LeBron James Rattles the Rim with the One-Handed Jam

[ImKobe]

They are. Breakdowns happen. It's like saying modern NFL defenses aren't more advanced because sometimes a guy gets wide open.

NFL has done everything to protect the QBs and WRs, the offensive numbers in this era are inflated, there are like 5-10 QBs putting up better numbers than Joe Montana, but it doesn't mean that they are as good as him.

[3ball]

Seems like they all take 3 steps these days, doesn't it? I swear to god every time Harden goes to the hoop it looks like a travel.

indeed, guys today play with better navigation efficiency.

He really pushes the limit with that Eurostep move.

it's not a euro step, it's an Elgin Step.

secondly, it's harder to Elgin-step when there's no spacing, like in the GIF below... it's not a cherry-picked play - this was the standard on every play in previous eras so there are millions of plays like the one below.

furthermore, OP's highlight is a good eye test, but there's even better proof that the paint defense is much worse in today's game: it's impossible to find possessions from today's game with guys camping under the rim like the GIF below - there are zero plays from today's game where the paint is packed like this:

[tomtucker]

fukk that.......Lebron went to cleveland to die.........elefant graveyard

[pauk]

I agree that defenders were allowed to be more physical in the 90's, but I don't think using the physicality of 90's NBA basketball is a good argument against LeBron James.


LeBron would have no problem playing in the 90's. In fact, his strength and ball-handling skills would only be highlighted in the 90's. It's all these 6' 180lb PG's, who seem to get wherever they want on the court, whenever they want, that would really be effected by the physicality on the perimeter and around the paint.

Thats correct.

[3ball]

I agree that defenders were allowed to be more physical in the 90's, but I don't think using the physicality of 90's NBA basketball is a good argument against LeBron James.

no one is saying he'd get shut down, but more physicality makes it harder for anybody, no matter who you are.

same thing with spacing - there was no spacing back then, and no spacing makes it harder for anyone, no matter who you are.

[chris02jammers]

LeBron is the GOAT

[3ball]

LeBron is the GOAT

the GOAT low-flyer...

[Blue&Orange]

The lane is empty because no one wants to **** with Lebron. If it was you Marc Gasol woulda stepped up and blocked the shit outta you.

I guess not everybody can be Boris Diaw.

[Blue&Orange]

Today coaches EVEN taken out their bigs out of the game (Hibbert, Duncan), but yeah Jordan would struggle.

Said that two of the dumbest coach decisions i've seen for a while, that obviously went wrong, like they only could.

Look at when Jordan was playing, and prior. From 75-95, the lowest it got was 45.8% from the field. That is the lowest. from 95-current, the highest it got was 46.1%.

More teams? More players? Drafting of boneheads that jumped high, "athletes" instead of basketball players that could actually shoot?

Weren't you the idiot that couldn't get the notion of judging basketball skills when making top10 basketball players lists?

Last 10 years weakest era since the 60's.

[LBJ 23]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw33W1qNTTw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUSWAdN02Vc


Look at the decline. In the dunk against Chicago he's walking on air

[3ball]

Last 10 years is weakest era since the 60's.

as the OP's highlight demonstrates, today's defenses are the weakest the league has ever seen, because today's defenses allow spacing, which had never occurred before this era - spacing makes it easier for ALL players on offense.

the inception of spacing in this era proves how weak the defense is in today's brand of basketball.

also, the GIF below is a good representation of a typical possession from the 80's - there are literally millions of possessions like it... but before i get requests to post more similar clips, why doesn't someone point me to ONE such clip from today's game... the reality is that no one can match the GIF below with a clip from today's game of defenders camping under the rim and packing the paint:

[Kvnzhangyay]

as the OP's highlight demonstrates, today's defenses are the weakest the league has ever seen, because today's defenses allow spacing, which had never occurred before this era - spacing makes it easier for ALL players on offense.

the inception of spacing in this era proves how weak the defense is in today's brand of basketball.

also, the GIF below is a good representation of a typical possession from the 80's - there are literally millions of possessions like it... but before i get requests to post more similar clips, why doesn't someone point me to ONE such clip from today's game... the reality is that no one can match the GIF below with a clip from today's game of defenders camping under the rim and packing the paint:

Maybe the defense does not seem as good in the eye-test because offense is so much better than it was before?

For example, defenses are FORCED to be spaced out now, because three point shots are so much more commonly used in today's offensive systems

[3ball]

For example, defenses are FORCED to be spaced out now, because three point shots are so much more commonly used in today's offensive systems

exactly... which spreads the defense out and makes it easier to get an open shot than it was in previous eras when the defense didn't have to extend out to the 3-point line.

like, if lebron went back to 1985, he wouldn't have anyone spreading the floor for him, so he would face much tougher paint defense and he wouldn't be ABLE to be so picky with his shot selection.

but when the defense has to guard the 3-point line, they are guarding a larger surface area with the same number of defenders... it's physics.... this creates spacing, which makes passing, cutting, and driving easier - and the league made all these things even easier and facilitated the spacing even more with rule changes like defensive 3 seconds and banning of physical defense.

so again, today's defenses and brand of basketball allows for spacing, which makes it the easiest and softest defensive environment ever.
.

[Kvnzhangyay]

exactly... which spreads the defense out and makes it easier to get an open shot than it was in previous eras when the defense didn't have to extend out to the 3-point line.

like, if lebron went back to 1985, he wouldn't have anyone spreading the floor for him, so he would face much tougher paint defense and he wouldn't be ABLE to be so picky with his shot selection.

but when the defense has to guard the 3-point line, they are guarding a larger surface area with the same number of defenders... it's physics.... this creates spacing, which makes passing, cutting, and driving easier - and the league made all these things even easier and facilitated the spacing even more with rule changes like defensive 3 seconds and banning of physical defense.

so again, today's defenses and brand of basketball allows for spacing, which makes it the easiest and softest defensive environment ever.
.

But what makes it hard to compare X to X from different era is that players would have grown up completely different (ex: Jordan would be shooting more 3s), so their playstyles would probably be completely different

[3ball]

But what makes it hard to compare X to X from different era is that players would have grown up completely different (ex: Jordan would be shooting more 3s), so their playstyles would probably be completely different

absolutely...agreed

it would be interesting to see how guys would play if they grew up in a different era.