Interesting Lebron/Lakers stats.

[tamaraw08]

Lakers are 4th in both ORTG AND DRTG but only ranked 11th in strength of schedule.
They finally ranked 13th best on 3pt% from 29th last season.
KCP currently ranked 8th in the league in 3pt %, when was the last time, a Laker player was in the top 10 from the 3pt area?
While KCP is shooting the lights out and has been pretty good on defense, he is only playing 25.6 mins/game (I don't care if he starts or not) but he should be playing more IMO esp with a really good 60.4 TS% and an ORTG of 120.
Lebron stats, is he cruising/saving his best or in decline?Based on his career comparison.
LOWEST IN FT attempts in his entire career at 5.5, 2nd lowest was when he was 19 yrs old.
Lowest also in FTs made at 3.8.
And he has the highest 3pt attempts rate at 31%
2nd lowest in blocks per 100/possessions,
3rd lowest in steals per 100 possessions.
He leads the league in assists and yet his PER is lowest in the last 13 seasons.
His TS% is lowest in his last 12 years of playing.
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jamesle01.html

[Beethoven]

He's shown less lift around the basket and seems to be gassed so he ends up chucking up 3pters too much.

You reading this LeBron?? I said you are a chucker and you have no lift bc you got old. Can you prove me wrong when playoffs come??

[thebigbird]

The answer is both. He's conserving energy and he's in decline. His PER is the same as last season and his BPM and ws/48 are both better. He's destroying the entire NBA in RPM. He's at 10.17 and Giannis is second at 7.41. He's #1 in the NBA in DRPM.

[NippySudz]

The answer is both. He's conserving energy and he's in decline. His PER is the same as last season and his BPM and ws/48 are both better. He's destroying the entire NBA in RPM. He's at 10.17 and Giannis is second at 7.41. He's #1 in the NBA in DRPM.

I agree, LeBron is on the decline but even then so, LeBron is still a top 3 player and in the game thread, people were saying why doesn't he accept the mamba mentality and he's soft, haven't shown up on big games, yadda yadda yadda.

All this media driven bs.

The fact of the matter is he's getting older. He's the only wing defender of size on the Lakers so in those losses, he's gassed. He also can't blow by guys anymore like he use to.

People don't like to hear this but the Lakers need to get him help . I know, top record in the west but they need to alleviate his load so playoff time, he'll be the best LeBron which will give the Lakers a better chance at winning the title.

Asking LeBron to be your best and only wing defender, asking him to be 90% of your offense, and score is a lot.

I believe the Lakers will get him the additional help he needs. Possibly through buy out market.

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[NippySudz]

He's shown less lift around the basket and seems to be gassed so he ends up chucking up 3pters too much.

You reading this LeBron?? I said you are a chucker and you have no lift bc you got old. Can you prove me wrong when playoffs come??

Yeah I'm sure LeBron reads realgm regularly lol.

Dude you're being unfair to LeBron

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[Kilroy]

I sure hope he's conserving energy... But I think even if he is, he needs to take a couple key matchups a little more seriously... Clips and Bucks to start... We need to win the next 2 against those teams... An do so convincingly, in order to set the tone for the playoffs... In essence, we need to play those 2 games the way everyone else plays against us... Out of our heads.

[thebigbird]

I sure hope he's conserving energy... But I think even if he is, he needs to take a couple key matchups a little more seriously... Clips and Bucks to start... We need to win the next 2 against those teams... An do so convincingly, in order to set the tone for the playoffs... In essence, we need to play those 2 games the way everyone else plays against us... Out of our heads.

Lebron has often done this in regular seasons against contenders. In 2011 they went 1-3 against Boston and 0-3 against Chicago, and then beat both in 5 games in the playoffs. Went 1-3 against Boston in 2012. 0-2 against golden state in 2016, including a 34 point loss at home. I don't think it's all that important to win those two match ups in the regular season.

[NippySudz]

I sure hope he's conserving energy... But I think even if he is, he needs to take a couple key matchups a little more seriously... Clips and Bucks to start... We need to win the next 2 against those teams... An do so convincingly, in order to set the tone for the playoffs... In essence, we need to play those 2 games the way everyone else plays against us... Out of our heads.

I'm sorry, but I don't buy the setting the tone narrative. The Lakers could get swept in the regular season by the bucks and still win against them in the finals should they get there.

This is LeBron were talking about. I believe LeBron and kawhi are playoff performers. I don't believe the bucks will have the confidence the same way either of those guys will. The pressure is different.

So I disagree about setting the tone. You might be right but I disagree. Chicago set the tone against LeBron and got backdoor swept one yr. LeBron has been beaten in several regular season matchups and beat teams in the playoffs handily.

But I will say agree with you that he shouldn't settle and take long threes all game long. I personally don't think he will. I'm very excited for an LA showdown so I hope both teams can make it there!

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[Kilroy]

I sure hope he's conserving energy... But I think even if he is, he needs to take a couple key matchups a little more seriously... Clips and Bucks to start... We need to win the next 2 against those teams... An do so convincingly, in order to set the tone for the playoffs... In essence, we need to play those 2 games the way everyone else plays against us... Out of our heads.

I'm sorry, but I don't buy the setting the tone narrative. The Lakers could get swept in the regular season by the bucks and still win against them in the finals should they get there.

This is LeBron were talking about. I believe LeBron and kawhi are playoff performers. I don't believe the bucks will have the confidence the same way either of those guys will. The pressure is different.

So I disagree about setting the tone. You might be right but I disagree. Chicago set the tone against LeBron and got backdoor swept one yr. LeBron has been beaten in several regular season matchups and beat teams in the playoffs handily.

But I will say agree with you that he shouldn't settle and take long threes all game long. I personally don't think he will. I'm very excited for an LA showdown so I hope both teams can make it there!

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I don't really think the numbers support the "playoff LeBron" concept... The eyetest really didn't outside of 2016 and like his first championship run...
What you get from LeBron in the playoffs is basically what you get in the reg season, or only slightly better...

UC Berkeley's take:
https://sportsanalytics.berkeley.edu/articles/playoff-lebron.html

So no, I don't think it's logical to say we can blow the season series with the Clips and Bucks, and have any expectation of beating them in the playoffs/finals.
Especially if we don't put it in their head that we can beat them.

LeBron has been in the East before now... It's different in the West. The fact that he dropped series to marginal playoff teams in the East and then beat them in the playoffs isn't really relevant to the Clipps or the Bucks, because outside of GSW, one year of the Celtics, and a couple years of the Spurs, those 2 teams are probably better than anyone he's faced in the post season.

[Kilroy]

I sure hope he's conserving energy... But I think even if he is, he needs to take a couple key matchups a little more seriously... Clips and Bucks to start... We need to win the next 2 against those teams... An do so convincingly, in order to set the tone for the playoffs... In essence, we need to play those 2 games the way everyone else plays against us... Out of our heads.

Lebron has often done this in regular seasons against contenders. In 2011 they went 1-3 against Boston and 0-3 against Chicago, and then beat both in 5 games in the playoffs. Went 1-3 against Boston in 2012. 0-2 against golden state in 2016, including a 34 point loss at home. I don't think it's all that important to win those two match ups in the regular season.

Yeah, and I still say, outside of 2016, none of those other performances would have gotten it done against the current Clips or Bucks. I'd put the Bucks team we played this season (playing like they did against us) over any team other than the 2016 Warriors.
And if the Clips play to their potential (playoff Kawhi)... They might be better.

[NippySudz]

I sure hope he's conserving energy... But I think even if he is, he needs to take a couple key matchups a little more seriously... Clips and Bucks to start... We need to win the next 2 against those teams... An do so convincingly, in order to set the tone for the playoffs... In essence, we need to play those 2 games the way everyone else plays against us... Out of our heads.

I'm sorry, but I don't buy the setting the tone narrative. The Lakers could get swept in the regular season by the bucks and still win against them in the finals should they get there.

This is LeBron were talking about. I believe LeBron and kawhi are playoff performers. I don't believe the bucks will have the confidence the same way either of those guys will. The pressure is different.

So I disagree about setting the tone. You might be right but I disagree. Chicago set the tone against LeBron and got backdoor swept one yr. LeBron has been beaten in several regular season matchups and beat teams in the playoffs handily.

But I will say agree with you that he shouldn't settle and take long threes all game long. I personally don't think he will. I'm very excited for an LA showdown so I hope both teams can make it there!

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I don't really think the numbers support the "playoff LeBron" concept... The eyetest really didn't outside of 2016 and like his first championship run...
What you get from LeBron in the playoffs is basically what you get in the reg season, or only slightly better...

UC Berkeley's take:
https://sportsanalytics.berkeley.edu/articles/playoff-lebron.html

So no, I don't think it's logical to say we can blow the season series with the Clips and Bucks, and have any expectation of beating them in the playoffs/finals.
Especially if we don't put it in their head that we can beat them.

LeBron has been in the East before now... It's different in the West. The fact that he dropped series to marginal playoff teams in the East and then beat them in the playoffs isn't really relevant to the Clipps or the Bucks, because outside of GSW, one year of the Celtics, and a couple years of the Spurs, those 2 teams are probably better than anyone he's faced in the post season.

The Chicago bulls were 66-16 in the East. First seed. They weren't a marginal team..same thing with golden State. Golden State won 73 games that year.



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[Kilroy]

I'm sorry, but I don't buy the setting the tone narrative. The Lakers could get swept in the regular season by the bucks and still win against them in the finals should they get there.

This is LeBron were talking about. I believe LeBron and kawhi are playoff performers. I don't believe the bucks will have the confidence the same way either of those guys will. The pressure is different.

So I disagree about setting the tone. You might be right but I disagree. Chicago set the tone against LeBron and got backdoor swept one yr. LeBron has been beaten in several regular season matchups and beat teams in the playoffs handily.

But I will say agree with you that he shouldn't settle and take long threes all game long. I personally don't think he will. I'm very excited for an LA showdown so I hope both teams can make it there!

Sent from my LM-Q710(FGN) using Tapatalk

I don't really think the numbers support the "playoff LeBron" concept... The eyetest really didn't outside of 2016 and like his first championship run...
What you get from LeBron in the playoffs is basically what you get in the reg season, or only slightly better...

UC Berkeley's take:
https://sportsanalytics.berkeley.edu/articles/playoff-lebron.html

So no, I don't think it's logical to say we can blow the season series with the Clips and Bucks, and have any expectation of beating them in the playoffs/finals.
Especially if we don't put it in their head that we can beat them.

LeBron has been in the East before now... It's different in the West. The fact that he dropped series to marginal playoff teams in the East and then beat them in the playoffs isn't really relevant to the Clipps or the Bucks, because outside of GSW, one year of the Celtics, and a couple years of the Spurs, those 2 teams are probably better than anyone he's faced in the post season.

The Chicago bulls were 66-16 in the East. First seed. They weren't a marginal team..same thing with golden State. Golden State won 73 games that year.



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The Bulls played out of their head that season against a weak East, even by East standards... Nobody outside of the Loop honestly believed they'd win...
GSW was legit, if not as good as they've been other seasons, and like I said at the time, LeBron was impressive. But that was the first real time I'd seen him take his effort and intensity to another level in the post season. The rest had been marginal improvements at best.

There were also a lot of baffling mental lapses and deferring along the way that cost his teams.

But like I said, 2016 was Gold Standard LeBron, and I hope we get that... I'd just feel a little more confident if we saw it at least 2 or 3 times this season against the Bucks and Clips.

[tamaraw08]

I sure hope he's conserving energy... But I think even if he is, he needs to take a couple key matchups a little more seriously... Clips and Bucks to start... We need to win the next 2 against those teams... An do so convincingly, in order to set the tone for the playoffs... In essence, we need to play those 2 games the way everyone else plays against us... Out of our heads.

Lebron has often done this in regular seasons against contenders. In 2011 they went 1-3 against Boston and 0-3 against Chicago, and then beat both in 5 games in the playoffs. Went 1-3 against Boston in 2012. 0-2 against golden state in 2016, including a 34 point loss at home. I don't think it's all that important to win those two match ups in the regular season.

You made a good point but this happened 9 years ago, Lebron is 35 yrs old now, he's much wiser but the lift is not the same and he has to sit a few of minutes to finish stronger. KCP, Green, Bradley have to really step up and make those perimeter shots bec he also doesn't have a Kyrie and Wade to make plays when he's taking a breather.

[NippySudz]

I don't really think the numbers support the "playoff LeBron" concept... The eyetest really didn't outside of 2016 and like his first championship run...
What you get from LeBron in the playoffs is basically what you get in the reg season, or only slightly better...

UC Berkeley's take:
https://sportsanalytics.berkeley.edu/articles/playoff-lebron.html

So no, I don't think it's logical to say we can blow the season series with the Clips and Bucks, and have any expectation of beating them in the playoffs/finals.
Especially if we don't put it in their head that we can beat them.

LeBron has been in the East before now... It's different in the West. The fact that he dropped series to marginal playoff teams in the East and then beat them in the playoffs isn't really relevant to the Clipps or the Bucks, because outside of GSW, one year of the Celtics, and a couple years of the Spurs, those 2 teams are probably better than anyone he's faced in the post season.

The Chicago bulls were 66-16 in the East. First seed. They weren't a marginal team..same thing with golden State. Golden State won 73 games that year.



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The Bulls played out of their head that season against a weak East, even by East standards... Nobody outside of the Loop honestly believed they'd win...
GSW was legit, if not as good as they've been other seasons, and like I said at the time, LeBron was impressive. But that was the first real time I'd seen him take his effort and intensity to another level in the post season. The rest had been marginal improvements at best.

There were also a lot of baffling mental lapses and deferring along the way that cost his teams.

But like I said, 2016 was Gold Standard LeBron, and I hope we get that... I'd just feel a little more confident if we saw it at least 2 or 3 times this season against the Bucks and Clips.

You keep moving the goalposts. You suggest there's no evidence for playoff LeBron vs regular season LeBron then when it's been brought up, he's done it before and done so several times, it doesn't mean much.

Which side is it?

Playoff LeBron may not exist as far as elevating performance but playoff pressure does exist and outside of LeBron and kawhi, in this playoffs currently, I don't see anyone that can handle the pressure.

Giannis was a beast last year. The raptors beat the bucks after getting up 2-0. Part of that is adjustments but part of that is pressure, even giannis alluded to how losing against kawhi taught him about composure and how comfortable kawhi looked in the moment, never rattled.

It's how LeBron took a fourth seed to the finals.

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[NippySudz]

I sure hope he's conserving energy... But I think even if he is, he needs to take a couple key matchups a little more seriously... Clips and Bucks to start... We need to win the next 2 against those teams... An do so convincingly, in order to set the tone for the playoffs... In essence, we need to play those 2 games the way everyone else plays against us... Out of our heads.

Lebron has often done this in regular seasons against contenders. In 2011 they went 1-3 against Boston and 0-3 against Chicago, and then beat both in 5 games in the playoffs. Went 1-3 against Boston in 2012. 0-2 against golden state in 2016, including a 34 point loss at home. I don't think it's all that important to win those two match ups in the regular season.

You made a good point but this happened 9 years ago, Lebron is 35 yrs old now, he's much wiser but the lift is not the same and he has to sit a few of minutes to finish stronger. KCP, Green, Bradley have to really step up and make those perimeter shots bec he also doesn't have a Kyrie and Wade to make plays when he's taking a breather.

I agree with that, which is why they need to had wing depth to give them a chance in my opinion, to lessen his load.

But I don't buy the statement they have to win regular season games to prove they can beat them in the playoffs.

A lot of things can happen in the regular season. Both teams had injuries in their first meeting, opening night teams as an example. Trades can happen that can change the complexity of the team.



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[thebigbird]

I sure hope he's conserving energy... But I think even if he is, he needs to take a couple key matchups a little more seriously... Clips and Bucks to start... We need to win the next 2 against those teams... An do so convincingly, in order to set the tone for the playoffs... In essence, we need to play those 2 games the way everyone else plays against us... Out of our heads.

Lebron has often done this in regular seasons against contenders. In 2011 they went 1-3 against Boston and 0-3 against Chicago, and then beat both in 5 games in the playoffs. Went 1-3 against Boston in 2012. 0-2 against golden state in 2016, including a 34 point loss at home. I don't think it's all that important to win those two match ups in the regular season.

You made a good point but this happened 9 years ago, Lebron is 35 yrs old now, he's much wiser but the lift is not the same and he has to sit a few of minutes to finish stronger. KCP, Green, Bradley have to really step up and make those perimeter shots bec he also doesn't have a Kyrie and Wade to make plays when he's taking a breather.

Oh for sure. I'm pretty concerned about Lebron's scoring ability this season, but it's hard to get a good gauge on it because of the style he's been playing. How much of it is because of decline, and how much is it because he's facilitating? I think we'll have a better idea post-all star break. At his age it's certainly a possibility that he just doesn't have that gear anymore.

[NippySudz]

Lebron has often done this in regular seasons against contenders. In 2011 they went 1-3 against Boston and 0-3 against Chicago, and then beat both in 5 games in the playoffs. Went 1-3 against Boston in 2012. 0-2 against golden state in 2016, including a 34 point loss at home. I don't think it's all that important to win those two match ups in the regular season.

You made a good point but this happened 9 years ago, Lebron is 35 yrs old now, he's much wiser but the lift is not the same and he has to sit a few of minutes to finish stronger. KCP, Green, Bradley have to really step up and make those perimeter shots bec he also doesn't have a Kyrie and Wade to make plays when he's taking a breather.

Oh for sure. I'm pretty concerned about Lebron's scoring ability this season, but it's hard to get a good gauge on it because of the style he's been playing. How much of it is because of decline, and how much is it because he's facilitating? I think we'll have a better idea post-all star break. At his age it's certainly a possibility that he just doesn't have that gear anymore.

To me it's clear he doesn't have the gear. He couldn't even blow-by Whiteside. But he's still top 3

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[Beethoven]

He's shown less lift around the basket and seems to be gassed so he ends up chucking up 3pters too much.

You reading this LeBron?? I said you are a chucker and you have no lift bc you got old. Can you prove me wrong when playoffs come??

Yeah I'm sure LeBron reads realgm regularly lol.

Dude you're being unfair to LeBron

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I love LeBron. Reverse psychology.

[Kilroy]

The Chicago bulls were 66-16 in the East. First seed. They weren't a marginal team..same thing with golden State. Golden State won 73 games that year.



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The Bulls played out of their head that season against a weak East, even by East standards... Nobody outside of the Loop honestly believed they'd win...
GSW was legit, if not as good as they've been other seasons, and like I said at the time, LeBron was impressive. But that was the first real time I'd seen him take his effort and intensity to another level in the post season. The rest had been marginal improvements at best.

There were also a lot of baffling mental lapses and deferring along the way that cost his teams.

But like I said, 2016 was Gold Standard LeBron, and I hope we get that... I'd just feel a little more confident if we saw it at least 2 or 3 times this season against the Bucks and Clips.

You keep moving the goalposts. You suggest there's no evidence for playoff LeBron vs regular season LeBron then when it's been brought up, he's done it before and done so several times, it doesn't mean much.

Which side is it?

Playoff LeBron may not exist as far as elevating performance but playoff pressure does exist and outside of LeBron and kawhi, in this playoffs currently, I don't see anyone that can handle the pressure.

Giannis was a beast last year. The raptors beat the bucks after getting up 2-0. Part of that is adjustments but part of that is pressure, even giannis alluded to how losing against kawhi taught him about composure and how comfortable kawhi looked in the moment, never rattled.

It's how LeBron took a fourth seed to the finals.

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You're trying unsuccessfully to spin my words... No moving target... "Playoff LeBron" is a myth. If not a myth, at best, it's a gross exaggeration.
IMO he's only shown another gear once in the playoffs, and that was 2016 against GSW. Other than that, he's been plain old LeBron... And no, he doesn't always respond well to the pressure of the playoffs. He's done some remarkable disappearing acts also.

https://www.foxsports.com/nba/gallery/5-times-lebron-james-disappeared-in-the-playoffs-053017

My point in all this, defensive responses aside, is simply to point out that if you're confident about our chances in the playoffs, because "playoff LeBron," you may be in for some disappointment... I'm not going to get there until we've shown we can win the big games during the season, because I don't personally think "playoff LeBron" is a thing...

I'm glad we have LeBron... I love the pairing of him and AD... But my excitement is tempered by the fact that we've failed to show up for the biggest games of the season... I really feel like we need a legit 3rd star.

[NippySudz]

The Bulls played out of their head that season against a weak East, even by East standards... Nobody outside of the Loop honestly believed they'd win...
GSW was legit, if not as good as they've been other seasons, and like I said at the time, LeBron was impressive. But that was the first real time I'd seen him take his effort and intensity to another level in the post season. The rest had been marginal improvements at best.

There were also a lot of baffling mental lapses and deferring along the way that cost his teams.

But like I said, 2016 was Gold Standard LeBron, and I hope we get that... I'd just feel a little more confident if we saw it at least 2 or 3 times this season against the Bucks and Clips.

You keep moving the goalposts. You suggest there's no evidence for playoff LeBron vs regular season LeBron then when it's been brought up, he's done it before and done so several times, it doesn't mean much.

Which side is it?

Playoff LeBron may not exist as far as elevating performance but playoff pressure does exist and outside of LeBron and kawhi, in this playoffs currently, I don't see anyone that can handle the pressure.

Giannis was a beast last year. The raptors beat the bucks after getting up 2-0. Part of that is adjustments but part of that is pressure, even giannis alluded to how losing against kawhi taught him about composure and how comfortable kawhi looked in the moment, never rattled.

It's how LeBron took a fourth seed to the finals.

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You're trying unsuccessfully to spin my words... No moving target... "Playoff LeBron" is a myth. If not a myth, at best, it's a gross exaggeration.
IMO he's only shown another gear once in the playoffs, and that was 2016 against GSW. Other than that, he's been plain old LeBron... And no, he doesn't always respond well to the pressure of the playoffs. He's done some remarkable disappearing acts also.

https://www.foxsports.com/nba/gallery/5-times-lebron-james-disappeared-in-the-playoffs-053017

My point in all this, defensive responses aside, is simply to point out that if you're confident about our chances in the playoffs, because "playoff LeBron," you may be in for some disappointment... I'm not going to get there until we've shown we can win the big games during the season, because I don't personally think "playoff LeBron" is a thing...

I'm glad we have LeBron... I love the pairing of him and AD... But my excitement is tempered by the fact that we've failed to show up for the biggest games of the season... I really feel like we need a legit 3rd star.

I'm not confident in playoff lebron for reaching another gear. I even said that if playoff lebron doesn't exist, he still can perform under pressure. Kawhi and LeBron(and KD but he's injured) are the best under pressure. If he can give you a regular lebron stateline during the playoffs while other teams or roleplayers choke then yeah, should be enough to win. If you think the clips/bucks figured out his number if he doesn't show up in the regular season against them, then I don't know what to say about that.

I can only say in the playoffs they will have time to prepare and exploit matchups, so he's going to be better on that by default alone. (I'm not suggesting he's going to go into full playoff "mode")

You look at all those other players I mentioned like giannis who succumbed under the pressure.

if you have to go back 3 years ago to find only one bad game in a series that they won, then you're doing something good.