The Lebron Thread (2015-16 Pt. 4)

[bondom34]

Wouldn't you prefer Hezonja? seems like a perfect fit for OKC

He'd never play, Dipo is everything Waiters was, only good at everything .

IDK, not sold on Dipo just yet and he's a bit small for a 2 at 6'4, or maybe I just like Hezonja. Also, I expect Waiters to get better next year, he's been a changed man since the passing of his brother. He's played a lot more disciplined.

BTW do you have any idea why there's so much talk of Ibaka's real age now? Is it just beacuse his numbers are down or did something new come up?

Nah, someone made it up on reddit. As for Dion, kinda hoping he walks, would clear some money and honestly Dipo is just better and Hejonza never played which is odd why he'd be more liked (plus he's not nearly the defender), I don't trust he's changed that much yet. He was good for a stretch but if he's not really different its iffy.

[dreamshake]

IDK, not sold on Dipo just yet and he's a bit small for a 2 at 6'4

6'4" is small for a 2? That's Dwyane Wade, Ray Allen, etc. height. I think of 6'4-6'6 being the prototypical 2-guard height. Guys like Monta Ellis and Avery Bradley are 2-guards at 6'2-6'3.

[HeartBreakKid]

IDK, not sold on Dipo just yet and he's a bit small for a 2 at 6'4

6'4" is small for a 2? That's Dwyane Wade, Ray Allen, etc. height. I think of 6'4-6'6 being the prototypical 2-guard height. Guys like Monta Ellis and Avery Bradley are 2-guards at 6'2-6'3.

Ellis and Bradley had coaches try to turn them into point guards because of their lack of height. They only really became two guards after the experiments failed.

Ray Allen is taller than 6'4.


6'4 isn't mismatch undersized, but it is on the small side.

[VideoGameJames]

IDK, not sold on Dipo just yet and he's a bit small for a 2 at 6'4

6'4" is small for a 2? That's Dwyane Wade, Ray Allen, etc. height. I think of 6'4-6'6 being the prototypical 2-guard height. Guys like Monta Ellis and Avery Bradley are 2-guards at 6'2-6'3.

Its not super small, I was just talking relative to Hezonja who's 6'8.

[VideoGameJames]

He'd never play, Dipo is everything Waiters was, only good at everything .

IDK, not sold on Dipo just yet and he's a bit small for a 2 at 6'4, or maybe I just like Hezonja. Also, I expect Waiters to get better next year, he's been a changed man since the passing of his brother. He's played a lot more disciplined.

BTW do you have any idea why there's so much talk of Ibaka's real age now? Is it just beacuse his numbers are down or did something new come up?

Nah, someone made it up on reddit. As for Dion, kinda hoping he walks, would clear some money and honestly Dipo is just better and Hejonza never played which is odd why he'd be more liked (plus he's not nearly the defender), I don't trust he's changed that much yet. He was good for a stretch but if he's not really different its iffy.

Skiles seemed to not like Hezonja, which is why his playing time was limited. He called Hezonja out a lot in the press too. He was pretty good for the most part. Really good shooter, and solid defender at both SG and SF. I remember in a game in early 2016 he had 10 straight in the 4th and then Skiles took him out while Orlando had the lead, which they later blew and then Skiles blamed him for the loss.

Hezonja's 3 years younger and I think he could also play SF for stretches which would give KD/WB more spacing than Roberson provides.

[bondom34]

IDK, not sold on Dipo just yet and he's a bit small for a 2 at 6'4, or maybe I just like Hezonja. Also, I expect Waiters to get better next year, he's been a changed man since the passing of his brother. He's played a lot more disciplined.

BTW do you have any idea why there's so much talk of Ibaka's real age now? Is it just beacuse his numbers are down or did something new come up?

Nah, someone made it up on reddit. As for Dion, kinda hoping he walks, would clear some money and honestly Dipo is just better and Hejonza never played which is odd why he'd be more liked (plus he's not nearly the defender), I don't trust he's changed that much yet. He was good for a stretch but if he's not really different its iffy.

Skiles seemed to not like Hezonja, which is why his playing time was limited. He called Hezonja out a lot in the press too. He was pretty good for the most part. Really good shooter, and solid defender at both SG and SF. I remember in a game in early 2016 he had 10 straight in the 4th and then Skiles took him out while Orlando had the lead, which they later blew and then Skiles blamed him for the loss.

Hezonja's 3 years younger and I think he could also play SF for stretches which would give KD/WB more spacing than Roberson provides.

He's also a 2nd year guy who never really played, I don't think we can definitely say he's even any good. He played under 18 mpg and shot almost the exact percentage (.349 to .348) from 3 than Dipo. He's got awful defensive numbers too, I wouldn't think he'd get minutes due to that.

[The High Cyde]

Two questions:

Anyone know what LeBron said to Curry when he swatted his shot? Like verbatim.

Which block was better: the one on Tiago Splitter in 2013 or the the one on Iggy?

[Quotatious]

Which block was better: the one on Tiago Splitter in 2013 or the the one on Iggy?

Clearly the one on Splitter. To me, the one on Iguodala is pretty overrated. Great block, but he had a lot of more impressive blocks in his younger years, IMO.

[The High Cyde]

Which block was better: the one on Tiago Splitter in 2013 or the the one on Iggy?

Clearly the one on Splitter. To me, the one on Iguodala is pretty overrated. Great block, but he had a lot of more impressive blocks in his younger years, IMO.

Just watched the block again on Splitter, damn impressive...but dang, he killed Iggy too. For the Tiago block he went straight up against a 7 footer who was cocking it back to dunk it down with power, but LBJ just stopped forward motion all of a sudden, crazy upper body strength.

The Iggy one is more of a freak of nature type of play, dude got up there out of nowhere. I hope we are fortunate enough to see him bring more DPOY caliber defense in the playoffs as he ages. I enjoy them almost as much as his absurd passes.

[JulesWinnfield]

Lebron has had better chase down blocks and better blocks in general, but similar to the Jordan switcheroo vs the Lakers in 91 (overrated to me compared to other Jordan plays just judged on raw impressiveness) the moment will forever make that iconic and have it replayed a billion times through history. Here even moreso given it was the last 2 minutes of a game 7 in a tie game

On the block on igoudala he was playing both sides of the basket, he was prepared even if igoudala reversed it on the other side of the rim, flying through the air with 2 hands up. Some credit to JR smith too, if he doesn't slow iggy down that could be a dunk

The Cavs ended that game on a 10-2 run after falling down 87-83. Lebron scored 7 of those 10 points (Kyrie's 3 accounted for the only other points). Throw in his defense and he carried that team to the finish line. One week ago today. Still high off it. This is one instance where I dislike the fact that the NBA shifts gears so quickly to the offseason and can't let it linger a bit

[andyhop]

Even though it wasn't a trade, why does bball reference say this:

July 10, 2010: Traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat for a 2011 2nd round draft pick (Milan Macvan was later selected), a 2012 2nd round draft pick (Jae Crowder was later selected), a 2013 1st round draft pick (Nemanja Nedovic was later selected) and a future 1st round draft pick. Cleveland also received a trade exception from Miami. Cleveland had the option to swap 1st round draft picks with Miami in 2012 but did not do so.

Because if a trade would have thought Miami could have given something back in return over that.

LeBron to Miami was a sign and trade deal in the end

[BasketballFan7]

Clearly the Iguodala block. Yeah, he has done similar blocks plenty of times. Context matters though.

[Dupp]

Yeah that Iggy block was so much more difficult and important. He covered all that ground in two seconds. Don't think it's close either.

As for what he said it was something like "get that weak **** outta here boy".... "It's a mans league" or " its my league"

Not sure exactly but that's what I gathered

[Superbasketball]

What happened to Lebron's postgame? He did post up but not that much and he barely shoots after backing down in the finals. I guess GSW doubled the first few finals games but Lebron posted up a lot more last finals.

Lebron should develop a few go to post moves to vary it up because in game 4 it looked like all he had was the drive when his jump shot wasn't working.

[JulesWinnfield]

I just got done posting this on anther thread but i thought it was interesting enough to post here...

We can all agree that during this Eastern Conference 6-peat Lebron has led that he has been playing in the weaker of the two conferences... But it's interesting when you look at his teams win percentage against both conferences during that time, it's virtually identical... They are .708 vs the East (218-90) and .690 vs the West (116-52)...

Further interesting, if you just look at 2013 onward his teams are .697 vs the East (145-63) and .708 vs the West (.708). Actually better against the higher level of competition.

This does not take into account games he may have missed vs games he played in. It's just raw records with no adjustments...

[JordansBulls]

I just got done posting this on anther thread but j thought it was interesting enough to post here...

We can all agree that during this Eastern Conference 6-peat Lebron has led that he has been playing in the weaker of the two conferences... But it's interesting when you look at his teams win percentage against both conferences during that time, it's virtually identical... They are .708 vs the East (218-90) and .690 vs the West (116-52)...

Further interesting, if you just look at 2013 onward his teams are .697 vs the East (145-63) and .708 vs the West (.708). Actually better against the higher level of competition.

The difference is some of those teams in the East dominate his teams in the season but then in the playoffs they are no match for his teams. Brooklyn for instance in 2014 was 4-0 in the season and then got beat 4-1. Detroit was 3-1 this year and then got beat 4-0.

[JulesWinnfield]

I just got done posting this on anther thread but j thought it was interesting enough to post here...

We can all agree that during this Eastern Conference 6-peat Lebron has led that he has been playing in the weaker of the two conferences... But it's interesting when you look at his teams win percentage against both conferences during that time, it's virtually identical... They are .708 vs the East (218-90) and .690 vs the West (116-52)...

Further interesting, if you just look at 2013 onward his teams are .697 vs the East (145-63) and .708 vs the West (.708). Actually better against the higher level of competition.

The difference is some of those teams in the East dominate his teams in the season but then in the playoffs they are no match for his teams. Brooklyn for instance in 2014 was 4-0 in the season and then got beat 4-1. Detroit was 3-1 this year and then got beat 4-0.

Well you will always be able to find examples like that here and there...But over a large sample you would expect to see a bigger difference against the two conferences than we do, especially given how much better the west has been (I'm not even posting these stats as an attempt to deny the west has been better, that's not up for debate).... Even accounting for the fact that his teams get up to play against higher level of competition and might catch themselves sleeping now and then vs a weaker eastern squad, you would still expect to see a bigger gap... It's just a bit of an oddity

[PearGreatness]

I just got done posting this on anther thread but i thought it was interesting enough to post here...

We can all agree that during this Eastern Conference 6-peat Lebron has led that he has been playing in the weaker of the two conferences... But it's interesting when you look at his teams win percentage against both conferences during that time, it's virtually identical... They are .708 vs the East (218-90) and .690 vs the West (116-52)...

Further interesting, if you just look at 2013 onward his teams are .697 vs the East (145-63) and .708 vs the West (.708). Actually better against the higher level of competition.

This does not take into account games he may have missed vs games he played in. It's just raw records with no adjustments...

Interesting. You always see it season by season, but the aggregate totals hammer it home more.

Although, from the perspective of one of the top teams, I'd argue that the strength of a conference is 95% based on the strength of the top 2 - maybe 3/4 in a good year - teams in the conference - at least with respect to how it affects championship odds. I doubt the bottom 12-13 teams really affect championship odds much at all.

So for Cavs: SoC(strength of conference) = Raptors, Heat?
For Raptors: SoC = Cavs, Heat
For Warriors: SoC = Spurs, Thunder
For Thunder: SoC = Warriors, Spurs

[rich316]

What happened to Lebron's postgame? He did post up but not that much and he barely shoots after backing down in the finals. I guess GSW doubled the first few finals games but Lebron posted up a lot more last finals.

Lebron should develop a few go to post moves to vary it up because in game 4 it looked like all he had was the drive when his jump shot wasn't working.

It's a credit to how great Iggy is on D that Lebron somewhat went away from the post in the finals. He's just so damn good at stripping the ball when his man pivots to make his move. Don't think it means much outside that specific matchup.

[JordansBulls]

Just watched 30 for 30 Believe Land on Cleveland and it made me appreciate Cleveland more and what happened in them winning and why everyone was pulling for them. Certainly forgot how close the Indians were to winning it all in 1997 vs Florida.