the defensive end. Just like I mentioned above how they are going to have more energy because of not having to carry the offensive load, they are going to be able to go at it defensively. Very similar to what we saw them doing in the Olympics. I expect the Heat to lead the league in blocked shots and steals.

This, I believe, will lead them to also lead the league in fast break points. They have the two fastest wing players in the league. They are going to have plenty of opportunities to get out and run after the blocks and steals that they rack up each game. The Heat are going to get a lot of easy buckets in transition.

The role players are going to compliment the big three very well. Mike Miller, Eddie House, Udonis Haslem, Mario Chalmers, and Big Z all will knock down open looks that are created for them. And playing alongside the big three, there should be plenty of them. I really like that Eddie House pick up for them. Dude brings so much energy with him off the bench. And if he gets hot, dude can light you up with three ball after three ball. Same can be said about Mike Miller, who is one of the best shooters in the league.

So all in all, I really do expect the Heat to come out and be as good as advertised. There isn't much working against them. The good far, FAR outweigh any bad with this team. Not to mention, how they are going to be out to send a message every game. The criticism is just fueling this team who are probably going to play more motivated than any other team in the league.

[wwharton]

Re: The LeBron James Saga

Really T.O. and McNabb references? I'm not sure they were really friends. Now if your talking about Ochocinco and T.O. then that may carry some weight.

Anyways being friends gives them a greater chance to get along then not being friends.

The Heats big 3 is probably most compareable to the C's big three then any other joining. So using their results seems like the best barometer because we are all just guessing.

I just don't know where you got the idea that the 3 on Celtics were great friends. They all seem to have similar leadership qualities and unselfish personalities which lends to them coming together and having it work. Having played years in the league with championships escaping them also makes it more likely that they'd be willing to put ego aside but none of them ever had much of an ego to begin with.

But seriously, friends? As far as I know they were friends as much as any member of the NBA fraternity is friends with another. They were brought together via trade... it's not like they got on a conference call and worked out a plan to bring their friendship together in Boston (and even though it sounds like it, that's not a comparison to what happened in Miami... it's just a statement on how different this situation is).

As mentioned, friendship doesn't help or hurt really... and could easily change. What worked in Boston had many variables that just don't exist in Miami. And if things work out in Miami it'll be for reasons that don't exist in Boston.

[Eman5805]

Re: The LeBron James Saga

Not the place for that now, chief.