LeEfficient James is back

[lakerspng]

Not saying ur wrong but the same thing can be said about Kobe as well. The truth is that winning championships usually covers up the flaws that have somewhat always existed and the same could be said about most players.

To be honest my issue with both Bron and Kobe has been their feel for the game. They are immensely talented but I wish Kobe played more unselfishly for a longer stretch of his career and wished that Bron had a more aggressive mentality but in the context of them both coming into the league as HSer it gives you some perspective on their faults.

I agree. Both have issues from the opposite spectrum. The frustrating part with Kobe for me is that he knows how to do it right, he's done it right so many times on so many occasions. His biggest problem has always been trust, sometimes it's made him great and many times it's made him fail. But I also respect his lay it all on the line, I don't give a crap if I miss a shot I'm still going to give every ounce I have even if it kills me approach more than I do LeBron's.

I can respect someone who gave everything they had and failed.

[lakerspng]

What more does he need to do? He is a proven winner, with multiple clutch plays/shots over the course of his career. I'm assuming you're not a troll because your bar isn't red, so that's why I'm taking you semi-serious.

He needs to take shots when they have almost no chance for success, because even the slightest chance that it might go in gives his team that much better a chance to win, even if he looks a fool doing it. and yes I'm talking about things as silly as a half court heave with 1 second on the clock before halftime... it has about a 5% chance of going in but hey... who knows what that 3 points will do if it happens to go in. He never takes that shot. Kobe does every single time. It's a total stat buster, but who really cares if it gives the team a chance for more points, right?

That's just one example of what I feel is a carefully managed, controlled and executed game plan of his. He's like a modern day corporation... all that matters is the bottom line, keep those quarterly reports looking great and you'll stay the golden boy. it just feels contrived to me. It's just a feeling I get watching him that his stats come first. that's what it means to him to be the greatest ever, is stat sheet will show it.

Jordan didn't play like that. Magic didn't, Bird didn't, KAJ didn't, Russell didn't. They played to win, win, win and win and to humiliate the opponent while doing so.

and let's be honest. the last 3 minutes of game 6 against the spurs, he had 3 very bad turnovers which gave the spurs the lead and if not for Ray Allen's 3, his legacy takes a crippling blow...

[moe94]

and let's be honest. the last 3 minutes of game 6 against the spurs, he had 3 very bad turnovers which gave the spurs the lead and if not for Ray Allen's 3, his legacy takes a crippling blow...

How is that at all relevant? You can make this same silly argument for literally every single player both in a negative and positive connotation from any random play or event throughout their careers. It's absolutely meaningless.

[lakerspng]

How is that at all relevant? You can make this same silly argument for literally every single player both in a negative and positive connotation from any random play or event throughout their careers. It's absolutely meaningless.

Yes, every great player has had bad plays, bad sequences of plays and even bad series, but... it is not meaningless. it's context. it's to a large extent due to that series that people are now calmly referring to LeBron in the all time great winners category. and he was the one that nearly lost them the series, not the one who won it.

[TheCorporation]

I get what you're saying with the half court heaves. I mean, yeah he doesn't hardly ever take them, and you're likely right that he does it to protect his FG%, but then you mention the bottom line. Winning.

Does his style not transition to winning? Is he not one of the most winningest players of all time? He has gone to the playoffs almost every single year, never been knocked out of the 1st round, 4 trips to the Finals, 3 in a row, and 2 Championships, 4 MVPs, etc. I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but come on man, LeBron James lives and breathes winning...

[RoundMoundOfReb]

I get what you're saying with the half court heaves. I mean, yeah he doesn't hardly ever take them, and you're likely right that he does it to protect his FG%, but then you mention the bottom line. Winning.

Does his style not transition to winning? Is he not one of the most winningest players of all time? He has gone to the playoffs almost every single year, never been knocked out of the 1st round, 4 trips to the Finals, 3 in a row, and 2 Championships, 4 MVPs, etc. I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but come on man, LeBron James lives and breathes winning...

/thread

[SamuraiSWISH]

World is run by dorks now. Toyota Prius over a Lambo for cool factor? SMH

[lakerspng]

I get what you're saying with the half court heaves. I mean, yeah he doesn't hardly ever take them, and you're likely right that he does it to protect his FG%, but then you mention the bottom line. Winning.

Does his style not transition to winning? Is he not one of the most winningest players of all time? He has gone to the playoffs almost every single year, never been knocked out of the 1st round, 4 trips to the Finals, 3 in a row, and 2 Championships, 4 MVPs, etc. I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but come on man, LeBron James lives and breathes winning...

It does and it doesn't. It carries him through the majority of situations but when he's faced his biggest challenges, he's often come up short. It's one thing to go through the regular season that way, he will win a lot of games, he will have sensational stats, as he has, but I think if he just said f it, threw caution to the wind and played like he's really capable, he'd already be working on his 4th or 5th ring by now. we've seen glimpses, against Detroit, Boston.... LeBron can be one of the most unstoppable forces to ever step on a court, but I think he slows himself down to maintain control, not of the game, but of his own game.

[moe94]

LeBron can be one of the most unstoppable forces to ever step on a court, but I think he slows himself down to maintain control, not of the game, but of his own game.

You're acting like this some DBZ shit where LeBron is some insane extraterrestrial that is always keeping his power in check lest the world feels the fury of his wrath.

[SamuraiSWISH]

It does and it doesn't. It carries him through the majority of situations but when he's faced his biggest challenges, he's often come up short. It's one thing to go through the regular season that way, he will win a lot of games, he will have sensational stats, as he has, but I think if he just said f it, threw caution to the wind and played like he's really capable, he'd already be working on his 4th or 5th ring by now. we've seen glimpses, against Detroit, Boston.... LeBron can be one of the most unstoppable forces to ever step on a court, but I think he slows himself down to maintain control, not of the game, but of his own game.

Dat realness.

I'm a peacock, you got to let me fly.

[plowking]

It does and it doesn't. It carries him through the majority of situations but when he's faced his biggest challenges, he's often come up short. It's one thing to go through the regular season that way, he will win a lot of games, he will have sensational stats, as he has, but I think if he just said f it, threw caution to the wind and played like he's really capable, he'd already be working on his 4th or 5th ring by now. we've seen glimpses, against Detroit, Boston.... LeBron can be one of the most unstoppable forces to ever step on a court, but I think he slows himself down to maintain control, not of the game, but of his own game.

What a crock of shit.

You're the same type that will sit here and tell us that Magic, Bird, Jordan and Kareem all had the right balance, knew how to do it, and were just better at it then Bron, simply because you don't remember anything about watching them, and only know them by their legend.

The fact is you don't remember the criticism Kareem got before coming to the Lakers, you don't remember Magic being called Tragic after a terrible finals performance and repeated failures in several crunch moments over a number of games, and Michael against Detroit coming out seemingly passive in a game 7 and hardly taking or making shots, etc.

[lakerspng]

What a crock of shit.

You're the same type that will sit here and tell us that Magic, Bird, Jordan and Kareem all had the right balance, knew how to do it, and were just better at it then Bron, simply because you don't remember anything about watching them, and only know them by their legend.

The fact is you don't remember the criticism Kareem got before coming to the Lakers, you don't remember Magic being called Tragic after a terrible finals performance and repeated failures in several crunch moments over a number of games, and Michael against Detroit coming out seemingly passive in a game 7 and hardly taking or making shots, etc.

I watched Magic through his whole career, Jordan through his whole career, Bird through his whole career, Kareem his entire career with the Lakers and they've all had short comings. But none of them held themselves back from being what they can be for the sake of their stats and appearance and that's just the feeling I get watching LeBron.

Jordan didn't get it right, not for a long time. he was a me first chucker and most people doubted if he'd ever be a winner. but when he did, he was unstoppable and he never looked back.

Magic got it from day 1. He knew what his team needed from him and from everyone else right from the get go and he was a stone cold killer on the court.

every single one of them IS better at it than Bron. That I can say without hesitation. Having watched them through their careers and now watching LeBron.... the stats are there, the heart and mind are not.

[TheCorporation]

It does and it doesn't. It carries him through the majority of situations but when he's faced his biggest challenges, he's often come up short.

Not sure if you knew this but LeBron James' 2012 Miami Heat Playoff run accomplished something that no other team has done in NBA history. He was down in 3 straight series (Indy 2-1, Boston 3-2, and OKC 1-0) and despite being behind in each series, he won the NBA Finals. It was the only time in the NBA's history in which a team was down in 3 consecutive series, and still won the Championship. Is that not a Challenge? To come back in three consecutive series and win it all? No one else has done this.

Are we talking about LeBron being faced with challenges, like when he had to beat the Pacers without Chris Bosh? The super thin, no big man having Miami Heat, sans Chris Bosh.

What about when LeBron was down 3-2 versus Boston in a crucial game six, IN Boston? Bosh is still recovering from his injury and not starting, although he is playing in this series. LeBron puts up a historic 45-15-5 on 73% And what about the decisive game seven? LeBron plays 48 minutes, scoring 31 and grabbing 12 rebounds. If playing 48 minutes in a game seven ECF game isn't putting it all on the line and giving it your all, I don't know what is.

[hawksdogsbraves]

I mean, the Wolves are pathetic without Love...

They'd better get used to it though, he's leaving as soon as he's physically able...

[lakerspng]

I didn't say every time. I stated earlier that there are times where he's shown his potential, what he's really capable of. I just wish he'd be that guy more often. Hopefully he'll find that in the next year or so, cause this league has a crap load of good to really really good players... but far too few great ones. Duncan is on his way out, Kobe is on his way out, Wade is never going to be healthy again, KG is on his way out.... LeBron's the best glimpse of real greatness in the foreseeable future and he'd rather play the numbers game 90% of the time. Some people enjoy watching that, I don't. I like watching people take risks.

dunk contest, another example. If he could guarantee that he would win, he would have entered, but because there's a chance he won't... crickets. heaven forbid LeBron James enters the dunk contest and someone else wins... nobody would really care... but he would.