The Lebron Thread (2017 - 18 Pt. 2)

[Dupp]

show of elitists jacking each other off for a weekend.

Now this id actually watch

[Dupp]

All star weekend used to literally be my favorite sports weekend of the year as a kid, I couldn’t wait for Saturday night and Sunday...but for years now I couldn’t care less. I’ll watch if im home but only passively. This extended all star break has also now turned the all star break into something that actively annoys me. That’s a lot of ground I’ve covered in my life. From anticipating this weekend for weeks in advance, to not caring, to now actively being irked by the mere presence of this

Did u enjoy the Lavine VS Gordon dunk contest at least?

i think one of the 3pt contests in recent years was great too cant remember which one tho

I don’t watch anything besides three point contest but watched this dunk contest on replay because internet was going on about how goat it was, which it was. Besides that it has more or less been awful for the last two decades just about.

[JordansBulls]

What year do you think Lebron would have been best for a dunk contest?

[RCM88x]

What year do you think Lebron would have been best for a dunk contest?

2005 or 2006


This whole thing with the Fox anchor is like LeBron responding to a criticism on first take or something. Obviously he's not going to ignore it but the person is obviously just looking for a reaction and to get herself in the headlines, which she's done a great job at. Not sure why people freak out at this kind of thing.

[yoyoboy]

That actually might work. I remember 2 years ago I said I hated the pulling up for uncontested 3s when it first became a thing and a couple of people around here thought I was being too "old school" lol.

I don't care if it happens in real games, but doing it in an all star game when no one is actually gonna stop you from driving to the rim is such a disgrace. I think it was either Paul Milsap or Horford a few years back taking pull up threes with no one around them. Like wtf

Even in real games the number of 3s taken is reaching a critical mass for me and starting to take away from my enjoyment of the game though I fully understand I would be in the minority with that opinion on this particular board.

You're not alone though. While I appreciate the maximization of offensive efficiency, it makes for a much more boring product for me. Drive, kick out, three. Rush the rim to try to draw a foul or get a high percentage layup. Drive, kick out, three. Rinse and repeat. I'm not sure how everyone finds that more enjoyable than a more diversified scoring attack, with players of more unique skillsets on the floor. More predictability = less fun.

[bondom34]

Yeah I'd 3rd that thought. Its part of my general lack of joy in watching GSW and at times Houston, its gotten boring by being so overly focused on hyper efficiency.

[PCProductions]

What year do you think Lebron would have been best for a dunk contest?

87 or 88 when competition was quite a bit thinner.

[JordansBulls]

What year do you think Lebron would have been best for a dunk contest?

87 or 88 when competition was quite a bit thinner.

That’s when the competition was its most fierce.

[Missing Rings]

What year do you think Lebron would have been best for a dunk contest?

87 or 88 when competition was quite a bit thinner.

That’s when the competition was its most fierce.

In an all-time sense? Not even close.

You can't watch this with a straight face and say this is comparable to dunking in the 21st century.

Watch on YouTube

[Long2s]

Regarding the All Star Game and jacking up 3s.

Maybe players are just not able to do much else?

This extreme focus on 3s has obviously taken away from other skills. In addition, most players today have never gone to college and grown up with the And-1 and AAU system.

It was the same with the "dream team" last time. A bunch of overpaid stars who have only the pick and roll and isolation in their repetoire.

They're just not that skilled as team players anymore.

[yoyoboy]

LeBron honestly wouldn't be good for the dunk contest. Even at his peak he was much more of a power dunker, not a finesse dunker. His tomahawks are electrifying in games, but he's a bit of a stiff athlete and he doesn't have the dunking versatility to do the kinds that win the contests. I wasn't surprised that Giannis disappointed a couple years ago, because he's pretty similar in that he's more of an in game dunker.

[yoyoboy]

Regarding the All Star Game and jacking up 3s.

Maybe players are just not able to do much else?

This extreme focus on 3s has obviously taken away from other skills. In addition, most players today have never gone to college and grown up with the And-1 and AAU system.

It was the same with the "dream team" last time. A bunch of overpaid stars who have only the pick and roll and isolation in their repetoire.

They're just not that skilled as team players anymore.

That's honestly not true at all. Spamming the pick and roll and driving and kicking for at least semi-open looks for threes is just the most efficient way to play basketball and if you put past stars in today's era they'd either adjust or have their impact marginalized as a result of failing to do so and playing an outdated style. Threes open up the floor and allow for player to attempt shots that are 1.5 times more efficient than those inside the arc while also usually being less contested due to the improved spacing. And then shots at the basket, despite being way more contested are always high percentage shots due to the proximity and give you a great chance of drawing the most efficient shot in the game: the foul shot. So the space from 5 feet to 22-24 feet out has just become really only useful for allowing players to drive and set screens and serving as spacing for three point opportunities. Make no mistake though, the league as a whole is more talented than its ever been.

[Long2s]

Regarding the All Star Game and jacking up 3s.

Maybe players are just not able to do much else?

This extreme focus on 3s has obviously taken away from other skills. In addition, most players today have never gone to college and grown up with the And-1 and AAU system.

It was the same with the "dream team" last time. A bunch of overpaid stars who have only the pick and roll and isolation in their repetoire.

They're just not that skilled as team players anymore.

That's honestly not true at all. Spamming the pick and roll and driving and kicking for at least semi-open looks for threes is just the most efficient way to play basketball and if you put past stars in today's era they'd either adjust or have their impact marginalized as a result of failing to do so and playing an outdated style. Threes open up the floor and allow for player to attempt shots that are 1.5 times more efficient than those inside the arc while also usually being less contested due to the improved spacing. And then shots at the basket, despite being way more contested are always high percentage shots due to the proximity and give you a great chance of drawing the most efficient shot in the game: the foul shot. So the space from 5 feet to 22-24 feet out has just become really only useful for allowing players to drive and set screens and serving as spacing for three point opportunities. Make no mistake though, the league as a whole is more talented than its ever been.

That's just your opinion.

Have you watched the NBA for many years? Just asking, what's your level of comparison.

Your argument about 3s only hold true for NBA play, not Olympics which doesn't have defensive 3-seconds for example. Spacing doesn't work the same there. And the so called "most talented ever" looked very pedestrian. If just the old Yugoslavia had fielded a team, then they would likely have won.

In addition, team World beat team America yesterday. The quality level of American basketball is plummetting and it will be increasingly obvious as the best players (outside a few athletic freaks, who are usually american), will be foreigners.

The American AAU system does not develop players anywhere near as efficient as the European system.

[Joao Saraiva]

Regarding the All Star Game and jacking up 3s.

Maybe players are just not able to do much else?

This extreme focus on 3s has obviously taken away from other skills. In addition, most players today have never gone to college and grown up with the And-1 and AAU system.

It was the same with the "dream team" last time. A bunch of overpaid stars who have only the pick and roll and isolation in their repetoire.

They're just not that skilled as team players anymore.

That's honestly not true at all. Spamming the pick and roll and driving and kicking for at least semi-open looks for threes is just the most efficient way to play basketball and if you put past stars in today's era they'd either adjust or have their impact marginalized as a result of failing to do so and playing an outdated style. Threes open up the floor and allow for player to attempt shots that are 1.5 times more efficient than those inside the arc while also usually being less contested due to the improved spacing. And then shots at the basket, despite being way more contested are always high percentage shots due to the proximity and give you a great chance of drawing the most efficient shot in the game: the foul shot. So the space from 5 feet to 22-24 feet out has just become really only useful for allowing players to drive and set screens and serving as spacing for three point opportunities. Make no mistake though, the league as a whole is more talented than its ever been.

That's just your opinion.

Have you watched the NBA for many years? Just asking, what's your level of comparison.

Your argument about 3s only hold true for NBA play, not Olympics which doesn't have defensive 3-seconds for example. Spacing doesn't work the same there. And the so called "most talented ever" looked very pedestrian. If just the old Yugoslavia had fielded a team, then they would likely have won.

In addition, team World beat team America yesterday. The quality level of American basketball is plummetting and it will be increasingly obvious as the best players (outside a few athletic freaks, who are usually american), will be foreigners.

The American AAU system does not develop players anywhere near as efficient as the European system.

It's all bums today... I mean, the handles were much better back then. I remember players like CP3 and Curry... oh wait, they play nowadays. Team USA looked awesome as always and they won in a non contested way.

And yes I've been watching NBA since the latest 90s and watched all playoffs games I could since 1980.... so yeah, the league is definitely more talented today. Basketball evolved, and team USA might look closer to other teams because european basketball took giant steps too.

[JulesWinnfield]

I never understand how people talk about the growth of other countries as somehow being a negative with regards to the quality of players in the league... um, look around you. This league is loaded with those foreigners, and it’s increasingly growing as it indeed should. There are more people outside our borders than within them, as other countries grow they will see a bigger presence in the biggest basketball league on earth. The larger the talent pool, the stronger the league will be. There’s a bunch of guys you’re watching play in college now who would have had 10-12 year careers a couple decades ago, but they’re getting pushed out by more competition for roster spots on the world stage

[Joao Saraiva]

I never understand how people talk about the growth of other countries as somehow being a negative with regards to the quality of players in the league... um, look around you. This league is loaded with those foreigners, and it’s increasingly growing as it indeed should. There are more people outside our borders than within them, as other countries grow they will see a bigger presence in the biggest basketball league on earth. The larger the talent pool, the stronger the league will be. There’s a bunch of guys you’re watching play in college now who would have had 10-12 year careers a couple decades ago, but they’re getting pushed out by more competition for roster spots on the world stage

I never said it was a negative. I just said team USA doesn't look as dominant because other countries evolved a lot. Basketball got better in the USA but much better in europe. We're in an era where information, training styles, etc. flows fast so it's normal that with more access to things like that the gap gets smaller.

[JulesWinnfield]

I never understand how people talk about the growth of other countries as somehow being a negative with regards to the quality of players in the league... um, look around you. This league is loaded with those foreigners, and it’s increasingly growing as it indeed should. There are more people outside our borders than within them, as other countries grow they will see a bigger presence in the biggest basketball league on earth. The larger the talent pool, the stronger the league will be. There’s a bunch of guys you’re watching play in college now who would have had 10-12 year careers a couple decades ago, but they’re getting pushed out by more competition for roster spots on the world stage

I never said it was a negative. I just said team USA doesn't look as dominant because other countries evolved a lot. Basketball got better in the USA but much better in europe. We're in an era where information, training styles, etc. flows fast so it's normal that with more access to things like that the gap gets smaller.

I wasn’t directing that at you, sorry. I was actually agreeing with you. Other countries are evolving and that’s a good thing for the nba, not a bad thing

[HeartBreakKid]

Regarding the All Star Game and jacking up 3s.

Maybe players are just not able to do much else?

This extreme focus on 3s has obviously taken away from other skills. In addition, most players today have never gone to college and grown up with the And-1 and AAU system.

It was the same with the "dream team" last time. A bunch of overpaid stars who have only the pick and roll and isolation in their repetoire.

They're just not that skilled as team players anymore.

That's honestly not true at all. Spamming the pick and roll and driving and kicking for at least semi-open looks for threes is just the most efficient way to play basketball and if you put past stars in today's era they'd either adjust or have their impact marginalized as a result of failing to do so and playing an outdated style. Threes open up the floor and allow for player to attempt shots that are 1.5 times more efficient than those inside the arc while also usually being less contested due to the improved spacing. And then shots at the basket, despite being way more contested are always high percentage shots due to the proximity and give you a great chance of drawing the most efficient shot in the game: the foul shot. So the space from 5 feet to 22-24 feet out has just become really only useful for allowing players to drive and set screens and serving as spacing for three point opportunities. Make no mistake though, the league as a whole is more talented than its ever been.

That's just your opinion.

Have you watched the NBA for many years? Just asking, what's your level of comparison.

Your argument about 3s only hold true for NBA play, not Olympics which doesn't have defensive 3-seconds for example. Spacing doesn't work the same there. And the so called "most talented ever" looked very pedestrian. If just the old Yugoslavia had fielded a team, then they would likely have won.

In addition, team World beat team America yesterday. The quality level of American basketball is plummetting and it will be increasingly obvious as the best players (outside a few athletic freaks, who are usually american), will be foreigners.

The American AAU system does not develop players anywhere near as efficient as the European system.

Those games are supposed to support your argument? They're **** games.

If we're just citing exhibition games - what about the Nike Hoop Summit, an exhibition game that actually has defense and set plays? USA won the past two years, does that mean USA >>> The World?


. First off, it's USA vs the entire world. So no, international players are not close because only CUMULATIVELY can they even challenge the USA, and currently 70+% of the league is American. The gap between America and the second best country in basketball is large.

As for the effectiveness of AAU - sure, it's not a good system. But it doesn't matter...because American's have a great combination of insanely high population, insanely high interest in basketball (especially compared to Western European countries), a high standard of living so they can pursue athletics even if they are poor, access to nutrients for growth, and still have access to the best basketball training camps.

Basketball is only a priority in European countries with tiny populations. Outside of that, a large country like Germany is never going to be a threat even if they have a "superior system" because Germans don't give a **** about basketball.



American players do not lack skill. There are American players who are not that skilled but hyper athletic, that doesn't mean that that is the norm.


There are plenty of insanely skilled Americans. Do you think AAU ruined Steph Curry? Who apparently is only dominant because of his freakish athleticism? Or Chris Paul? Are Jimmy Butler and James Harden only superstars because they're more athletic than everyone else in the NBA - I think not.

Talent in the USA is no worse than the pre AAU era.

[clyde21]

Regarding the All Star Game and jacking up 3s.

Maybe players are just not able to do much else?

This extreme focus on 3s has obviously taken away from other skills. In addition, most players today have never gone to college and grown up with the And-1 and AAU system.

It was the same with the "dream team" last time. A bunch of overpaid stars who have only the pick and roll and isolation in their repetoire.

They're just not that skilled as team players anymore.

That's honestly not true at all. Spamming the pick and roll and driving and kicking for at least semi-open looks for threes is just the most efficient way to play basketball and if you put past stars in today's era they'd either adjust or have their impact marginalized as a result of failing to do so and playing an outdated style. Threes open up the floor and allow for player to attempt shots that are 1.5 times more efficient than those inside the arc while also usually being less contested due to the improved spacing. And then shots at the basket, despite being way more contested are always high percentage shots due to the proximity and give you a great chance of drawing the most efficient shot in the game: the foul shot. So the space from 5 feet to 22-24 feet out has just become really only useful for allowing players to drive and set screens and serving as spacing for three point opportunities. Make no mistake though, the league as a whole is more talented than its ever been.

That's just your opinion.

Blake Griffin
Chris Paul
Kawhi Leonard
Rudy Gobert
Nikola Jokic
Gordon Hayward
Kemba Walker
Devin Booker
Eric Bledsoe
Hassan Whiteside
Ben Simmons
DeAndre Jordan
Mike Conley
Marc Gasol
Khris Middleton
C.J. McCollum

This is a quick list of names that did NOT make the all-star game this year.

I'd like to hear about a time where the NBA was more talented than it is today.

[Dupp]

In terms of depth of talent the nba is at its peak now. I know some people believe nba is the only sport in the world that doesn’t evolve and get better.

There have been times where the top tier of talent was better I think