Rank every season of LeBron's prime '09-'20

[TheGOATRises007]

Man, 2014 is so underrated here...

Why?

His offense is comparable to 2020 IMO and his defense in 2020 was better than 2014.

[capfan33]

Man, 2014 is so underrated here...

I didn't think too hard about it honestly but if you buy the idea that the offensive environment was significantly easier in 2017/2018 than 2014 and as such think 2014 is peak Lebron offensively, then I would put it above 2018 and 2017 probably.

[falcolombardi]

2014 is in an awkward stop cause it was the first year lebron stopped being the best regular season player but his playoffs run doesnt feel as inpressive as the cavs ones

i may need to look back into that year deeper

[ardee]

Man, 2014 is so underrated here...

His lack of aggressiveness ESPECIALLY in the Finals really hurts him here.

If you compare 2014 and 2015, his team was badly outmatched in both Finals series. Yet in 2014 he only took 18.2 FGA/g, and in 2015 he took 32.7 FGA/g.

Now I still think he was better in 2014 than 2015, but do you think the 2016-18 versions of him are that passive in a series like that? You know they wouldn't be, because he played in lopsided series then too and he tried much harder.

[70sFan]

Man, 2014 is so underrated here...

Why?

His offense is comparable to 2020 IMO and his defense in 2020 was better than 2014.

His offense was inarguably better than 2020 and his defense tanked because he was forced to do so much things on this old, washed up Heat team.

2020 James would have a lot more problems against Pacers and Heat defense than 2014 did. He was far more athletic and he shot better. he was also more active without the ball.

[70sFan]

Man, 2014 is so underrated here...

His lack of aggressiveness ESPECIALLY in the Finals really hurts him here.

If you compare 2014 and 2015, his team was badly outmatched in both Finals series. Yet in 2014 he only took 18.2 FGA/g, and in 2015 he took 32.7 FGA/g.

Now I still think he was better in 2014 than 2015, but do you think the 2016-18 versions of him are that passive in a series like that? You know they wouldn't be, because he played in lopsided series then too and he tried much harder.

The difference is that 2015 Cavs had the personel to defend Warriors offense, while Heat were horrible defensively due to being so old and washed up.

James being more agressive wouldn't change a thing in 2014 finals. Besides, you don't take the difference in pace into account:

2014 finals: 18.4 FGA per game, but 26.4 per100
2017 finals: 23.4 FGA per game, but 26.4 per100

Teams averaged almost 13 more possessions per game in 2017 finals. Another thing is that James played more minutes in 2017 finals, but again - with the way Spurs played in the finals I don't see that changing anything.

So yeah, I don't see 2016-18 James doing much better than 2014 James in the finals.

[tone wone]

Man, 2014 is so underrated here...

His lack of aggressiveness ESPECIALLY in the Finals really hurts him here.

If you compare 2014 and 2015, his team was badly outmatched in both Finals series. Yet in 2014 he only took 18.2 FGA/g, and in 2015 he took 32.7 FGA/g.

Now I still think he was better in 2014 than 2015, but do you think the 2016-18 versions of him are that passive in a series like that? You know they wouldn't be, because he played in lopsided series then too and he tried much harder.

His 2016 can be lauded for a lot of reasons...aggressive scoring is NOT one of them. Just 18 30pt games all year (28 in 2014). Zero 40pt games which I believe is the only season in his career without one. In the playoffs he had exactly 1 30pt game heading into the finals.

By his standards 2016 is a very weak scoring season. Probably the weakest of his prime. His scoring was more explosive in 2011 and we all know how much that season is crapped on. Seriously, his lack of explosive scoring was a big shadow over Clevelands title chances. Van Gundy and Jackson were practically begging him to shoot the first 4 games of the Finals.

[letskissbro]

09 10 12 13
14 17 18
16 20
11
15

imo

[ardee]

Man, 2014 is so underrated here...

His lack of aggressiveness ESPECIALLY in the Finals really hurts him here.

If you compare 2014 and 2015, his team was badly outmatched in both Finals series. Yet in 2014 he only took 18.2 FGA/g, and in 2015 he took 32.7 FGA/g.

Now I still think he was better in 2014 than 2015, but do you think the 2016-18 versions of him are that passive in a series like that? You know they wouldn't be, because he played in lopsided series then too and he tried much harder.

His 2016 can be lauded for a lot of reasons...aggressive scoring is NOT one of them. Just 18 30pt games all year (28 in 2014). Zero 40pt games which I believe is the only season in his career without one. In the playoffs he had exactly 1 30pt game heading into the finals.

By his standards 2016 is a very weak scoring season. Probably the weakest of his prime. His scoring was more explosive in 2011 and we all know how much that season is crapped on. Seriously, his lack of explosive scoring was a big shadow over Clevelands title chances. Van Gundy and Jackson were practically begging him to shoot the first 4 games of the Finals.

He was aggressive when he needed to be is the point.

2014 James' team was falling apart around him and he didn't shoot more when he should have.

[ardee]

Man, 2014 is so underrated here...

His lack of aggressiveness ESPECIALLY in the Finals really hurts him here.

If you compare 2014 and 2015, his team was badly outmatched in both Finals series. Yet in 2014 he only took 18.2 FGA/g, and in 2015 he took 32.7 FGA/g.

Now I still think he was better in 2014 than 2015, but do you think the 2016-18 versions of him are that passive in a series like that? You know they wouldn't be, because he played in lopsided series then too and he tried much harder.

The difference is that 2015 Cavs had the personel to defend Warriors offense, while Heat were horrible defensively due to being so old and washed up.

James being more agressive wouldn't change a thing in 2014 finals. Besides, you don't take the difference in pace into account:

2014 finals: 18.4 FGA per game, but 26.4 per100
2017 finals: 23.4 FGA per game, but 26.4 per100

Teams averaged almost 13 more possessions per game in 2017 finals. Another thing is that James played more minutes in 2017 finals, but again - with the way Spurs played in the finals I don't see that changing anything.

So yeah, I don't see 2016-18 James doing much better than 2014 James in the finals.

Don't really buy that. That's like saying "lol we have no hope of winning, might as well give up." At least the loss would have been less embarrassing if he had asserted himself more offensively.

[ardee]

09 10 12 13
14 17 18
16 20
11
15

imo

2016 that low?

[70sFan]

His lack of aggressiveness ESPECIALLY in the Finals really hurts him here.

If you compare 2014 and 2015, his team was badly outmatched in both Finals series. Yet in 2014 he only took 18.2 FGA/g, and in 2015 he took 32.7 FGA/g.

Now I still think he was better in 2014 than 2015, but do you think the 2016-18 versions of him are that passive in a series like that? You know they wouldn't be, because he played in lopsided series then too and he tried much harder.

The difference is that 2015 Cavs had the personel to defend Warriors offense, while Heat were horrible defensively due to being so old and washed up.

James being more agressive wouldn't change a thing in 2014 finals. Besides, you don't take the difference in pace into account:

2014 finals: 18.4 FGA per game, but 26.4 per100
2017 finals: 23.4 FGA per game, but 26.4 per100

Teams averaged almost 13 more possessions per game in 2017 finals. Another thing is that James played more minutes in 2017 finals, but again - with the way Spurs played in the finals I don't see that changing anything.

So yeah, I don't see 2016-18 James doing much better than 2014 James in the finals.

Don't really buy that. That's like saying "lol we have no hope of winning, might as well give up." At least the loss would have been less embarrassing if he had asserted himself more offensively.

Don't buy that James forcing more would change the outcome at all. Spurs shot like the best team of all time in that series and they coompletely dominated old Heat team on both ends of the floor.

As I said, you don't take into account how slow the pace was in these games.

[ceoofkobefans]

2013
2012
2009
2010
2014
2016
2011
2017
2018
2020
2008
2021
2007
2006
2019
2005
2004

[MisterHibachi]

17, 13, 12, 09, 10
18, 20, 14
16
15, 11
19, 21, 22

[No-more-rings]

17, 13, 12, 09, 10
18, 20, 14
16
15, 11
19, 21, 22

Are each of those lines in order or just tiers?

[MisterHibachi]

17, 13, 12, 09, 10
18, 20, 14
16
15, 11
19, 21, 22

Are each of those lines in order or just tiers?

Interchangeable within tiers. I think they're all close enough that I would've really argue with any order within the tiers.