The Lebron Thread (2014-15 Pt. 2)

SideshowBob · Post #181 » by **SideshowBob** » Sat Dec 13, 2014 8:16 am

Maybe. It's definitely encouraging when taken in conjunction with what we could see on the floor today. I'd give it more time though. It is notable though that the proportion of his shots that are coming from the perimeter are just greater than the last couple of seasons, so even equivalent shot-making would result in a lower TS%. But what's more important of course is how much he can continue to disrupt/manipulate opposing defenses, and I don't think that ability is far off from last year, if far off at all.

Swagalicious · Post #182 » by **Swagalicious** » Sat Dec 13, 2014 9:27 am

Monster game but I've only seen the highlights, how did they lose?

I like that his defensive effort is much improved from last season. He knows no one on the Cavs will pick it up themselves so he's setting an example out there, this is good leadership. Also, he hasn't been shy at all about shooting the ball, unlike last year.

40yards · Post #183 » by **40yards** » Sat Dec 13, 2014 12:50 pm

totally agree, he's playing better in defense, he has to lead the team especially in it

IG2 · Post #184 » by **IG2** » Sat Dec 13, 2014 2:42 pm

That was the best game he has played so far this season. On both ends. The 2nd night of B2B against Toronto a few days ago aside, LeBron is finally displaying explosiveness off the dribble. I like the quickness he has shown the last 3-4 games. Just a completely different offensive player when he's doing that.

Run DLC · Post #185 » by **Run DLC** » Sat Dec 13, 2014 6:30 pm

1,294 points away from reaching 25K points. Hopefully he'll continues to pile up more 30+ points game to reach the milestone faster.

Run DLC · Post #186 » by **Run DLC** » Sat Dec 13, 2014 6:38 pm

I think the article about him losing his athleticism got under his skin a bit and he wanted to made a statement about it and certainly he did so last night. The LeBron we saw last night is the one we'll likely to see in the playoffs. He's just pacing himself and not playing at 100% this season, but i really want to see him shoot more efficiently from the field. He's holding back and not finishing around the rim as well as we're accustomed to. I think he'll turn it on and go all out in the playoffs.

JLei · Post #187 » by **JLei** » Sat Dec 13, 2014 9:58 pm

Very encouraging game. He played awesome on both ends for the most part. His team was just dead on the back to back and sometimes those games happen given the schedule.

Lift and finishing is coming back in this and the Toronto game.

I kind of disliked the posturing and sizing up stuff when he gets guarded by a **** defender. Not so much on the it's putting down the defender and the attitude (though some are put off by it) but the fact that you are slowing down the game and getting less possessions with an extremely favorable matchup. Just take him quickly, it will be just the same result then you doing the same thing after dribbling in one spot for 5 seconds/ jab stepping 8 times.

Though I must say poor Luke Babbitt. That must have sucked for him yesterday.

SideshowBob · Post #188 » by **SideshowBob** » Sat Dec 13, 2014 11:43 pm

Schedule lightens up over the next few weeks now. Over the next 13 games, they're facing an average of -3.4 SRS (HCA adjusted) teams after facing a +0.8 through the first 22 (8th toughest in the league).

They're all mostly weak on the offensive end though, the average defense among them is about league average (106.3).

ceiling raiser · Post #189 » by **ceiling raiser** » Sat Dec 13, 2014 11:55 pm

SideshowBob wrote:Schedule lightens up over the next few weeks now. Over the next 13 games, they're facing an average of -3.4 SRS (HCA adjusted) teams after facing a +0.8 through the first 22 (8th toughest in the league).

They're all mostly weak on the offensive end though, the average defense among them is about league average (106.3).

What do you think is a good goal for Cleveland's defense on the season by the end of that 13-game stretch? Top 10?

SideshowBob · Post #190 » by **SideshowBob** » Sat Dec 13, 2014 11:58 pm

Last two games really set them back. They had cracked the league average, but now have dropped a few spots again. I think top 10's possible, I'm pretty sure they'll get there by the end of the season, but that should definitely be a good goal for them over this stretch.

colts18 · Post #191 » by **colts18** » Sun Dec 14, 2014 5:38 pm

Article on LeBron's defense. Confirms what everyone on this thread knows already: He doesn't give a **** about putting energy on defense anymore

http://www.vantagesports.com/#story/VIp ... ct-or-myth

SideshowBob · Post #192 » by **SideshowBob** » Sun Dec 14, 2014 6:41 pm

colts18 wrote:Article on LeBron's defense. Confirms what everyone on this thread knows already: He doesn't give a **** about putting energy on defense anymore

http://www.vantagesports.com/#story/VIp ... ct-or-myth

Huh? His defense has been stellar the last 3-4 weeks. He's been exerting a lot of energy on that and he looks much improved from 2014. I think it's not incorrect to say he's declined from 09-13 but he was still a small positive defensive player last season IMO and looks much better than that right now. The Cavs have been a -2.4 defense over their last 15 games (which would be 9th in the league) after starting +7.3 (!!) over the first 7 and it's coincided with him visually looking impressive defensively.

Granted he was horri-bad in the first 7 games, so I assume that's bringing those figures down? But with regards to those numbers, I don't know what to make of them yet. I'd need to look at those in conjunction with what I see over a large period of time with a lot of guys to know what to look for.

SideshowBob · Post #193 » by **SideshowBob** » Mon Dec 15, 2014 6:53 am

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmcgNBLQ_Hc[/youtube]

Play @2:25 - not sure I saw that kind of acceleration after a hesitation on the break with that kind of speed even last year, that one looked impressive.

On top of that he was making finishes quite comfortably with both hands, with contact, at awkward angles. Compare that to some of the finishes we saw back in October:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANaSlxly_XU[/youtube]

@1:51 - slow drive into an open lane through Dunleavy. No lift on the awkward lefty finish. Lack of upper body control is pretty evident here; not only is he not getting up vertically, he's having a hard time making a layup off the jump entirely.

@2:38 - fastbreak drive that results in him going away from the basket and shooting a wrong-footed shot off the glass. Not even an attempt to finish at the basket on the break!

@2:47 - tries to finish with contact, no lift, doesn't even get his hands above torso level. Again, this is a clear display of not only lack of lift but lack of upper body explosion as well.

@4:53 - nice attack on Gasol. No lift on the layup attempt though, so he just tosses it up with the momentum from the drive and gets a lucky bank.

@5:11 - lots of momentum from a 3/4 court drive, decent change of direction/hesitation around the defenders, but that was one hell of an awkward layup, granted there was contact. It looked like he barely got off the ground, if at all.

And that's not even including the numerous terrible misses... The difference between then and now is quite clearly night and day. He looks more agile, looks much quicker/explosive off the dribble, upper body strength/control is back and effective, and he's actually getting up off the ground and finishing with contact.

kayess · Post #194 » by **kayess** » Mon Dec 15, 2014 5:21 pm

SideshowBob wrote:[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmcgNBLQ_Hc[/youtube]

Play @2:25 - not sure I saw that kind of acceleration after a hesitation on the break with that kind of speed even last year, that one looked impressive.

On top of that he was making finishes quite comfortably with both hands, with contact, at awkward angles. Compare that to some of the finishes we saw back in October:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANaSlxly_XU[/youtube]

@1:51 - slow drive into an open lane through Dunleavy. No lift on the awkward lefty finish. Lack of upper body control is pretty evident here; not only is he not getting up vertically, he's having a hard time making a layup off the jump entirely.

@2:38 - fastbreak drive that results in him going away from the basket and shooting a wrong-footed shot off the glass. Not even an attempt to finish at the basket on the break!

@2:47 - tries to finish with contact, no lift, doesn't even get his hands above torso level. Again, this is a clear display of not only lack of lift but lack of upper body explosion as well.

@4:53 - nice attack on Gasol. No lift on the layup attempt though, so he just tosses it up with the momentum from the drive and gets a lucky bank.

@5:11 - lots of momentum from a 3/4 court drive, decent change of direction/hesitation around the defenders, but that was one hell of an awkward layup, granted there was contact. It looked like he barely got off the ground, if at all.

And that's not even including the numerous terrible misses... The difference between then and now is quite clearly night and day. He looks more agile, looks much quicker/explosive off the dribble, upper body strength/control is back and effective, and he's actually getting up off the ground and finishing with contact.

So not a repeat of 2011? Did he never show this kind of "recovery" then?

SideshowBob · Post #195 » by **SideshowBob** » Mon Dec 15, 2014 5:51 pm

Doubt it's a repeat of 2011. He didn't show any improvement at any point in 2011. Showed marginal progress in 2012, but really that year was more about the skill improvements. It's not till 2013 where he started to show semblance of his old explosive off the dribble game. Then in 2014 he looked almost 2010-esque. From what I can see, he shed a little weight in every offseason with Miami and it paid off every time.

This year it seems to have had an adverse effect, however he's showing signs so it may have been some other issue.

RSCD3_ · Post #196 » by **RSCD3_** » Mon Dec 15, 2014 5:55 pm

So far LeBron has been +4.8 on offense and a -7.8 on defense per 100 possessions on and off

SideshowBob · Post #197 » by **SideshowBob** » Mon Dec 15, 2014 8:55 pm

RSCD3_ wrote:So far LeBron has been +4.8 on offense and a -7.8 on defense per 100 possessions on and off

Cleveland's been a model of utter ineptitude on defense when Lebron's off the floor. In their last 15 games, they've been a -2.4 defense against an average ORTG of 107.9. In those 15 games, with Lebron ON the floor, they've put up a 101.2 DRTG (478 MP), or -6.7. With Lebron OFF the floor they've put up a 114.3 DRTG (242 MP), or +6.4.

That's the difference between the 2nd ranked defense and the 29th ranked defense right now.

PCProductions · Post #198 » by **PCProductions** » Tue Dec 16, 2014 12:17 am

Perfect play on both ends through halfway through the first quarter. Just completely dictating the entire game.

Bled · Post #199 » by **Bled** » Tue Dec 16, 2014 12:18 am

He's got some pep in his step tonight, this is awesome. Love seeing Lebron play like this.

Greatness · Post #200 » by **Greatness** » Tue Dec 16, 2014 12:18 am

Interesting, they counted those two strips of MKG as blocks.