Cavaliers vs. Bulls Game 4: LeBron James highlights - 37 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assi

[VengefulAngel]

Cavaliers vs. Bulls Game 4: LeBron James highlights - 37 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists (4.25.10)

That athleticism

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofMwRzJynnc

[JohnFreeman]

LeBron > Westbrook > Durant

[annbafan]

wish he was that aggressive now

[VengefulAngel]

wish he was that aggressive now

Doesn't need to be, he's no longer the only player who can create a shot.

[annbafan]

Doesn't need to be, he's no longer the only player who can create a shot.

i know. but i miss watching that James so much:(

[VengefulAngel]

i know. but i miss watching that James so much:(

me too :(

[JohnFreeman]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgC3khaCi50

[VengefulAngel]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgC3khaCi50

TY :)

[SpaceJammeR]

fuhh lebron so explosive

[VengefulAngel]

fuhh lebron so explosive

yep that split on the pick and roll dunk.... wow

[Dr Hawk]

I miss Cavs Lebron

[Pursuer]

I remember one of his assists in that game. He gave a chest pass to Mo Williams and he drove from the three point line past somebody to the basket. Like 3 or 4 dribbles. That kind of a game, though.

[raprap]

Man nostalgic. He is a better player today though.

[red1]

Man nostalgic. He is a better player today though.
I dont know about that. Dont think he is noticeably better or worse

[Warfan]

LeBron is a better play now but was more fun to watch back then. Imagine current LeBron and his skillset with cavs lebrons athleticism. He would just completely destroy and dominate teams even more.

[red1]

LeBron is a better play now but was more fun to watch back then. Imagine current LeBron and his skillset with cavs lebrons athleticism. He would just completely destroy and dominate teams even more.
this is a myth bro

[Warfan]

this is a myth bro

I disagree, I just think right now he is the most polished offensively he has ever been, can still play great D and is a better decision maker on the court. He has expanded his game and is a threat in the post, off the ball and ofcourse in the paint. I just think he's a more mature and experienced player then before.

Lebron the last 3 years is better than any cavs LeBron imo (id say his best is probably 2012, since that was his best playoff run)

[VengefulAngel]

I disagree, I just think right now he is the most polished offensively he has ever been, can still play great D and is a better decision maker on the court. He has expanded his game and is a threat in the post, off the ball and ofcourse in the paint. I just think he's a more mature and experienced player then before.

Lebron the last 3 years is better than any cavs LeBron imo (id say his best is probably 2012, since that was his best playoff run)

This ^^.

[red1]

trust me it's a myth. anything he may have gained is offset by the slight loss of explosiveness. all that weight gain slows down acceleration

[hahaitme]

He's definitely better. I don't even think he's lost his spring, he's just tired.

Think about it, he's been playing the most minutes on the team on 3 straight trips to the finals, every team plays them like a G7 in the reg. season, and he cops a lot of contact when he drives.

His post game is much better now, his 3 is getting better, and his fades - however ugly they may be - are pretty wet ATM.

[red1]

He's definitely better. I don't even think he's lost his spring, he's just tired.

Think about it, he's been playing the most minutes on the team on 3 straight trips to the finals, every team plays them like a G7 in the reg. season, and he cops a lot of contact when he drives.

His post game is much better now, his 3 is getting better, and his fades - however ugly they may be - are pretty wet ATM.
He's not better from where he was in 2009 and 2010. That was the peak. He has been able to maintain it and his game is definitely different in many ways now but even still it would be false to say that he flat out improved.

[Marlo_Stanfield]

LeBron is way better now.
a bit less explosive but just as athletic, even stronger and better in everything els:coleman:

[red1]

LeBron is way better now.
a bit less explosive but just as athletic, even stronger and better in everything els:coleman:
you have no clue. he is the basically the same level

[ArbitraryWater]

I dont think he's changed much from 2009.. well he's changed game style wise, but in effectiveness/results? Even 2011 could have been like the great years before or after, but it was a matter of having trouble adapting to the new situation, and the chokejob killed it.

Id probably rank LeBron like this:
2012
2009
2010
2014
2013
2011

[DukeDelonte13]

Lebron is clearly better now.

2011 was a defining year for him. He matured a lot from that finals series.

[ArbitraryWater]

Lebron is clearly better now.

2011 was a defining year for him. He matured a lot from that finals series.

2009&2010 LeBron was insane :confusedshrug: Id easily take 2009 > 2013 LeBron.. 2010 prolly too.

Now we could say "Well give 2013 LeBron a weak team and he'd dominate even more than the previous versions", but im just not sure about that..

[DukeDelonte13]

2009&2010 LeBron was insane :confusedshrug: Id easily take 2009 > 2013 LeBron.. 2010 prolly too.

Now we could say "Well give 2013 LeBron a weak team and he'd dominate even more than the previous versions", but im just not sure about that..


stats are one thing, but lebron wasn't mentally ready to take his team to the promised land back then.

I'd rather have mature refined lebron than crazy-stats lebron.

[red1]

I dont think he's changed much from 2009.. well he's changed game style wise, but in effectiveness/results? Even 2011 could have been like the great years before or after, but it was a matter of having trouble adapting to the new situation, and the chokejob killed it.

Id probably rank LeBron like this:
2012
2009
2010
2014
2013
2011
pretty accurate IMO

[Marlo_Stanfield]

LeBron hasnt hit his peak yet.
he will hit his peak the next 2 years after he recovers this summer not playing much ball and only working on jumper, hook shot and post moves.

[red1]

stats are one thing, but lebron wasn't mentally ready to take his team to the promised land back then.

I'd rather have mature refined lebron than crazy-stats lebron.
if he had a better team he wouldve won in 2009 and 2010 as well

[DukeDelonte13]

if he had a better team he wouldve won in 2009 and 2010 as well


he had a better team in 2011 and didn't win. That mavs team wasn't as good as the championship lakers team IMO.

[stalkerforlife]

if he had a better team he wouldve won in 2009 and 2010 as well

2011?

[red1]

he had a better team in 2011 and didn't win. That mavs team wasn't as good as the championship lakers team IMO.
The last two years have shown us that 2011 is the anomaly, the exception. Not that hard to figure out either because he was playing a new role on new team for the first time.

[ArbitraryWater]

stats are one thing, but lebron wasn't mentally ready to take his team to the promised land back then.

I'd rather have mature refined lebron than crazy-stats lebron.

http://www.nbaloud.com/images/lebron-james12.jpg

yes he was.. you really dont think given the fitting cast, he couldn't have won?

[red1]

http://www.nbaloud.com/images/lebron-james12.jpg

yes he was.. you really dont think given the fitting cast, he could have won?
Few players in nba history were on that level of dominance 09/10 lebron was on. People think he quit vs the celtics in 2010 because of that terrible game 5 but the following game proves that theory false. He had a ton of turnovers vs the celtics in game 6 but he played his ass off and got nothing from his team. Must be frustrating as hell tbh.

[tmacattack33]

stats are one thing, but lebron wasn't mentally ready to take his team to the promised land back then.

I'd rather have mature refined lebron than crazy-stats lebron.

That's incorrect. In 2011 they were very close to winning the whole thing. In 2007 he went to the finals. In 2011 he played amazingly in the ecf. In 2009 he played amazingly in the entire playoffs and ecf.

There is no reason to believe that a player who played well in the playoffs many times before just didnt have enough to play well in the finals.

From the 2011 finals, lebron did learn somethjg though. He learned that Miami needs him to be their main guy even though they have wade too. But he obviously already knew that in Cleveland.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

09-present he's pretty much been on the same relative level.

[Magic 32]

From the 2011 finals, lebron did learn somethjg though. He learned that Miami needs him to be their main guy even though they have wade too.

And Wade learned that even if he played like a first option, Lebron wasn't going to be there as decent second option.

[J Shuttlesworth]

you have no clue. he is the basically the same level
Dude he's putting up 27 ppg on 56.5% FG this season man

[ArbitraryWater]

Few players in nba history were on that level of dominance 09/10 lebron was on. People think he quit vs the celtics in 2010 because of that terrible game 5 but the following game proves that theory false. He had a ton of turnovers vs the celtics in game 6 but he played his ass off and got nothing from his team. Must be frustrating as hell tbh.

goddamn he was dropping 38/9/7 over a 6 game series and still saw his team lose.. they needed every bit of his near 40 pointers to beat the bulls, and still had 3 great games against the c's... like, not decent ones; GREAT ONES.

[VengefulAngel]

He's slightly better, He's improved his jump-shot, post-game and shot selection which has compensated for the loss in athleticism. I actually don't think he's lost that much just that he conserves his energy and in fact is just as effective when he needs to get to the hoop with speed and power rather than it all being speed.

[red1]

Dude he's putting up 27 ppg on 56.5% FG this season man
godly stat. his 08-10 stats were pretty godly too

[ArbitraryWater]

Dude he's putting up 27 ppg on 56.5% FG this season man

yea, he was hella efficient in 09-10 as well, with better all around game and more volume.. which leads to all the "he's concerned with his fg%" comments.. upsets me that he doesnt take 20 fga.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

Dude he's putting up 27 ppg on 56.5% FG this season man
True and that's amazing - but so is putting up 30/7/9 on 60percent TS while carrying a team with Mo Williams as the 2nd best offensive player to 62 wins.

[Dresta]

if he had a better team he wouldve won in 2009 and 2010 as well
Wonder if he would've choked in 09 :confusedshrug:

Or whether he'd just been mentally disturbed in 11 from all the shit he'd been taking that whole year after joining Miami.

[ArbitraryWater]

Wonder if he would've choked in 09 :confusedshrug:

Or whether he'd just been mentally disturbed in 11 from all the shit he'd been taking that whole year after joining Miami.


Of course, duh :facepalm

What else would it have been?

[VengefulAngel]

Wonder if he would've choked in 09 :confusedshrug:

Or whether he'd just been mentally disturbed in 11 from all the shit he'd been taking that whole year after joining Miami.

I don't think he would have choked in 09, I honestly think it was more of a product of adapting to playing with D Wade and the trauma of hatred. No excuses though he wet the bed in 4 straight 4th quarters in the NBA finals.

[Dresta]

Of course, duh :facepalm

What else would it have been?
Playing on the biggest stage and freezing, being on the verge of securing something you've dreamed of for years for the first time, and losing your composure. It has happened to numerous athletes in numerous sports. You can't really say for sure what it whether it was that or the incessant hating. Maybe Lebron doesn't even know.

[ArbitraryWater]

Playing on the biggest stage and freezing, being on the verge of securing something you've dreamed of for years for the first time, and losing your composure. It has happened to numerous athletes in numerous sports. You can't really say for sure what it whether it was that or the incessant hating. Maybe Lebron doesn't even know.

I'm sure it was the Hate and Pressure of playing alongside Wade... Come on now. That's why I'd seriously doubt it to happen in 2009/2010.. especially as his team would have been swept with him doing that. In 2011 he at least somewhat got away with it. (Because of Wade)

[Dresta]

I don't think he would have choked in 09, I honestly think it was more of a product of adapting to playing with D Wade and the trauma of hatred. No excuses though he wet the bed in 4 straight 4th quarters in the NBA finals.
Really don't think it's possible that it has anything to do with that tbh. They had adapted pretty well, gone 12-3 through the first 3 rounds of the playoffs (all 3 teams with better defensive ratings than the Mavs, with the Celtics and Bulls having the best and second best defenses), and he had no problems in those series. Bron played best against Philly and Chicago, Wade against Boston and Dallas, but there was something that had nothing to do with chemistry that caused Lebron to go missing in all the biggest moments of the series, and especially whenever the Heat looked like they were going to put themselves in a position where the series was more or less won (e.g. game 4), and these are signs of a classic sporting choke. It was like watching Jana Novotna

I mean, Wade had a poor Chicago series, but he didn't simply disappear in the big moments, and combined with Lebron to spur an amazing comeback that closed out the series in 5. So basically, if it had to do with adaptation, then how come things worked so well the first 3 rounds?

[red1]

Wonder if he would've choked in 09 :confusedshrug:

Or whether he'd just been mentally disturbed in 11 from all the shit he'd been taking that whole year after joining Miami.
there was probably something going on behind the scenes in 2011 that we dont know. he wasnt himself and was visibly shook at times

[SamuraiSWISH]

Crazy athleticism. Size, speed, quickness, leaping ability, finishing ability. Truly staggering. He still wouldn't have won a ring even with another player who could create besides himself on the Cavs. He didn't get a midrange game until 2012. You can't win in the playoffs, or Finals without it. He would have met a team who just made him shoot mid range jumpers, then he'd cower in fear.

[HoopsFanNumero1]

Crazy athleticism. Size, speed, quickness, leaping ability, finishing ability. Truly staggering. He still wouldn't have won a ring even with another player who could create besides himself on the Cavs. He didn't get a midrange game until 2012. You can't win in the playoffs, or Finals without it. He would have met a team who just made him shoot mid range jumpers, then he'd cower in fear.

Another baseless comment from you :facepalm . His jumper was beyond broke in the 2012 Finals. He did most of his damage in the paint.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

We get it. You're a big Lebron fan. How about any of the other 400 NBA players in the league?

[SamuraiSWISH]

Another baseless comment from you :facepalm . His jumper was beyond broke in the 2012 Finals. He did most of his damage in the paint.
He wouldn't have got to the Finals if he hadn't finally developed a mid range game. See his performance in game 6 with the series on the line v.s. Boston. It was all alomst exclusively from mid range.

:facepalm

[HoopsFanNumero1]

He wouldn't have got to the Finals if he hadn't finally developed a mid range game. See his performance in game 6 with the series on the line v.s. Boston. It was all alomst exclusively from mid range.

:facepalm

You clearly don't remember watch him play in 2009. That was probably one of his best playoff runs and iirc, he also shot well above his career average from mid-range.

Not to mention, you specifically mentioned Finals as well. Just admit you were wrong.

[SamuraiSWISH]

You clearly don't remember watch him play in 2009. That was probably one of his best playoff runs and iirc, he also shot well above his career average from mid-range.

Not to mention, you specifically mentioned Finals as well. Just admit you were wrong.
No, LeBron had a notorious weak mid range game prior to 2012 where he finally was able to post up, and consistently shoot better from that area on the floor.

Get LeCock out of your mouth. Undies all in a bunch. It's been a knock on him his entire career. That's why besides merely quitting he went MIA on good defenses like the: 2007 Spurs, 2008 Celtics, 2010 Celtics, and 2011 Mavericks.

No consistent mid range, or reliable post game to speak of to get buckets. Hell, in last year's Finals he was still too timid to shoot that shot.

[aj1987]

He wouldn't have got to the Finals if he hadn't finally developed a mid range game. See his performance in game 6 with the series on the line v.s. Boston. It was all alomst exclusively from mid range.

:facepalm
Dude shot like shit from the mid-range. In '12 and '13 as well. Still won the rings and FMVP's.

2009:

http://i.imgur.com/eliY5dy.png

2010:

http://i.imgur.com/rjdFTfd.png

2011:

http://i.imgur.com/80sLlan.png

2012:

http://i.imgur.com/sAvcXx0.png

2013:

http://i.imgur.com/Y841eRb.png

[HoopsFanNumero1]

No, LeBron had a notorious weak mid range game prior to 2012 where he finally was able to post up, and consistently shoot better from that area on the floor.

Get LeCock out of your mouth. Undies all in a bunch. It's been a knock on him his entire career. That's why besides merely quitting he went MIA on good defenses like the: 2007 Spurs, 2008 Celtics, 2010 Celtics, and 2011 Mavericks.

No consistent mid range, or reliable post game to speak of to get buckets. Hell, in last year's Finals he was still too timid to shoot that shot.

More nonsensical drivel from you :oldlol: . I've already proven you wrong, but you still insist on holding on to your silly notion that he couldn't win before 2012.

[aj1987]

More nonsensical drivel from you :oldlol: . I've already proven you wrong, but you still insist on holding on to your silly notion that he couldn't win before 2012.
Look at the shot charts I posted. He shot better from mid-range a couple of times before. The only difference is, he has teammates who aren't scrubs.

[HoopsFanNumero1]

Look at the shot charts I posted. He shot better from mid-range a couple of times before. The only difference is, he has teammates who aren't scrubs.

Yeah, it's just like I expected. This is his first year with the Heat where his jump-shooting statistics haven't declined compared to his regular season. I don't know why these guys like Swish insist on building narratives such as he couldn't shoot, or he didn't have heart, etc. It's quite obviously because he was playing with scrubs before.

[ArbitraryWater]

Yeah, it's just like I expected. This is his first year with the Heat where his jump-shooting statistics haven't declined compared to his regular season. I don't know why these guys like Swish insist on building narratives such as he couldn't shoot, or he didn't have heart, etc. It's quite obviously because he was playing with scrubs before.

They don't want to actually take their time and analyze what happened... which is sad because I believe he could. Instead he sticks with the bullshit "couldn't shoot/no post game" stuff...