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For me personally, I would change 2014 just to see what happens afterwards.

Most people forget due to how lopsided those finals were from games 3 to 5.

That Miami were incredibly close to stealing both games 1 and 2 in San Antonio.

As they were winning in the fourth quarter of game 1 before Lebron cramped up.

I would have hoped that 2011 would not have existed but if in 2015 the cavs would have won this final with a depleted roster against a great team, it might have been the best achievement in sports history!

For 2014, I was happy for Spurs after their crushing loss the year before and even in 2011, I was happy for Dirk but of course I would have liked LeBron to be better in this final but it helped him after to become a much better player and more complete

If it's just for 1 game or one play, I would have loved for Jr Smith to pass to LBJ and hit his 3rd game winner of this playoffs run in game 1 of the 2018 finals, it would have been even more legendary even if I don't think the cavs would have had a chance to win this series even being up 1-0

I mean it has to be 2011, if lebron plays semi-normally it would help his perception as a player a lot. Otherwise, his teams were so outmatched it seems kind of silly/fantastical to change the outcome.

Interestingly if 2011 Lebron played well enough to win but still not his normal Finals self, Wade would have got MVP which would almost hurt his legacy to some. It's sounds crazy but he may not have gotten the kick in the butt he needed and maybe he never takes that step with Wade to become the true number 1 of the team.

From there who knows what happens. 2015 in isolation for a win would make B2B as the underdog with 2016 and that would be pretty massive. Especially if his 15 squad still loses kyrie and love.

2007 easily
2017 would be second

Stay away from the Spurs titles!!

If we're just changing the outcome, I'm not sure I'd pick 2011. LeBron would still presumably have that underperformamce on his resume and it'd his only Finals win without a Finals MVP. Better than losing, of course, so I see the case... I'm tempted to go with 2015, though . Beating a 67-win 10 SRS team in the Finals without your two co-stars would be an absurd achievement, as would beating the 2007 Spurs as a 22-year-old. Although I guess winning 2018 would be the most absurd achievement in NBA history so maybe I'd go with that lol.

Yeah, final answer is 2018. It's ridiculously unrealistic of course

Gee let me think about that one

2018. Refs don't bail Warriors on game 1, hence he doesn't injure his thumb and they somehow win after a series of miraculous 50 point performances.

J.R. Smith and Rodney Hood are then hailed as superstar offensive forces that LeBron held back with his egoball. Jordan would sweep with that amount of help.

More crying ensues.

2011. Wade would have 4 rings, and probably two finals mvps .

As a Cavs fan I'd say 2017 is the one I'd want.

I'd love for him to have won in 2011. Was really happy for Dirk at the time, but the narrative for Lebron would have been very different, particularly if that turned into a proper 3-peat.

Jaivl wrote:2018. Refs don't bail Warriors on game 1, hence he doesn't injure his thumb and they somehow win after a series of miraculous 50 point performances.

J.R. Smith and Rodney Hood are then hailed as superstar offensive forces that LeBron held back with his egoball. Jordan would sweep with that amount of help.

More crying ensues.

the worst part is that i can imagine this lol

tsherkin wrote:I'd love for him to have won in 2011. Was really happy for Dirk at the time, but the narrative for Lebron would have been very different, particularly if that turned into a proper 3-peat.

Anniversary of this. Might have helped had Lebron not scored 18 to Dirk's 62 4th quarter points in that series.

But one of the underreported stories of the Mavs run is not just Dirk's overall brilliance which certainly doesn't get missed, but just how ridiculous Dirk was in the 4th quarter throughout the playoffs that year.

He averaged 10 points in the 4th quarter over the course of the playoffs. Dallas went 16-5(people also forget how good Dallas was that playoffs, they are always dismissed as a lower level champion) yet trailed in 13 of those games at some point in the 4th quarter, coming back to win 8 of those games---because of how brilliant Dirk was. TS% of 68% and you want to win close playoff games? Have your closer shoot 80/85 from the line in the 4th quarter.

Anyway I know this is a Lebron thread, but since its the anniversary we should talk about why 2011 wasn't going to be the one he won. This one was Dirk's baby.

honestly the only years that were realistic or somewhat realistic for lebron to win without huge changes would be 2011 and maybe 2015

2011 if lebron does play better, 2015 if no injuries or maybe with a healthier lebron (i could see 2016 lebron making the series closer)

Texas Chuck wrote:[
Anyway I know this is a Lebron thread, but since its the anniversary we should talk about why 2011 wasn't going to be the one he won. This one was Dirk's baby.

Oh, Dirk and the MAvs earned the hell out of that one. Dirk had a couple of games where he was... not the best in the first half, and then came thundering back and obliterated Miami in the second half/4th quarter. He got it done when it mattered, and his boys came with him all the way. It must have been a properly wonderful time for Mavs fans, haha. Also, even though I was rooting for Miami at the time, watching him rook CHris Bosh at the end of Game 2 was impressive.

So many to choose from lol

2017, but not because of LeBron. Imagine if KD had joined the 73 win Warriors and they still would have lost to the Cavs again. The reactions at RealGM would have been epic.

you need a lot of fantasy thinking to give the Heat a chance in 2014. I mean, if you transfer Durant to Miami....I guess...(not even sure)

capfan33 wrote:I mean it has to be 2011, if lebron plays semi-normally it would help his perception as a player a lot. Otherwise, his teams were so outmatched it seems kind of silly/fantastical to change the outcome.

Honestly good point, I don't see how you can realistically change the finals in 2007/2014/2015/2017/2018 without entering the realm of implausibility. 2011 is doable and would probably shut up a lot of his critics. He makes a team that becomes an instant dynasty that only falls off once his #2 prematurely declines