Its obvious LeBron has lost a step, so how will he adjust?

[PleezeBelieve]

Because the league has already started to adjust to him being a less explosive version of himself from even 6 months ago.

How things can change in about half a calender year. Wow

[Kidbasketball20]

He shouldn't have left the Heat

[PleezeBelieve]

He shouldn't have left the Heat
This is so much more than him staying or leaving the Heat. He's essentially 60% of the player he's been the last 3 years

He's predominately a below the rim SF... I really can't believe I'm saying that, but it's true

[hitmanyr2k]

During the offseason everyone was talking about Lebron dropping weight and assumed he'd be more explosive. It seems to have had the opposite effect. He looks slower than ever.

[Swaggin916]

Yea very strange to see him play like this... took a couple old man shots and made a few old man moves... but hey adjusting now is his best option. He has younger guys to be explosive.

[Blue&Orange]

During the offseason everyone was talking about Lebron dropping weight and assumed he'd be more explosive. It seems to have had the opposite effect. He looks slower than ever.
paleo diet = idiot diet

[MastaKilla]

rumors are he might retire mid season

[Mr.Kite]

Pass the ball

[BigMacAttack]

Hgh....

[G0ATbe]

I think he'd be a fairly solid bench player. He needs to be kept out of 4th quarters though.

[SamuraiSWISH]

It's staggering how different he looks physically in just 4 - 5 months since June. Like he aged rapidly in that span, and the lack of explosion has totally changed his game or impact level. There has to be something else as the root cause. Injury, soreness, or HGH cycling.

[gts]

It's staggering how different he looks physically in just 4 - 5 months since June. Like he aged rapidly in that span, and the lack of explosion has totally changed his game or impact level. There has to be something else as the root cause. Injury, soreness, or HGH cycling.

I haven't watched a lot this season but tonight I did and you can see somethings up... he's not the same Lebron, this is like a glimpse into the future... Hopefully it's just a glimpse and not that the future is now

[STATUTORY]

league institutes HGH ban, Bran hairline grows back, no more lift, no more hops, no more explosion and visibly exit his prime right in front of our eyes

:roll:

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

http://i.imgur.com/8pG5dhs.png

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

[plowking]

Heat need a back up PF. He can bulk up a little again and come off the bench for Bosh.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Heat need a back up PF. He can bulk up a little again and come off the bench for Bosh.
Doesnt Bosh play center now..........

[plowking]

Doesnt Bosh play center now..........

Bosh plays SSG.

Soft shooting guard.

[sportjames23]

Lebron make adjustments? Surely, you jest, OP?

[STATUTORY]

Lebron make adjustments? Surely, you jest, OP?
adjustments to his flight itinerary, Bran taking his talents elsewhere

[tomtucker]

it

[jrong]

He looks huge to me. I thought he was doing the paleo diet.

[9erempiree]

He's done. We've already seen his best. There will be no longevity or a long ass peak like Kobe.

[Dresta]

It's staggering how different he looks physically in just 4 - 5 months since June. Like he aged rapidly in that span, and the lack of explosion has totally changed his game or impact level. There has to be something else as the root cause. Injury, soreness, or HGH cycling.
He had an athletic drop-off last year, and looked a worse player on both ends, especially defensively, even if the personal stats don't necessarily show it.

[9erempiree]

I don't like Lebron and I hate tragedies even more. So it is kind of sad to see him like this. I knew he has no skills to compensate for this.

[KungFuJoe]

He looks like Delahoya vs Pacquaio. Kawhi would be Pacquaio of course.

[9erempiree]

This is the old man shit we talking about here. Below rim and shit.

Kobe right now can get up higher than that with much more elusiveness and agility.

http://sports.yahoo.com/video/love-launches-lebron-004835574.html

[Dresta]

He definitely didn't have the wind to play defense last year like he had the previous 3 seasons, visibly gave way less effort. I agree. But he was carrying a much larger load with Bosh, and Wade's inconsistency.

Athleticism wise last year he actually looked quite good. Throwback even. He had multiple dunks where he got his head at rim level, or put his nuts on someone's shoulder. I can show numerous highlights to back me up.

But the blow by explosion has taken a hit. And this isn't like in 2011 where Miami didn't have enough shooters to space the floor to create driving lanes for both Bron, and Wade at the same time ... giving the illusion he couldn't do it.

Now? He looks beat physically. I see him doing old man type stuff in many of these games. He's not even limber moving in different directions on fakes in transition. And his leaping ability is the worst it's ever been.



He wasn't carrying a large load in Miami last year, at least, it was one of the smallest loads of his career. He's just played so many minutes in his career that the warning signs list year made me think there'd be further drop-off this season, so it's not that unexpected. He will probably improve a bit as the season goes on but i think his prime is finished. He needs to seriously work on his footwork if he wants to not drop off a cliff.

[SamuraiSWISH]

He wasn't carrying a large load in Miami last year, at least, it was one of the smallest loads of his career.
Did you watch the playoffs / Finals?


He needs to seriously work on his footwork if he wants to not drop off a cliff.
Agreed. It's the craftiness, and skill that gave MJ / Kobe such longevity with minimal amounts of drop off as athleticism waned.

[sportjames23]

He looks like Delahoya vs Pacquaio. Kawhi would be Pacquaio of course.

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02422/pacget_2422570b.jpg

[pastis]

He wasn't carrying a large load in Miami last year, at least, it was one of the smallest loads of his career. He's just played so many minutes in his career that the warning signs list year made me think there'd be further drop-off this season, so it's not that unexpected. He will probably improve a bit as the season goes on but i think his prime is finished. He needs to seriously work on his footwork if he wants to not drop off a cliff.

wow....wade lover is back... did you wach the playoffs and finals:confusedshrug: i think not, cause even a wade delusional wade lover and lebron hater have to admit the opposite:facepalm

edit: to haters: we will see how far lebron and cavs will go in the playoffs. i NBA finals are lock.
and btw, why is nobody focsuing on love or irving? especially love was hyped as hell.

[Dresta]

Did you watch the playoffs / Finals?


Agreed. It's the craftiness, and skill that gave MJ / Kobe such longevity with minimal amounts of drop off as athleticism waned.
Of course i did. In the playoffs Bron was carrying a pretty small load, and though everyone else stopped contributing in the finals it's not like Bron took all their shots. I mean, he played less than 40mpg took 18 shots, with only 5FTA, and 4 assists. In the 2014 playoffs overall he played 3+ mpg less than in any other season of his career, he took less shots than any other season of his playoff career. He also had less assists and rebounds than ever before. The whole he's carrying such a great load narrative was media-driven nonsense to hide a drop-off in performance. It seems he's going to have to carry a bigger load this season if he wants to win, and it's going to be a real struggle if he tries.

Honestly, he was carrying more of a load in the 2013 playoffs than the 2014 (played more minutes, took more shots, grabbed more boards, and dished more assists) - perhaps him reducing this load was a sign of his deterioration as an athlete?

[SamuraiSWISH]

Of course i did. In the playoffs Bron was carrying a pretty small load, and though everyone else stopped contributing in the finals it's not like Bron took all their shots. I mean, he played less than 40mpg took 18 shots, with only 5FTA, and 4 assists. In the 2014 playoffs overall he played 3+ mpg less than in any other season of his career, he took less shots than any other season of his playoff career. He also had less assists and rebounds than ever before. The whole he's carrying such a great load narrative was media-driven nonsense to hide a drop-off in performance. It seems he's going to have to carry a bigger load this season if he wants to win, and it's going to be a real struggle if he tries.

Honestly, he was carrying more of a load in the 2013 playoffs than the 2014 (played more minutes, took more shots, grabbed more boards, and dished more assists) - perhaps him reducing this load was a sign of his deterioration as an athlete?
Solid argument. You might be right.

[Dresta]

wow....wade lover is back... did you wach the playoffs and finals:confusedshrug: i think not, cause even a wade delusional wade lover and lebron hater have to admit the opposite:facepalm

edit: to haters: we will see how far lebron and cavs will go in the playoffs. i NBA finals are lock.
and btw, why is nobody focsuing on love or irving? especially love was hyped as hell.
Look at his numbers and every part of the game that can constitute 'load' was down last season. I know you're an idiotic troll who's completely blind to the facts, but try not to be such a ****ing idiot.

Look at Lebron taking on all that extra load by taking less shots, creating fewer chances for his teammates, grabbing fewer rebounds, playing less minutes, AND being invisible on defense. What a load! What a struggle!

Maybe he had a large 'load' compared to most guys in the league, but compared to his playoff history, last year he probably carried the lowest 'load' of his career. Which i might add is fair enough considering his age and mileage, but lets not pretend Lebron was extra burdened last year, because that's just palpable nonsense.

[andremiller07]

By asking for more help and try play GM and try get another player to come over.

[pastis]

its not only about the statistics. watching these finals you got the impression that lebron was alone on a sinking ship, wade already away on his rescue boat...and bosh...yea was bosh. lebron was alone, like 2013.

lebron played godlike 2014.

[andremiller07]

its not only about the statistics. watching these finals you got the impression that lebron was alone on a sinking ship, wade already away on his rescue boat...and bosh...yea was bosh. lebron was alone, like 2013.

lebron played godlike 2014.
Now he's the captain of a sinking submarine

[HOoopCityJones]

More performance enhancers?

[pastis]

Now he's the captain of a sinking submarine

no blame to love:confusedshrug:

btw: i expect miami vs cleveland in ECF.

wade vs lebron. will be a nice matchup.:applause:

[Dresta]

its not only about the statistics. watching these finals you got the impression that lebron was alone on a sinking ship, wade already away on his rescue boat...and bosh...yea was bosh. lebron was alone, like 2013.

lebron played godlike 2014.
No, i got the impression that Bron was the captain of a sinking ship, but instead of trying to fix the ship and risk going down with it, pushed all the women and children aside to jump on the life raft and make his way to a brand new ship.

Strange that considering his being the primary ball-handler and distributer (Bron that is) that he had a guy on his team that was being very efficient in Bosh, only, he never got him the ball, neglected to get him more involved, instead giving a decrepit Ray Allen 41 shots to Bosh's 51 (i wonder why). Someone who is playing 'godlike' doesn't average 28 points and as many assists as Turnovers (4) while his team gets repeatedly blown out of the gym.

Bron was alone in 2013? Looks like it: http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201306130SAS.html

And i should remind you that Bron had played like complete dogshit in the two games prior to this one.

Anyway, cba with trolls like you, cba...

[Graviton]

Idk wtf is going on, just watching him currently is pretty sad. Complete scrubs blow by him with ease, it's not even an effort issue anymore, he just doesn't show any lateral quickness or energy. Always late running back on D, struggling to explode with 1st or even 2nd/3rd step.

I doubt he declined THAT much in a couple months, something else is going on.

[pastis]

No, i got the impression that Bron was the captain of a sinking ship, but instead of trying to fix the ship and risk going down with it, pushed all the women and children aside to jump on the life raft and make his way to a brand new ship.

Strange that considering his being the primary ball-handler and distributer (Bron that is) that he had a guy on his team that was being very efficient in Bosh, only, he never got him the ball, neglected to get him more involved, instead giving a decrepit Ray Allen 41 shots to Bosh's 51 (i wonder why). Someone who is playing 'godlike' doesn't average 28 points and as many assists as Turnovers (4) while his team gets repeatedly blown out of the gym.

Bron was alone in 2013? Looks like it: http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201306130SAS.html

And i should remind you that Bron had played like complete dogshit in the two games prior to this one.

Anyway, cba with trolls like you, cba...

nice giving me the game where wade played great and the games where lebron didnt. what about the other games in playoffs 2014 and 2013? should we enumerate all games where lebron played great and wade didnt?

cherry picking stats.

incredible, are you a heat fan? r just a wade fan, only cheering for the heat IF WADE plays great?

[Dresta]

nice giving me the game where wade played great and the games where lebron didnt. what about the other games in playoffs 2014 and 2013? should we enumerate all games where lebron played great and wade didnt?

cherry picking stats.

incredible, are you a heat fan? r just a wade fan, only cheering for the heat IF WADE plays great?
Erm.. what are you talking about you strange little stan? You said Bron was alone in the 2013 finals, i think i showed that he clearly wasn't. Miami were down 2-1 that game, if they loss the series was over, and you had Wade with 34/6/4 with 6 steals, and Bosh with 20/13 with 2 steals and 2 blocks. To get that kind of support from a supporting cast in such an important game is great help, something that Bron has had his whole career in Miami.

This has nothing to do with Wade dumbass, only your Lebron obsession is making things about Wade. I can't say something about Bron without you bringing Wade into the conversation. You're just another pathetic no-life stan who needs to seriously grow the **** up.

edit: All i mentioned was the FACT that Lebron was carrying a smaller load in 2014 playoffs than all the years previous (again, this is a fact), and you quoted me with some idiotic and irrelevant abuse about Wade.

[IMObjective]

By asking for more help and try play GM and try get another player to come over.
Ding ding ding!

[Dragonyeuw]

I'm having a hard time believing that Lebron has declined athletically 'this much' since last year, where he had some really good athletic plays. Don't know if its injury or whatever, but I can't believe it's just drop-off due to age, not like this...

But, we're getting a good glimpse at what 'past-prime' Lebron looks like, and it's not all that pretty. And at this point, I'd say he is what he is as a player, I don't see him suddenly developing great footwork. That's what people don't understand, Kobe and MJ ALWAYS had great footwork even in their athletic primes and that same footwork( on top of the skills) allowed them to still be great in advanced age.

[9erempiree]

I'm having a hard time believing that Lebron has declined athletically 'this much' since last year, where he had some really good athletic plays. Don't know if its injury or whatever, but I can't believe it's just drop-off due to age, not like this...

But, we're getting a good glimpse at what 'past-prime' Lebron looks like, and it's not all that pretty. And at this point, I'd say he is what he is as a player, I don't see him suddenly developing great footwork. That's what people don't understand, Kobe and MJ ALWAYS had great footwork even in their athletic primes and that same footwork( on top of the skills) allowed them to still be great in advanced age.

I believe it and there is a thread that dates back to January about his decline.

[pegasus]

He's been declining for a while now. It's still shocking to see him like this before he even turned 30 though. Some of us always said that he didn't have any elite skills to fall back on once his athleticism declined, and I guess we were right.

To answer the OP's question, I don't think there's much that he can do. It's not like he's not a gym rat. We all criticize him for always taking the easy route, but the man has put in the time and effort, but he gets too scared when the going gets tough to use what he's worked on and defaults back to Lebron-ball which never worked that well anyway, and now it's even worse. He just doesn't have the necessary skills to extend his longevity, and it's too late to develop them now.

[Nash]

I don't know where ya'll have been at, but the last 2 years with Miami Lebron has gone away from his athletic game, especially last season. His adjusting has already begun.

[Prometheus]

Athletic decline was already underway, but this summer it just free fell.

Nikka can't jump anymore. It's sad.

[aj1987]

He's been declining for a while now. It's still shocking to see him like this before he even turned 30 though. Some of us always said that he didn't have any elite skills to fall back on once his athleticism declined, and I guess we were right.

To answer the OP's question, I don't think there's much that he can do. It's not like he's not a gym rat. We all criticize him for always taking the easy route, but the man has put in the time and effort, but he gets too scared when the going gets tough to use what he's worked on and defaults back to Lebron-ball which never worked that well anyway, and now it's even worse. He just doesn't have the necessary skills to extend his longevity, and it's too late to develop them now.
You do realize that he's averaging 26/7/7/1/1 on 58% TS, right? :facepalm

[CasterL]

When bron was busy losing weight over summer I posted somewhere that it might not be a great idea.

Roy Jones Junior (a similar god tier athletic beast) was never the same after dropping a lot of muscle after his ruiz fight in 2003. Some have said loosing the muscle at a fairly advanced stage of his career shocked his body and muscles and accelerated his decline. He was pretty reliant on that athleticism, more so than James but I think there could be some parallels here.

James just looks sluggish, more so than last season when tbh he was beginning to show signs. I thought it was probably the whole shouldering the load thing, but drestas comments are pretty solid with regard to that notion.

[LBJ 23]

It's because of the low carb diet. No athlete should be on it, especially not one as explosive as Lebron.

[SamuraiSWISH]

It's because of the low carb diet. No athlete should be on it, especially not one as explosive as Lebron.
Wait, why?

[J Shuttlesworth]

:roll: :roll: :roll: