The LeBron James Thread

[ojandpizza]

The issues you raise are nowhere near as convoluted as you've made them out to be. This isnt wartime strategy (where tactics and rules of engagement have changed to point of not even being comparable in some cases) its basketball. We know what the strengths and weaknesses of these players are. So venturing to say for example that MJs playing style during his prime would translate to him being an even more effective scorer today (in a League which has specifically designed itself to cater to players who score from the wings) is not some far out twist of logic. Saying that Wilt (who was a world class athlete even by todays standards and had a skill set that outpaces the best at his position today) could dominate in todays game isnt a bad argument to make. We know whats these guys were/are and we know how each era has applied their rules and strategy. Therefore im not sure how you couldn't manage decent argument for how someone would perform in a different era.

Any one of us could manage a decent argument for or against both the cases you just mentioned. I wasn't trying to dispute that.

But saying: "MJ would average 40 that's a FACT" and if "Magic and Bird were playing now" as a way to try and discredit what LeBron is doing doesn't make any sense at all.

Because who's to say LeBron wouldn't be even better in their era, as I mentioned before?


You just can't properly compare across different eras of basketball and make a legitimate case, or call something a "fact".

[ojandpizza]

basically what i was tryin to say is that you shouldnt be considered, not that you shouldnt be compared to, an OG until you officially put in the work to become an OG and get that OG title. You can be a G, putting it down for your set like no other b4 you; but nomatter how well you put it down, you still wont get recognised as a OG until the day you officially become an OG.

imo a man should only be honored by the actual stripes he's accomplished and earned on his shirt. to do otherwise, i kinda feel like is a bit disrespectful to what the others had to accomplish and go through to get those stripes on their uniform.

we all understand that sky is the limit for lebron, but imo he still has a whole lot of work to put in b4 his application should even be eligible for OG status.

im not saying that its wrong that lebron gets compared to the OGs of the game, im saying that its wrong imo that folks treat him like he's already an OG og the game.

to me a G is a G and a OG is something completely different than a G. and to me lebron is just a G. he doesnt have enough stripes on his shirt yet. but i inda feel like theres this rush to clear a path for him to OG status and sometimes i just wonder why.

again responses. and i try, i cant write short responses. im working on it tho.

I'm so lost reading this..

LeBron has been the best player in the league for awhile now. And where you are getting he "hasn't put in the work" I have no idea.

He's only just turned 28 years old and there are only 4 players in league history with more MVPs than him?

Are you saying because he has 1 championship he shouldn't be labeled that high? Is that what you keep referring to as "stripes"???

Because lack of a large collection of rings was never held against Wilt, West, Big-O, Hakeem, etc..

It's not his fault he was a number one draft pick to a god awful team and didnt get to play with Shaq and be coached by Phil, or get to play with Kareem, Worthy, Scott, Cooper, etc.. He didn't get to instantly have Parish, Johnson, McHale, Maxwell, etc..

He has a team now, he's a legit contender now, he's dominating like no player has in a LONG time..

What makes him an "OG" without saying "stripes"? This is basketball we don't need codes lol just say what you mean.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

I get what you're saying and am kind of on the same page as you with that but at the same time you also have people that do the same Lebron as well. You got people out thinking that because he is dominating the game today that he could dominate any era just as easy as if THAT'S a fact, when that's not the case either. It goes both ways my man.

We all know that Lebron is the best player in the NBA today and when it's all said and done, he'll probably be one of the all time greats to play this game. Just leave it at that. No need to say that he'll be great in every other era propping him up even higher than he is, lol.

Because lack of a large collection of rings was never held against Wilt, West, Big-O, Hakeem, etc..

But yet it is/was held against other greats though. Funny how that works...

to me a G is a G and a OG is something completely different than a G. and to me lebron is just a G. he doesnt have enough stripes on his shirt yet. but i inda feel like theres this rush to clear a path for him to OG status and sometimes i just wonder why.

There was a rush but I blame this moreso on your Media guys and Mr. Stern trying to hurry up and find another MJ even though most folks with common NBA sense know there isn't going to be another one.

[JODYE]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

The media did the same thing with Kobe too.

Nothing new.

[ojandpizza]

We all know that Lebron is the best player in the NBA today and when it's all said and done, he'll probably be one of the all time greats to play this game. Just leave it at that. No need to say that he'll be great in every other era propping him up even higher than he is, lol..

I agree with this. That's what I'm trying to say about the other guys as well. Same rules apply for Jordan, Wilt, Magic, Kobe, or any other great.

Because regardless of what any of us think would or wouldn't happen nobody actually KNOWS.

[Vni]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

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[The 24th Letter]

The media did the same thing with Kobe too.

Nothing new.

and they'll keep doing it....

Dirk was Bird reincarnated after he won his ship...it goes on...if KD pops his ring cherry he'll be compared to god knows who as well...this is not exclusive to Mr. James...

This entire discussion just seems like a roundabout way to say: "Im tired of all the coverage LeBron is currently getting" which we can all understand....but it would've been easier just to say that, lol

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

This entire thread just seems like a roundabout(or big *** circle)

FYP because this sums up everything in here in a nutshell.

When June rolls around, we'll be rehashing The Decision convo all over again.

[Sam Marlowe]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

I agree with this. That's what I'm trying to say about the other guys as well. Same rules apply for Jordan, Wilt, Magic, Kobe, or any other great.

Because regardless of what any of us think would or wouldn't happen nobody actually KNOWS.

Thats a moot point. Of course nobody knows for 100 % certainty. Hell Im not 100 percent sure im gonna wake up in the morning but it would be perfectly reasonable for me to think so. And if pressed as to why there is a pretty good body of evidence I could point to. The same goes for determining how well a player would compete in a different era. The very best would be fine in any era, just a matter of how fine.

[ojandpizza]

The very best would be fine in any era, just a matter of how fine.

A completely agree with that.

There just isn't really a way to determine the "how fine" unless it could actually happen.

[Jasong7777]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

I hate ESPN.

Who would win between a prime MJ and Lebron?

Who the **** you think.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

*MJ Biased post incoming*

Okay that's out of the way, lemme just say that a not even prime MJ without a truly great jumpshot was averaging 37 a game at one point. Saying that man getting dropped into today's NBA with that game and him averaging 40 is about as close to a fact as you can possibly get with a hypothetical situation. Dude would be a averaging at least 10 a game from the line alone. I'll be a homer on this one.

[The 24th Letter]

As great as Jordan is, I don't see it....not 40 man lol...

Only way I could see him getting around that is if he was on the Bobcats, where he would be playing straight YOLO ball...he'd probably have them in 8th place right now....

Which is exactly what i'm doing on my NBA 2k13 season, lol

[ojandpizza]

*MJ Biased post incoming*

Okay that's out of the way, lemme just say that a not even prime MJ without a truly great jumpshot was averaging 37 a game at one point. Saying that man getting dropped into today's NBA with that game and him averaging 40 is about as close to a fact as you can possibly get with a hypothetical situation. Dude would be a averaging at least 10 a game from the line alone. I'll be a homer on this one.

MJ is my favorite player of all time, so I'm certainly not trying to down play him in any way at all.

But there is more to the game than the fouls or hand checking that has changed.

Teams average much less shot attempts per game then they did back in the 80's man. And it's a much slower pace. And zone defenses would absolutely plug the lane if they knew it was MJ who was attacking.

At the point in his career when he was scoring 37 a game I don't think he had the outside shooting ability to put up 40 per.. And even if he did it would be on an absurd amount of shots, MJ wouldn't, at least I don't think he would, hog the ball in that manner.

[TMagic]

*MJ Biased post incoming*

Okay that's out of the way, lemme just say that a not even prime MJ without a truly great jumpshot was averaging 37 a game at one point. Saying that man getting dropped into today's NBA with that game and him averaging 40 is about as close to a fact as you can possibly get with a hypothetical situation. Dude would be a averaging at least 10 a game from the line alone. I'll be a homer on this one.

That's not the best argument. You cant just compare generations like that.

He scored 37 a game in the same year the worst team defensively was giving up 118 a game! The best team was allowing 103 a game. And to score those 37, he took 28 a game.

For comparison purposes, The Kings allowed the most points last year at 104. The Bulls allowed the least at 88.

Do you still think he'd average 40 easily in todays game?