The Official Lebron James Discussion Thread

[tarheelsnipe]

Yes, the sports media did - but since we didn't have mass Internet fan discussion back in those days, it seems much less by comparison.

MJ couldn't get out of the Eastern Conference. The Pistons had MJ on lockdown. He was dubbed as being too flashy, shoot first and pass later, and too focused on his personal stats. Sound like somebody else's comparisons? LBJ has a great opportunity to be special - I'm talking top 3 or 4 all time special. I hate it when he makes those mistakes in the realm of political correctness.

Nike did LBJ a disservice by commercializing him too much too soon. It worked out great for them, though. Their stock went up 8% the week the Cavs made the finals. I honestly do think he'll be a multiple title winner. No one player in the league can stop his offense with consistency.

[zoomin6]

Lebron James will be a great player in NBA history, I will admit it, but I just don't like the guy.

My one sentence satisfies me, enough said

walter..

[underdawg]

Lebron James will be a great player in NBA history, I will admit it, but I just don't like the guy.

My one sentence satisfies me, enough said

walter..

Why?

I'm not a fan of LeBron. I admit he is great and can be even greater.

Overall his personality seems fine. The video thing was by Nike, not LeBron. I don't mind him admitting that he smoked weed. I remember watching an interview, (60 minutes) he seemed real mature. Of course theres the not shaking hands, and not signing kids' autographs. But there are far worse things.

[Ray33]

Who is Lebron James?

[garnett_21]

Nathan, why doesn't Josh Childress get his own thread?

Why don't the WIZARDS get their own thread?? I think this should be looked into by the staff.

Sorry, players who aren't in the NBA, and NBA teams, don't get recognition - nor do any player that isn't argued about by somebody on an hourly basis...lol

The Cavs continue to make moves in the offseason to build around Lebron, but they're still coming up short. When will comparisons of LBJ to Barkley, Malone, and Ewing start - Franchise players that couldn't get it done?

Probably never - those guys weren't talked about like that until their careers were almost over, or were already over. Lebron is only a 6-year vet...I don't think that anyone, but most especially the media, should be labelling him as a great player who can't get it done.

And what if he doesn't win the title before Kobe retires? Will that tarnish his legacy?

Highly doubt it...Jordan didn't win a ring until Magic was out of the league...but, I think that's a moot point, as Lebron will win a ring in the next 4 years, and Kobe won't retire for at least another 5-6 years, IMHO.

If he wins the title this season with Shaq on board, it'll help some, but he'll then just hear for awhile what Kobe had to for years (can you win without Shaq?).

Yeah, but that's what I don't get - no player can win a title as the star of his team - MJ had Pippen, Duncan had Robinson/Parker/Ginobili, Kobe had Shaq/Gasol, Garnett had Pierce/Allen, Wade had Shaq...and the list goes on...so that hold no relevance with me, as no one player will ever be able to win a title by themselves.

Cavs were still one of the worst teams in the league. They've only been TRUE contenders for two years now (and no, the year they went to the Finals they weren't anything near contenders).

Well, you kinda have to be better than chopped liver to be able to make the finals...so, while they weren't an elite team, I'd still say they were contenders...it's not exactly a fluke to be able to win 12 games in the playoffs...

Personally, I don't think Lebron, himself, needs to do much more in order to win a title - it's the management that needs to surround him with star talent for him to win a title - he's not going to put up Wilt or Oscar-like numbers, and averaging more than 30 ppg, 8 rpg and 8 apg seems highly unlikely in today's game...

[selby56]

I think the Cavs don't have any excuses this year. It is put up or shut up. Last year I thought they had everything they needed, but Orlando exposed their weakness. This year if the Cavs don't win, we can't use the excuse that Lebron doesn't have enough help. Unless Shaq, Mo, or Delonte get hurt, we can't say that he didn't have help. He has one of the greatest centers of play the game, while he is old, he is still easily a top 5 center in the league today, he has an All-Star PG that was third in three pointers last year, and he now has a fairly deep bench with the additions of Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker and Z now coming off the bench.

Granted that Boston, LA, and SA got better also, if the Cavs are going to get it done, it has to be this year. There are simply no excuses this year if everyone stays healthy.

[underdawg]

I think the Cavs don't have any excuses this year. It is put up or shut up. Last year I thought they had everything they needed, but Orlando exposed their weakness. This year if the Cavs don't win, we can't use the excuse that Lebron doesn't have enough help. Unless Shaq, Mo, or Delonte get hurt, we can't say that he didn't have help. He has one of the greatest centers of play the game, while he is old, he is still easily a top 5 center in the league today, he has an All-Star PG that was third in three pointers last year, and he now has a fairly deep bench with the additions of Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker and Z now coming off the bench.

Granted that Boston, LA, and SA got better also, if the Cavs are going to get it done, it has to be this year. There are simply no excuses this year if everyone stays healthy.

I wouldn't say they are perfect. Their weakness to me is their bench. You said fairly deep. True, but what would help them tremendously would be a scorer off the bench. A pure scorer. A Von Wafer. An Odom. A Manu. An Artest. A Ben Gordan.

Their bench is full of productive role players.

I believe they should have kept Joe Smith though. Their PF position is thin, especially with Powe out for a while.

[selby56]

I wouldn't say they are perfect. Their weakness to me is their bench. You said fairly deep. True, but what would help them tremendously would be a scorer off the bench. A pure scorer. A Von Wafer. An Odom. A Manu. An Artest. A Ben Gordan.

Their bench is full of productive role players.

I believe they should have kept Joe Smith though. Their PF position is thin, especially with Powe out for a while.

Well, their bench is much better than it was last year, and last year they were expected to win it all.

Plus I agree about Joe Smith. I was praying we could have held onto him, he is the perfect PF to have playing next to Shaq. But I have heard that J.J. Hickson has improved a lot this off-season and that if he stays healthy that he will get more minutes than he did last year, and last year he got averaged 12 a game, so if he can give 20-25 solid minutes at PF, I'd be happy. J.J. has a decent jumper, better than Varejaos.

[zoomin6]

Why?

I'm not a fan of LeBron. I admit he is great and can be even greater.

Overall his personality seems fine. The video thing was by Nike, not LeBron. I don't mind him admitting that he smoked weed. I remember watching an interview, (60 minutes) he seemed real mature. Of course theres the not shaking hands, and not signing kids' autographs. But there are far worse things.

I have no grudge or hate the guy. Smoking weed, is nothing big, who cares? Yea it would have been better for him to have shaken the magics' players hands after the game, and would have been courteous to have signed the kids' autographs at the Mo Williams event. Besides the point, what I meant was that I'm not a huge fan of Lebron. Just not big on him at all, I think he will win a championship, maybe even a few championships, that is everyones goal in the NBA and I wish every player in the NBA can experience it, but the sad thing is not everyone will.

So in conclusion, I'm not a big fan of Lebron, and on the Kobe vs. Lebron thing, I will always choose Kobe over Lebron in every aspect.

walter..

[nbacard]

MJ couldn't get out of the Eastern Conference. The Pistons had MJ on lockdown. He was dubbed as being too flashy, shoot first and pass later, and too focused on his personal stats. Sound like somebody else's comparisons? LBJ has a great opportunity to be special - I'm talking top 3 or 4 all time special. I hate it when he makes those mistakes in the realm of political correctness.

Nike did LBJ a disservice by commercializing him too much too soon. It worked out great for them, though. Their stock went up 8% the week the Cavs made the finals. I honestly do think he'll be a multiple title winner. No one player in the league can stop his offense with consistency.

That's why MJ is one of the greatest.

MJ finally broke Crazy BAD BOYS(might be one of toughest team ever !).

But how about LBJ? What did he do? When DH12 broke Shotclock?




and How about MJ ? do you remember this picture ?

LBJ is taller than MJ and Ewing is taller than DH12 but ?

Part of funny LBJ fans tells like this "LBJ did everything EXCEPT Championship.(BEEP wrong! If someone is compared with crazy toppest Legned players, Champ is all !) Who can be comparable with LBJ? only Wilt Chamberlain?"

Funnily when LBJ lost games, they told like this "Comparison with MJ is unfair because LBJ was H.S. Player and MJ was from UNC blabblab. And it is not unfair LBJ is just growing and MJ made whole career. anyway LBJ is LBJ !!"


Those funny point is part of them have two measures.

When LBJ won the game " WOW that is LBJ!"




When LBJ lost "LBJ's Cavs is one man team ever ! That's the reason why LBJ lost ! And why refree calls like that ? "
- Beep !! not true. Z-Man, Mo-Will etc. are just bench player? Rather I think 1994 Rockets (VS Knicks) was one man team like their measure.
(Of course, Rockets was not oneman team but looks like that because there were only Olajuwon. Others were nice players but not all star level like Otis Thorpe, Kenny Smith, Robert Horry(sophomore), Sam Cassell(rookie), Mario Elie etc.)



I don't deny LBJ is one of the craziest through entire NBA history.


But I can't accept LBJ is "The Chosen one" yet.


Magic Johnson won Champ and Final MVP in his rookie season
-> Of course, there were Jabbar. But that Jabbar was not the craziest Jabbar(than Bucks era).

Bill Russell won 11 rings and his 6 or 7 season were streight winning champ.


If I tell like that, part of LBJ fans might say like this.

"BOO! It was just old time. It was EASIER to get champ at that time. Players were really WEAKER than now."
-> BEEP not true.


Russell's opponent was THE CRAZIEST Wilt Chamberlain. Before Stilt, Opponent was Elgin Baylor and Jerry West.
So if someone tells that is funny, it means "Elgin Baylor and Jerry West is just So-So Players !"
(Ah..Of course, there were Bob Cousy and John Havlicek at Celtics though)

And I don't well know about old games. But I don't think it was softer than now. Rather it might be tougher than now.


Magic's opponent was DR. J.
(Off topic, there were Henry Bibby at 76ers - Mike Bibby's father.)


So at least those legend didn't make kidding. Rather it might be really hard. But they accomplished !


But what LBJ did?

Yes he got MVP but anything else?

Swept hardly by Spurs at Final and another swept hardly by DH12's Orlando at ECF(Sorry not Final)?




Yes MVP is very hard to get. But Look, we tell about LBJ not Z-Man or Gasol.

If Z-Man or Gasol win MVP, it might be definitely very nice thing.
(Of course, less possiblities.)

But LBJ has been compared with the craziest legend like MJ and another MJ.



Michael Jordan's Opponent was Crazy BAD BOYS and LBJ's Opponent was weak (than crazy deffense 80's,90's teams) but LBJ lost.


I'm not a liker or hater of LBJ. But if he doesn't do anything for the next season, he is not "THE Chosen one" any longer.
(Remind Magic Johnson's just rookie's winning champ and final MVP !)

Because there is SHAQ.



Just my OP(a bit off topic), I don't like someone calls "Chosen One" by himself before doing something.

Magic Johnson called "Magic" by himself ?(As I know certain mediaman named that)

Of course, that is free calling by himself.

But at least before calling by himself, he must show something to us.




Not stat but Champ.







('') Really? If you are "The Chosen 1" show us something even Haters can accept you are "The Chosen One" !