The LeBron Thread 2021 Off-Season Edition

[nzahir]

Jake Fischer: Rich Paul was telling other agents at the Chicago combine that LeBron and AD were sliding to the 4 and 5

This is good news, DJ or Dwight should only start (maybe) vs a few teams, such as PHI or Denver

1 of Bazemore/Ariza
1 of Monk/Ellington?

Could throw Nunn in there if needed, but he makes more sense off the bench as a secondary ball handler. Wouldn’t mind if he closed games though

Would hope Rondo doesn’t really play as there’s a logjam already

This was obvious, just by looking at the roster construction.

I have been saying it for weeks.

It should be obvious, but let’s see how it plays out

Excited to see how we look

Not sure if we can beat BKN, we’ll at least if they’re healthy, but I feel confident in beating anyone else

[Greyhound]

Jake Fischer: Rich Paul was telling other agents at the Chicago combine that LeBron and AD were sliding to the 4 and 5

This is good news, DJ or Dwight should only start (maybe) vs a few teams, such as PHI or Denver

1 of Bazemore/Ariza
1 of Monk/Ellington?

Could throw Nunn in there if needed, but he makes more sense off the bench as a secondary ball handler. Wouldn’t mind if he closed games though

Would hope Rondo doesn’t really play as there’s a logjam already

This was obvious, just by looking at the roster construction.

I have been saying it for weeks.

It should be obvious, but let’s see how it plays out

Excited to see how we look

Not sure if we can beat BKN, we’ll at least if they’re healthy, but I feel confident in beating anyone else

We will see…

Obvious to Rob may not be obvious to Frank (now that you mention it).
It will not surprise me one bit if Vogel decides to “smash mouth” the lineup (come hell or high water).

That is his thing.

[Homer38]

Jordan and Dwight are not likely to play 20 minutes per game,so of course Davis will be more often at the 5,even in the regular season.

[homecourtloss]

This was obvious, just by looking at the roster construction.

I have been saying it for weeks.

It should be obvious, but let’s see how it plays out

Excited to see how we look

Not sure if we can beat BKN, we’ll at least if they’re healthy, but I feel confident in beating anyone else

We will see…

Obvious to Rob may not be obvious to Frank (now that you mention it).
It will not surprise me one bit if Vogel decides to “smash mouth” the lineup (come hell or high water).

That is his thing.

They all know what a cheat code AD + James on court with no other bigs is, but didn’t want to bang up AD. Maybe AD became serious about getting into the best shape of his life and make a serious run at MVP. I don’t particularly like Wesbrook’s game but he he has the same work ethic about keeping his body in the best shape that James does, so I hope he’s pushing him.

Last two years in RS+PS

AD+James ON court, Gasol, Howard, McGee, Drummond OFF COURT

932 minutes, 116.1 ORtg, 99.4 DRtg, +16.7

AD+James ON court, above listed bigs + Morris + Harrell + Rondo OFF COURT

505 minutes, 113.6 ORtg, 94.1 DRtg, +19.7

[Slava]

I quite honestly don't know if starting our cheat code line up is a good idea. Its a line up that will feature a lot of switching, so not only does it tax AD, it also taxes LeBron, Westbrook and whichever other older wing takes the starting spot. I'm completely fine busting it out anytime the game is within single digits in the 4th quarter.

[PistolPeteJR]

Watch on YouTube

“I gotta take the shot.”

nO kIllER iNSTincT

[donnieme]

Watch on YouTube

“I gotta take the shot.”

nO kIllER iNSTincT

Cleveland Lebron was also insanely clutch. There was one of those seasons where you could scroll to the 4th quarter play by play of any random Cavs game and it was the same story, Lebron going nuts on some poor team down the stretch.

His first cleveland stint has to be the most oddly chronicled sector of any great's career because no one seems to remember it happened or what his game even looked like back then. Some think he always played like a big and others seem to think his career started in pace and space. It's one thing when random guys online say those things but when a guy he played against is talking about era (rasheed wallace) you have to wonder if there's some type of reverse mandela effect at work.

[falcolombardi]

Watch on YouTube

“I gotta take the shot.”

nO kIllER iNSTincT

Cleveland Lebron was also insanely clutch. There was one of those seasons where you could scroll to the 4th quarter play by play of any random Cavs game and it was the same story, Lebron going nuts on some poor team down the stretch.

His first cleveland stint has to be the most oddly chronicled sector of any great's career because no one seems to remember it happened or what his game even looked like back then. Some think he always played like a big and others seem to think his career started in pace and space. It's one thing when random guys online say those things but when a guy he played against is talking about era (rasheed wallace) you have to wonder if there's some type of reverse mandela effect at work.

out of all the myths/narratives going against lebron the worst one for his perception is probably not even the clutchness thingh

but the fact people think he played in a weak defensive era compared to the 90's and 80's people are nostalgic about

i have been watching basketball since 2008 and the narrative that soft reffing and 3 point shots made scoring easy and that any great scorer of the 80's would score 40 a game now has been going on since then, even when 2008 actually had lower scoring than any 80's year

yet the 2003-2017 period had the same efficiency (a tad lower actually i remember) and lower offensive ratings than the 80's and 90's

even in the PC board many probably have never realized lebron prime was a lower scoring environment than jordan prime , is one of those thinghs so ingrained in narrative that everyone assume it for granted

i assume is a normal nostalgic tendency for people to take it for evident that everythingh was tougher, manlier harder when they were young, amd hence better

[donnieme]

Watch on YouTube

“I gotta take the shot.”

nO kIllER iNSTincT

Cleveland Lebron was also insanely clutch. There was one of those seasons where you could scroll to the 4th quarter play by play of any random Cavs game and it was the same story, Lebron going nuts on some poor team down the stretch.

His first cleveland stint has to be the most oddly chronicled sector of any great's career because no one seems to remember it happened or what his game even looked like back then. Some think he always played like a big and others seem to think his career started in pace and space. It's one thing when random guys online say those things but when a guy he played against is talking about era (rasheed wallace) you have to wonder if there's some type of reverse mandela effect at work.

out of all the myths/narratives going against lebron the worst one for his perception is probably not even the clutchness thingh

but the fact people think he played in a weak defensive era compared to the 90's and 80's people are nostalgic about

i have been watching basketball since 2008 and the narrative that soft reffing and 3 point shots made scoring easy and that any great scorer of the 80's would score 40 a game now has been going on since then, even when 2008 actually had lower scoring than any 80's year

yet the 2003-2017 period had the same efficiency (a tad lower actually i remember) and lower offensive ratings than the 80's and 90's

even in the PC board many probably have never realized lebron prime was a lower scoring environment than jordan prime , is one of those thinghs so ingrained in narrative that everyone assume it for granted

i assume is a normal nostalgic tendency for people to take it for evident that everythingh was tougher, manlier harder when they were young, amd hence better

they are for sure exaggerating especially when they say "80s/90s". Two eras that are contrasts. 80s was high octane offensive era with some amazing elite teams at the top. Jordan's 37ppg season, Magic and Bird averaging near triple double statlines were all enabled by the breakneck pace they were playing at. Total contrast of the mid to late 90s with declining pace, expansion and fewer all time great teams outside the Bulls.

What really puts the 80s in perspective is they were scoring at a higher rate without the benefit of the explosion of the 3 ball. People watch a couple Bad boys highlights and think that kind of defense was the norm. Just going to give them the benefit of the doubt and say many have little coherent recollection of what they saw. There was a thread where some dude was talking about missing the 80s-90s where you saw high level post moves every 2 possessions on average. I mean you don't even need to pull up tape to know this is high level fiction.

[Homer38]

Read on Twitter

[donnieme]

so recently found out he shot 70-78% at the rim most years, higher than even prime Shaq. I knew it was good but didn't think it was that good. How do we get a ton of threads saying his scoring skill isn't up there with the best while the guy casually posts GOAT scoring numbers in the paint on big man volume. His paint finishing is objectively a transcendent scoring skill on par with league history's best.

Something I always thought is most people don't actually know what's great about Lebron, they just know he's an amazing player in general. It's the same thing when you look up his defensive impact metrics and clutch stats, you start to realise critics saying these things haven't done a lick of analysis on any one of his 17 years. Nearly every time I go to his career tracking numbers I'm slapped with some amazing underrated detail. This guy's legacy will age very well.

[falcolombardi]

there are some thinghs that may go against him down the road

the weird narrative that "lebron ball" has a limited offensive ceiling(?), doesnt scale well with other talented players (cavs 15-17?) or makes his teams bad when he is not on court (never applied to more liked players when their teams struggle without them)

like the fact people will associate his career with the late 2010's offensive explosión even if it only happened at the twilight of his prime, they already are biased against anythingh that came after jordan as being soft and has defensively

playing from so young to very old age will give him more mandame career averages which are the first thingh peopke look at when they research a player (also weird possesion with "rings ratios" where playing longer is a negative)

the lack of Dpoy's and all defense teams later in his career will make his defense undervalued

among other thinghs

but at least stuff like comparing joining wade and bosh to jordan joining magic and bird or the super team shaming obsession (always applied so selectively and based on big scoring names and free agency vs draft rather than actual "superteamness")

[Homer38]

Read on Twitter

stay healthy please!

[mcraft]

Read on Twitter

stay healthy please!

It’s crazy that he could be #5 in assists and #2 in points by the end of this season.

[falcolombardi]

lebron is 3020 points away of kareem and 4 633 away of 40k career points

at a slightly optimistic 25 points a game and 70 games a season pace that would be 3 000 exact points, enough to reach kareem in 2 years

a 21th season in 2024 at even 25 a game wouldnt be enough to hit 40 000

so while passing kareem is almost guaranteed in 3 years, maybe even 2

hitting 40k likely would require 4 seasons and playing at 40

hope he can get 40 000, would be a really cool milestone

[Homer38]

Read on Twitter

[donnieme]

Pretty unfortunate that only defensive reads that are followed by plays on the ball make it into highlights but at least it's something the casuals can digest. That weakside help defense is elite.

Watch on YouTube

I often wonder what eyetest people are using to have him as a bad defender. Probably twitter gifs "analysis".

[homecourtloss]

Pretty unfortunate that only defensive reads that are followed by plays on the ball make it into highlights but at least it's something the casuals can digest. That weakside help defense is elite.

Watch on YouTube

I often wonder what eyetest people are using to have him as a bad defender. Probably twitter gifs "analysis".

Basically “kUzMa PuShEd lEbRoN” Then there was that video by “Coach” Nick who was nitpicking defense during LeBron’s historic 2016 defensive playoff run.

You can see some of the reasoning in this thread (I had to use a fake title just to lure them in):

https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1820092&hilit=Statistical+horrific

[jalengreen]

LeBron has some lowlights where he takes plays off on defense which people use to base their entire evaluation of his defensive ability on. Not that you can't criticize him for those instances but in the grand scheme of things, it's not a major part of his defensive impact lol

Similar to how a lot of people treat Harden as a defensive liability because of those lowlights of his from years ago (like his first couple seasons on the rockets IIRC).

[zimpy27]

Pretty unfortunate that only defensive reads that are followed by plays on the ball make it into highlights but at least it's something the casuals can digest. That weakside help defense is elite.

Watch on YouTube

I often wonder what eyetest people are using to have him as a bad defender. Probably twitter gifs "analysis".

Basically “kUzMa PuShEd lEbRoN” Then there was that video by “Coach” Nick who was nitpicking defense during LeBron’s historic 2016 defensive playoff run.

You can see some of the reasoning in this thread (I had to use a fake title just to lure them in):

https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1820092&hilit=Statistical+horrific

Weakside help defense and line clogging perimeter defense are super underrated on these forums. Hardly ever see people commenting on it. Team defense impact is just too hard to conceptualise in the NBA I guess. It's a shame because genuinely good discussion could be had around it.