LABron James Discussion: The Final Year?

This series has been LeBron's best "moment" as a Laker. The fans will remember this series for a long, long time.

 

Not sure how he managed to hit the game tying 3 after a fake with no legs left ..

 

We are 6-1 in our last 7 games played, including the playoffs, without Austin and Luka. Elephant in the room anyone? (Abeer)

 

sheppard had no chance here

 

I mean he was pretty awful to close before that play lol. I think he was fouled but lost the ball, to, bad 3 game looked over.

Makes the shot even more awesome, out of gas, sucking balls, and somehow pulls it together.

 

That aged well, moron...
(I would look for some Skip "words of wisdom" but that man, makes me wanna barf).

https://youtube.com/shorts/I4kkL7UEarc?is=uqAA2PB5UgJXKzL9

 

I heard someone say, I think Van Gundy, that instead of calling LeBron the GOAT(which he’s not), consider saying that “he’s had the best overall career of all time.”
Not bad.
When considering all the records he holds and that it’s highly unlikely someone will reach his scoring totals, it’s makes some sense.

 

it's been said before that MJ is the NBA GOAT, but lebron is the greatest basketball player of all time, which i would agree with

 

Here's how I see it:

When debating the GOAT, one thing that will always come up is peak vs longevity. Assuming you need the elite of elite resumes to even be in the conversation, I think there are 3 players that are undisputedly in the top-5 all time: MJ, LeBron, Kareem.

The other 2 to round out that 5 are when things get a little dicey. Do you include Russell because of the rings? Does Wilt go in over him because of the raw dominance and peak? Magic/Kobe/Duncan all have 5 rings and the resumes to back everything up.

Then you have someone like Shaq. Accolades galore, but it's the PEAK we discuss. If we're debating GOAT basketball players, shouldn't an important part of that be who you'd want to be the man on your squad in a one game, winner take all? Era and styles matter, but if we're just going by players during their eras, it'd be hard for me to not take Shaq #1 and not blink.

Back to MJ/LeBron/Kareem in the top-3. Lets forget Kareem and say he's likely 3rd on this list. Overall I'd say that's the common sentiment, and I'd have to agree. MJ vs LeBron boils down to the moments in the big spots. LeBron has more losses than wins, MJ in the public eye has no losses. The years and years of getting bounced was erased from memory, which I think is somewhat fair. Once you've climbed the mountain and stay there, you've earned that. But the overall idea that MJ was unbeatable is far from true.

If MJ had to face the kind of Finals teams that LeBron did, I think this debate is a wrap. It's not lost on me that he stacked the deck in Miami and then ran back to Cleveland when they were ready for new construction. He took advantage of the system to give himself the best chance. At the end of the day though, he and MJ when they were making Finals runs had fantastic rosters.

Who they faced is where this gets fun. The first Finals loss for LeBron is almost an achievement. The loss to Dallas was embarassing. Those Spurs teams vs Miami were elite, team oriented squads that organically grew something to go toe-to-toe with them talent wise. He goes to Cleveland, loses his whole squad against GS the first time, and they lose. Not on him. He takes them out the following season in perhaps the best comeback in NBA history.

GS goes out, adds Kevin Durant, and gives LeBron an opponent for 2 years straight that was unbeatable. Flat out unbeatable. He was incredible in those Finals and was destined to take 2 L's. An unprecedented free agent addition may have cost LeBron 2 rings. Winning at least 1 more if GS doesn't sign KD does seem realistic at the very least.

If MJ faced that GS squad instead of the Jazz, is he 4-2 in the Finals? Is LeBron's 4 vs MJ's 4 more impressive with all of the Finals appearances? Add the counting stats on top, and is it a wrap regardless?

 

Jordan couldn't win anything in the 80's and then suddenly the league gets diluted (4 expansion teams added) - Magic, Larry, and Isiah get old and injured and it's barely mentioned the Bulls run came against the least talented the NBA has been since the 70's when cocaine and the ABA messed the league up. The euro's and internationals just happened to show up after he retired to get the league talent back up to snuff and guess which team benefited from the Euro talent first - the Bulls with Kukoc.

Seriously look at those "juggernauts" the Bulls went against; the jazz whose 3rd best player was Jeff Hornacek, a talented but r******* Drexler Portland team that was never able to get past Magic, a Magic Laker team with decrepit Worthy and Scott didn't even play in that series, Seattle iwth yes George Karl as coach,

The only real good team they beat IMO was Barkley's Suns and everyone forgets that Ceballos was on a heater in the playoffs and he got hurt. I stand by they never really beat anyone special who was healthy

Also f***ing annoys the hell out of me that his team without him won 55 games and was one of the worst foul calls in NBA history to make the ECF. That never happens nowadays: Lebron, Steph, Giannis, Jokic you name any great team in the modern NBA and they've sucked if their star is out.

 

Leturnover. Those turnovers were debilitating and frustrating to watch

 

agree with all this, though i'll say boston minus tatum this year did the same thing as that bulls team. there's something to be said about coaching and system and personnel continuity.

lebron's best stretch of his career, winning-wise, had those things in addition to the extra talent.

 

Good point a about Boston. Brown being a similar player in value to Pippen as semi MVP type players. Counterpoint Tatum just not at the level of these other guys

 

How is this clown STILL milking the story?

 

Exactly what he’s doing. Hate this em effer