Replace Kobe with LeBron on the 2009 & 2010 Lakers

[Ca$H]

Do they still win the title? I say no. Bran doesn't know how to properly utilize big men. He turned Bosh and Love into spot up shooters. Both Gasol and Odom would be marginalized playing with Bran. I think the Lakers would lose to Orlando and Boston in the Finals with Bran instead of Kobe. However, Bran would have put up superior stats compared to what Kobe put up so Bran stans would just use Gasol and LO as scapegoats just like Bosh and Love.

[Dray n Klay]

LeBron on that 2013 Lakers Dream Team wins the championship.



Kobe basically missed the playoffs with that team.

[Ca$H]

LeBron on that 2013 Lakers Dream Team wins the championship.



Kobe basically missed the playoffs with that team.

He tore his Achilles due D'Antoni playing him too many minutes. Plus Nash was injured. I think the 2013 Lakers with Bran would lose to the Spurs since they wouldn't have enough shooters. Nash only played 2 playoff games before getting injured again. Steve Blake, Artest, Bran, Gasol, and Howard is a terrible lineup in terms of floor spacing.

[Kenomax]

Lakers would win 5-6 champs playing those years with LeBron. Kobe had top league impact for 2-3 years, all other he was much worse. LeBron is GOAT impact player, so why should we compare players which are not even in the same tier? :wtf:

[aj1987]

He tore his Achilles due D'Antoni playing him too many minutes. Plus Nash was injured. I think the 2013 Lakers with Bran would lose to the Spurs since they wouldn't have enough shooters. Nash only played 2 playoff games before getting injured again. Steve Blake, Artest, Bran, Gasol, and Howard is a terrible lineup in terms of floor spacing.
They barely squeaked into the PO's and that needed some ATG Sterning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MhmGyZ7KF0&spfreload=10

That team would've been a #2/#3 seed with LeBron.

[Ca$H]

They barely squeaked into the PO's and that needed some ATG Sterning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MhmGyZ7KF0&spfreload=10

That team would've been a #2/#3 seed with LeBron.

Kobe averaged 27.3 PPG, 6 APG, and 5.6 RPG on 57 TS%. If Jim Buss hired Phil Jackson instead of D'Antoni the Lakers would have won the title that season even with Nash being injured.

[warriorfan]

Do they still win the title? I say no. Bran doesn't know how to properly utilize big men. He turned Bosh and Love into spot up shooters. Both Gasol and Odom would be marginalized playing with Bran. I think the Lakers would lose to Orlando and Boston in the Finals with Bran instead of Kobe. However, Bran would have put up superior stats compared to what Kobe put up so Bran stans would just use Gasol and LO as scapegoats just like Bosh and Love.
No, he definitely would not

[aj1987]

Kobe averaged 27.3 PPG, 6 APG, and 5.6 RPG on 57 TS%. If Jim Buss hired Phil Jackson instead of D'Antoni the Lakers would have won the title that season even with Nash being injured.
https://media.giphy.com/media/RZ4G3TidKsKRi/giphy.gif

Kobe was one of the worst defenders in the league. He was a negative on the defensive end, IIRC. At most, they would've won a game against the Spurs in the PO's.

[DATBOYFLUENT]

Put Kobe on those Cavs and Heat teams that were blessed with amazing shooters and top3-5 players and Kobe would have 6+ chamionships.

[SouBeachTalents]

Put Kobe on those Cavs and Heat teams that were blessed with amazing shooters and top3-5 players and Kobe would have 6+ chamionships.

:biggums: Besides Wade in 2011, when has LeBron had a top 3-5 player in the league on his team? Dumbass said players plural too :lol

[Im Still Ballin]

Kobe's teams were based around offensive rebounding of his missed shots

[ShawkFactory]

Kobe averaged 27.3 PPG, 6 APG, and 5.6 RPG on 57 TS%. If Jim Buss hired Phil Jackson instead of D'Antoni the Lakers would have won the title that season even with Nash being injured.
Yea um...no

[Ca$H]

https://media.giphy.com/media/RZ4G3TidKsKRi/giphy.gif

Kobe was one of the worst defenders in the league. He was a negative on the defensive end, IIRC. At most, they would've won a game against the Spurs in the PO's.

34 years old and averaged 38.6 MPG. Phil would have managed his minutes better. Also the team overall would play better as a team with Phil and the triangle so they wouldn't have to really on Kobe as much. Kobe in a 7 game series was still capable of playing great defense especially with Phil managing his minutes in the regular season.

My argument about the Lakers winning the title that season has more to do with the greatness of Phil as the GOAT coach instead of Kobe's greatness as a player. Phil doesn't get enough credit for his coaching career. Haters wouldn't have given Phil credit for winning that season either. They would have just used the same stacked team BS excuse to discredit Phil. Phil as a coach is just as great as Jordan as a player screw all the cretins who think otherwise.

[DATBOYFLUENT]

:biggums: Besides Wade in 2011, when has LeBron had a top 3-5 player in the league on his team? Dumbass said players plural too :lol

I meant in their perspective position

Bosh was a top3 PF
Wade was a top2 SG
Kyrie is a top2 PG
Love is a top5 PF

that along with playing with some of the best shooters in NBA history

[Ca$H]

Yea um...no

Phil is the GOAT. Show some damn respect cretin . Phil's coaching has a top 10 GOAT player level impact.

[ShawkFactory]

Phil is the GOAT. Show some damn respect cretin . Phil's coaching has a top 10 GOAT player level impact.
It doesn't matter. That team simply did not have the ability to be as good as San Antonio was that year.

Let alone Miami...

[aj1987]

34 years old and averaged 38.6 MPG. Phil would have managed his minutes better. Also the team overall would play better as a team with Phil and the triangle so they wouldn't have to really on Kobe as much. Kobe in a 7 game series was still capable of playing great defense especially with Phil managing his minutes in the regular season.
Bruh, no amount of trying to rewrite history will change. It's set in stone at this point. Kobe was one of the worst defenders in the league and it's a fact.


My argument about the Lakers winning the title that season has more to do with the greatness of Phil as the GOAT coach instead of Kobe's greatness as a player. Phil doesn't get enough credit for his coaching career. Haters wouldn't have given Phil credit for winning that season either. They would have just used the same stacked team BS excuse to discredit Phil. Phil as a coach is just as great as Jordan as a player screw all the cretins who think otherwise.
:biggums:

PJ's not going to turn Kobe into an elite defensive player. Green was an elite defender and Wade averaged 20/5/4/2/1 against him. Would've wrecked Kobe, if by some miracle the Lakers made the Finals. Heck, LeBron and Wade would've run a train on the Lakers.

[Kenomax]

Kobe averaged 27.3 PPG, 6 APG, and 5.6 RPG on 57 TS%. If Jim Buss hired Phil Jackson instead of D'Antoni the Lakers would have won the title that season even with Nash being injured.

:facepalm

[Smoke117]

Kobe averaged 27.3 PPG, 6 APG, and 5.6 RPG on 57 TS%. If Jim Buss hired Phil Jackson instead of D'Antoni the Lakers would have won the title that season even with Nash being injured.

http://blog.finishline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/wade-laugh.gif

[Doranku]

None. LeBron needs a myriad of 3 point shooters around him to be successful. Those Laker teams had none.

Gasol/Bynum, or any traditional big man for that matter, do not complement LeBron's game at all. Especially in 2009 and 2010 when LeBron had no jump shot whatsoever.

Then you have to factor in that the Lakers had zero playmakers/shot-creators outside of Kobe. No Kyrie, No Wade, no rings.

Bad fit all around.

[plowking]

None. LeBron needs a myriad of 3 point shooters around him to be successful. Those Laker teams had none.

Gasol/Bynum, or any traditional big man for that matter, do not complement LeBron's game at all. Especially in 2009 and 2010 when LeBron had no jump shot whatsoever.

Then you have to factor in that the Lakers had zero playmakers/shot-creators outside of Kobe. No Kyrie, No Wade, no rings.

Bad fit all around.

Lebron fits very nicely with a guy like Gasol. In fact, Bosh almost mirror imaged Gasol's style of play in LA to fit in with Bron. He simply had more range than Gasol, but Gasol was the better post player.

Plus, isn't Mozgov more of a traditional big man? Pretty sure LeBron helped him average career highs.

[warriorfan]

Lebron fits very nicely with a guy like Gasol. In fact, Bosh almost mirror imaged Gasol's style of play in LA to fit in with Bron. He simply had more range than Gasol, but Gasol was the better post player.

Plus, isn't Mozgov more of a traditional big man? Pretty sure LeBron helped him average career highs.
Pau Gasol does not provide enough spacing for LeBron to operate optimally; Gasol is a poor floor spacer when compared to Chris Bosh, Kevin Love, and Antwan Jamison

[Doranku]

Lebron fits very nicely with a guy like Gasol. In fact, Bosh almost mirror imaged Gasol's style of play in LA to fit in with Bron. He simply had more range than Gasol, but Gasol was the better post player.

Plus, isn't Mozgov more of a traditional big man? Pretty sure LeBron helped him average career highs.

...No, he didn't. Bosh was relegated to primarily a spot-up, midrange shooter, while Gasol did the majority of his damage from the low-post area until D'Antoni came along and turned Gasol into Miami Chris Bosh, which wasn't his strong suit at all.

Gasol '08
10-23 feet: 3.5 attempts/game

Gasol '09
10-23 feet: 3.9 attempts/game

Gasol '10
10-23 feet: 3.4 attempts/game


Bosh '11
10-23 feet: 7.7 attempts/game (0.3 3point attempts/game)

Bosh '12:
10-23 feet: 6.7 attempts/game (0.6 3point attempts/game)

Bosh '13
10-23 feet: 6.0 attempts/game (1.0 3point attempts/game)

[plowking]

...No, he didn't. Bosh was relegated to primarily a spot-up, midrange shooter, while Gasol did the majority of his damage from the low-post area until D'Antoni came along and turned Gasol into Miami Chris Bosh, which wasn't his strong suit at all.

Gasol '08
10-23 feet: 3.5 attempts/game

Gasol '09
10-23 feet: 3.9 attempts/game

Gasol '10
10-23 feet: 3.4 attempts/game


Bosh '11
10-23 feet: 7.7 attempts/game (0.3 3point attempts/game)

Bosh '12:
10-23 feet: 6.7 attempts/game (0.6 3point attempts/game)

Bosh '13
10-23 feet: 6.0 attempts/game (1.0 3point attempts/game)

I did mention that Gasol's strong point was the post, and that he had slightly less range. Although he did pop out and take the midrange very well, much like Bosh. The difference being? Bosh is a terrible low post player. Hence he lived more off of the pick and roll, and those shots.

And once again, Bron played fantastic in the finals with TT constantly down in the block, getting rebounds. He doesn't have a problem with a big man being down there. Not sure where this notion came about.
I can't be the only one who saw him win 60+ games several times with Big Z too?

[tpols]

And once again, Bron played fantastic in the finals with TT constantly down in the block, getting rebounds.


you're comparing the garbage man who runs in after the shot is already up to Pau Gasol, one of the most versatile, skilled low post players of our era.. not to disrespect tristan thompson, hes mighty good at doing that, but he gets out of the way for kyrie and bron to have lanes.. Pau is planted in those driving lanes from the start, because thats.. where he gets post position. It worked seamlessly with Kobe's midrange game because it was the perfect in and out combo.

LeBron could still win titles on those Laker teams.. odom and pau would almost certainly have worse stats / performances, but they could provide enough that along with bron's crazy productions those years they could "out talent" other teams without having crazy chemistry .. similar to the Heat teams that played better with Wade and Bron in separate line ups.. it wouldnt be pretty, but put bron on those laker teams and its possible they win.

[tpols]

it would be a little awkward with such a lack of shooting though.. some good points in this thread about all the all star PF's that have been paired with bron have been the outside types.. jamison, love, bosh etc, and all the role players knockdown shooters.. LA didnt have that type of spacing.