The Lebron '20 Thread (Pt. 6)

[therealbig3]

So lebron really dodged a bummer with Paul George ....



Feels like things are finally aligning for lebron for the first time in a long time.... still got a long way to go but things looking good.

OTOH, LeBron and Butler would be godly.

[The High Cyde]

Miami just so he could stick it to Riley even after all these years lol

[toodles23]

Miami just so he could stick it to Riley even after all these years lol

Agreed. It would have been even better if he could win it in front of the Miami crowd but you can't be too picky.

[nzahir]

Miami just so he could stick it to Riley even after all these years lol

Oh wow wasn't thinking of that...

But what team is more difficult?

Miami is a better 3 point shooting team, but some guys are also shooting a bit too hot (Crowder especially).

They do have a legit 10 man playoff rotation and 2 all stars, but I don't think Jimmy is a superstar.

I can see the 3s being annoying to have to overcome and Dragic will be one of those crafty guards who may be annoying to play.
They also have bodies to throw at Bron and AD a bit, but not very worried there.

Boston has the best player probably out of them and Miami in Tatum. They have the better starting 5 too, but their depth is so so.

They do have guys to throw at Lebron too in Tatum, Brown, and even Smart. But no real rim protection

If Hayward comes back and can contribute it greatly helps them, but who knows. He also may leave for a bit to see his child being born

I really have no clue who is easier

[kayess]

Weird that we don’t see any mentions of “LeGM” anymore, AD will leave in free agency, LeGM mortgaged the Lakers’ future, etc.

Weird also we never hear anything about LeBron’s role in creating a leading NBA team chemistry.

Or about LeBron playing with bigs or other stars.

Or playing in the West.

Or...

Like clockwork man: remember those Celtics/Pacers/Raptors teams that were super hyped (though tbf - unfairly) during the regular season, and then became trash once LeBron eviscerated them? Same thing happened to the red-hot Blazers and the Rockets (who, tbf, were beaten by Westbrook's injury just as much)

[Dupp]

Weird that we don’t see any mentions of “LeGM” anymore, AD will leave in free agency, LeGM mortgaged the Lakers’ future, etc.

Weird also we never hear anything about LeBron’s role in creating a leading NBA team chemistry.

Or about LeBron playing with bigs or other stars.

Or playing in the West.

Or...

Kawhis the new LeGM. Also, did kawhi turn PG into a spot up shooter?

One way narratives

[Dupp]

Are we rooting for Miami or Celtics to make the finals in case we make it?

Boston for me. My mates a Boston fan and massive lebron hater so would be a lovely f u to him.

[TheGOATRises007]

Are we rooting for Miami or Celtics to make the finals in case we make it?

Would think the Celtics are the easier match-up.

Miami's defense reminds me of the Heatles and they move the ball really well(similar to GS pre-KD and 2014 Spurs).

Neither team has a superstar though. Lakers' title to lose really.

[xb3at band1tx]

I really thought Kawhi was gonna have a 2012 Game 6-esque performance.

How wrong I was lol he went out with a whimper

[Mos_Heat]

I need Lebron and AD to come out focused game one and beat the breaks off this team. I'm worried they might have guys that can guard Lebron reasonably well.

Like who? Craig is too small, Grant not strong enough and Millsap is old. I don't really see matchup problems for him, especially because Jokic will play heavy minutes and he can't protect the rim

[JVL]

No one on Denver is stopping Lebron.

Harris is too small.
Millsap looks every part of 34.
Craig is a terrible defender.
Grant isn't strong or good enough to stop Bron.

MPJ will have to step up but then you're basically giving AD free reign.

[Baski]

So lebron really dodged a bummer with Paul George ....



Feels like things are finally aligning for lebron for the first time in a long time.... still got a long way to go but things looking good.

I dunno, I personally think Lebron and George wouldn't collapse like George and Kawhi/Westbrook. It goes unnoticed because of the Lebron ball narrative, but Lebron has this amoeba-like ability where he morphs to fill in gaps in the team's construction. When George is cold Lebron can just feed him easy shots all game long to give him enough confidence to push through. We saw him do that for Wade and Love multiple times.
Now depending on George in a your-turn-my-turn ISO system isn't really ideal, but Lebron using him as a straight up play finisher, and letting him go to work c when he's feeling it, probably never ends up with a 2/16 type performance in an elimination game like we'vecome to expect from Peepee.
Also, George always brings it on the defensive end, and has adequate handles/vision to develop a solid 2 man game with Lebron. There's just no way Lakers George looks this bad with Lebron.

[limbo]

I need Lebron and AD to come out focused game one and beat the breaks off this team. I'm worried they might have guys that can guard Lebron reasonably well.

Like who? Craig is too small, Grant not strong enough and Millsap is old. I don't really see matchup problems for him, especially because Jokic will play heavy minutes and he can't protect the rim

You're underrating Millsap, imo. He's not a shmuck defensively by any stretch of the imagination, and i think i recall him giving LeBron some problems in the past because he's not a guy LeBron can straight up overpower on his way the rim due to his size and sturdiness. He's also got decent footwork and IQ on that end.

Obviously Grant is going to be getting time on LeBron. Not sure how that will go. I think Bron should be able to overpower/outsmart him, but Grant's length and athleticism could pose some trouble. He's definitely got some tools on that end and he's not a slow player by any means.

Don't know about Craig. They could try giving him a go at Bron but he's kind of small tbh, not sure he can hold his own. If the Nuggets had Barton healthy that would be a better bet, imo. Too bad for them.

The thing about putting Millsap on Bron is then who guards AD? Jokic, lol? Then who guards McGee/Dwight?

I think the matchup will be Millsap vs. AD and Grant vs. Bron. Has to be. Nuggets also have Plumlee on the bench, it will be interesting to see if they stick him on AD because he usually plays Center as a sub for Jokic.

[Baski]

Weird that we don’t see any mentions of “LeGM” anymore, AD will leave in free agency, LeGM mortgaged the Lakers’ future, etc.

Weird also we never hear anything about LeBron’s role in creating a leading NBA team chemistry.

Or about LeBron playing with bigs or other stars.

Or playing in the West.

Or...

Like clockwork man: remember those Celtics/Pacers/Raptors teams that were super hyped (though tbf - unfairly) during the regular season, and then became trash once LeBron eviscerated them? Same thing happened to the red-hot Blazers and the Rockets (who, tbf, were beaten by Westbrook's injury just as much)

I got this hunch that the Lakers will dispatch the Nuggets in 5 and it will turn into the "weakest Western Conference since the 80s", and how Lebron ducked the East right when the contenders were emerging. If they win it all Lebron will have feasted on an exhausted EC champion after having "beaten each other up" back East.

[Mos_Heat]

I need Lebron and AD to come out focused game one and beat the breaks off this team. I'm worried they might have guys that can guard Lebron reasonably well.

Like who? Craig is too small, Grant not strong enough and Millsap is old. I don't really see matchup problems for him, especially because Jokic will play heavy minutes and he can't protect the rim

You're underrating Millsap, imo. He's not a shmuck defensively by any stretch of the imagination, and i think i recall him giving LeBron some problems in the past because he's not a guy LeBron can straight up overpower on his way the rim due to his size and sturdiness. He's also got decent footwork and IQ on that end.

Obviously Grant is going to be getting time on LeBron. Not sure how that will go. I think Bron should be able to overpower/outsmart him, but Grant's length and athleticism could pose some trouble. He's definitely got some tools on that end and he's not a slow player by any means.

Don't know about Craig. They could try giving him a go at Bron but he's kind of small tbh, not sure he can hold his own. If the Nuggets had Barton healthy that would be a better bet, imo. Too bad for them.

The thing about putting Millsap on Bron is then who guards AD? Jokic, lol? Then who guards McGee/Dwight?

I think the matchup will be Millsap vs. AD and Grant vs. Bron. Has to be. Nuggets also have Plumlee on the bench, it will be interesting to see if they stick him on AD because he usually plays Center as a sub for Jokic.

Millsap is not a 1-on-1 defender at this point, he's good as help defender. I do think he's too slow for Lebron, like he always was during their prime athletic years.

Grant would be the best bet, that's for sure

[Dupp]

So lebron really dodged a bummer with Paul George ....



Feels like things are finally aligning for lebron for the first time in a long time.... still got a long way to go but things looking good.

I dunno, I personally think Lebron and George wouldn't collapse like George and Kawhi/Westbrook. It goes unnoticed because of the Lebron ball narrative, but Lebron has this amoeba-like ability where he morphs to fill in gaps in the team's construction. When George is cold Lebron can just feed him easy shots all game long to give him enough confidence to push through. We saw him do that for Wade and Love multiple times.
Now depending on George in a your-turn-my-turn ISO system isn't really ideal, but Lebron using him as a straight up play finisher, and letting him go to work c when he's feeling it, probably never ends up with a 2/16 type performance in an elimination game like we'vecome to expect from Peepee.
Also, George always brings it on the defensive end, and has adequate handles/vision to develop a solid 2 man game with Lebron. There's just no way Lakers George looks this bad with Lebron.

I dunno I think Paul just doesn’t have it mentally. It’s gotten worse and worse and you could see today down the stretch his shots were just so far off. He might be better With lebron but I think him leaving Indy just to fail and fail and fail has really gotten inside his head.


Also think his defense hadn’t been anything special lately either.

[Dupp]

Kawhi wore down this post season, Warriors broke down this year. Lebron having all these deep playoff runs is really insane. Such a toll he’s taken that pretty much no other player can handle.

[MisterHibachi]

I'm convinced the LeBron and AD would've massacred this Clippers defense.

[thebigbird]

I hope people appreciate how hard it is to make it to 8 straight finals a little more now. The usual people won’t, but they should. 8 straight years LeBron’s teams didn’t have any let downs leading up to the finals. They faced elimination game after elimination game. Down 3-2 in the 2018 ECF to the best defense in the NBA, he goes for 46/11/9 in game 6 and then plays all 48 minutes of game 7, going for 35/15/9. Game 7 against the pacers, he goes for 45/8/7/4.

Meanwhile, Kawhi and PG combine for 24/10/8 on 10-38 shooting and get blown out after blowing a 3-1 lead. Some players rise to the occasion, other players don’t.

[Homer38]

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