The LeBron James Thread

[Bumi]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Rose doesn't shoot a great percentage to begin with. It's what he does to cause havoc in the lane and creating offense for others... that's what made him MVP and why he is superior to your boy Russell Westbrook.

What does Russell Westbrook have to do with this thread? Further, if you're insinuating that WB doesn't create for others(More assist than Rose this season) or cause havoc in the lane(identical percentages around the rim in comparison to Rose) then you're wrong.

Rose had Wade on skates the entire series. He got wherever he wanted to when Wade was guarding him.

No he didn't, otherwise that 34% shooting percentage wouldn't have been a 34% shooting percentage. The Heat played excellent team defense, it wasn't one single player that shut Rose out.

James didn't let Rose navigate, didn't let him probe, didn't let him shoot, didn't let him create. He shut him down.

So did Paul George.

Sure, Marion is having a nice series offensively against James, but let's not act as if James isn't setting the tone overall for their stout defense in the series. He and Wade are both having nice games defensively against Dallas.

He isn't? Marion's performance is proof enough of that.

[BaselineBakes]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

When did I say James hasn't had a good post season?

If your gonna sit here and try and say you haven't tried to completely downplay Lebrons performance throughout the playoffs in favor of Wade's for about the last day or so repeatedly then I don't even know what the point is regarding anything you've posted.

[Bumi]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

If your gonna sit here and try and say you haven't tried to completely downplay Lebrons performance throughout the playoffs in favor of Wade's for about the last day or so repeatedly then I don't even know what the point is regarding anything you've posted.

Again, when did I claim LeBron hasn't had a good post season? I'll wait.

[BaselineBakes]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Again, when did I claim LeBron hasn't had a good post season? I'll wait.

When did you claim that he has had a good post season? I'll wait.

[Bumi]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

When did you claim that he has had a good post season? I'll wait.

I'm not sure if you're serious right now, how that is relevant, or how it justifies or validates your comment?

You claimed I said something. I'm waiting for you to show me when and where I did so.

[BaselineBakes]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

I'm not sure if you're serious right now, how that is relevant, or how it justifies or validates your comment?

You claimed I said something. I'm waiting for you to show me when and where I did so.

SO if you believe Wade has been very good this postseason why don't you say the same for Lebron who has had comparable/better numbers.

If that was the question your referring to it wasn't even a question, it was more like a suggestion to give Lebron his due based on the postseason he has had.

[Bumi]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

If that was the question your referring to it wasn't even a question, it was more like a suggestion to give Lebron his due based on the postseason he has had.

You've lost me. But if it makes you feel any better, LeBron has had a good postseason.

[jeebs9]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

I don't even see what the fight is about really. They needed each other to get this far. And they just keep proving people wrong this playoffs. The Heat defense wouldn't be as good as it is if any of them were missing.

[BaselineBakes]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

You've lost me. But if it makes you feel any better, LeBron has had a good postseason.

I apologize instead of referring to my comment as a question that I asked you I meant to say claim. I didn't make a claim that you said Lebron was not having a good post season but moreso a claim that you haven't said anything but downplay Lebron's accomplishments in order to prop up Wade.

[55]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

I don't even see what the fight is about really. They needed each other to get this far. And they just keep proving people wrong this playoffs. The Heat defense wouldn't be as good as it is if any of them were missing.

This x1000

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Well then doesn't that make Lebrons postseason more impressive considering the better number that you yourself put up and amount of extended time he's spent guarding the other teams best player? Igoudala, Pierce, Rose, Deng, Marion, Terry while Wade has had his turn with Evan Turner, Ray Allen, Keith Bogans, JKidd, and Deshawn Stevenson.

Your numbers just prove his prowess on offense and in turn playing big minutes on the other teams elite players on defense.

I'd argue guarding Ray Allen is probably one of the toughest assignments in the NBA. I'd much rather take my chances guarding Rose than I would Ray Allen honestly, especially when all I have to do to guard Rose is sit back a few feet because of how much length I have (if I were LeBron). Ray Allen is an absolute terror to defend because you're just sprinting nonstop through stagger screens and you can't give him an inch of space. Also, Shawn Marion isn't that difficult to guard. He doesn't shoot jumpers and he isn't quick enough to get by people anymore. He just has good touch around the rim so when LeBron gives him a little bit of space, he can capitalize. And Iguodala is pretty much a poor man's LeBron, so the fact that LeBron was able to guard him really doesn't surprise me at all.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

This is what people meant when they compared James to Pippen, or Magic even. It wasn't a knock then but it shouldn't be one now either. The way the Heat are currently playing is how it needs to be for them to have the highest level of success imo (even though I still think they should be going through Bosh more). James isn't off his game at all, if you ask me. He's distributing the ball well, getting out of Wade's way, taking advantage of the easy opportunities he gets and being the leader on defense (and lets be real, the Heat are where they are bc of the D they've been playing).

Kobe has been criticized like that but I don't think it's warranted. If you don't either, you can't use it as a reason James should be too. I don't think the guy will be the best NBA player ever at the end of the day bc this is who he is, but I also think we fight too hard to have someone take that seat. What he is is nothing to sneeze at, and if he gets a couple of titles he'll still have a nice seat at the table. I just need him to grow the hell up.

Regarding the top half, I don't think James is on his A game right now at all. He isn't shooting the ball very well (since game 1) and he isn't getting into the paint.

Regarding the bottom half, Kobe was the sidekick in the Finals runs with Shaq (or at least the first two, I honestly don't recall them all that well, but I know he wasn't the star of the series the first two times). He was a great complement to Shaq and had a huge role in the Lakers winning the title, and a ring is a ring, but Kobe winning 3 rings with Shaq =/= Michael winning 3 rings with Scottie. Michael was the alpha male and it was unquestioned for all 6 of his championships, and if LeBron wins a bunch of rings in the manner that he is winning this one, where it's been more of Dwyane Wade being a great leader, setting the tone for his team with his high energy and intensity, and James doing things here or there, Heat fans/LeBron fans will use those rings as part of what puts LeBron up near Michael Jordan's level in the same way that some people have done that with Kobe's rings. Kobe was the man in the last two championships, but the first 3 he was more of just a sidekick. But nonetheless, he has 5 rings so a lot of Kobe fans say he's as close to MJ as anybody else because of the way he played and the # of rings he has to show for it. If LeBron gets and 3 of them he plays the way he is right now, and then the last 2 he's the unquestioned leader (as Wade's body starts to fail him a little), people will say the same about LeBron and I just don't think that's right at all.

Sorry if that bottom half is written really poorly or unclear. I don't know why but I'm having a really hard time typing out my thoughts right now lol.

[Drewski]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Regarding the top half, I don't think James is on his A game right now at all. He isn't shooting the ball very well (since game 1) and he isn't getting into the paint.

Regarding the bottom half, Kobe was the sidekick in the Finals runs with Shaq (or at least the first two, I honestly don't recall them all that well, but I know he wasn't the star of the series the first two times). He was a great complement to Shaq and had a huge role in the Lakers winning the title, and a ring is a ring, but Kobe winning 3 rings with Shaq =/= Michael winning 3 rings with Scottie. Michael was the alpha male and it was unquestioned for all 6 of his championships, and if LeBron wins a bunch of rings in the manner that he is winning this one, where it's been more of Dwyane Wade being a great leader, setting the tone for his team with his high energy and intensity, and James doing things here or there, Heat fans/LeBron fans will use those rings as part of what puts LeBron up near Michael Jordan's level in the same way that some people have done that with Kobe's rings. Kobe was the man in the last two championships, but the first 3 he was more of just a sidekick. But nonetheless, he has 5 rings so a lot of Kobe fans say he's as close to MJ as anybody else because of the way he played and the # of rings he has to show for it. If LeBron gets and 3 of them he plays the way he is right now, and then the last 2 he's the unquestioned leader (as Wade's body starts to fail him a little), people will say the same about LeBron and I just don't think that's right at all.

Sorry if that bottom half is written really poorly or unclear. I don't know why but I'm having a really hard time typing out my thoughts right now lol.

The whole Kobe was a sidekick to Shaq thing is true, to an extent, but Kobe put up three GREAT playoff runs (I'm including the finals they let get away), and one GOOD playoff run (the first threepeat). To say he was only a sidekick is a discredit to the great basketball he played though the Shaq/Kobe era. It's easy to say Kobe had Shaq, but Shaq had Kobe, and if you look at those playoff runs and the games that Kobe put up, you'll see it as well. Not saying Shaq wasn't Mr. Dominant, but Kobe was pretty devastating as well, and was much more than a roleplayer or sidekick, and if you replace Kobe with a lesser talent, one cant help but wonder. Only guy I think who could have done what Kobe did in that time frame is Tracy McGrady.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

The whole Kobe was a sidekick to Shaq thing is true, to an extent, but Kobe put up three GREAT playoff runs (I'm including the finals they let get away), and one GOOD playoff run (the first threepeat). To say he was only a sidekick is a discredit to the great basketball he played though the Shaq/Kobe era. It's easy to say Kobe had Shaq, but Shaq had Kobe, and if you look at those playoff runs and the games that Kobe put up, you'll see it as well. Not saying Shaq wasn't Mr. Dominant, but Kobe was pretty devastating as well, and was much more than a roleplayer or sidekick, and if you replace Kobe with a lesser talent, one cant help but wonder. Only guy I think who could have done what Kobe did in that time frame is Tracy McGrady.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that Jordan was the guy for all 6 title runs so I don't like the people that say Kobe is kinda close to Jordan cuz he almost has as many rings while being one of the best of all time or people that say when LeBron wins 5 rings with Miami he'll be right up there with MJ because Kobe played more of a Pippen role on the first 3 championship teams and that's what LeBron is doing right now with the Heat.

[Bumi]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

The whole Kobe was a sidekick to Shaq thing is true, to an extent, but Kobe put up three GREAT playoff runs (I'm including the finals they let get away), and one GOOD playoff run (the first threepeat). To say he was only a sidekick is a discredit to the great basketball he played though the Shaq/Kobe era. It's easy to say Kobe had Shaq, but Shaq had Kobe, and if you look at those playoff runs and the games that Kobe put up, you'll see it as well. Not saying Shaq wasn't Mr. Dominant, but Kobe was pretty devastating as well, and was much more than a roleplayer or sidekick, and if you replace Kobe with a lesser talent, one cant help but wonder. Only guy I think who could have done what Kobe did in that time frame is Tracy McGrady.

99-00
Shaq: 30/15.4/3.1/56fg%
Kobe: 21/4.4/4.5/44fg%

00-01
Shaq: 30.4/15.4/3.2/55fg%
Kobe: 29.4/7.3/6.1/47fg%

01-02
Shaq: 28.5/12.6/2.8/53%
Kobe: 26.6/ 5.8/4.9/43%

It's a whole different story in the finals,

1999-2000 Finals
Shaq: 38/17/2.5/61fg%
Kobe: 16/5/4/36fg%

2000-2001 Finals
Shaq: 33/16/5/57fg%
Kobe: 24/8/6/41fg%

2001-2002 Finals
Shaq: 37/12.3/4/60fg%
Kobe: 26/5.75/5/51fg%