Best version of LeBron James?

[Black Magic]

All this talk about where LeBron ranks all time got me thinking what is the best overall (regular season + Post Season) version of LeBron?

If a title is a must then it would have to be between 2012, 2013 & 2016. Other great years he didn't win, 2009 & 2015. I'd have to say overall probably 2013 because of how dominant he was in the regular season and in the playoffs. Probably his overall best defensively as well.

[TheReal Kendall]

The one where he consistently made open jump shots.

[NBAGOAT]

this is 09 Lebron or 13 Lebron even though this year may have been his postseason. 09 is Lebron at his athletic peak and one of the best carry jobs ever. 13 Lebron is most likely the most well rounded and efficient he's ever played and he was better on defense. Even his post game and outside shooting were very good.

[MintBerryCrunch]

He is too great to pinpoint 1 year.

[Black Magic]

this is 09 Lebron or 13 Lebron even though this year may have been his postseason. 09 is Lebron at his athletic peak and one of the best carry jobs ever. 13 Lebron is most likely the most well rounded and efficient he's ever played and he was better on defense. Even his post game and outside shooting were very good.

yea the only reason I don't feel like '16 Bron is his best is because his regular season was probably his worst of his prime and the first three rounds he didn't seem to need to go all out like he did in the finals

[BlazerRed]

yea the only reason I don't feel like '16 Bron is his best is because his regular season was probably his worst of his prime and the first three rounds he didn't seem to need to go all out like he did in the finals
And his jumper was broken in the playoffs for the most part. 13 Bron was better in this regard and probably overall.

[Young X]

2009. One of the greatest seasons of all time. I don't really care much if he didn't win a ring that year.

Give him the Miami team he had later on with the same lack of elite competition they faced in the east and they would win the title too.

His regular season was even better than Curry's this year and his level of play in the playoffs was amazing. He was frightening.

[Black Magic]

2009. One of the greatest seasons of all time. I don't really care much if he didn't win a ring that year.

Give him the Miami team he had later on with the same lack of elite competition they faced in the east and they would win the title too.

His regular season was even better than Curry's this year and his level of play in the playoffs was amazing. He was frightening.

his series against Orlando outside of I think game 6 was amazing

[SamuraiSWISH]

Regular and Playoffs / Finals runs?

1) 2009 (team cost him)
2) 2012
3) 2016
4) 2015
5) 2013 (weaker playoffs / Finals)
7) 2014 (didn't go all out)
8) 2011 (MIA in Finals)
9) 2008 (tremendous game 7)
10) 2007 (poor Finals performance)

2010 could've ranked much higher but he quit mid series vs the Celtics. Even when they had the lead. Mentally checked out for greener pastures in Miami, where he knew he was headed.

On pure ability? I'm going 08 - 13

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

I think its between 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2014. IMO, 2014 was his best year when you talk about him putting everything together on offense, skill wise.

His midrange and 3PT shooting were fantastic for a player who wasn't exactly known for them years previously (save for 2013).

[SouBeachTalents]

'09 was his best season imo, won 66 games with Mo Williams as his second best player and was an absolute beast in the playoffs. Dude averaged 39/8/8 in the ECF and still lost

'12 was unquestionably his best title winning playoff run, had so many monster performances all postseason

'13 was his best regular season, his Finals was kind of underwhelming through the first 5 games though

'10 he was amazing until the last 3 Celtics games which were pretty dreadful for a player of his standard

'16 while inconsistent at times was his best Finals performance, and truly put him into the conversation of top 5 all time

[lilteapot]

2016 was his best playoff run.

It's between 09 or 2013 as his best seasons. I give it to 2013.

[riseagainst]

best version of lebron james is every. damn. year.

[Quickening]

Guy's been the best player in the league for the last 9 years at least, just ridiculous consistency and durability.

[SilkkTheShocker]

2012.

[Haymaker]

2012 was his best form. He was ridiculously good and still had his athleticism. Went through the Playoffs like a hot knife through butter.

[KyrieTheFuture]

2009. You literally couldn't do a thing to stop him.

Between that and 2015 LeBron has lost to some of the most absurd 3pt shooting performances of all time.

[Indian guy]

2009, 2010 and 2013 are his 3 best versions, IMO. If I had to pick one, I'd have a hard time choosing between '09 and '10.

I'd probably take a good 6-7 versions of LeBron over his 2012 self. His athleticism hadn't returned to normal yet, although better than 2011, and I frankly still look back at his playoff run in complete disbelief. Total overachievement.

[3ball]

All this talk about where LeBron ranks all time got me thinking what is the best overall (regular season + Post Season) version of LeBron?

If a title is a must then it would have to be between 2012, 2013 & 2016. Other great years he didn't win, 2009 & 2015. I'd have to say overall probably 2013 because of how dominant he was in the regular season and in the playoffs. Probably his overall best defensively as well.


He didn't dominate the 2013 Finals - he only averaged 25 ppg on 44%.

In Game 1-3 of the Finals, he had less than 20 points each game and his team was down 2-1... Compare that to Jordan - he never scored less than 22 in the Finals - he would've played much better so his team was UP after 3 games, and therefore wouldn't need Ray Allen to save him later in the series.

Btw, Lebron's best overall state is THIS YEAR - he's a smarter player now, more experienced, and still in his athletic prime.. Compare to Jordan's athletic state in 1992 - still in his prime.. The difference is that when Lebron really DOES decline, he won't have a good jumpshot to maintain his dominance like Jordan did.
.

[feyki]

16

09



15

12



13


10
14


07
08

06
11
05

[Graviton]

2012 playoff version. He was dominant in every aspect, no weaknesses in his game. Was dunking a lot back then too. He averaged like 30/10/5 on 50% in the postseason.

[StrongLurk]

2009 I dont care what anyone says.

By all measures, his playoff run that year was the best of all time. Yes he lost in the ECF and only played 13 games, but his numbers in just those 13 games are better than most championship runs by other HOF players who played 5 or 6 more games.

He also shot like 48-50 percent on midrange jumpers that run. Just unstoppable.

[ArbitraryWater]

Ability wise easily 2010.

[ArbitraryWater]

Its weird, as far as the overall season goes, 2016 is not in the top 3... but finals? No other previous LeBron version could have done this. He needed the experience and smarts and savyness... he wasnt gonna be good every game, maybe one to two mediocre games, but he could put together 2 historic ones, consecutively, which he probably doesnt manage in other, more consistently 'good' years.

Its a weird thing. But as far as finals goes, this was probably the complete, maximized LeBron version... the great and wise one. Whos been through it all.

I always had 2009 and 2010 right there with 2012 and 2013.

[Micku]

I think its between 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2014. IMO, 2014 was his best year when you talk about him putting everything together on offense, skill wise.

His midrange and 3PT shooting were fantastic for a player who wasn't exactly known for them years previously (save for 2013).

2014 was when LeBron was great offensively, but took a break defensively.

2013 Lebron was the best all around imo. His jumper was on point, defensively he was one of the best of his career, and was consistent throughout. He almost went MIA again in the finals tho. That's the only problem. His jumper was lost too for 5 straight games. It was only in game 6 where he did a last hoorah and game 7 where he got of his funk. He was being guarded Diaw at times and all they did was sag off of him. But this was the best year imo individually.

2012 or 2016 might've been his best year throughout in terms of dominance. Good finals. Although in 2016, his overall offensive skills weren't as good when he was with Miami.

2009 was the best example of overachieving. One of the best playoff stats ever. Dude was amazing. They looked unstoppable until Orlando Magic.

[K Xerxes]

2012 playoff version. He was dominant in every aspect, no weaknesses in his game. Was dunking a lot back then too. He averaged like 30/10/5 on 50% in the postseason.

His jumpshot was broken that playoffs, aside from his career defining Boston game 6. After that game he couldnt make a jumpshot. He was better in 2013, but wasnt forced to hit jumpshots in 2012 so that aspect wasnt exposed. Doesnt mean he was better in 2012, despite the more impressive playoff run.

2009 was his athletic peak. 2016 he had everything together mentally. Overall his peak ability was probably 2013, which had best of both worlds.

[3ball]

Overall his peak ability was probably 2013, which had best of both worlds.


So why did he have 3 bad games to start the 2013 Finals (less than 20 points each game), which put his team in a 2-1 hole and required Ray Allen to save him?

Lebron still had a lot to learn at that point - we saw this in 2014, when his obsession with efficiency and 3-and-D shot allocation resulted in a passive 17 shots per game, which was run out of the gym by the Spurs.

He learned from his mistakes in 2015, and literally doubled his shot attempts in the Finals..

In 2016, he had sufficient and the tough mentality to get over the hump.. Mentality is the most important thing for ANY player - look at Jordan - I believe the 1998 Jordan would've beaten the 1989 or 1990 Pistons - he was ridiculously savvy, just way smarter - he knew how to mitigate ANY defensive strategy by just pulling up from midrange or fadeaway... But back in 1990, he was working WAY to hard for his points.

[Dray n Klay]

So why did he have 3 bad games to start the 2013 Finals (less than 20 points each game), which put his team in a 2-1 hole and required Ray Allen to save him?



Why did Jordan have 3 bad games to end the 1996 Finals?

[ArbitraryWater]

2013 for the regular season for sure, but then this mothercker didnt give us a legendary run like in 2012.. which would have sealed it.

[3ball]

:rolleyes:

[3ball]

Why did Jordan have 3 bad games to end the 1996 Finals?


Because it was garbage time - he already did the heavy lifting in crunch time to get a 3-0 lead.. Meanwhile the Sonics were in desperation-adrenaline mode with nothing to lose, so they saved some face.

Btw, Jordan was 9-18 for 26 points in Game 5, so that wasn't a "bad" game..

In game 6, Jordan had 22/9/7 and held Hawkins to 4 points, or 12 points below his RS and playoff average.. This is significant because the Bulls won by exactly 12, and no one else locked their man down in that game: Schrempf destroyed Pippen for 23 points on 59%, Payton destroyed Harper for 21 points on 70%, and Kemp destroyed Rodman for 18/10 on 47%.. So Jordan's 22/9/7 and lockdown defense won Game 6.

Finally, MJ's stats in Games 4-6 were FAR better than his 2nd option Pip, who averaged 15 ppg on 34% for the series (worst 2nd option performance ever).. So as usual, MJ's play was far superior to his 2nd option (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=406920), which is all you can really go by - that's just how the series played for ANYONE in that series.. The defense (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WpkXlrJxtw) was goat and the physicality was brutal, but MJ's stats were still the best of anyone in the series, as ALWAYS

[Odinn]

1. 2011-12
2. 2012-13
3. 2015-16

4. 2008-09
5. 2014-15
6. 2013-14

7. 2009-10

8. 2010-11
9. 2007-08
10. 2006-07

[ArbitraryWater]

1. 2009-10
2. 2008-09
3. 2011-12
4. 2012-13

5. 2013-14
6. 2014-15
7. 2015-16
8. 2010-11

9. 2007-08
10. 2005-06

11. 2004-05
12. 2006-07

edit: probably too low on '16, but theyre just all so close