The Lebron Thread (Pt. 3)

PCProductions · Post #101 » by **PCProductions** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 1:08 am

Quiet night so far for Bron. ESPN will have a field day if he keeps this up.

PCProductions · Post #102 » by **PCProductions** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 1:15 am

Though I may sound like I'm being a Lebron apologist, my theory is that he's really afraid of tension between his teammates as we almost saw happen prior to Game 7 vs Indiana. He's giving Wade plenty of touches. This doesn't exactly explain his aptitude to passing backwards while penetrating--though it has resulted in good shots so far--so I guess he's really investing heavily in getting his guys going at the cost of his own reputation.

This second half will be more telling.

Mutnt · Post #103 » by **Mutnt** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 1:19 am

toodles23 wrote:Ugh, what a passive start for Lebron. He's getting a ridiculous amount of space, but he's refusing to shoot. I hope we don't see a 2011 Finals repeat.

Clearly, the keys of the team have been passed to Wade so far, LeBron is out there to move the ball and screen, that's Miami's plan apparently. Occasionally he'll get the ball in the high post and chuck a jump shot or two, he's also much less willing to get involve on the boards tonight (I guess he doesn't want to play the 4th in fumes again)...

I expect a better second half though, no doubt (hard to be worse than 4 pts and a couple of nice passes) but I still feel this strategy by Miami is bad and doesn't allow LeBron to get good opportunities to do anything but shoot iso jump shots from the mid-range... gotta give some credit to the Spurs as well, they're making it incredibly hard for him to get to the paint.

toodles23 · Post #104 » by **toodles23** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 1:31 am

Terrible start to the 2nd half too. His jumper is off, and he's not looking to go to the hoop aggressively at all (though obviously the Spurs have a lot to do with that), and that botched transition play was bad.

And good god, they just blew that 8 point lead as quick as possible. Their D on Green has been horrific all night.

Mutnt · Post #105 » by **Mutnt** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 1:47 am

The funny thing to me is that when Wade presumably has one of the best/most aggressive games in a long time, he has still been only slightly better than LeBron in his worst game of the year.

toodles23 · Post #106 » by **toodles23** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 2:18 am

Turned into a decent game for Lebron after an awful 2.5 quarters. I like Spo leaving him in for a couple extra minutes even though the game was over, lets him get some rhythm going into game 3. This might've been a turning point for Lebron in this series.

PCProductions · Post #107 » by **PCProductions** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 2:19 am

This game is gonna be proof that it's all about how you close. It's gonna look like another lame night for Lebron--which, to be fair, was for the first 30 minutes of the game--but people will remember that run as Lebron waking like a sleeping giant.

Strong run to put that one away. Genius in the 4th quarter.

orangeparka · Post #108 » by **orangeparka** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 2:22 am

Amazing run by the Heat, with Lebron going like 5-5 in that stretch? Made some really nice plays and finally got fired up after looking uber jaded. I believe he started 2-12.

Was just about to write him off too, haha.

Mutnt · Post #109 » by **Mutnt** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 2:26 am

Even though his shot was off and he didn't get to the free throw line, his pick n' roll connection with Chalmers is what blew the game open, even if LeBron wasn't threatening to score, Rio was getting nice looks heading towards the rim.

TheChosen618 · Post #110 » by **TheChosen618** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 2:33 am

Mutnt wrote:Even though his shot was off and he didn't get to the free throw line, his pick n' roll connection with Chalmers is what blew the game open, even if LeBron wasn't threatening to score, Rio was getting nice looks heading towards the rim.

The credit goes to Spo for utilizing Lebron like this. There is no way Mike Brown would have ever thought about using Lebron as a screener.

I'm still not liking his passiveness in his series and I feel like when this series is over, I will take 2012 Lebron over 2013 Lebron. Things can change, but this is how I feel at the moment.

GSP · Post #111 » by **GSP** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 2:35 am

This Heat team goes on some of the most insane bursts and runs ive ever seen. Thats why Im not worried for the series the Spurs just cant keep up for a whole series like with the Okc last year.

nikomCH · Post #112 » by **nikomCH** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 3:01 am

Never wanted LeBron to fail harder than I do right now, Duncan destroying the Spurs and going out on a high note as the 4th or 5th best player of all time would be amazing

therealbig3 · Post #113 » by **therealbig3** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 3:04 am

TheChosen618 wrote:
Mutnt wrote:Even though his shot was off and he didn't get to the free throw line, his pick n' roll connection with Chalmers is what blew the game open, even if LeBron wasn't threatening to score, Rio was getting nice looks heading towards the rim.

The credit goes to Spo for utilizing Lebron like this. There is no way Mike Brown would have ever thought about using Lebron as a screener.

I'm still not liking his passiveness in his series and I feel like when this series is over, I will take 2012 Lebron over 2013 Lebron. Things can change, but this is how I feel at the moment.

He's been too passive, but I don't think he's going to have any explosive scoring games this series. The Spurs are trying to force him to be a passer, which he's doing. The only way he can consistently score well is if he's hitting his jumpers. 2012 LeBron would have the same problems that 2013 LeBron is having, because 2012 LeBron couldn't hit an outside shot to save his life ever since G6 against Boston.

The main issues with LeBron are actually the peripheral things that he usually does well that makes him such a good player...he wasn't rebounding well and was letting Leonard crash the boards like crazy. He was constantly losing his man around screens. Green got a couple of wide open 3s because LeBron lost him. His defense and rebounding was way off in game 2, although he was much better in game 1 with regards to that. If he keeps making good passes, plays elite defense, and he crashes the boards, and he picks his spots when it comes to scoring, he'll have a tremendous impact.

TheChosen618 · Post #114 » by **TheChosen618** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 3:10 am

therealbig3 wrote:He's been too passive, but I don't think he's going to have any explosive scoring games this series. The Spurs are trying to force him to be a passer, which he's doing. The only way he can consistently score well is if he's hitting his jumpers.

The Spurs are giving him and pretty much forcing him to shoot jumpers and there have been times where he just refused to take it.

2012 Thunder actually defended Lebron's jump shot pretty tightly which is why Lebron kept getting to the lane and scoring in the paint.

2012 LeBron would have the same problems that 2013 LeBron is having, because 2012 LeBron couldn't hit an outside shot to save his life ever since G6 against Boston.

It is the mentality that is the main difference truthfully. Lebron instead of just passing when the defense is locked in on him or when his jump shot is off, he just attacked and played in the post instead.

He was just a lot more aggressive, simple as that.

And while Lebron's jump shot was pretty inconsistent after that Game 6 you are talking about with Boston, his jump shot did show up in pretty key times. Like that long range bomb in the clutch in the following Game 7, the game winning bank shot in Game 2 of the Finals, and then that 3 after he had cramps in Game 4.

If he keeps making good passes, plays elite defense, and he crashes the boards, and he picks his spots when it comes to scoring, he'll have a tremendous impact.

I agree, it didn't happen until the end of the 3rd tonight though.

JulesWinnfield · Post #115 » by **JulesWinnfield** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 3:25 am

This has just been a weird series. So many HOFers on the floor, but Mario Chalmers and Danny Green led their teams in scoring tonight. As underwhelming as Lebron has been at times scoring wise, you could still make an easy argument he has been the best player on the floor on either team through 2 games, which isn't saying a ton though

Can;t wait for game 3

GetItDone · Post #116 » by **GetItDone** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 3:35 am

It's funny because throughout the game I forgot if LeBron was even on the floor or not. This has only come to my mind once before..the 2011 Finals.

I really do not understand this passiveness he had going. As a LeBron fan, I can not stand to watch it.

E-Balla · Post #117 » by **E-Balla** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 3:51 am

WTF is wrong with Lebron. That's one game well below his average and one bad game so far. Today he played like garbage and say what you want about his 11 points in the run but 5 of them came after the Heat were up by 19+ and the rest came from cherry picking. I'm very disappointed in Lebron and he's making the 2012 Finals the odd one out right now...

oolalaa · Post #118 » by **oolalaa** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 4:17 am

Lebron is very clearly fatigued. No player has ever done so much for one team as 2013 Lebron.

PCProductions · Post #119 » by **PCProductions** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 4:17 am

Never mind what I said earlier, I guess people will criticize Lebron from any angle they can. Not that I really care all that much about what Lebron critics say, but it's interesting that Lebron's Game 2 @ Indiana is highlighted by his final 2 turnovers despite it being a nasty game overall meanwhile today he ices the game after a rough start and he faces the same criticism.

Lebron is a great road player and should be due for a big night within the next 2 games. I can't wait to see how San Antonio responds Tuesday night.

E-Balla · Post #120 » by **E-Balla** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 4:50 am

oolalaa wrote:Lebron is very clearly fatigued. No player has ever done so much for one team as 2013 Lebron.

03 Duncan, 03/04 KG, 03 TMac, 09 Lebron, and many more. He has a lot of reponsibility but he just played 7 not horrible minutes in a blowout win. He doesn't really have the world on his shoulders.