Around the League

[BadMofoPimp]

I am pretty sure that OKC would have destroyed the Cavs as well. I am enjoying this.

[Pharaoh]

Jerry West blowing smoke up Lebron too...claiming his Finals record doesnt mean squat.

Imma say it cause it needs to be said:

If Lebron James didn't always take the easy option maybe, just maybe his teams would be battle tested as opposed to regular season tested!

He hasn't faced a legit tough as can be opponent in the East playoffs since the Going to Work Pistons!

Meanwhile the Western team he faces in the Finals has got to battle at least 2 elite teams just to make it.

Clear example this time around? The Cavs offense! Essentially unstoppable by all Eastern teams...GSW shutting it down with ease!

[SAKURABA216]

Jerry West blowing smoke up Lebron too...claiming his Finals record doesnt mean squat.

Imma say it cause it needs to be said:

If Lebron James didn't always take the easy option maybe, just maybe his teams would be battle tested as opposed to regular season tested!

He hasn't faced a legit tough as can be opponent in the East playoffs since the Going to Work Pistons!

Meanwhile the Western team he faces in the Finals has got to battle at least 2 elite teams just to make it.

Clear example this time around? The Cavs offense! Essentially unstoppable by all Eastern teams...GSW shutting it down with ease!

Yeah, I had a feeling that Cavs 3-point shooting offense would not be able to withstand whoever came out of the West. Maybe they have something special there, but it seemed to come along around the middle of the season when Ty Lue took over and something like a brand new offensive scheme would need more time to gel than 1/2 a season.

I also think their offense is falling apart because when the Warriors play their death line-up their guys are able to defend against the 3 and someone like Draymond would abuse guys like Love and Frye. Also, it looks like all 5 player on the death lineup are better 3 point shooters than Lebron is. What I don't understand is how the Warriors bench is manhandling the Cavs. Guys like Livingston and Barboza are eating Kyrie alive and if he sucks that much on defense, why weren't guys like RJ or Teague or Schroeder able to do the same?

[MrBigShot]

Jerry West blowing smoke up Lebron too...claiming his Finals record doesnt mean squat.

Imma say it cause it needs to be said:

If Lebron James didn't always take the easy option maybe, just maybe his teams would be battle tested as opposed to regular season tested!

He hasn't faced a legit tough as can be opponent in the East playoffs since the Going to Work Pistons!

Meanwhile the Western team he faces in the Finals has got to battle at least 2 elite teams just to make it.

Clear example this time around? The Cavs offense! Essentially unstoppable by all Eastern teams...GSW shutting it down with ease!

Good post. Very weird that West believes LeBron wasn't the favorite a single time. Imo, there were two occasions in which LeBron's team had no business winning the finals: 2007 finals against the Spurs and 2015 against GS last year, and this year's finals looks like it will join that list. Every other year his teams had the talent to win and he went 2-2. He's still one of the all time greats, but for someone that aspires to be the best he'll always fall short. MJ is out of his reach.

[Snakebites]

Jerry West blowing smoke up Lebron too...claiming his Finals record doesnt mean squat.

Imma say it cause it needs to be said:

If Lebron James didn't always take the easy option maybe, just maybe his teams would be battle tested as opposed to regular season tested!

He hasn't faced a legit tough as can be opponent in the East playoffs since the Going to Work Pistons!

Meanwhile the Western team he faces in the Finals has got to battle at least 2 elite teams just to make it.

Clear example this time around? The Cavs offense! Essentially unstoppable by all Eastern teams...GSW shutting it down with ease!

I think West is right. Would Lebron be better thought of if he'd only made 3 championships and won 2 of them?

Only getting 2 means he's not in the same conversation with a guy like Jordan, but that ship sailed quite some time ago anyway. That, plus the fact that its tough to really hold the first and most recent ones against him, which were hampered by inexperience and injuries respectively.

[Pharaoh]

Jerry West blowing smoke up Lebron too...claiming his Finals record doesnt mean squat.

Imma say it cause it needs to be said:

If Lebron James didn't always take the easy option maybe, just maybe his teams would be battle tested as opposed to regular season tested!

He hasn't faced a legit tough as can be opponent in the East playoffs since the Going to Work Pistons!

Meanwhile the Western team he faces in the Finals has got to battle at least 2 elite teams just to make it.

Clear example this time around? The Cavs offense! Essentially unstoppable by all Eastern teams...GSW shutting it down with ease!

I think West is right. Would Lebron be better thought of if he'd only made 3 championships and won 2 of them?

Only getting 2 means he's not in the same conversation with a guy like Jordan, but that ship sailed quite some time ago anyway. That, plus the fact that its tough to really hold the first and most recent ones against him, which were hampered by inexperience and injuries respectively.

I think West is right in the sense that simply making 7 finals is testament to his greatest...

Lebron is poorly thought of for a number of reasons - the Finals record is last on my list & I'm sure that's the case with a lot of people

[Snakebites]

Jerry West blowing smoke up Lebron too...claiming his Finals record doesnt mean squat.

Imma say it cause it needs to be said:

If Lebron James didn't always take the easy option maybe, just maybe his teams would be battle tested as opposed to regular season tested!

He hasn't faced a legit tough as can be opponent in the East playoffs since the Going to Work Pistons!

Meanwhile the Western team he faces in the Finals has got to battle at least 2 elite teams just to make it.

Clear example this time around? The Cavs offense! Essentially unstoppable by all Eastern teams...GSW shutting it down with ease!

I think West is right. Would Lebron be better thought of if he'd only made 3 championships and won 2 of them?

Only getting 2 means he's not in the same conversation with a guy like Jordan, but that ship sailed quite some time ago anyway. That, plus the fact that its tough to really hold the first and most recent ones against him, which were hampered by inexperience and injuries respectively.

I think West is right in the sense that simply making 7 finals is testament to his greatest...

Lebron is poorly thought of for a number of reasons - the Finals record is last on my list & I'm sure that's the case with a lot of people

I don't think it belongs on the list (and I dislike Lebron quite a bit). And as far as the Pistons being the only legit East opponent they had, I'm just going to assume you had amnesia about the 62 win Bulls and the 2014 Pacers. Sure this year was a cakewalk, but come on, now.

He's made second place 4 times (probably soon to be 5) and hit first place twice, both times beating extremely tough opponents. That's a record that places him squarely in the pantheon of all time greats. It just doesn't put him at the top of that list.

[In SVG We Trust]

I'm just going to assume you had amnesia about the 62 win Bulls and the 2014 Pacers.

Hey my friend, you're cheating and you know it.

[Pharaoh]

I think West is right. Would Lebron be better thought of if he'd only made 3 championships and won 2 of them?

Only getting 2 means he's not in the same conversation with a guy like Jordan, but that ship sailed quite some time ago anyway. That, plus the fact that its tough to really hold the first and most recent ones against him, which were hampered by inexperience and injuries respectively.

I think West is right in the sense that simply making 7 finals is testament to his greatest...

Lebron is poorly thought of for a number of reasons - the Finals record is last on my list & I'm sure that's the case with a lot of people

I don't think it belongs on the list (and I dislike Lebron quite a bit). And as far as the Pistons being the only legit East opponent they had, I'm just going to assume you had amnesia about the 62 win Bulls and the 2014 Pacers. Sure this year was a cakewalk, but come on, now.

Yes I forgot about their regular season records...because when he had Bosh & Wade with him I never thought they'd lose in 7 against anyone.

He's made second place 4 times (probably soon to be 5) and hit first place twice, both times beating extremely tough opponents. That's a record that places him squarely in the pantheon of all time greats. It just doesn't put him at the top of that list.

Agree there

[Snakebites]

I think West is right in the sense that simply making 7 finals is testament to his greatest...

Lebron is poorly thought of for a number of reasons - the Finals record is last on my list & I'm sure that's the case with a lot of people

I don't think it belongs on the list (and I dislike Lebron quite a bit). And as far as the Pistons being the only legit East opponent they had, I'm just going to assume you had amnesia about the 62 win Bulls and the 2014 Pacers. Sure this year was a cakewalk, but come on, now.

Yes I forgot about their regular season records...because when he had Bosh & Wade with him I never thought they'd lose in 7 against anyone.

I see. So he gets no credit for winning with other stars, just like Magic gets diminished because he played with Kareem and Worthy, Bird because he played with Parish and Mchale.

Oh wait. None of those things happen. And they don't because they shouldn't. Success is success.

[tmorgan]

Interesting info: Pop will coach the Select Team in preparation for taking over the big show after Rio.

In other words, Pop will be coaching KCP and SJ. Dig it.

[BadMofoPimp]

I don't think it belongs on the list (and I dislike Lebron quite a bit). And as far as the Pistons being the only legit East opponent they had, I'm just going to assume you had amnesia about the 62 win Bulls and the 2014 Pacers. Sure this year was a cakewalk, but come on, now.

Yes I forgot about their regular season records...because when he had Bosh & Wade with him I never thought they'd lose in 7 against anyone.

I see. So he gets no credit for winning with other stars, just like Magic gets diminished because he played with Kareem and Worthy, Bird because he played with Parish and Mchale.

Oh wait. None of those things happen. And they don't because they shouldn't. Success is success.

I think what he is saying is that Wade and Bosh are on a whole other level as far as team play than Love and Kyrie. Love ain't even a Superstar like Bosh or Wade was either. Kyrie is a me first player so the Chemistry ain't nearly the same in Cleveland like Lebron had in Miami which is a much better run organization top down in comparison.

[Pharaoh]

I didn't say he gets no credit.

You're also comparing different eras dude.

Celtics built a team, Lakers built a team.

Miami bought 2 titles - IMO that's a huge difference.

[Snakebites]

I didn't say he gets no credit.

You're also comparing different eras dude.

Celtics built a team, Lakers built a team.

Miami bought 2 titles - IMO that's a huge difference.

People forget how that Laker team was built. Kareem demanded a trade, Dwight/CP3 style to a team that was in a city that fit him culturally better. They also lucked into lopsided trades that brought in the draft picks they'd later use to get Magic and Worthy. Luck and unfair circumstances have always played a role in the construction of superteams, no matter what era you're talking about.

Its just taking a different form now. The fact that they're different eras means younger players (who's rise and fall we remember better) are always more scrutinized than older ones for whom nostalgia has already set in. It doesn't make them better or their circumstances different.

And whether or not you like or agree with the way the team is built has absolutely nothing to do with how we evaluate players, so bringing that in feels irrelevant anyway. I understand that you don't like the Heat but that doesn't mean you get to discount their achievements.

I'm not even sure what we're arguing about here. Lebron is a great player and his victories should not be diminished anymore than any other star that had the fortune of playing with other great players.

[Pharaoh]

I'm not arguing Lebron isn't great.

I was saying his Finals record is a long long way down the "Reasons people don't like Lebron" list.

You agree, since you said it doesn't make your list.

BTW, me not agreeing with the way players or teams go about their business has a lot to do with how I evaluate them.

I don't expect everyone to agree with me.

[Snakebites]

I'm not arguing Lebron isn't great.

I was saying his Finals record is a long long way down the "Reasons people don't like Lebron" list.

You agree, since you said it doesn't make your list.

BTW, me not agreeing with the way players or teams go about their business has a lot to do with how I evaluate them.

I don't expect everyone to agree with me.

That's fine. I disagree with it, but that's fine.

I'd ask for some consistency and historical context, though.

[kurtis48239]

Wow,curry **** the bed,just looks like he isn't even interested.If curry had that will to win and lead like Isiah/mj had,shame he dosent.

[MrBigShot]

Short of maybe Kobe I don't think anybody really had the type of "im not going down without a fight and i'll take 40 shots if i have to" mentality MJ had.

I don't think Curry is disinterested, but he definitely doesn't have the same ice in his veins swagger when his team is losing as he does when they are playing well. The real test will be how he bounces back from this awful game. Will he lead his team to victory and go up 3-1 or let Cleveland tie up the series 2-2?

[joedumars1]

We talking same curry in last years playoffs that would hit crucial 3s to stop or start runs. Same Steph during this year reg season in some games? Ok. It doesn't happen all the time

[Pharaoh]

LeBron saw my comments lol