Was 2015 lebron Finals the greatest statpad of all time?

[Mr. Jabbar]

Discuss

[3ball]

.
Efficiency WITH Lebron James on the floor in 2015 Finals:

JR Smith
Delly
J. Jones
Shumpert

Total 56/171 (32.7%)


As you can see, those guys shot horribly WITH Lebron on the floor, which is pretty standard - it's become typical for Lebron's teammates to underperform alongside him in the Finals, for obvious reasons:

It's statistical fact (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showpost.php?p=11709473&postcount=1) that Lebron reduces his teammates' APG and increases their assisted rate, thus turning them from playmakers to play-finishers.. Not surprisingly, their simple play-finishing roles no longer find success against the best playoff teams.. :confusedshrug:

With teammates playing under capacity, the TEAM plays under capacity and eventually loses to an opponent they had the capacity to beat (i.e. losing as the favorite in 2009 ECF, 2010 ECSF, and 2011 Finals, or losing when it was 50/50 - 2014 Finals) (http://www.nj.com/knicks/index.ssf/2014/06/nba_finals_2014_experts_predict_whether_the_heat_o r_spurs_will_come_out_on_top_in_the_finals_rematch .html).

Ultimately, Lebron's reduction of teammates into play-finishers prevents the kind of equal-opportunity offenses that the Mavs, Spurs, Warriors, and 90's Bulls used (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIY_4vIxGEE&t=23m40s), where all 5 guys share the playmaking duties - since Lebron prevents the best brand of basketball, his teams are susceptible to equal or less-talented opponents pulling upsets by playing a better brand of basketball (2009, 2011, 2014).

That's the difference between 2/6 underachievement and 6/6 perfection: MJ's off-ball style got the most out of his teammates (elevates teammates), so the team plays to capacity and never loses as the favorite, while Lebron's ball-dominance turns teammates into play-finishers, leading to team underperformance and losing as the favorite.

Now the question is WHY SPECIFICALLY does Lebron turn teammates into play-finishers?.. The reason is twofold (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showpost.php?p=12056301&postcount=60).

[bobopenguin]

he statpadded the moment irving injured.. not just final..
he statpadded his entire career.. mad respect.

[Dray n Klay]

No, but 2004 Kobe was the greatest collude of all time.

[3ball]

No


Lebron should've won the 2015 Finals but he let a 7 ppg role player (Iggy) be > Curry.

Obviously, if Lebron holds Iggy to 7 ppg instead of 17 ppg, AND shoots better than 39% against the Warriors' single-coverage, the Cavs win easily.

It's amazing - even WITH Lebron's defense allowing Iggy to get 17 ppg (instead of 7 ppg), and even WITH Lebron shooting an abysmal 39%, the Cavs were still competitive and won 2 games - if he holds Iggy to 7 ppg and shoots 50%, the Cavs win easily.





MJ couldn't have won in 2015 Finals with that injured Cavs team



MJ won the championship in 1998 with teammates that produced less in Finals:



Mosgov's 14/8 on 55% > Pippen's 15 ppg on 41%

JR Smith's 12 ppg on 32% < Kukoc's 15 ppg on 50%

Tristan's 10/13 > Rodman's 4/8 (Rodman was so horrible he wasn't even a starter)

Delly/Shumpert's 7-8 ppg on 27% = Kerr/Harper's 4-5 ppg on 35%


MJ won with less in 1998, so we know he would've won with Lebron's cast in 2015.

And specifically HOW/WHY would MJ win??.... Because his defense would never let a 7 ppg role player be > Karl Malone, or shoot 39% against repeated single coverage.

It's amazing - even WITH Lebron's defense allowing Iggy to get 17 ppg (instead of 7 ppg), and even WITH Lebron shooting an abysmal 39%, the Cavs were still competitive and won 2 games - if he holds Iggy to 7 ppg and shoots 50%, the Cavs win easily.

[riseagainst]

yes. But too bad he couldn't stat pad his FG% like he usually does. He's not that great of an all around player afterall.

/thread

[Eye Test]

LeBron James entered BEAST mode during those finals. Never seen such a FORCE will his team to another finals loss like that :(

[Bandito]

LeBron James entered BEAST mode during those finals. Never seen such a FORCE will his team to another finals loss like that :(
I do. Lebron in 2011 Finals.:roll:

[Spurs m8]

LOL I love 3ball

[Spurs m8]

LeBron James entered BEAST mode during those finals. Never seen such a FORCE will his team to another finals loss like that :(

The beast froze out his team mates and lost them the series tbh

[Eye Test]

The beast froze out his team mates and lost them the series tbh

tell me about it.. I have seen him do it 4 times out of six :(