How many regular seasons in history were better than 2010 Lebron?

[No-more-rings]

For Lebron himself it’s probably 2nd or 3rd, but what about other players? I would think it’s probably a top 10 regular season in history.

[Homer38]

Great question!...It was maybe even better that 2009 for him

[No-more-rings]

Great question!...It was maybe even better that 2009 for him

The case is certainly there. I think something many don’t realize or remember is Brown rested Lebron in the final 4 games. If he plays all 4 it’s certainly plausible they wind up with 65 wins given who they played.

[70sFan]

Some for consideration:

1951 Mikan
1962, 1964 Russell
1964, 1967, 1968 Wilt
1971, 1972 Kareem
1985, 1986 Bird
1987, 1990 Magic
1989-91 Jordan
2000 Shaq
2002, 2003 Duncan
2004 Garnett
2009, 2013 James
2016 Curry
2019, 2020 Giannis
2022 Jokic

[No-more-rings]

Some for consideration:

1951 Mikan
1962, 1964 Russell
1964, 1967, 1968 Wilt
1971, 1972 Kareem
1985, 1986 Bird
1987, 1990 Magic
1989-91 Jordan
2000 Shaq
2002, 2003 Duncan
2004 Garnett
2009, 2013 James
2016 Curry
2019, 2020 Giannis
2022 Jokic

Looking at that, I don’t really see a case for 2019 Giannis, or any of Bird or Magic’s years. Mikan I don’t really even try to evaluate. That’s peak-ish Lebron for regular season. This list is being rather loose imo.

[70sFan]

Some for consideration:

1951 Mikan
1962, 1964 Russell
1964, 1967, 1968 Wilt
1971, 1972 Kareem
1985, 1986 Bird
1987, 1990 Magic
1989-91 Jordan
2000 Shaq
2002, 2003 Duncan
2004 Garnett
2009, 2013 James
2016 Curry
2019, 2020 Giannis
2022 Jokic

Looking at that, I don’t really see a case for 2019 Giannis, or any of Bird or Magic’s years. Mikan I don’t really even try to evaluate. That’s peak-ish Lebron for regular season. This list is being rather loose imo.

That's why I only listed them for consideration. I think the list is smaller, but I don't think it's unreasonable to consider all of these players.

[falcolombardi]

Regular season? Arguably as few as 2009 lebron only

I have 2009 as a goat regular season strongest contender and 2010 is borderline identical in the reg season

[LukaTheGOAT]

2016 Steph
1988 MJ maybe
2020 Giannis maybe
1994 David Robinson maybe
03 or 04 KG maybe

[homecourtloss]

Very, very few.

[colts18]

2010 LeBron is literally the same player as 2009 LeBron. Like 99.9% as good.

[capfan33]

Very few, and have to remember that Shaq hampered them on both ends of the court lol.

[No-more-rings]

Very few, and have to remember that Shaq hampered them on both ends of the court lol.

Shaq was a -5.5 in on/off that year that is pretty bad lol.

[Matt15]

Regular season probably about 8-10 players have a case against 2010 Lebron. If we include the post season the list would increase.

[toodles23]

2010 LeBron is literally the same player as 2009 LeBron. Like 99.9% as good.

Yeah, in a different context where he doesn't have the elbow injury in the playoffs and has a more suitable cast around him 2010 could very well be in the conversation for GOAT season - I'm not talking drastic changes, even replacing Shaq with a better fitting 5 might have been enough.

His motor wasn't revving quite as high that regular season as it was in '09, but his capabilities as a player were pretty much the same. I think 2010 was his best passing season until the second Cleveland stint (though part of that was because he was underutilized in Miami as a playmaker) and his finishing package was somewhat expanded compared to '09 with better use of the glass and understanding of angles, as well as just using his strength and size more, though because he makes it look so goddamn easy that part of his game has always been way underappreciated. This is backed up by his finishing numbers being slightly better in 2010, shooting 74.5% at the rim in '10 vs. 72.8% in '09 despite the spacing being worse due to Shaq replacing Z and the team's 3 point volume decreasing.

He also played out of the midpost more that year than in '09, facing up from 16ish feet which was an extremely effective way to use him because his explosiveness meant he was only one dribble from the rim.

I'd be curious to see his numbers that season with Shaq off the floor. The entire point of getting him was so they could have somebody who could guard Dwight Howard in single coverage (Dwight torched the Cavs bigs in '09 and had the best playoff series of his career, including fluky good 71% FT shooting on 11 attempts), but otherwise Shaq was a net negative on both ends. I think the '09 Cavs probably would have beaten the '10 Celtics while the '10 Cavs would have beaten the '09 Magic, but alas.

Very, very few.

Do you have his numbers that year with Shaq off the court?

[letskissbro]

SideshowBob was/is a pretty big advocate for 2010 as LeBron's peak. He made some really great posts a while back that convinced me to have it as 1c to 2013 and 2009 and made me lower on 2012.

2010

Breakdown in 2013

Year by Year Offense

Comp of 2010 James vs. 89 Jordan

[ty 4191]

A few very possible/probable(?) cases off the top of my head:

Jokic 2021, 2022
Giannis 2019, 2020
Curry 2016, 2017
Lebron 2013
Duncan 2003
Shaq 2000
Jordan 1989, 1990, 1991
Magic, 1987, 1991
Bird: 1985, 1986
Kareem 1971 or 1977
Wilt 1967, 1964, 1962
Russell: 1962, 1964

Yes, sometimes ATG seasons to run together, hence the double listing for some there.

[ardee]

Very very few.

2009 and 2013 LeBron, 2000 Shaq, 1988-91 Jordan, and 2016 Steph are the main ones in the mix. Perhaps 1971-72 Kareem and '67 Wilt. That's about it for me.

[MyUniBroDavis]

A few very possible/probable(?) cases off the top of my head:

Jokic 2021, 2022
Giannis 2019, 2020
Curry 2016, 2017
Lebron 2013
Duncan 2003
Shaq 2000
Jordan 1989, 1990, 1991
Magic, 1987, 1991
Bird: 1985, 1986
Kareem 1971 or 1977
Wilt 1967, 1964, 1962
Russell: 1962, 1964

Yes, sometimes ATG seasons to run together, hence the double listing for some there.

2010 lebron as a RS is arguably as good as 2009 lebron, which to be honest absolutely blows most of these regular seasons out of the water.

Maybe 2016 Curry is probably the only one is go for, but most of the examples here are seasons where a guy gives 20-30 ish wins to their team, brons giving 40-45 wins to his team. Floor raising seasons like Jokic are basically strictly worse and not in the same tier, and some seasons like 2019 giannis just aren’t close at all

In the perspective of evaluating regular season we can pretty much take that at face value

[ty 4191]

A few very possible/probable(?) cases off the top of my head:

Jokic 2021, 2022
Giannis 2019, 2020
Curry 2016, 2017
Lebron 2013
Duncan 2003
Shaq 2000
Jordan 1989, 1990, 1991
Magic, 1987, 1991
Bird: 1985, 1986
Kareem 1971 or 1977
Wilt 1967, 1964, 1962
Russell: 1962, 1964

Yes, sometimes ATG seasons to run together, hence the double listing for some there.

2010 lebron as a RS is arguably as good as 2009 lebron, which to be honest absolutely blows most of these regular seasons out of the water.

I'm including playoffs as well. Why wouldn't I?

Which RS+PS single seasons does LeBron's 2010 campaign blow out of the water, in your opinion, and why?

[MyUniBroDavis]

A few very possible/probable(?) cases off the top of my head:

Jokic 2021, 2022
Giannis 2019, 2020
Curry 2016, 2017
Lebron 2013
Duncan 2003
Shaq 2000
Jordan 1989, 1990, 1991
Magic, 1987, 1991
Bird: 1985, 1986
Kareem 1971 or 1977
Wilt 1967, 1964, 1962
Russell: 1962, 1964

Yes, sometimes ATG seasons to run together, hence the double listing for some there.

2010 lebron as a RS is arguably as good as 2009 lebron, which to be honest absolutely blows most of these regular seasons out of the water.

I'm including playoffs as well. Why wouldn't I?

Which RS+PS single seasons does LeBron's 2010 campaign blow out of the water, in your opinion, and why?

The thread is literally called best Regular seasons bruh

Seasons like jokic’s are either him basically taking a bad supporting cast and not having nearly the same level of success

Lebron took a potentially sub 20 win team and brought them to 60 wins, most of these are bringing 30-40 win teams to that level if even.