Here's the problem for all-time greats that lose a lot in the Finals

[3ball]

Assuming your team has enough talent, losing a lot in the Finals means your style of play is not conducive for optimal team play, or basketball played at it's highest level.

After all, it's the OTHER team that has the better style of play, and is playing basketball at it's highest level.

Therefore your team's style ISN'T optimal or at the highest level - it's 2nd best, and 2nd place is the first loser.. Indeed, barring material talent gap in the two teams, an all-time great that loses a lot in the Finals employs a loser style.

[Giaodollo]

Just like first round exit or missing playoffs is 16th best. And you know what they say, 16th best is 15th loser.

[NBAplayoffs2001]

I'm a fan of your posts 3ball. Keep it up!

[Rose'sACL]

2011 was the only time lebron had the better team and lost.
This thread should end here.

[DMAVS41]

Assuming your team has enough talent, losing a lot in the Finals means your style of play is not conducive for optimal team play, or basketball played at it's highest level.

After all, it's the OTHER team that has the better style of play, and is playing basketball at it's highest level.

Therefore your team's style ISN'T optimal or at the highest level - it's 2nd best, and 2nd place is the first loser.. Indeed, barring material talent gap in the two teams, an all-time great that loses a lot in the Finals employs a loser style.

This could be true, but it isn't relevant to Lebron unless you are solely talking about 2011.

The 07 Cavs, 15 Cavs, and 14 Heat rate as very poor supporting casts...and rightfully so. They were far worse than the average supporting cast on teams that make the finals.

So the whole "optimal" argument doesn't apply when the players around Lebron can't do much.

[Eric Cartman]

3ball with the cheap shot on Lazeruss

Great debate between u 2 in that other thread, for sure will continue here.

[TheMarkMadsen]

so true

[NBAplayoffs2001]

3ball with the cheap shot on Lazeruss

Great debated between u 2 in that other thread, for sure will continue here.

Could end up being legitimately 1000 pages long

[Kvnzhangyay]

Assuming your team has enough talent, losing a lot in the Finals means your style of play is not conducive for optimal team play, or basketball played at it's highest level.

After all, it's the OTHER team that has the better style of play, and is playing basketball at it's highest level.

Therefore your team's style ISN'T optimal or at the highest level - it's 2nd best, and 2nd place is the first loser.. Indeed, barring material talent gap in the two teams, an all-time great that loses a lot in the Finals employs a loser style.

No, it's because of the Leastern conference. Teams that shouldn't even be in the finals are playing in the finals, so its only natural they are expected to lose

[Geh]

Hey 3Ball I'd like to have a serious discussion with you on Michael Jordan, care to start up another thread?

[Sarcastic]

2011 was the only time lebron had the better team and lost.
This thread should end here.

He should have won in 2014. He was the two time defending champion, and beat the Spurs the year before.

[Springsteen]

Assuming your team has enough talent, losing a lot in the Finals means your style of play is not conducive for optimal team play, or basketball played at it's highest level.

[scm5]

This is the thing. Lebron's teams have been the best teams in the East for a while now, so they've made so many consecutive Finals trips.

However, we all know how good the West has been compared to the East, and my argument is that if there was a "Best 16" format, instead of by conference, Lebron's teams might not have even made it to the Finals.

This explains his losing record in overall wins and series wins in the Finals.

TL;DR: His teams were good enough to get to the Finals in the East, but maybe not the West.

[Rose'sACL]

If lebron played in the west he would have not made 5 consecutive finals but he would have made 5 finals overall given that other than wolves and kings all west teams have put good to great teams around their star. Lebron only got that for 3 years in Miami.
So he would have made 5 finals on most west teams while winning 3 of them at least.those cavs years were brutal and now this injury curse on lebron teams since 2014.

[Rose'sACL]

He should have won in 2014. He was the two time defending champion, and beat the Spurs the year before.

Ya. By this logic spurs should have won this year and keep winning till the end of time.