Outside perspective on James
by mjm6783 on Feb 7, 2010 3:27 AM CST
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Hey Cavaliers, a die hard Blazer fan here. I've come to pay homage to the King. There is a lot of debate right now about who the best player in the league is. Kobe or LBJ is the consensus, but until now the rings on Bryant's fingers have kept him in the lead.
I call BullS**t.
LeBron is the better player, hands down. I wasn't sure until this season when he started lighting it up from long range. I would say Jordan-esque, but I think it's better than that. When he is in rhythm James' range extends 5-6 steps BEHIND the 3 point line. On top of that he is unstoppable off the dribble and an excellent passer.
Everyone says Bryant has the body of work but if you look at his game it consists of making difficult jumpers fading away in order to open up the drive and score, or drive and dish. Beautiful and rare play, but not unheard of. Jordan did it, and a whole generation of imposters have been trying to do the same ever since.
James is something else. He creates space to SHOOT by being faster, stronger, and unselfish, then becomes totally selfish when he catches fire, and rains jumpers in your face. Kobe is impossible to stop, difficult to contain, and at the top of his game. LeBron is impossible to stop, impossible to contain, and seems like he still has room to grow.
Championships are great, but they require a TEAM, and some luck. Or at least a lack of bad breaks, (see: Portland Trailblazer's injuries). That should have less bearing on the Greatest of all time than it currently does.
Bottom line. Jordan is still the best, but LeBron is starting to dominate games in a way that even MJ would struggle to do. In my opinion he will pass Micheal after he changes his number and wins a championship. You can't be your own player until you have your own digits, and you can't say your the best ever until you are the MVP of the championship team.
Good luck to you Mr. James, you will inspire a new generation of players to aim even higher, and eventually we'll be talking about someone trying to dethrone you as the greatest of all time.
This is a Fan-Created Comment on FearTheSword.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff at FearTheSword
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Its his defense that will make him great.
The knock on Michael was “well he can only shoot”. So Mike went out and won the Defensive player of the year award also. LeBron is on his way to becoming that great all around player. Offense, defense, and rebounding. Total player. Total domination.
Many players can control the offensive side of a basketball game. Few can control an entire game. This King will control his Kingdom before his reign is complete.
Winning is not everything but it sure feels like it sometimes
Thanks, JM6783
The usual outside “perspective” we see here attempts to trash his game for one reason or another. These critiques are meant to inflame us Cavs/LeBron fans and are mostly illogical and counter-intuitive superstar hate.
LeBron’s all around game is a thing of beauty and its to your credit that you can see and appreciate it.
I'm Polish...what's your excuse?
LeBron has “MJ mode” where he takes over the game and scores at will, and hes got “Magic Mode” where he has the court vision and passing ability of the most versatile PG in history. Not to mention his defense rivals “Scottie Pippen mode”
The sick thing is that he can go from one mode to the other in the midst of the game.
LeBron’s only problem is that he knows hes the greatest player in the nba, and so when he isn’t knocking down jumpers at will (like the second half last night) he just gets frustrated quickly and takes several bad shots trying to will them to go in. Nobody can tell him different because hes fucking Lebron.
"My signature is only one line. You're welcome."
Not sure how you interpreted what jaws said said to make this statement.
Because nowhere did jaws say he misses because he is great.
My bad
Read it wrong. Had to rush out to go somewhere and misinterpreted it.
Either way its terrible analysis of his shooting. The only shot he’s consistent with currently is the three ball and even that comes and goes. His form and all of that isn’t consistent either, which is why he is streaky with his shot and it doesn’t roll over game to game. Every Jan/Feb he hits his stride with shooting, but it always returns to the mean. It happened last year as well. he shot 40%+ at this time last year from three, but it returned to the mean by Mar/April. He’s not the worst shooter in the world, but he made it sound as though he’s the greatest at everything in bball, in which the caveat at the end about frustration would make no sense because he is that great.
I would say some parts of his defense rival modes we have never seen before. I don’t think pippen had the defensive skills on the fast break lebron has. I would say he is the best fast break defender in the NBA and does things scottie pippen could only dream of doing on D.
there are guys that can block well. there are guys that can run down a fast break player because they are lightning fast. only one player can do both…you know who it is…
Spacing is created
as a defender would rather have him shoot than have him drive. I’ve rarely seen him actually pull an Iverson and create the room to get off a shot. Most defenders just let him shoot cuz its infinitely less lethal than him driving.
the knock USED to be
let him beat us with the jumper, but with 2/3 of his shots coming from beyond 16 feet and his accuracy improving, I think there is no longer a “lesser of two evils”….his FG% is approaching 51% and he’s clicking on 40% of his “long” shots…there is no real way to defend that. All anyone can do now is hope he has an off night or foul him and hope it’s one of the many the refs let slide
by cavslandrocks on Feb 8, 2010 9:47 PM CST up reply actions
One of the many what
the refs let slide. Fouls? Really, you’re saying that one of the top 5 ft shooters at almost 10 ft/game gets missed calls. And even if he does, you don’t think its made up for by calling a ticky-tack foul the next time down. He’s attempted 523 fts and he’s attempted 1035 fgs for the season. He’s had more ftas than shots made. If he is a jump shooter as you say he is by your analysis of where he shoots the ball, I’d say he rarely ever misses a call. But either way, with human refs, you’ll have human results. He’s not gonna get every call, but he still gets the majority of them, as he’s had more 15+ ft games this season than anyone else.
As for his shooting. Please see above response to talonk. His shooting mechanics are still terrible. The fact that he goes on a hot streak at this time every year makes sense as its the peak of most teams’ schedules and therefore right before the downturn of the season meaning most players are at their best at this point if below or near their prime. Besides he’s still not a 40% 3-pt shooter as you claim. And asides from a few hot games, he’s still wholly inefficient from behind three. Where did you get 2/3 of his shots are from beyond 16 ft, cuz whoever told you that would be lying to you. Lebron still relies on drives a lot to balance out his shooting to add to his score. Unless its a hot game, he spends the majority of his time around the rim and at the ft line to get his points. Lets not get carried away with his shooting ability because fg% doesn’t reflect where the shot was taken. Also, he wouldn’t have nearly as many fouls if he drove only 1/3 of the time. That’d be a ridiculous 523 fts from about 350 shots around the rim if we stick to your percentage. Thats a ridiculous 1.5 fts per drive to the rim.
Its not that I don’t like Lebron don’t get me wrong. He’s a freakish athlete, but in my eyes he still hasn’t transcended from freakish athlete to an offensively sound player. He’s not someone who I would give a high schooler’s tape of to watch the mechanics of offense. Footwork, shot mechanics, and other things of that nature are still missing. To me he’s better as a Magic-type P-F cuz of the fact that he can see the whole court and be effective. If he were to ever get a coach with a system where he could focus on being that instead of the entire offense the league would be in trouble. Like if he ever learned a system like the Princeton offense or the triangle with the same parts around him. Lord help the league cuz it would just make the entire offense so much better if he didn’t have to carry the load of creating for himself and others. Thats my two cents on Lebron. So if you ever see me say nething not to your liking remember this. This is my opinion. If you disagree thats on you, but this is what I think.
Really?
The ONLY part of your baseless rant I’m going to answer is the part about “my analysis”…Sorry to disappoint you, but I DON’T just snatch numbers out of the ether and brandish them about as facts like you trolls do….why don’t YOU try looking at an unbiased and disinterested source for REAL FACTS..You LAKER TROLLS are really starting to annoy me with your utter stupidity…read it and weep TROLL
http://www.82games.com/0910/09CLE10.HTM
by cavslandrocks on Feb 9, 2010 12:58 AM CST up reply actions
It wasn't a rant
just because I don’t kiss Lebron’s ass at everything he does. If I’m such a troll, tell me how many times I said Lebron sucks in there.
Secondly, where does your link say how often he attempts a mid-range shot. his jumpshot efg% is up because he’s become more efficient at threes at around 36%. Where’s the mid-range data. They don’t do that at 82games.com. I went looking for the Hotspots yday, but NBA.com doesn’t have them up there yet as far as I could see. Anyway break it down. He shoots about 5 3s a game, and 1/3 of his shots are inside according to your link so thats about 7 inside shots a game, leaving 7 mid-range shots to be accounted for. Ok, so u have about 2/5, I rounded up to the 40%, threes made per game. Thats 6 of his 30 pts. Then you have about 5.5/7 close range shots from the percentage of inside makes he has from 82 games.com and thats about 11 points. So we’re at 17 points. Then he has 10 fts a game of which he makes 8, I rounded up its really 7.8, now we’re at 25 points. So he gets 5 points from his mid-range game which would be a nice 2.5 makes from mid-range at 7 a game. Tell me where his efficiency from mid-range is again. its not there. He’s a 3-pt shooter, not a shooter. Cmon son, get the heck outta here with that bull about trolling. My comment was geared at his inside to mid-range game. If you don’t want to break it down for yourself be dumb about it, but I know what I’m talking about when it comes to his shooting. Hell everyone knows. Its improved greatly from what it was, but it is still not lethal and I would still let him shoot mid-range all day before I let him drive and get my bigs or myself into foul trouble. And look up his numbers from last year and you will see the trend of his 3-pt shooting. It gets hot by Jan/Feb and cools down by the end of the year. I don’t make stuff up either. There are players you stick to by the hip to make sure they get no clean shots off and there are players that you let them get their shots because not truly lethal from there. Lebron is still one who is not lethal from there every game. We know he can get hot, but he sill isn’t a great shooter. Goodness act like you’ve played defense in basketball once in your life.
Btw
I’’m not even from L.A. Nor am I from California. I’m actually from the midwest. I have favorite players yes, but overall I love the game of basketball. Maybe you should get back in touch with that and out of touch with all things Lebron. There are people who do things better than he, its not the end of the world, and my opinon on him doesn’t make me a troll just because I happen to like a different team. Please get over yourselves, nobody cares about coming at the Cavs. You’re a great team. I understand that, its noted, great for you. Now respect my opinion just as I would respect yours, no matter how wrong I felt you were.
THE DIFFERENCE
Yours is an OPINION…Mine is supported by FACTS…“close” is defined there as anything in the paint that is not a dunk or a tip. By default that makes ALL other (64%, which is THREE % points shy of the 2/3 I claimed) “long” NOT 3s…the only assumption I made was that a 44% eFG% would translate to a 40% FG% in the actual…You also failed to include in your most recent rant that LeBron scores more ppg on jumpers than on “close” shots and dunks combined (36% of his shots)now go away ya little troll
by cavslandrocks on Feb 9, 2010 3:33 PM CST up reply actions
He makes 1 more point from jumpers
according to your site at 82games.com. and it was in there if you bothered to read it I just didn’t add them up up cuz its irrelevant. 1 more point and you shoot 66% of your shots from “long” as you put it. Well I hate to break it to you, but they also consider 3’s jumpers n 82games.com which would put it into that category in this instance. Don’t be dumb and thickheaded. Where are the 3-pt stats then if they’re not right there and why would 82games just leave that out? Please tell me, actually you should tell them that their judging players jumpshot efficiency without including the 3-pt%.
Anyway, you take that 1 more point from jumpers as evidence he’s become a great shooter, and that I can’t let him shoot. All it proves to me is that he’s still wholly more efficient with 1/3 of his possessions more than he is with the other 2/3. You do realize thats a net total of about 11 points on around 12 shots right. Thats efficient. Unlike the 10.5 points on around 7 shots. Please do your own math before you speak. You speak your facts, I’ll speak mine, which I have for the second time now. Tell me the efficiency in shooting 12 shots for 11 points, 6 of which come from 5 3pta/game, and I’ll ask you where you learned to do math.
WTF part of “beyond16 feet” (that means ANYTHING more than 16 feet…get your GED) didn’t you understand?…..your “analysis” also ASSUMES that ANY shot in the paint is a layup or dunk…watch some games .you’re an idiot…GO AWAY
by cavslandrocks on Feb 9, 2010 8:49 PM CST up reply actions
mmhmm,
Go to nba.com/hotspots and tell me that the majority of his shots within 16 feet aren’t right at the rim. Its ok I forgive you for the fact that within 16’ he shoots less than 90 shots that aren’t right at the rim, and I’ll forgive you for the fact that he has a poor percentage for those shots, a little above 30% if you don’t feel like calculating it. Outside that he’s decent, I told you that, but he’s not a lights out shooter by any means. His only hotspot within the 3-pt lane and outside the lane is on the baseline. Like I said I would still bet on him being out there before I let him get into the lane. You were right he’s right around 40%, see I admitted I was wrong. Sorry if what I’m seeing and what you see differs, but this is what the NBA, an unbiased and disinterested source for you, says are hist stats for shots. The hotspots doesn’t include tonights game yet, but its up to date for everything else as far as I know
Great.
Just because I don’t kiss Lebron’s ass at everything he does. If I’m such a troll, tell me how many times I said Lebron sucks in there.
Secondly, where does your link say how often he attempts a mid-range shot. his jumpshot efg% is up because he’s become more efficient at threes at around 36%. Where’s the mid-range data. They don’t do that at 82games.com. I went looking for the Hotspots yday, but NBA.com doesn’t have them up there yet as far as I could see. Anyway break it down. He shoots about 5 3s a game, and 1/3 of his shots are inside according to your link so thats about 7 inside shots a game, leaving 7 mid-range shots to be accounted for. Ok, so u have about 2/5, I rounded up to the 40%, threes made per game. Thats 6 of his 30 pts. Then you have about 5.5/7 close range shots from the percentage of inside makes he has from 82 games.com and thats about 11 points. So we’re at 17 points. Then he has 10 fts a game of which he makes 8, I rounded up its really 7.8, now we’re at 25 points. So he gets 5 points from his mid-range game which would be a nice 2.5 makes from mid-range at 7 a game. Tell me where his efficiency from mid-range is again. its not there. He’s a 3-pt shooter, not a shooter. Cmon son, get the heck outta here with that bull about trolling. My comment was geared at his inside to mid-range game. If you don’t want to break it down for yourself be dumb about it, but I know what I’m talking about when it comes to his shooting. Hell everyone knows. Its improved greatly from what it was, but it is still not lethal and I would still let him shoot mid-range all day before I let him drive and get my bigs or myself into foul trouble. And look up his numbers from last year and you will see the trend of his 3-pt shooting. It gets hot by Jan/Feb and cools down by the end of the year. I don’t make stuff up either. There are players you stick to by the hip to make sure they get no clean shots off and there are players that you let them get their shots because not truly lethal from there. Lebron is still one who is not lethal from there every game. We know he can get hot, but he sill isn’t a great shooter. Goodness act like you’ve played defense in basketball once in your life.
You must be hopped up on drugs!
Lay off the Meth and come back down to earth.
I'm Polish...what's your excuse?
While talking about LeBron, you said:
He’s a freakish athlete, but in my eyes he still hasn’t transcended from freakish athlete to an offensively sound player.
LeBron isn’t an “offensively sound player”? I’m pretty sure that most people would consider that comment wrong.
I'm pretty sure most people
would read everything I said before commenting again. His shooting isn’t sound and neither are the mechanics of his shot. Please go to nba.com/hotspots and see where he shoots from and then come back and try to talk again. I said he’s improved and has great decision-making, but when judging him as a scoring threat he still is not the complete offensive player. Thank you for raising your hand now please sit down.
lebron
can be any type of player he wants to be…..one minute he’s a point guard then the next minute he’s a shot blocker, next thing you know he’s shooting 3’s and then the dudes posterizing everyone and their moms!
offense, defense, lebron can be any player you want him to be, better yet! he can be any player you need him to be, and that is what makes him the best player in the NBA right now, very dangerous man at this point in his career and he can only get better.
"minds sharpens minds, like steel sharpens steel"
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