(LOCK THREAD) The LeBron James- 23-24 NBA Thread - 40K POINTS+(Part 1)(NO INSULTING)

[Mos_Heat]

Christian Wood this season

+2
+23
+12
+12

Lakers would probably be winless without this ver minimum pick up.

Just speaks how terrible their wing/big rotation has been

[ardee]

Reaves has to get it together. For them to be a good RS team and for LeBron to actually be able to pace himself we need Manu-lite Reaves from last year in the Playoffs.

Coming into the season this was absolutely a game I would've expected LeBron to rest for, back to back against a lottery team, the Reaves/AD combo should've been easily enough to see out an easy win. Not a good sign if Bron had to play for such a close win.

[ardee]

Also is it just me or is this thread comparatively dead? A few years ago it feels like we'd have had 30 pages already this far into the season.

[homecourtloss]

Easrly days but the Lakers so far are:

—24th in 3P attempts per 100 possessions
—28th in 3P%
—6th in % of threes being corner threes but 29th in corner 3P%
—25th in wide open 3P attempts per game, 25th in 3P% on these wide open threes
—14th in open 3P attempts per game, 15th in 3P% on these open threes

[Heej]

Also is it just me or is this thread comparatively dead? A few years ago it feels like we'd have had 30 pages already this far into the season.

The writings on the wall for LeBron and his championship hopes for the rest of his career I fear. Dude finally gets past his nemesis Steph just to run into a new all timer that's gonna end up better than Steph ever was. Jordan winning rings as the best player that late in his career was an illusion. Most eras end up like this where a new top 10 candidate comes in and firmly shuts the door on last generation's one

[Joao Saraiva]

He clearly can

I think different. Bron is no longer that guy. Yeah he might have one game like that or so, but if he goes all out he'll have nothing in the tank in the 2nd half.

The most impressive thing about LeBron is that the main thing age has affected is his stamina. In terms of his actual basketball abilities he plateaued years ago and has just been maintaining his extremely high level (barring some streaky 3 point shooting).

I'd say he lost stamina and 1st step. It's been slow but it became too obvious at a point. If you watch 09 or 10 LeBron the guy basically could get anywhere on the court with his 1st step. Didn't even have to do much to blow by defenders. That doesn't happen anymore.

But he's still an amazing player, obviously.

[nzahir]

Also is it just me or is this thread comparatively dead? A few years ago it feels like we'd have had 30 pages already this far into the season.

The writings on the wall for LeBron and his championship hopes for the rest of his career I fear. Dude finally gets past his nemesis Steph just to run into a new all timer that's gonna end up better than Steph ever was. Jordan winning rings as the best player that late in his career was an illusion. Most eras end up like this where a new top 10 candidate comes in and firmly shuts the door on last generation's one

Probably over with the Lakers barring a crazy random trade or a big FA signing

I can see him going elsewhere to play with his son and potentially winning if it’s a top team and he’s taking a pay cut.

For ex his kid gets drafted by a contender like GS, Den or Mil.

I wonder what happens if he’s drafted by Bos or LAC, would Lebron really go to one of those teams?

[Heej]

I think different. Bron is no longer that guy. Yeah he might have one game like that or so, but if he goes all out he'll have nothing in the tank in the 2nd half.

The most impressive thing about LeBron is that the main thing age has affected is his stamina. In terms of his actual basketball abilities he plateaued years ago and has just been maintaining his extremely high level (barring some streaky 3 point shooting).

I'd say he lost stamina and 1st step. It's been slow but it became too obvious at a point. If you watch 09 or 10 LeBron the guy basically could get anywhere on the court with his 1st step. Didn't even have to do much to blow by defenders. That doesn't happen anymore.

But he's still an amazing player, obviously.

This x1000 LeBron couldn't get by Franz Wagner off the dribble without a screen. Let alone getting absolutely clamped by Paolo lol. I think this season's the first one where father time truly starts getting his lick back vs LeBron pause. And that's on the coaching staff and player personnel for not being able to turn into a team that can manufacture easy looks for him off-ball and in the half court.

I think LeBron's biggest failure in his career is always going after these PF type running mates instead of an elite guard. At the end of the day there's no go-to offense you can run with LeBron and another PF. Those screens will simply get switched. His best synergy always came with another high IQ lead guard that knows all the reads out of their pick and roll. Bron was making old Jose Calderon and Dellavedova look like playoff rotation PGs just due to their collective IQ and Brons roll gravity

[trickshot]

The most impressive thing about LeBron is that the main thing age has affected is his stamina. In terms of his actual basketball abilities he plateaued years ago and has just been maintaining his extremely high level (barring some streaky 3 point shooting).

I'd say he lost stamina and 1st step. It's been slow but it became too obvious at a point. If you watch 09 or 10 LeBron the guy basically could get anywhere on the court with his 1st step. Didn't even have to do much to blow by defenders. That doesn't happen anymore.

But he's still an amazing player, obviously.

This x1000 LeBron couldn't get by Franz Wagner off the dribble without a screen. Let alone getting absolutely clamped by Paolo lol. I think this season's the first one where father time truly starts getting his lick back vs LeBron pause. And that's on the coaching staff and player personnel for not being able to turn into a team that can manufacture easy looks for him off-ball and in the half court.

Imo is why their floor is way lower than it should be. They shoot themselves in the foot several times a game and are basically trying to survive their own mistakes especially with weaker opponents. I don't think there will be many apology forms getting filled for the coaching lot this year.

[O_6]

Him getting to the rim so quick in the 4th is pretty crazy for year 21.

He is really pushing the boundaries right now. He‘s got Jerry Rice longevity with Jim Brown size/speed.

It’s not just basketball at this point. His athletic peak combined with his longevity on such a heavy frame makes him one of one.

Brady, Djokovic, Messi. LeBron has MJ to deal with so he doesn’t get the “GOAT” respect of the others but his brand of athleticism maintaining is the most insane imo. He led the league in fastbreak points over Prime Giannis last year by being a tank. December/January of last year, both LeBron and Luka were going off.

12/01/22 to 01/31/23
Luka: 27 games 33/9/8 (50/38/74 — 61.6 TS%) - Gm. 284/310
Bron: 27 games 32/9/8 (52/30/78 — 60.1 TS%) - Gm. 1381/1407

During this time, I actually thought LeBron was better due to the still big gap in defense at that time and just the more impressive way he looked. Here Luka is, a future top 10 potential player going crazy and year 20 LeBron is matching him at the least.

This was 9 months ago and now he’s driving with ease in the 4th again. It’s all about pace for him. That Denver series would look different if he could drive like this. We’ll see how healthy he is later in the year. But early in the year, he continues to make no sense athletically.

[Thaatsitfrom93]

I remember checking this thread religiously back in 2010-2011 because people were noticing his athletic decline and had me convinced the man would be washed by 2015.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[zimpy27]

I remember checking this thread religiously back in 2010-2011 because people were noticing his athletic decline and had me convinced the man would be washed by 2015.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

People thought his game was built on his athleticism. But he's more Jokic than Giannis.

[MyUniBroDavis]

Y’all so negatuve

[ardee]

Also is it just me or is this thread comparatively dead? A few years ago it feels like we'd have had 30 pages already this far into the season.

The writings on the wall for LeBron and his championship hopes for the rest of his career I fear. Dude finally gets past his nemesis Steph just to run into a new all timer that's gonna end up better than Steph ever was. Jordan winning rings as the best player that late in his career was an illusion. Most eras end up like this where a new top 10 candidate comes in and firmly shuts the door on last generation's one

Even if that's the case (I don't believe it to be so, very early to say this about a team that looked so good for a good portion of last season's stretch run), the threads were still swamped even in 2022 when the team was completely dysfunctional and hopeless because people want to talk about LeBron whether or not his team is good.

Maybe forums in general are dying and people are just on social media more.

[ardee]

Y’all so negatuve

Yeah still very early days. Reaves in full flow and this looks like a completely different team imo.

[zimpy27]

Vincent, DLo, LeBron, Wood, Davis

This has been the Lakers best lineup so far.
+111 per 100 possessions in the 11 minuyes they've played (top 5 minute getting lineup).

[zimpy27]

Vincent has been the best with LeBron and Davis..

It's no surprise that a big defensive guard would be, even though his offense has been poor.

[MyUniBroDavis]

Vincent has been the best with LeBron and Davis..

It's no surprise that a big defensive guard would be, even though his offense has been poor.

He’s not big he’s literally the shortest player on the team lol

[zimpy27]

Vincent has been the best with LeBron and Davis..

It's no surprise that a big defensive guard would be, even though his offense has been poor.

He’s not big he’s literally the shortest player on the team lol

Height is not the only way to assess bigness.

He's a big guard, bigger weight than DLo. Jamal Murray is a big guard because of weight. Gabe has a similar build and is only an inch shorter.

[PistolPeteJR]

We just came off a WCF appearance where Ham took way too long to bring DLo off the bench due to locker room politics. And now after retaining the main core and having had the opportunity to develop continuity, the team is objectively playing worse together and roles are even less defined. Hell, LeBron basically had to send out LeBat signal to the coaching staff and tell them he can have the ball in his hands more because right now he's just floating on offense. As well as already scratching the minutes plan.

It's giving early 2016 Cavs vibes in terms of how abnormally disconnected the team is and how much worse they look than expected for a purported championship caliber team. IDT Ham is gonna get the Blatt treatment cuz it's not looking as bad as that team did just yet, but these aren't necessarily overreactions either. It's championship or bust, and this team looks like it took a step back more than it looks like it took a step forward. And that's the real issue here

Dude it’s game 3 lol we’ll be fine, Gabe is a bit concerning though, but we were getting decent looks with decent shooters just not knocking it down

Reaves needs to remember how to play basketball though Jesus Christ, his passing has been off

Can't just assume that because it's early that everything's gonna be completely fine. People were saying the same thing in 2015 and then the whole roster got blown up eventually LMAO

I agree with both of you to an extent: can't assume it's mayhem because it's only Game 3, but you also can't assume it's all fine because it's only Game 3. The wise thing here is to see a bit of a bigger sample size though.