LLLLLeBron 3-5 Finals Record Without SuperTeam

Discussion in 'NBA Discussion' started by puffyusaf#2, Oct 5, 2014.

  1. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2014
    Messages:
    28,475
    Likes Received:
    62,061
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    If I'm starting a team today and Durant and Davis are the same age I pick Davis.

    The only active player I might pick over Davis is Kobe and some of that is just because I know Kobe will bring me rings. Davis is maybe the most talented player I've seen in decades.
     
  2. fabulus

    fabulus - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Oct 10, 2014
    Messages:
    370
    Likes Received:
    227
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Offline
    But that is a little unfair unless you're saying a 2nd year Lebron. You have a hall of famer in the making at what 20 and a hall of famer hitting the downside of his prime. Would you take Davis over a 20 year old Lebron? I think I could go either way on that one.
     
  3. trodgers

    trodgers Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2014
    Messages:
    12,121
    Likes Received:
    18,496
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Professor of Humanities
    Location:
    Orlando
    Offline
    Yeah, I think I would.
     
  4. thkthebest

    thkthebest Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2014
    Messages:
    1,679
    Likes Received:
    2,300
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    Good point about Durant. He is only 26 years old. Anthony Davis at 21 or Kevin Durant at 26? I can see a lot of GMs taking a more proven commodity in Durant.

    Not sure about LeBron though. LeBron will be 30 this December. I only see about 2 years left of this level of play (maybe 3). I don't really see GMs taking LeBron over the other two. I could be wrong. I mean, the GMs in the East have proven time and time again to be very incompetent. Lol.
     
  5. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2014
    Messages:
    28,475
    Likes Received:
    62,061
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    ^ I believe the scenario was put any of them at Davis's age and redraft them.

    LeBron, Kobe, Durant, and Davis all at age 21, who do GMs most likely pick? I think the answer is Davis.
     
  6. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    16,172
    Likes Received:
    31,056
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    I'll take Davis over anybody right now in the league. No doubt.
     
  7. The Showtime Mamba

    The Showtime Mamba - Lakers 6th Man -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    1,017
    Likes Received:
    3,452
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    A no attitude superstar who is quck long and has a soft touch around the rim. A player who is an A, but could comfortably perform as a B when another player is going off. What is not to like about him?

    Oh yeah, some of you don't like the brow. I kind of like it. It sure beats the Durant back pack or the Bron head band of utter destruction.
     
  8. RasAlgethi

    RasAlgethi Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2014
    Messages:
    1,396
    Likes Received:
    3,420
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Laker Land
    Offline
    This scenario is different from what thkthebest proposed. He proposed everyone at their current age.

    Anyways, under your scenario I would take Kobe. I think we've forgotten how dominant prime Kobe was (and how long his prime was).
     
    Battle Tested20 likes this.
  9. thkthebest

    thkthebest Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2014
    Messages:
    1,679
    Likes Received:
    2,300
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    If the players are all 21 years old, then a few more players would enter the discussion: Kobe, KG, Duncan, and Dirk. :)

    It'll be interesting to see how Davis pans out. He's ridiculously good at his age. Statistically, he's just as good if not better than anybody else at the age of 21, but can he keep this up for 10 years? Also, if Davis went back in time, how much would that affect his level of play? For example, PFs a decade ago had to go up against the likes of KG, Duncan, Dirk, Webber, Gasol, Ben Wallace's defense, Rasheed Wallace, etc. That's without including centers like Shaq, Yao, Mutombo, etc.
     
  10. acetabulum7

    acetabulum7 - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2014
    Messages:
    680
    Likes Received:
    835
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Walnut, CA
    Offline
    I still think Kobe would be most picked, followed closely by LeBron.

    We just haven't seen enough of Davis yet to know if he'll end up better than Kobe or LeBron, but I suppose there are some teams that will take that chance.
     
  11. Perdurabo

    Perdurabo - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2014
    Messages:
    88
    Likes Received:
    36
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Offline
    If you include Kobe at 21, it's a no brainer. He was arguably the best in the league coming off of his 3rd title.

    As for Davis, it sounds like everyone is seeing superstar, but I see a young Antawn Jameson. In our meager league, that makes him a superstar I guess.
     
  12. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2014
    Messages:
    28,475
    Likes Received:
    62,061
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    First of all, there'll be a year or two that Jamison might be considered for the Hall of Fame when you look at his numbers.

    Second of all, you're way off. This kid is doing things no one has done since Hakeem. Since when was Antawn so efficient offensively? Since when was he ever this kind of defender even at age 20? That's an incredibly misplaced comparison.
     
    The Showtime Mamba likes this.
  13. Perdurabo

    Perdurabo - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2014
    Messages:
    88
    Likes Received:
    36
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Offline
    I don't think so imho. He's good, but the Hakeem comparison is waaaaaaay off.
     
  14. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2014
    Messages:
    28,475
    Likes Received:
    62,061
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    Not comparing their styles or games, just their numbers.

    Davis right now:

    25.2 points/ 10.7 rebounds/ 1.7 assists/ 2.1 steals/ 2.9 blocks. 57% from the field. 76.7% from the FT line.

    Hakeem came into the NBA at 22 so he was already older than Davis is now, but in his rookie season Hakeem posted:

    20.6 points/ 11.9 rebounds/ 1.4 assists/ 1.2 steals/ 2.7 blocks. 53.8% from the field. 61.3% from the FT line.

    Again, Davis is a year younger than Hakeem was although Hakeem was a rookie.

    For what it's worth Antawn Jamison's best season (07-08 at age 31):
    21.4 points/ 10.2 rebounds/ 1.5 assists/ 1.3 steals/ 0.4 blocks. 43.6% from the field. 76% from the FT line.
     
    Daloyalfan18-Brandon likes this.
  15. thkthebest

    thkthebest Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2014
    Messages:
    1,679
    Likes Received:
    2,300
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    Another great player with similar stats:

    David Robinson as a rookie was 24 years old, but...
    24.3 ppg / 12.0 rpg / 2.0 apg / 3.9 bpg / 1.7 spg. 53.1 FG% and 73.2 FT%.

    Other players with similar stats, although not quite as great. Anthony Davis could very well slow down though.

    Tim Duncan as a rookie (21 years old):
    21.1 ppg / 11.9 rpg / 2.7 apg / 2.5 bpg / 0.7 spg. 54.9 FG% and 66.2 FT%.

    Kevin Garnett at 21 years old:
    18.5 ppg / 9.6 rpg / 4.2 apg / 1.8 bpg / 1.7 spg. 49.1 FG% and 73.8 FG%.
     
  16. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2014
    Messages:
    28,475
    Likes Received:
    62,061
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    All of those players are Hall of Famers. This kid is on his way and he's already doing amazing things.
     
    fabulus likes this.
  17. fabulus

    fabulus - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Oct 10, 2014
    Messages:
    370
    Likes Received:
    227
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Offline
    No doubt. Comparisons to any of those guys just shows the HOF expectations for this kid. Antawn not in the same conversation with these cats.
     
  18. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2014
    Messages:
    28,475
    Likes Received:
    62,061
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    To be fair, those are 1st ballot Hall of Famers.

    Antawn's career numbers are REALLY close to the Hall. If he'd seriously contributed to a ring, he might get in. As it is I don't think he'll make it unless there's a really slow year.
     
  19. Magic Skywalker

    Magic Skywalker - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2014
    Messages:
    209
    Likes Received:
    788
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Offline
    I think nobody here would argue that Anthony Davis is having a tremendous start for his young career, and could very well be a first ballot Hall of Famer.

    What I can argue is that there's a number of players to qualify to such feat in the NBA right now, and Kevin Durant is definitely one of them, and a very young at that also, who's already achieved a lot in his not-so-young career with his young age. He's 26 years old, he's been scoring champ 4 times already, MVP, led a team to the Finals and multiple long postseason runs, he was a beast with 21 years, and was the clear MVP from 2013-2014.

    As of today, I think Kevin Durant is the best player in this league, and he's just 26 years old.

    Can Anthony Davis become even better? Sure, there is a chance. Anthony Davis is so naturally gifted for basketball is almost unfair. But Anthony Davis is still a lot of "may" and "could". Kevin Durant's full of "may" and "could", but has even more "did" and "is".

    When I said LeBron, I didn't mean to agree with picking LeBron. Actually, on the contrary, I wouldn't pick him... I just wouldn't be surprised if 1 out of 30 picked him first.
     
  20. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2014
    Messages:
    28,475
    Likes Received:
    62,061
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    I'd take Davis over Durant if I'm building a team.

    I'd take Durant right now if I were a team trying to win a Championship tomorrow.
     

Share This Page