The LeBron James All-NBA (2nd) and Luka Doncic - 24-25 Thread

[PistolPeteJR]

I'm discussing with a poster on the GB but figured I'd pose the question in here because I know a good number of you don't frequent the GB.

Where do you rank LeBron strictly based off of his play 50 games into the season?

Here's my list of who's definitely ahead of him in the RS so far in no specific order:

Jokic
Giannis
SGA
Luka
Wemby
Tatum
AD
Edwards

I cannot put KD ahead of him for the same reasons LeBron is being criticized especially this season: defense. Yeah, when he locks in like he has the last few games especially, he's still good there, but in general this season he hasn't been good at all. Still has time to change that up given there's still about 3/7s of the season left to play. Brunson, Booker, same defensive issues. Mitchell isn't as good, neither is Brown. Embiid's been hurt all year pretty much. I cannot give those guys a realistic argument that puts them ahead of him 50 games in.

That puts him at worst top-9. Let's call it top-10 to give it a nice round number.

Thoughts?

[Tracymcgoaty]

The staline he had against GSW is what he'd average had he come into the league now.

He's doing this with most of prime athleticism gone.

[tsherkin]

The staline he had against GSW is what he'd average had he come into the league now.

He's doing this with most of prime athleticism gone.

He's learned to do some different things, yeah? He had a lengthy decline in his FT% for a while there, but these past 4 seasons he's been back up to 75% or so at the line, which is helping. His improvement from 3 is noticeable, as is the volume difference compared to his youth (more 3PAr than raw volume at the moment, but you get the picture); he's got a catch-and-shoot game from 3 which is quite effective and has turned himself into an effective pull-up threat from 3. And of course he's still a demonic finisher inside. Finishing more successfully on postups. Still successfully getting out in transition.

Dude has been learning and developing the whole time, which has helped offset the rigors of age. Plus he's still huge and his vision/timing/anticipation are still fantastic. And the threat of the pass opens up a lot of doors for him.

[trickshot]

Remember when they lost 2 in a row and were sitting at 20-16. I can't judge a Lebron team until he's actually trying defensively. That's 9-3 before Luka played a game but we all know the drill. At the end of the year people who never watched a game will try and spin it to say they were falling out of the playoffs until the league gifted them Luka. Lakers were always a dangerous team waiting to wake up. They needed defensive stabilisers not talent.

[Djoker]

Ok so no excuses?

Championship or bust.

[trickshot]

Ok so no excuses?

Championship or bust.

Here we go. It's like yall never heard of nuance and need everything clarified. No, they are a good team among other good teams, the likes of which aren't judged by chip or bust. Nuggets still have the best player no one can matchup with, OKC has the best defensive foundation, Cavs have the best 4 headed team and Celtics have all of the above but the best single superstar in any given series

[AEnigma]

I'm discussing with a poster on the GB but figured I'd pose the question in here because I know a good number of you don't frequent the GB.

Where do you rank LeBron strictly based off of his play 50 games into the season?

Here's my list of who's definitely ahead of him in the RS so far in no specific order:

Jokic
Giannis
SGA
Luka
Wemby
Tatum
AD
Edwards

I cannot put KD ahead of him for the same reasons LeBron is being criticized especially this season: defense. Yeah, when he locks in like he has the last few games especially, he's still good there, but in general this season he hasn't been good at all. Still has time to change that up given there's still about 3/7s of the season left to play. Brunson, Booker, same defensive issues. Mitchell isn't as good, neither is Brown. Embiid's been hurt all year pretty much. I cannot give those guys a realistic argument that puts them ahead of him 50 games in.

That puts him at worst top-9. Let's call it top-10 to give it a nice round number.

Thoughts?

I am not putting Edwards ahead of him either, but in any case I agree he would make my top ten. Of course, if I were to assess by something like EPM, then I might be tempted to exclude him from the top fifty.

[trickshot]

oh and Darvin ham still sucks

[Peregrine01]

The staline he had against GSW is what he'd average had he come into the league now.

He's doing this with most of prime athleticism gone.

He's learned to do some different things, yeah? He had a lengthy decline in his FT% for a while there, but these past 4 seasons he's been back up to 75% or so at the line, which is helping. His improvement from 3 is noticeable, as is the volume difference compared to his youth (more 3PAr than raw volume at the moment, but you get the picture); he's got a catch-and-shoot game from 3 which is quite effective and has turned himself into an effective pull-up threat from 3. And of course he's still a demonic finisher inside. Finishing more successfully on postups. Still successfully getting out in transition.

Dude has been learning and developing the whole time, which has helped offset the rigors of age. Plus he's still huge and his vision/timing/anticipation are still fantastic. And the threat of the pass opens up a lot of doors for him.

I think he was pretty fully optimized once he was on the Heat 2012 and after, which also coincided with his physical peak. In those years he was putting up 27/7/7 on rTS of like 8 or something. So a 40 pt triple double nightly is definitely hyperbole.

[tsherkin]

I think he was pretty fully optimized once he was on the Heat 2012 and after, which also coincided with his physical peak. In those years he was putting up 27/7/7 on rTS of like 8 or something. So a 40 pt triple double nightly is definitely hyperbole.

2013 was a crazy year for him, for sure. Not sure where you got a 40pt triple double from.

[Peregrine01]

I'm discussing with a poster on the GB but figured I'd pose the question in here because I know a good number of you don't frequent the GB.

Where do you rank LeBron strictly based off of his play 50 games into the season?

Here's my list of who's definitely ahead of him in the RS so far in no specific order:

Jokic
Giannis
SGA
Luka
Wemby
Tatum
AD
Edwards

I cannot put KD ahead of him for the same reasons LeBron is being criticized especially this season: defense. Yeah, when he locks in like he has the last few games especially, he's still good there, but in general this season he hasn't been good at all. Still has time to change that up given there's still about 3/7s of the season left to play. Brunson, Booker, same defensive issues. Mitchell isn't as good, neither is Brown. Embiid's been hurt all year pretty much. I cannot give those guys a realistic argument that puts them ahead of him 50 games in.

That puts him at worst top-9. Let's call it top-10 to give it a nice round number.

Thoughts?

It might sound crazy but I wouldn't have anyone other than Jokic and maybe Luka over him for the playoffs.

[eminence]

^JJJ, he's been great this season.

I'd think about Mobley, but ordering Cavs is uncertain.

[AEnigma]

In the playoffs neither has shown that.

[Special_Puppy]

I'm discussing with a poster on the GB but figured I'd pose the question in here because I know a good number of you don't frequent the GB.

Where do you rank LeBron strictly based off of his play 50 games into the season?

Here's my list of who's definitely ahead of him in the RS so far in no specific order:

Jokic
Giannis
SGA
Luka
Wemby
Tatum
AD
Edwards

I cannot put KD ahead of him for the same reasons LeBron is being criticized especially this season: defense. Yeah, when he locks in like he has the last few games especially, he's still good there, but in general this season he hasn't been good at all. Still has time to change that up given there's still about 3/7s of the season left to play. Brunson, Booker, same defensive issues. Mitchell isn't as good, neither is Brown. Embiid's been hurt all year pretty much. I cannot give those guys a realistic argument that puts them ahead of him 50 games in.

That puts him at worst top-9. Let's call it top-10 to give it a nice round number.

Thoughts?

It might sound crazy but I wouldn't have anyone other than Jokic and maybe Luka over him for the playoffs.

Not even SGA?

[eminence]

In the playoffs neither has shown that.

Those were my immediate potential additions to the original 8 listed.

But shown what exactly? If 'PO LeBron' is some sort of amalgamation across his career there's nobody on the list. If it's recent Bron, he hasn't been all that impressive (by top 5-10 standards) and is trending down this season. I'd say Mobley was narrowly better last POs. But I get some folks are big offense fans.

[EmpireFalls]

I suspect Mark Williams will sort of disrupt this defensive run they’re on in the short term as will integrating Luka. I don’t see them winning 3 playoff series in a row. Mark needs a full off season.

[rk2023]

Ok so no excuses?

Championship or bust.

I don’t think anyone in their right mind is saying they’re > OKC or Denver yet. Nor do I think , atm , they’ll win both

[Homer38]

Ok so no excuses?

Championship or bust.

We all want a Championship but OKC is the team to beat in the west

[EmpireFalls]

I would have each of SAC, LAC, MIN, HOU, MEM, MIN, and DAL as relatively competitive (40-60% win percentage) series depending on health also. West is very even.

To me it’s OKC and Denver way ahead of the pack.

Everyone else fighting for a WCF bid. I don’t see any way it’s not one of those two teams in the Finals.

[Tracymcgoaty]

The staline he had against GSW is what he'd average had he come into the league now.

He's doing this with most of prime athleticism gone.

He's learned to do some different things, yeah? He had a lengthy decline in his FT% for a while there, but these past 4 seasons he's been back up to 75% or so at the line, which is helping. His improvement from 3 is noticeable, as is the volume difference compared to his youth (more 3PAr than raw volume at the moment, but you get the picture); he's got a catch-and-shoot game from 3 which is quite effective and has turned himself into an effective pull-up threat from 3. And of course he's still a demonic finisher inside. Finishing more successfully on postups. Still successfully getting out in transition.

Dude has been learning and developing the whole time, which has helped offset the rigors of age. Plus he's still huge and his vision/timing/anticipation are still fantastic. And the threat of the pass opens up a lot of doors for him.

I think he was pretty fully optimized once he was on the Heat 2012 and after, which also coincided with his physical peak. In those years he was putting up 27/7/7 on rTS of like 8 or something. So a 40 pt triple double nightly is definitely hyperbole.

Of course i was being hyperbolic sherlock