The Lebron '20 Thread (Pt. 6)

JVL · Post #1701 » by **JVL** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 6:31 am

Arrow wrote:^I agree. The Nuggets and Celtics/Heat aren't chopped liver by any means, but they're not an all-time great team like the Warriors or Spurs were. If the Lakers don't win, I would view this as a bigger black mark on his career than 2011.

Exactly. I don't want to underestimate either of the 3 teams that play hard-nosed big effort ball, but the Heat or Celtics are no challenge for the Lakers. The Nuggets shouldn't be either, LAL in 5.

trickshot · Post #1702 » by **trickshot** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 7:37 am

Not looking forward to another game 1 where Lebron just shows up to try and feel out the opponent. Hope he gives it his best so we can skip those 2 days of suspense.

xb3at band1tx · Post #1703 » by **xb3at band1tx** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 7:42 am

0-1 Lakers vs 3-1 Nuggets

GSP · Post #1704 » by **GSP** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 8:04 am

If Lakers dont sweep the memes are gonna be funny when La goes up 3-1

I think Bron has a huge scoring series in this one. He always dominates Denver

Dupp · Post #1705 » by **Dupp** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 9:13 am

Did Denver win game 1 vs Utah? Doubt it. Means they’re 0-2 too. I think Lakers will come out good and win game 1.

Homer38 · Post #1706 » by **Homer38** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 9:22 am

Dupp wrote:Did Denver win game 1 vs Utah? Doubt it. Means they’re 0-2 too. I think Lakers will come out good and win game 1.

Denver win game 1 vs Jazz and they loss their next 3 games.

JulesWinnfield · Post #1707 » by **JulesWinnfield** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 9:50 am

I respect the hell out of Miami and what they’ve done. They’ve once again stamped themselves as a first class organization. They’re hella fun to watch. They have a lot of room to grow given some of their young players... but at the risk of sounding overly simplistic, when you have the two best players on the floor in a series (and it’s not even close, I mean like not remotely close... at all) it’s hard for me to pick against you. Even with Miami’s vast superior depth. Unless we have 2004 Pistons/Lakers redux (and I don’t think Miami are those Pistons, nor do I feel this Laker team has inner turmoil waiting to be exploited when faced with adversity like that 04 Laker team) then we should be seeing the Lakers as fairly convincing favorites in that hypothetical matchup

I think Denver is better than Miami, and if the Lakers get through them it’s championship or bust. I’d view it as a gross failure for Lebron and AD to lose a finals to the Heat. Frankly, not to put pressure on my guy, but if the Lakers don’t finish this off at this point it’s a failure in general barring injury. They are the best team standing by a full tier

Dupp · Post #1708 » by **Dupp** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 9:54 am

Well then

LikeABosh · Post #1709 » by **LikeABosh** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 9:57 am

So I'm trying to think of the last time one team had the 2 best players left at this point in the playoffs

Is it Kobe/Shaq? Because I think Dirk was better than Wade in 2011 and LeBron was better than Curry/KD the last few years

Dupp · Post #1710 » by **Dupp** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 10:04 am

LikeABosh wrote:So I'm trying to think of the last time one team had the 2 best players left at this point in the playoffs

Is it Kobe/Shaq? Because I think Dirk was better than Wade in 2011 and LeBron was better than Curry/KD the last few years

Don’t discount Joker. But it applies 100% in the finals.

Maybe Kobe/shaq in 2004? Lol
Manu and Duncan in 05?

Um lebron and who in 13- 14? Like Parker / Duncan/pop?

kayess · Post #1711 » by **kayess** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 10:10 am

JVL wrote:
Arrow wrote:^I agree. The Nuggets and Celtics/Heat aren't chopped liver by any means, but they're not an all-time great team like the Warriors or Spurs were. If the Lakers don't win, I would view this as a bigger black mark on his career than 2011.

Exactly. I don't want to underestimate either of the 3 teams that play hard-nosed big effort ball, but the Heat or Celtics are no challenge for the Lakers. The Nuggets shouldn't be either, LAL in 5.

I mean I agree in principle - but if plays like 2018 GAme 1 Finals LeBron and they still lose because of say everyone on the Heat getting hotter than the '09 Magic, can't really blame him for that

LikeABosh · Post #1712 » by **LikeABosh** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 11:16 am

Dupp wrote:
LikeABosh wrote:So I'm trying to think of the last time one team had the 2 best players left at this point in the playoffs

Is it Kobe/Shaq? Because I think Dirk was better than Wade in 2011 and LeBron was better than Curry/KD the last few years

Don’t discount Joker. But it applies 100% in the finals.

Maybe Kobe/shaq in 2004? Lol
Manu and Duncan in 05?

Um lebron and who in 13- 14? Like Parker / Duncan/pop?

I was thinking just up until the conference finals because you'd expect it be more common when there's just 2 teams left

PistolPeteJR · Post #1713 » by **PistolPeteJR** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 12:08 pm

Kobe Bryant In 2009:
- Beats Houston in the 2nd Round
- Faced The Nuggets In WCF And Won
- Won his 4th Ring In Orlando
LeBron James In 2020:
- Beats Houston in the 2nd Round
- Faces Nuggets In The WCF..
- Trying To Win His 4th Ring In Orlando

:O

JVL · Post #1714 » by **JVL** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 12:22 pm

PistolPeteJR wrote:Kobe Bryant In 2009:
- Beats Houston in the 2nd Round
- Faced The Nuggets In WCF And Won
- Won his 4th Ring In Orlando
LeBron James In 2020:
- Beats Houston in the 2nd Round
- Faces Nuggets In The WCF..
- Trying To Win His 4th Ring In Orlando

:O

Destiny!

Dupp · Post #1715 » by **Dupp** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 12:51 pm

Lebron always wins a ring the second year with a new team. It’s destiny.

freethedevil · Post #1716 » by **freethedevil** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 1:11 pm

Dupp wrote:Lebron always wins a ring the second year with a new team. It’s destiny.

An eastern conference team always wins a ring in lebron's second year with a new team.

It's destiny.

freethedevil · Post #1717 » by **freethedevil** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 1:13 pm

Dupp wrote:
LikeABosh wrote:So I'm trying to think of the last time one team had the 2 best players left at this point in the playoffs

Is it Kobe/Shaq? Because I think Dirk was better than Wade in 2011 and LeBron was better than Curry/KD the last few years

Don’t discount Joker. But it applies 100% in the finals.

Maybe Kobe/shaq in 2004? Lol angry kg noises
Manu and Duncan in 05?

Um lebron and who in 13- 14? Like Parker / Duncan/pop?

Mazter · Post #1718 » by **Mazter** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 1:22 pm

JVL wrote:
Arrow wrote:^I agree. The Nuggets and Celtics/Heat aren't chopped liver by any means, but they're not an all-time great team like the Warriors or Spurs were. If the Lakers don't win, I would view this as a bigger black mark on his career than 2011.

Exactly. I don't want to underestimate either of the 3 teams that play hard-nosed big effort ball, but the Heat or Celtics are no challenge for the Lakers. The Nuggets shouldn't be either, LAL in 5.

Wow, not so long ago flawed was one of the most used words with the Lakers:

"Rival Executives See Obvious Flaws in Lakers Roster, but ...bleacherreport.com"
"5 Solutions for the LA Lakers' Biggest Flaws - Bleacher Report"
"The Flawed Lakers Are Screwed Without Andre Iguodala"
"This Lakers offense still shouldn't scare anyone - ESPN.com"
"Lakers Continue To Be As Vulnerable As Ever After Clinching ..."
"Los Angeles Lakers: 3 roster flaws that have emerged during ..."

These are just some of the critical notes. Of course, this was in an era where almost everyone still thought Kawhi was a cyborg, and the Bucks were unbeatable. But what happened to all those flaws, are they all of a sudden gone? I mean, yeah, they are the favorites, they have the two best players. But it's not like they are playing 2 on 2. I guess people forgot that this play off roster contains 11 guys who were free agents last summer, most of them not wanted by any team.

Unless LeBron averages 15/5/5 or something the rest of the way, the Lakers not winning a championship is not any where close to a black mark like in 2011. It's because the other team was a more cohesive unit in the final stretch.

Arrow · Post #1719 » by **Arrow** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 2:45 pm

^I might have exaggerated on it being the same level as '11 if they were to lose, but I honestly think it's championship or bust for LeBron. The remaining teams are not on the Warriors or the Spurs level. AD is not injured (*knocks on wood*) like Kyrie was in '15 or declined significantly like Wade did in '14. Yeah, the Lakers have flaws, but so does every other team remaining. The Lakers match up very well with the Nuggets and Celtics/Heat. If LeBron doesn't capitalize on arguably his easiest CF/Finals opponents in his career, the window for him to be the GOAT would officially be shut for me. He'll still be in my top 3/4, but I don't think he can catch MJ if he were to lose vs. the Nuggets or Celtics/Heat.

Jordan Syndrome · Post #1720 » by **Jordan Syndrome** » Fri Sep 18, 2020 2:56 pm

Arrow wrote:^I might have exaggerated on it being the same level as '11 if they were to lose, but I honestly think it's championship or bust for LeBron. The remaining teams are not on the Warriors or the Spurs level. AD is not injured (*knocks on wood*) like Kyrie was in '15 or declined significantly like Wade did in '14. Yeah, the Lakers have flaws, but so does every other team remaining. The Lakers match up very well with the Nuggets and Celtics/Heat. If LeBron doesn't capitalize on arguably his easiest CF/Finals opponents in his career, the window for him to be the GOAT would officially be shut for me. He'll still be in my top 3/4, but I don't think he can catch MJ if he were to lose vs. the Nuggets or Celtics/Heat.

The Nuggets are better than the 2012 Celtics, 2013/2014 Pacers, 2015 Hawks, 2017 Celtics and 2018 Celtics.