Most underrated LeBron PS series

[rk2023]

He’s obviously had many great ones, some of which stand out more than others. With whatever logic, which is one series that stands out a ton and might seem to be under-mentioned across a consensus?

For me, I say either the Pacers in 2012/13 most so

[Amare_1_Knicks]

First one that came to mind was the 2015 ECF series vs the Hawks. With a hobbled Irving only playing two games (in limited minutes) and without Love altogether, the Cavs SWEPT the 60 win Hawks — with James averaging 30/11/9.5. His shooting percentages were lower than normal but found a way to get it done.

Maybe his series against Detroit in 06. His first playoff appearance and he takes the defending ECF champs to 7 games in the semis. Averaged 27/9/6 (again, percentages left something to be desired but against the Pistons team, with the help he had, it was to be expected). Only one other teammate average double digit scoring that series — Ilgauskas with 10.9PPG.

[tone wone]

Easily 2013 ECF. The series surprisingly went 7 so its not lauded some others given MIA were such heavy favorites. Miami underperformed defensively, which is why the series went 7 but 10 years later it's shocking how well they played offensively against that defense while getting basically nothing from Wade-Bosh-Battier-Allen.

[Cavsfansince84]

Some of those Bulls series are what come to mind for me. Also Toronto.

[LukaTheGOAT]

Some memorable series for me:

The 2018 Celtics, had a -4.7 rDRTG, which is comparable. Lebron in that series he averaged 32 pts per 75 possessions and 8 assists per 75 possessions on a rTS% of 7.9%.

If we look at the 17 Warriors that Lebron faced in the PS, they had a -4.8 rDRTG.

In that series he averaged 28.7 pts per 75 possessions and 8.6 assists per 75 possessions on a rTS% of 10.6%.

An even more historic defense Lebron faced was the 2014 Indiana Pacers who had a -7.4 rDRTG (getting up there for best ever). In that series he averaged 26.8 pts per 75 possessions and 86.5 assists per 75 possessions on a rTS% of 13.6%.

In 2013, the Indiana Pacers had a rDRTG of -6.0. In that series he averaged 28.2 pts per 75 possessions and 5.2 assists per 75 possessions on a rTS% of 11.3%.

In 2012, the Boston Celtics had a rDRTG of -6.4. In that series he averaged 30.5 pts per 75 possessions and 3.6 assists per 75 possessions on a rTS% of 8.9% (without Bosh for some of this series).

Moving back to his earliest dominance against an all-time D, is against the 2009 Magic who had a -6.4 rDRTG. He averaged 35.1 points per 75 possessions and 7.3 assists per 75 possessions on a rTS% of 8.9%.

[homecourtloss]

Best rTS% and reFG% performances regardless of defense

2017 Raptors, -1.0 rDRtg, +17.9 rTS%, +15.3 reFG%
2014 Spurs, -4.3 rDRtg, +16.0 rTS%, +16.6 reFG%
2014 Nets, +1.0 rDRtg, +15.2 rTS%, +10.7 reFG%
2013 Bucks, -.7 rDRtg, +14.8 rTS%, +17.7 reFG%
2020 Blazers, +4.3 rDRtg, +14.2 rTS%, -15.1 reFG%
2010 Bulls, -2.3 rDRtg, +14.3 rTS%, +15.0 reFG%
2014, Pacers, -7.4 rDRtg, +13.6 rTS%, +13.1 reFG%
2009 Hawks, -.7 rDRtg, +13.2 rTS%, +15.2 reFG%
2016 Raptors, -1.2 rDRtg, +13.0 rTS%, +16.0 reFG%

Easily 2013 ECF. The series surprisingly went 7 so its not lauded some others given MIA were such heavy favorites. Miami underperformed defensively, which is why the series went 7 but 10 years later it's shocking how well they played offensively against that defense while getting basically nothing from Wade-Bosh-Battier-Allen.

2014, Pacers, -7.4 rDRtg, +13.6 rTS%, +13.1 reFG%, 15.4 rORtg with LeBron on court
2013, Pacers,-6.1 rDRtg, +11.3 rTS%, +11.0 reFG%, +10.8 rORtg with LeBron on court

[dooki667]

Best rTS% and reFG% performances regardless of defense

2017 Raptors, -1.0 rDRtg, +17.9 rTS%, +15.3 reFG%
2014 Spurs, -4.3 rDRtg, +16.0 rTS%, +16.6 reFG%
2014 Nets, +1.0 rDRtg, +15.2 rTS%, +10.7 reFG%
2013 Bucks, -.7 rDRtg, +14.8 rTS%, +17.7 reFG%
2020 Blazers, +4.3 rDRtg, +14.2 rTS%, -15.1 reFG%
2010 Bulls, -2.3 rDRtg, +14.3 rTS%, +15.0 reFG%
2014, Pacers, -7.4 rDRtg, +13.6 rTS%, +13.1 reFG%
2009 Hawks, -.7 rDRtg, +13.2 rTS%, +15.2 reFG%
2016 Raptors, -1.2 rDRtg, +13.0 rTS%, +16.0 reFG%

Easily 2013 ECF. The series surprisingly went 7 so its not lauded some others given MIA were such heavy favorites. Miami underperformed defensively, which is why the series went 7 but 10 years later it's shocking how well they played offensively against that defense while getting basically nothing from Wade-Bosh-Battier-Allen.

2014, Pacers, -7.4 rDRtg, +13.6 rTS%, +13.1 reFG%, 15.4 rORtg with LeBron on court
2013, Pacers,-6.1 rDRtg, +11.3 rTS%, +11.0 reFG%, +10.8 rORtg with LeBron on court

Surprised to see Lebronto didn't make it.

[homecourtloss]

Best rTS% and reFG% performances regardless of defense

2017 Raptors, -1.0 rDRtg, +17.9 rTS%, +15.3 reFG%
2014 Spurs, -4.3 rDRtg, +16.0 rTS%, +16.6 reFG%
2014 Nets, +1.0 rDRtg, +15.2 rTS%, +10.7 reFG%
2013 Bucks, -.7 rDRtg, +14.8 rTS%, +17.7 reFG%
2020 Blazers, +4.3 rDRtg, +14.2 rTS%, -15.1 reFG%
2010 Bulls, -2.3 rDRtg, +14.3 rTS%, +15.0 reFG%
2014, Pacers, -7.4 rDRtg, +13.6 rTS%, +13.1 reFG%
2009 Hawks, -.7 rDRtg, +13.2 rTS%, +15.2 reFG%
2016 Raptors, -1.2 rDRtg, +13.0 rTS%, +16.0 reFG%

Easily 2013 ECF. The series surprisingly went 7 so its not lauded some others given MIA were such heavy favorites. Miami underperformed defensively, which is why the series went 7 but 10 years later it's shocking how well they played offensively against that defense while getting basically nothing from Wade-Bosh-Battier-Allen.

2014, Pacers, -7.4 rDRtg, +13.6 rTS%, +13.1 reFG%, 15.4 rORtg with LeBron on court
2013, Pacers,-6.1 rDRtg, +11.3 rTS%, +11.0 reFG%, +10.8 rORtg with LeBron on court

Surprised to see Lebronto didn't make it.

Pretty bad free-throw shooting really took down his totals.

Still +26.9 rORtg with him on court

+3.8 rTS%, +6.7% reFG% (pretty wild to have the relative effective field goal percentage, that much higher than the relative true shooting percentage)

[Texas Chuck]

whats gross about the current tenor of the board is this thread is very short and the opposing thread has page after page after page. We are collectively so negative....

[MyUniBroDavis]

Best rTS% and reFG% performances regardless of defense

2017 Raptors, -1.0 rDRtg, +17.9 rTS%, +15.3 reFG%
2014 Spurs, -4.3 rDRtg, +16.0 rTS%, +16.6 reFG%
2014 Nets, +1.0 rDRtg, +15.2 rTS%, +10.7 reFG%
2013 Bucks, -.7 rDRtg, +14.8 rTS%, +17.7 reFG%
2020 Blazers, +4.3 rDRtg, +14.2 rTS%, -15.1 reFG%
2010 Bulls, -2.3 rDRtg, +14.3 rTS%, +15.0 reFG%
2014, Pacers, -7.4 rDRtg, +13.6 rTS%, +13.1 reFG%
2009 Hawks, -.7 rDRtg, +13.2 rTS%, +15.2 reFG%
2016 Raptors, -1.2 rDRtg, +13.0 rTS%, +16.0 reFG%


2014, Pacers, -7.4 rDRtg, +13.6 rTS%, +13.1 reFG%, 15.4 rORtg with LeBron on court
2013, Pacers,-6.1 rDRtg, +11.3 rTS%, +11.0 reFG%, +10.8 rORtg with LeBron on court

Surprised to see Lebronto didn't make it.

Pretty bad free-throw shooting really took down his totals.

Still +26.9 rORtg with him on court

+3.8 rTS%, +6.7% reFG% (pretty wild to have the relative effective field goal percentage, that much higher than the relative true shooting percentage)

It’s also the nature of having a bad shooting game in a sweep, take out game 1 and 57.9TS turns into 64.8TS

[MyUniBroDavis]

whats gross about the current tenor of the board is this thread is very short and the opposing thread has page after page after page. We are collectively so negative....

The current tenor of the board is just two groups of two to three people going back and forth and it somehow coming back to Jordan vs lebron lol

[Franco]

I'd say the whole "bubble" stigma overshadowed how Bron annihilated the Heat in 2020.

Per 100:

38.5pts
15.3rbs (2.6orb)
11.0ast
1.5stl
0.6blk
4.5TO
+10.6rTS%

And great defense that series too.

[rk2023]

whats gross about the current tenor of the board is this thread is very short and the opposing thread has page after page after page. We are collectively so negative....

The current tenor of the board is just two groups of two to three people going back and forth and it somehow coming back to Jordan vs lebron lol

It's a 1 vs. 2 'battle' - where the two i'm referring to are being supported by one NPC cheerleader in the background.

Your premise is exactly true, what doesn't turn into a James-Jordan "debate" at this point?

[dooki667]

Surprised to see Lebronto didn't make it.

Pretty bad free-throw shooting really took down his totals.

Still +26.9 rORtg with him on court

+3.8 rTS%, +6.7% reFG% (pretty wild to have the relative effective field goal percentage, that much higher than the relative true shooting percentage)

It’s also the nature of having a bad shooting game in a sweep, take out game 1 and 57.9TS turns into 64.8TS

Game 1 40% fg 16.7 ft% and 12.5 3pt% yeah I see what you mean Idk If its just me but I loved Hubie Browns calls game 2. "Look at the distance!"

[Gregoire]

2011 finals.

[70sFan]

2011 finals.

What's the reason to do that? Seriously...

[PistolPeteJR]

whats gross about the current tenor of the board is this thread is very short and the opposing thread has page after page after page. We are collectively so negative....

Agendas dictate that; egos lead to stubbornness and a lack of objectivity, resulting in a relentless push in certain directions. Sadly, this has always been the case. Only difference now is the increase in “sophistication” people have become in trying to convince listeners/readers that they’re genuinely objective, what with slang being replaced by proper writing in the form of grammar, punctuation, tone, etc., in addition to things like patronizing and playing the, “What? I’ve been so amicable and respectful and you just don’t like my thoroughly objective analysis” innocence card.

[falcolombardi]

Many of his miami heat series before finals have became underated

2011 vs bulls, 2012 vs pacers and oddly enpugh 2012 vs celtics outside game 6 have got underated

[rk2023]

2011 finals.

Ah yes, the classic combat of supposed “negativity and hostility” with that of your own.

What happened to you, Gregoire? I remember seeing a lot of your posts and messages being ones that fostered good discourse and debate across multiple users.

Nowadays, a lot of it that I’m seeing is solely denigrating LBJ - who (correct me if I’m wrong), you regard as a Mount Rushmore caliber of player.

[parsnips33]

I still think about his 2015 Finals - not sure he's ever played another series like that one