What year was LeBron James' peak?

[CodeBreaker]

What version was LeBron's peak?

Some notable ones:

2009 LeBron


2013 LeBron


2016 LeBron


2018 LeBron

[Bronbron23]

Miami. He played within a system, still had great stats and got 2 of his 3 chips. He was also a beast defensively.

[Micku]

2013 for me. Defensively he was still good. Great with the help, and solid one on one at spurts. And the stats was still there too.


2018 offensively in the playoffs. Well, that and 2014.

[Celtics 1825]

2013. 27-8-7 on 56% shooting AND 40% from 3, 1.7 steals, and a DPOY candidate

[SouBeachTalents]

2013 was his best regular season, but I'd hate to consider that his peak when he's had like 5 playoff runs more impressive than that year

[CodeBreaker]

2013 was his best regular season, but I'd hate to consider that his peak when he's had like 5 playoff runs more impressive than that year

His 2012 playoff run + 2013 regular season

[SpaceJam2]

Too many to choose from

2009 for raw pure record setting PER and WS/48 (Literal NBA records)

2012 for his ECF Game 6 and beating 3 MVPs

2013 for being the best two way player in league history

2015 for leading a G-leage squad to 2 wins in the Finals

2016 for..well...you know

2017 avg a trip dub in the Finals

2018 set all the playoff records

The guy is a freak

[CodeBreaker]

Too many to choose from

2009 for raw pure record setting PER and WS/48 (Literal NBA records)

2012 for his ECF Game 6 and beating 3 MVPs

2013 for being the best two way player in league history

2015 for leading a G-leage squad to 2 wins in the Finals

2016 for..well...you know

2017 avg a trip dub in the Finals

2018 set all the playoff records

The guy is a freak

If you can only choose one, what is it?

[FultzNationRISE]

So I think the takeaway from this thread is that Lebron’s entire career is one long, giant peak of unprecedented duration.



Nice.

[3ball]

2009 LeBron

I don't like 2009 because that's the year Stan Van Gundy laid the blueprint to beat Lebron, and it's been used successfully for a decade since

Stan said that letting him dribble a ton to get 30 points is better than doubling him and spurring ball-movement - so 2009 was the year that Lebron's dribble-heavy skillset was found to be exploitable

Stan exposed him in 09', so I don't think 09' was the peak of his game - he essentially didn't know how to win, as 09' began a 3-year run of losing as the favorite

2013 LeBron

This was the year he almost had a 2nd goat choke - he only averaged 23 on 43% before Ray's shot saved him and he ended up a net negative for the series - it was 2011 all over again until Ray's shot gave him 2nd life

So his peak couldn't be 2013

2016 LeBron

This is his peak because it's the year where you can poke the least holes - there's stuff you can say but it's not as obvious as prior years

But this year was also his last gasp as a serious player that's trying to win, as opposed to an aging stat-padder that can no longer muster a defensive effort

2018 LeBron

Lebron wasn't a serious basketball player at this point - he was just an aging stat-padder that could no longer muster a defensive effort

[CodeBreaker]

I don't like 2009 because that's the year Stan Van Gundy laid the blueprint to beat Lebron, and it's been used successfully for a decade since

Stan said that letting him dribble a ton to get 30 points is better than doubling him and spurring ball-movement - so 2009 was the year that Lebron's dribble-heavy skillset was found to be exploitable

Stan exposed him in 09', so I don't think 09' was the peak of his game - he essentially didn't know how to win, as 09' began a 3-year run of losing as the favorite




This was the year he almost had a 2nd goat choke - he only averaged 23 on 43% before Ray's shot saved him and he ended up a net negative for the series - it was 2011 all over again until Ray's shot gave him 2nd life

So his peak couldn't be 2013




This is his peak because it's the year where you can poke the least holes - there's stuff you can say but it's not as obvious as prior years

But this year was also his last gasp as a serious player that's trying to win, as opposed to an aging stat-padder that can no longer muster a defensive effort




Lebron wasn't a serious basketball player at this point - he was just an aging stat-padder that could no longer muster a defensive effort

What's your opinion about 2012 LeBron?

[Bawkish]

Too many to choose from

2009 for raw pure record setting PER and WS/48 (Literal NBA records)

2012 for his ECF Game 6 and beating 3 MVPs

2013 for being the best two way player in league history

2015 for leading a G-leage squad to 2 wins in the Finals

2016 for..well...you know

2017 avg a trip dub in the Finals

2018 set all the playoff records

The guy is a freak

where's 2011?

[3ball]

What's your opinion about 2012 LeBron?

Still had holes, but was playing a younger team with far more holes

[CodeBreaker]

Still had holes, but was playing a younger team with far more holes

Which was better 2012 or 2013?

[Gileraracer]

2013. 27-8-7 on 56% shooting AND 40% from 3, 1.7 steals, and a DPOY candidate