The Lebron '20 Thread (Pt. 7)

[TheGOATRises007]

Man I would love to be proven wrong, but I really think people in here are underestimating the Heat. I think they'll be tougher than any of the first 3 rounds. They're just so much more imposing defensively than Portland/Houston/Denver IMO. And Spo has a hell of a jumpstart gameplanning for a LeBron team. Like I said, hope I'm wrong . . . but I expect it to be a dogfight.

I think Boston would be a tougher matchup. The Heat are too small and dont have a potent offensive weapon. It also allows the Lakers to play small all game which opens up their offense a chit ton

I still think the Celtics are too green and would fare even worse.

They don't have anyone to guard AD either. AD would have a field day.

[D.Brasco]

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[Joey Wheeler]

Man I would love to be proven wrong, but I really think people in here are underestimating the Heat. I think they'll be tougher than any of the first 3 rounds. They're just so much more imposing defensively than Portland/Houston/Denver IMO. And Spo has a hell of a jumpstart gameplanning for a LeBron team. Like I said, hope I'm wrong . . . but I expect it to be a dogfight.

I think Boston would be a tougher matchup. The Heat are too small and dont have a potent offensive weapon. It also allows the Lakers to play small all game which opens up their offense a chit ton

I still think the Celtics are too green and would fare even worse.

They don't have anyone to guard AD either. AD would have a field day.

Both teams are equally hopeless honestly. Lakers just have so much more talent. I think Miami might have a better chance of stealing a game.

[TheGOATRises007]

I think Boston would be a tougher matchup. The Heat are too small and dont have a potent offensive weapon. It also allows the Lakers to play small all game which opens up their offense a chit ton

I still think the Celtics are too green and would fare even worse.

They don't have anyone to guard AD either. AD would have a field day.

Both teams are equally hopeless honestly. Lakers just have so much more talent. I think Miami might have a better chance of stealing a game.

Yes, I think Miami is more likely to win a game.

[mademan]

Man I would love to be proven wrong, but I really think people in here are underestimating the Heat. I think they'll be tougher than any of the first 3 rounds. They're just so much more imposing defensively than Portland/Houston/Denver IMO. And Spo has a hell of a jumpstart gameplanning for a LeBron team. Like I said, hope I'm wrong . . . but I expect it to be a dogfight.

I think Boston would be a tougher matchup. The Heat are too small and dont have a potent offensive weapon. It also allows the Lakers to play small all game which opens up their offense a chit ton

I still think the Celtics are too green and would fare even worse.

They don't have anyone to guard AD either. AD would have a field day.

They are, but they still have more talent. Heat shoudlve already lost this series against them, tbh. They just made some terrific plays to end the first 2 games. I think C's were up 5 in one of them with like a minute and a bit left and still lost.

I'll take Crowder and Dragic going back to who they are over facing a higher ceiling guy like Tatum or Kemba.

[dreamshake]

Man I would love to be proven wrong, but I really think people in here are underestimating the Heat. I think they'll be tougher than any of the first 3 rounds. They're just so much more imposing defensively than Portland/Houston/Denver IMO. And Spo has a hell of a jumpstart gameplanning for a LeBron team. Like I said, hope I'm wrong . . . but I expect it to be a dogfight.

The Heat are really good, but they don't have a superb offensive player.

They have great sets and run great offense, but talent will win out in the end.

Lakers have the 2 best players in the series and they also play great defense.

Heat would win 1 game max IMO.

I mean if we're ranking offensive talent, obviously Lakers have 1 & 2, but Miami has 3, 4, 5, and 6. They have 4 guys that are pretty safe bets to give you at least 15-20 points every game and are capable of going off for more. That makes them less susceptible to 1 guy having an off-night than if Bron or AD do.

[Run DLC]

Get that 4th ring and 4th finals MVP. The icing on the cake to conclude his career will be the day he surpasses Kareem on the all-time regular season scoring list and as well as becoming the only player in history with 35+k points, 10k assists, 10k rebounds.

[MisterHibachi]

I didn't think AD was that great tonight, but he still finished with 27 points. Incredible talent

[TheGOATRises007]

Man I would love to be proven wrong, but I really think people in here are underestimating the Heat. I think they'll be tougher than any of the first 3 rounds. They're just so much more imposing defensively than Portland/Houston/Denver IMO. And Spo has a hell of a jumpstart gameplanning for a LeBron team. Like I said, hope I'm wrong . . . but I expect it to be a dogfight.

The Heat are really good, but they don't have a superb offensive player.

They have great sets and run great offense, but talent will win out in the end.

Lakers have the 2 best players in the series and they also play great defense.

Heat would win 1 game max IMO.

I mean if we're ranking offensive talent, obviously Lakers have 1 & 2, but Miami has 3, 4, 5, and 6. They have 4 guys that are pretty safe bets to give you at least 15-20 points every game and are capable of going off for more. That makes them less susceptible to 1 guy having an off-night than if Bron or AD do.

Yeah, but you'd always rather have the 2 best than the next 4 best.

Always better to have a dollar in the NBA than 4 quarters.

[mademan]

I didn't think AD was that great tonight, but he still finished with 27 points. Incredible talent

He and Giannis rack up stats like nobody ive ever seen before. Like ill visually see them having a bad game and look up to a 28-13-3-2-2 stat line.

[dreamshake]

The Heat are really good, but they don't have a superb offensive player.

They have great sets and run great offense, but talent will win out in the end.

Lakers have the 2 best players in the series and they also play great defense.

Heat would win 1 game max IMO.

I mean if we're ranking offensive talent, obviously Lakers have 1 & 2, but Miami has 3, 4, 5, and 6. They have 4 guys that are pretty safe bets to give you at least 15-20 points every game and are capable of going off for more. That makes them less susceptible to 1 guy having an off-night than if Bron or AD do.

Yeah, but you'd always rather have the 2 best than the next 4 best.

Always better to have a dollar in the NBA than 4 quarters.

And as long as Bron & AD play up to the level we expect, I agree. I just wouldn't be surprised if the jump in defense they're facing is a bit of a shock for them, similar to Houston's speed after playing Portland. I suppose the opposite is true as well though - LA's size and physicality will be a bit of a shock for Miami.

[KTM_2813]

The Heat are really good, but they don't have a superb offensive player.

They have great sets and run great offense, but talent will win out in the end.

Lakers have the 2 best players in the series and they also play great defense.

Heat would win 1 game max IMO.

I mean if we're ranking offensive talent, obviously Lakers have 1 & 2, but Miami has 3, 4, 5, and 6. They have 4 guys that are pretty safe bets to give you at least 15-20 points every game and are capable of going off for more. That makes them less susceptible to 1 guy having an off-night than if Bron or AD do.

Yeah, but you'd always rather have the 2 best than the next 4 best.

Always better to have a dollar in the NBA than 4 quarters.

Not saying that the Lakers are guaranteed to sweep or anything (the Heat have a puncher's chance), but in terms of each team's top two, it's not just that Los Angeles has the two best players... The gulf between LeBron/AD and Butler/Bam is monstrous. At worst, LeBron/AD are two top-five players, and at best, Butler/Bam is one top-ten player and one top-twenty player.

[Heej]

I guess that was the extra gear he was talking about lol

LeBron is now 38-10 in closeout games, the best in NBA history. I think Horry has 40 series wins and Fisher 39. I don’t think anyone has more though Kareem would have most likely and more if they payed more rounds in the ‘70s and early ‘80s

LeBron, 38-10
Duncan, 35-14
Wade, 22-9
Shaq, 33-14
Jordan, 30-13
Kareem, 37-16
Magic, 32-14
Durant, 21-10
Kobe, 33-16
Bill Russell 25-16
Bird, 22-17
Dr. J, 24-21
Curry, 19-9
Kawhi 17-10
Hakeem, 16-10
Wilt, 18-17
K. Malone, 19-24

LeBron is 16-1 in his last 17 closeout games.

There's really no argument anymore. As a late series player LeBron is literally unmatched. Closeout games, elimination games, Game 7s, you name it; once LeBron has film on you and tanked a few of your punches he can shred you in a way no one in NBA history has shown capable of doing.

[dreamshake]

I mean if we're ranking offensive talent, obviously Lakers have 1 & 2, but Miami has 3, 4, 5, and 6. They have 4 guys that are pretty safe bets to give you at least 15-20 points every game and are capable of going off for more. That makes them less susceptible to 1 guy having an off-night than if Bron or AD do.

Yeah, but you'd always rather have the 2 best than the next 4 best.

Always better to have a dollar in the NBA than 4 quarters.

Not saying that the Lakers are guaranteed to sweep or anything (the Heat have a puncher's chance), but in terms of each team's top two, it's not just that Los Angeles has the two best players... The gulf between LeBron/AD and Butler/Bam is monstrous. At worst, LeBron/AD are two top-five players, and at best, Butler/Bam is one top-ten player and one top-twenty player.

Those Miami players though happen to be extremely well-suited at matching up with Bron & AD. I think you could make the case that Bam may be the best possible AD defender and Jimmy/Iggy/Crowder is probably the best combination of ability & experience at defending LeBron that any team has (Clippers with Kawhi & PG are up there too)

[Heej]

Lol I knew the series was over when AD hit the 3 to put us up going into the 4th. Thats gonna be one of those magical records that people look back and remember provided they do their thing in the Finals

[xb3at band1tx]

Bron had more points, rebounds, and assists then Kawhi and PG combined in the close out game lmao

[SideshowBob]

I guess that was the extra gear he was talking about lol

LeBron is now 38-10 in closeout games, the best in NBA history. I think Horry has 40 series wins and Fisher 39. I don’t think anyone has more though Kareem would have most likely and more if they payed more rounds in the ‘70s and early ‘80s

LeBron, 38-10
Duncan, 35-14
Wade, 22-9
Shaq, 33-14
Jordan, 30-13
Kareem, 37-16
Magic, 32-14
Durant, 21-10
Kobe, 33-16
Bill Russell 25-16
Bird, 22-17
Dr. J, 24-21
Curry, 19-9
Kawhi 17-10
Hakeem, 16-10
Wilt, 18-17
K. Malone, 19-24

LeBron is 16-1 in his last 17 closeout games.

There's really no argument anymore. As a late series player LeBron is literally unmatched. Closeout games, elimination games, Game 7s, you name it; once LeBron has film on you and tanked a few of your punches he can shred you in a way no one in NBA history has shown capable of doing.

Yup. You've been sayin it for years. Spaceman broke the same down sometime back in 2016 I wanna say. Elgee noted it in one of his earliest blog posts in 2011 looking back at the 08 Celtics series (dunno if its still archived anymore).

[xb3at band1tx]

lebron in the playoffs over the past decade is totally nuts

2011: nba finals
2012: nba finals
2013: nba finals
2014: nba finals
2015: nba finals
2016: nba finals
2017: nba finals
2018: nba finals
2019: injured; team missed playoffs
2020: nba finals

[Ursusamericanus]

Lakers in 5 against Miami/Boston. Doesn't matter who wins the ECF. Ring 4 incoming for LeBron.

[dreamshake]

lebron in the playoffs over the past decade is totally nuts

2011: nba finals
2012: nba finals
2013: nba finals
2014: nba finals
2015: nba finals
2016: nba finals
2017: nba finals
2018: nba finals
2019: injured; team missed playoffs
2020: nba finals

Still saddens me we never got a Bron v Kobe Finals despite one of them being there every year from '07 till the end of Kobe's career.