Do you rate losing?

[Smash3]

A bunch of born losers in this thread apparently don't understand that if you don't win you lose. Winning a conference finals is no better than having the worst record in the league. Scoring 99 points in a game only places you second on the all-time list, ergo LOSER. Sure you had sex with Jessica Alba, but were you the first to do so? Does she even think you're the best D she ever had, or are you only second on that list? .....Started a business that recently went IPO? Apple is still richer you loser...

True winners don't settle for second best. Like the OP said, If you haven't won you haven´t accomplished anything.

Agree with everything except the bolded sex with Alba and an IPO are both wins, now you´re just rating wins.

[durden_tyler]

Everyone has a legacy. And everyones legacy is enhanced by making the finals rather than losing before the finals.

Ring or bust, it's just the way it is if your aiming to become an all-time great.

We're talking about an individual year and not a career as a whole here. Keep up.

i was only referring to LeBron and his legacy.

[Mr Puddles]

A bunch of born losers in this thread apparently don't understand that if you don't win you lose. Winning a conference finals is no better than having the worst record in the league. Scoring 99 points in a game only places you second on the all-time list, ergo LOSER. Sure you had sex with Jessica Alba, but were you the first to do so? Does she even think you're the best D she ever had, or are you only second on that list? .....Started a business that recently went IPO? Apple is still richer you loser...

True winners don't settle for second best. Like the OP said, If you haven't won you haven´t accomplished anything.

Agree with everything except the bolded sex with Alba and an IPO are both wins, now you´re just rating wins.

I was obviously not serious. Winning a conference final vs. winning an NBA championship is rating wins as well. Just because making it to the finals is not the highest achievable goal, it doesn't mean it's therefore a failure or a legacy hurter. Winning a conference final means your team achieved the second highest possible outcome in the most competitive league of one of the worlds most popular and practiced sports - I would hardly call that a failure.

[The Realist]

Ring or bust, it's just the way it is if your aiming to become an all-time great.

We're talking about an individual year and not a career as a whole here. Keep up.

i was only referring to LeBron and his legacy.

Me too, but only for this year, where it would enhance it more if it was his play that was the difference in getting to the finals.

[The Realist]

A bunch of born losers in this thread apparently don't understand that if you don't win you lose. Winning a conference finals is no better than having the worst record in the league. Scoring 99 points in a game only places you second on the all-time list, ergo LOSER. Sure you had sex with Jessica Alba, but were you the first to do so? Does she even think you're the best D she ever had, or are you only second on that list? .....Started a business that recently went IPO? Apple is still richer you loser...

True winners don't settle for second best. Like the OP said, If you haven't won you haven´t accomplished anything.

Agree with everything except the bolded sex with Alba and an IPO are both wins, now you´re just rating wins.

I was obviously not serious.

Ether.

[Smash3]

A bunch of born losers in this thread apparently don't understand that if you don't win you lose. Winning a conference finals is no better than having the worst record in the league. Scoring 99 points in a game only places you second on the all-time list, ergo LOSER. Sure you had sex with Jessica Alba, but were you the first to do so? Does she even think you're the best D she ever had, or are you only second on that list? .....Started a business that recently went IPO? Apple is still richer you loser...

True winners don't settle for second best. Like the OP said, If you haven't won you haven´t accomplished anything.

Agree with everything except the bolded sex with Alba and an IPO are both wins, now you´re just rating wins.

I was obviously not serious. Winning a conference final vs. winning an NBA championship is rating wins as well. Just because making it to the finals is not the highest achievable goal, it doesn't mean it's therefore a failure or a legacy hurter. Winning a conference final means your team achieved the second highest possible outcome in the most competitive league of one of the worlds most popular and practiced sports - I would hardly call that a failure.

That´s finishing second in the race which is not a win, so no that is rating a loss. No conference championship, silver medal or standing on the podium will change that.

[Smash3]

Agree with everything except the bolded sex with Alba and an IPO are both wins, now you´re just rating wins.

I was obviously not serious.

Ether.

You mean you think I didn´t notice the subtle hyperbole? D

[The Realist]

I was obviously not serious.

Ether.

You mean you think I didn´t notice the subtle hyperbole? D

I see a lot of posters are saying if Cleveland were to make the finals that would be a huge achievement which makes no sense to me. How are you happy getting to the finals? Especially for LeBron it would be 2 out of 6, and than people are saying yeah but he made the finals 6 times... The goal is to win the championship and how do you rate losing? Why would it feel better to make the finals? You still haven´t accomplished anything... Seems like a really bad argument: his teams finished second 4 times... So what? What do you guys think about it?

Case dismissed.

[Smash3]

Ether.

You mean you think I didn´t notice the subtle hyperbole? D

I see a lot of posters are saying if Cleveland were to make the finals that would be a huge achievement which makes no sense to me. How are you happy getting to the finals? Especially for LeBron it would be 2 out of 6, and than people are saying yeah but he made the finals 6 times... The goal is to win the championship and how do you rate losing? Why would it feel better to make the finals? You still haven´t accomplished anything... Seems like a really bad argument: his teams finished second 4 times... So what? What do you guys think about it?

Case dismissed.

Yes because that is comparable dismiss yourself from this thread.

[The Realist]

You mean you think I didn´t notice the subtle hyperbole? D

I see a lot of posters are saying if Cleveland were to make the finals that would be a huge achievement which makes no sense to me. How are you happy getting to the finals? Especially for LeBron it would be 2 out of 6, and than people are saying yeah but he made the finals 6 times... The goal is to win the championship and how do you rate losing? Why would it feel better to make the finals? You still haven´t accomplished anything... Seems like a really bad argument: his teams finished second 4 times... So what? What do you guys think about it?

Case dismissed.

Yes because that is comparable dismiss yourself from this thread.

No thanks, I always find it amusing to see the anti-Lebron bandwagon try to rationalize why it is better to lose before the finals rather than in the finals. Just think about it, this is obviously an extremely simple and logical thing to see but the rent-free position that one basketball player holds over so many millions of people forces them to create their own complicated theories and algorithms to it.

[durden_tyler]

We're talking about an individual year and not a career as a whole here. Keep up.

i was only referring to LeBron and his legacy.

Me too, but only for this year, where it would enhance it more if it was his play that was the difference in getting to the finals.

So still, i disagree. Even with the injuries, i expect the best player in the world to go all the way to the title, if not it's a disappointing finish. That's still a good line-up; best in the East. Perhaps, they should be 'dogs (on paper) against any West team but still.

[The Realist]

i was only referring to LeBron and his legacy.

Me too, but only for this year, where it would enhance it more if it was his play that was the difference in getting to the finals.

So still, i disagree. Even with the injuries, i expect the best player in the world to go all the way to the title, if not it's a disappointing finish. That's still a good line-up; best in the East. Perhaps, they should be 'dogs (on paper) against any West team but still.

That's your opinion, but still, what does that have to do with the topic?

[durden_tyler]

Me too, but only for this year, where it would enhance it more if it was his play that was the difference in getting to the finals.

So still, i disagree. Even with the injuries, i expect the best player in the world to go all the way to the title, if not it's a disappointing finish. That's still a good line-up; best in the East. Perhaps, they should be 'dogs (on paper) against any West team but still.

That's your opinion, but still, what does that have to do with the topic?

The O.P.

I see a lot of posters are saying if Cleveland were to make the finals that would be a huge achievement which makes no sense to me. How are you happy getting to the finals? Especially for LeBron it would be 2 out of 6, and than people are saying yeah but he made the finals 6 times... The goal is to win the championship and how do you rate losing? Why would it feel better to make the finals? You still haven´t accomplished anything... Seems like a really bad argument: his teams finished second 4 times... So what? What do you guys think about it?

[The Realist]

So still, i disagree. Even with the injuries, i expect the best player in the world to go all the way to the title, if not it's a disappointing finish. That's still a good line-up; best in the East. Perhaps, they should be 'dogs (on paper) against any West team but still.

That's your opinion, but still, what does that have to do with the topic?

The O.P.

I see a lot of posters are saying if Cleveland were to make the finals that would be a huge achievement which makes no sense to me. How are you happy getting to the finals? Especially for LeBron it would be 2 out of 6, and than people are saying yeah but he made the finals 6 times... The goal is to win the championship and how do you rate losing? Why would it feel better to make the finals? You still haven´t accomplished anything... Seems like a really bad argument: his teams finished second 4 times... So what? What do you guys think about it?

Yeah? Okay OP doesn't state that getting to the finals is WORSE than not making it, only as bad, but still it's in the same area.

[KayDee35]

Jerry West was 1-8 in NBA finals. He's always talked about as a perennial loser who accomplished nothing. He gets no respect around the league and will never be remembered. /s



Sometimes I wonder if it's summer already when I see threads like these.

[Beffiosa]

If not winning a championship is a failure, why are we saying Jordan is 6-6?
Jordan 6 wins 9 losses
Lebron 2 wins 9 losses
Kobe 5 wins 14 losses
Duncan 5 wins 13 losses
Durant 0 wins 8 losses

But wait, then you're counting making the playoffs as a loss, but missing the playoffs as nothing?

Really it should just be years as a contender and rings.

I'm counting each time a player hasn't won a title as a loss. If the OP was implying that failure to win a title is a loss, then the only victory is the year a title was won by the player. Jordan played 15 seasons with 6 rings which is 6 wins and 9 losses. I don't agree with the OP, but I'm choosing to play his game.

[magicmerl]

If not winning a championship is a failure, why are we saying Jordan is 6-6?
Jordan 6 wins 9 losses
Lebron 2 wins 9 losses
Kobe 5 wins 14 losses
Duncan 5 wins 13 losses
Durant 0 wins 8 losses

But wait, then you're counting making the playoffs as a loss, but missing the playoffs as nothing?

Really it should just be years as a contender and rings.

I'm counting each time a player hasn't won a title as a loss. If the OP was implying that failure to win a title is a loss, then the only victory is the year a title was won by the player. Jordan played 15 seasons with 6 rings which is 6 wins and 9 losses. I don't agree with the OP, but I'm choosing to play his game.

Ok, we're on the same page then.

[asdfgh]

Making it to the finals is like "kissing" your cousin.

Winning the finals is like "kissing" your sister

I think you need to see a therapist.

[Pan Jia Yuan]

Jerry West was 1-8 in NBA finals. He's always talked about as a perennial loser who accomplished nothing. He gets no respect around the league and will never be remembered. /s



Sometimes I wonder if it's summer already when I see threads like these.

Well, he's the logo because of a PR agency/NBA decision. But I've literally never seen him ranked among the Top 10.
That's what 1-8 does to you.
Make it 4-5 and people would say he's Top 10, and the 2nd best SG, and better than Bird, and what not.

Making the finals matters, no doubt.
But when it comes GOAT discussions, Top 10 debates etc. - then it's about winning everything.

People will remember Malone, Ewing, Barkley, Nash etc. as Top 5-10 on their positions, but nobody would ever say they're better than Duncan, Kareem, Hakeem, Magic. First and foremost because of - the ring thing.

[AQuintus]

Getting to the Finals and losing is better than not getting to the Finals at all.