Lebron would of won this game

[Coach Carter]

all i know is that we were robbed of witnessing giannis defending kawhi, blame brook for not being able to rebound

would've been an insightful watch and with giannis height advantage, we may have been having a different discussion now

[KeithCozart]

With this supporting cast ? With these shooters ? What LeBron we are talking about ? When he was 24 ? 17-18 season, or right now ?

I am convinced that Lowry, Ibaka and Gasol would shrink in front of him. He knows how to play this kind of games, he did it his whole career. Im not going to say he would sweep them, but im convinced that he would finished the job in 6.

Toronto is beating Milwaukee with experience and nothing else.

[mtcan]

This is stupid.

Lebron of today doesn't stand a chance against Kawhi of today.

Lebron in his younger years didn't stand a chance against a less seasoned-Kawhi.

Never forget.....

Watch on YouTube

and

Watch on YouTube

And...the Raptors did beat Lebron as a Laker...and Kawhi wasn't even playing that game. No one scared of Lebron anymore.

[LipSkinMatter]

Lebron never met defense like this. Is not just Kawhi. When ever Giannis is trying to attack there is 4 guys in the paint. Lebron's teams always had so much shooting that Lebron himself never needed to attack 1 vs 4 in the paint. Would Lebron's team succeeded better than current Bucks. Answer to that is most likely.

When Lebron has played against a defense where there is 4 guys in the paint waiting for him to drive? People treat Lebron like he could alone beat 5 guys, but after joining with Miami and Cavs team after that he has had so much shooting around him that he pretty much have only played against 1vs1 defense with occasional help defender.

Oh yeah I'm so sure there are 4 guys completely ignoring the rest of the Bucks while focusing on Giannis. No hyperbole here at all. And are you trying to tell me Giannis doesn't have shooting around him? Most of the time he's on the court he's with 4 people who are threats from the outside. Their percentages are tanking because they are facing a good defensive team and they are gagging a bit, but that doesn't change the fact that the Bucks have plenty of 3 point shooting. I'm sure you could look back in Bron's playoff history and find games where his supporting cast were clanking shots left and right too.

It's much easier to beat one guy than 4. You can take worst 4 defenders from Raptors and notice they are much better defenders combined than Kawhi alone. This is what Giannis is playing agains. Not saying Giannis is better than Lebron. All I'm saying he is playing against defense that is made to stop him and him alone, and letting his team mates to win games. While Lebron most of the time played against defense that was trying to stop rest of the team and letting him to win games. You do know there are different tactics how to beat teams?

Yes because I'm sure teams never game planned to stop one of the two greatest basketball players of all time. The Raptors though, they are throwing the kitchen sink at Giannis!!!

And this has nothing to do with who is better. Lebron has had clearly a better career and his prime is better than Giannis, but he is in the end of his career while Giannis is starting it, so it is little bit unfair comparison.

Can we just not compare Giannis to a top 2 player of all time ever again please? Thanks.

[Gooner]

Kawhi is better than LeBron. He beat him even in 2014 finals, when he was young. He doesn't have any fear of him, and that would make the biggest didfference for Toronto, compared to some of their previous matchups against LeBron.

[The_Hater]

For people who say giannis is better than bron. Bron would of willed the bucks to a win in this game. Yeah I know Middleton was terrible. But bron would of took things into his own hands

So this is just a fact? Because Bron did will his current team to enough close wins this season.

People are comparing 2018-19 Giannis to 2018-19 Bron, not necessarily the guy we watched the last 8-10 years.

That's fair, but we don't have to go back 8-10 years - we just have to back 10-12 months and see LeBron have a historically good postseason culminating with game one of the finals where he made Steph and KD look like they didn't even belong on the same court as him. We've seen this with LeBron over and over - people have said he's been done or declining multiple times - but his best performance of his entire career was just 11 months ago.

I agree with most of that. But we’re also not comparing 24 year old Giannis to 24 Lebron here which would be a more fair comparison. 24 year old Lebron was criticized for his shooting and not being able to carry his team to playoffs wins over more veteran teams. And heck, Giannis is still alive. People are jumping on him before he’s played a single elimination game in this years playoffs.

[svart]

For people who say giannis is better than bron. Bron would of willed the bucks to a win in this game. Yeah I know Middleton was terrible. But bron would of took things into his own hands

Too bad for him you have to actually make the playoffs to win a playoff game.

[bmurph128]

So this is just a fact? Because Bron did will his current team to enough close wins this season.

People are comparing 2018-19 Giannis to 2018-19 Bron, not necessarily the guy we watched the last 8-10 years.

That's fair, but we don't have to go back 8-10 years - we just have to back 10-12 months and see LeBron have a historically good postseason culminating with game one of the finals where he made Steph and KD look like they didn't even belong on the same court as him. We've seen this with LeBron over and over - people have said he's been done or declining multiple times - but his best performance of his entire career was just 11 months ago.

I agree with most of that. But we’re also not comparing 24 year old Giannis to 24 Lebron here which would be a more fair comparison. 24 year old Lebron was criticized for his shooting and not being able to carry his team to playoffs wins over more veteran teams. And heck, Giannis is still alive. People are jumping on him before he’s played a single elimination game in this years playoffs.

True.

And Giannis is the MVP, FWIW.

But this series is over. I don't blame many Raps fans considering their history, but the Raptors have never had a player as good as Kawhi, and while Giannis is the MVP this year, Kawhi is the better player.

[The_Hater]

That's fair, but we don't have to go back 8-10 years - we just have to back 10-12 months and see LeBron have a historically good postseason culminating with game one of the finals where he made Steph and KD look like they didn't even belong on the same court as him. We've seen this with LeBron over and over - people have said he's been done or declining multiple times - but his best performance of his entire career was just 11 months ago.

I agree with most of that. But we’re also not comparing 24 year old Giannis to 24 Lebron here which would be a more fair comparison. 24 year old Lebron was criticized for his shooting and not being able to carry his team to playoffs wins over more veteran teams. And heck, Giannis is still alive. People are jumping on him before he’s played a single elimination game in this years playoffs.

True.

And Giannis is the MVP, FWIW.

But this series is over. I don't blame many Raps fans considering their history, but the Raptors have never had a player as good as Kawhi, and while Giannis is the MVP this year, Kawhi is the better player.

This is the second time this series has been declared ‘over’. Once for each team. And the Raps/Sixers series was also declared ‘over’ 2-3 times. So much certainly from observers.

These teams are fairly close in ability. Adjustments will be made, teams will get hot/cold from 3. The Raps are clearly the favourites right now but this series is far from over. If the Bucks win game 6 they immediately become the favourites in game 7.

[Baski]

Lebron never met defense like this. Is not just Kawhi. When ever Giannis is trying to attack there is 4 guys in the paint. Lebron's teams always had so much shooting that Lebron himself never needed to attack 1 vs 4 in the paint. Would Lebron's team succeeded better than current Bucks. Answer to that is most likely.

There's no way you believe that. Also if the current Bucks don't have shooting then no team does lmao. Throw on top that they actually play defense unlike LeBron's teams from 2014 till now

[Johnny Bball]

I really hate when people say “this guy would have” in a categorical way like it’s some kind of fact and not just a bunch of fantasy.

Well he didn’t win it. Because he’s at home sitting on a couch. And he’s not in the east anymore because he bailed on Cleveland.

Or instead...I think they get beat 140-56. See ...that’s what you are doing.

[Lalouie]

For people who say giannis is better than bron. Bron would of willed the bucks to a win in this game. Yeah I know Middleton was terrible. But bron would of took things into his own hands

so what. he shoots better. he passes better. he's equally as unstoppable as giannis.

he's also not in the playoffs.

big deal. okc would have done better against gsw than portland. but they ain't playin' are they

[Amare_1_Knicks]

Dude couldn't even make the playoffs

Sent from my Pixel 3 using RealGM mobile app

It’s peculiar that this has so many and-1’s. Lebron’s team wasn’t good enough to hold it together without him was what actually happened. He’s obviously better than Giannis offensively and series’ like this one showcase as much. Him missing games doesn’t mean he wasn’t playing at a high level — in that top tier of basketball. This is a weird take, and unless it’s done tongue-in-cheek, it’s just pushing a lazy, inaccurate narrative.

[BudenFerry]

Dude couldn't even make the playoffs

Sent from my Pixel 3 using RealGM mobile app

It’s peculiar that this has so many and-1’s. Lebron’s team wasn’t good enough to hold it together without him was what actually happened. He’s obviously better than Giannis offensively and series’ like this one showcase as much. Him missing games doesn’t mean he wasn’t playing at a high level — in that top tier of basketball. This is a weird take, and unless it’s done tongue-in-cheek, it’s just pushing a lazy, inaccurate narrative.

How was their record once Lebron came back?

The Lakers had a favorable schedule at the beginning of the year which allowed them to accumulate a decent record before failing hard once the schedule got tougher.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using RealGM mobile app

[timO]

Lebron was 2-3 vs celtics (without irving and GH) last year.

Giannis has 2 more games too.

[bmurph128]

Dude couldn't even make the playoffs

Sent from my Pixel 3 using RealGM mobile app

It’s peculiar that this has so many and-1’s. Lebron’s team wasn’t good enough to hold it together without him was what actually happened. He’s obviously better than Giannis offensively and series’ like this one showcase as much. Him missing games doesn’t mean he wasn’t playing at a high level — in that top tier of basketball. This is a weird take, and unless it’s done tongue-in-cheek, it’s just pushing a lazy, inaccurate narrative.

How was their record once Lebron came back?

The Lakers had a favorable schedule at the beginning of the year which allowed them to accumulate a decent record before failing hard once the schedule got tougher.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using RealGM mobile app

LeBron has been underachieving in the regular season for years now - that's not new. His number are pretty similar to what he has done the past few years in Cleveland.

There are three differences IMO:

First, he signed a four year deal with the Lakers - that tells me he's in no rush and probably knew this first year wouldn't be good

Second, he got injured and missed the most amount of time he ever has

Third, his team is not very good around him from a talent perspective



Where he's excelled has been every year in the playoffs - at first "playoff LeBron" was said jokingly, but we found out the last few years, it's a real thing. Obviously he didn't even make it to the playoffs this year, and even if he had, they wouldn't have won a series. But he could still be the best player in the NBA.

[Heej]

Kawhi isn't stopping Lebron. Especially 2018 Lebron.

Kawhi didn't even stop 2014 Lebron. Dude had 28ppg on 68TS%

Only people who watched the games will understand Lebron scored most of those points in garbage time.

Not really, if you watched those games LeBron would take over once the Heat were down double digits and couldn't get anything going and explode for 10-15 points in a single quarter. I specifically remember watching that series and thinking how he'd absolutely blitz the Spurs for an entire 2nd or 3rd quarter, but the Heat's defense and supporting cast couldn't keep up with the Spurs' firepower.

He was doing demage when the Heat were down big, but there's no such thing as garbage time in a Finals game before the 4th quarter. Only haters who watched the games would come away thinking Lebron scored most of his points in garbage time.

[BudenFerry]

It’s peculiar that this has so many and-1’s. Lebron’s team wasn’t good enough to hold it together without him was what actually happened. He’s obviously better than Giannis offensively and series’ like this one showcase as much. Him missing games doesn’t mean he wasn’t playing at a high level — in that top tier of basketball. This is a weird take, and unless it’s done tongue-in-cheek, it’s just pushing a lazy, inaccurate narrative.

How was their record once Lebron came back?

The Lakers had a favorable schedule at the beginning of the year which allowed them to accumulate a decent record before failing hard once the schedule got tougher.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using RealGM mobile app

LeBron has been underachieving in the regular season for years now - that's not new. His number are pretty similar to what he has done the past few years in Cleveland.

There are three differences IMO:

First, he signed a four year deal with the Lakers - that tells me he's in no rush and probably knew this first year wouldn't be good

Second, he got injured and missed the most amount of time he ever has

Third, his team is not very good around him from a talent perspective



Where he's excelled has been every year in the playoffs - at first "playoff LeBron" was said jokingly, but we found out the last few years, it's a real thing. Obviously he didn't even make it to the playoffs this year, and even if he had, they wouldn't have won a series. But he could still be the best player in the NBA.

All I see are excuses for a player that many people claim is the goat. The most pampered player, by the league and his stans, in the history of the league.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using RealGM mobile app

[will]

LeBron ain't even in the playoffs...yet he still somehow makes his way into the conversation.

[RIP Kobe]

Yeah, not against Kawhi.

I saw lebron take down a 73 win team

Anything is possible