View Full Version : If you could pick ONE version of LeBron James, which would it be?
CodeBreaker
03-26-2020, 02:21 PM
Choose which version of LeBron James would you want to play on your team.
Listed arguably the top 4 performances of his career.
2007 ECF Game 5 in Detroit LeBron
https://youtu.be/sx4z_pCA_6k
2012 ECF Game 6 in Boston LeBron
https://youtu.be/rN17J-KMWnY
2016 Finals Game 6 in Cleveland LeBron
https://youtu.be/bJEG7fcUn-s
2018 Finals Game 1 in GS LeBron
https://youtu.be/bJEG7fcUn-s
SouBeachTalents
03-26-2020, 02:35 PM
2007 LeBron still had many flaws and limitations to his game. GOAT level performance, but he honestly didn't even play that great for his standards in that playoff run.
2018 he played at a godlike level, the only complaint I'd have about him is his defensive effort, which was some of the weakest he had put forward in his career.
So that leaves 2012 & 2016. I'd go with 2016 with the tiebreaker being LeBron's outside shot being off during that 2012 playoff run.
I think that 2016 performance was literally the most complete game a player could have. 41 points & 11 assists, 8 boards, just 1 turnover, 67%TS, 3/6 from downtown, 4 steals & 3 blocks, he just dominated in every possible facet of the game
ArbitraryWater
03-26-2020, 02:39 PM
2018
A God on a court
Easily his most complete skillset
Whoah10115
03-26-2020, 02:41 PM
11-13 and 16-18...I actually take him in 2018 except his defense was so bad. He had defense going for him in Miami run, especially the first title run.
I probably take that along with 2018. Tho I prefer that version.
ArbitraryWater
03-26-2020, 02:42 PM
https://i.gyazo.com/c659436f704d089ff3cc52ad2b4ac14a.gif
https://i.gyazo.com/a0324bbc0c5e7dd1de2ff38e19198e06.gif
https://i.gyazo.com/854c6df2fd510b24842438d3bdd74dc3.jpg
<20 seconds left on the shot clock, lel. No fcks given. Confidence through the roof unlike any athlete ever before.
FireDavidKahn
03-26-2020, 02:45 PM
Honestly you could throw a dart to the side of a barn and come up with hundreds of examples of god like games for LeBron.
I'd probably say the 2016 one is his Thiccest game.
ArbitraryWater
03-26-2020, 02:46 PM
Honestly you could throw a dart to the side of a barn and come up with hundreds of examples of god like games for LeBron.
I'd probably say the 2016 one is his Thiccest game.
this is true, but, his game was never smoother and more confident than in 2018
he never carried more weight and never did more than that year
superduper
03-26-2020, 02:47 PM
The one that didn't need to run away to superteams to win...
.....oh wait :(
SamuraiSWISH
03-26-2020, 03:06 PM
2018 Offense
2012 and 2013 Defense
Never really had the entire package on both sides of the ball together at the exact same time like say ‘89 - ‘93 Jordan.
ArbitraryWater
03-26-2020, 03:22 PM
2018 Offense
2012 and 2013 Defense
Never really had the entire package on both sides of the ball together at the exact same time like say ‘89 - ‘93 Jordan.
Lol, just because he went to a higher level in 2018 than before doesn't mean he didn't have the entire package in 2012 or 2014 or 2013 when he had what, 7 straight 30+ pt games on 60+% shooting? And when the last one failed by taking another shot unecessarily, he wasn't interested in the run anymore.. probably could have gone for 10 or more if he bothered.
Or when he unleashed his whole scoring repertoire on Boston in game 6.
2009
2013
2016
even right now. this year. 2020. he's still an absolute beast. plays the game with force and speed and precision.
LostCause
03-26-2020, 03:44 PM
2016
Phoenix
03-26-2020, 04:38 PM
I think 2018 Lebron on the 2016 Cavs takes out the Warriors in 6. Lebron's offensive aggression, confidence and game management was never ( to my eyes and recollection) higher than it was during that 2018 playoff run. He was a more complete player in 2016 still capable of defense, but he wasn't especially great coming out the blocks that finals outside of game three until game 5 when he and Kyrie each went off for 41. 2018 Lebron applies greater offensive pressure in that series from jump and has a better defensive core around him ( the 2016 Cavs were 10th in defense compared to 2018 when they were 29th.) to compensate for his own lack of defense.
ArbitraryWater
03-26-2020, 04:46 PM
2017 is literally only slightly worse than 2018 and really overlooked
I mean you can take any LeBron 2009-2018 bar 11, 15, but i really feel he just became an even more dominant scorer in 2017. 2016 finals, precisely.
3ball
03-26-2020, 04:48 PM
Choose which version of LeBron James would you want to play on your team.
Listed arguably the top 4 performances of his career.
2007 ECF Game 5 in Detroit LeBron
https://youtu.be/sx4z_pCA_6k
2012 ECF Game 6 in Boston LeBron
https://youtu.be/rN17J-KMWnY
2016 Finals Game 6 in Cleveland LeBron
https://youtu.be/bJEG7fcUn-s
2018 Finals Game 1 in GS LeBron
https://youtu.be/bJEG7fcUn-s
His meltdown at the end of Game 1 of 2018 Finals proves he was still a choker that late in his career - 0-8 on clutch shots in the championship - there's at least 5 tight Finals games that MJ would've won because:
down the stretch of tight games (last 5 within 5), lebron shoots 41% on 3.0 attempts per game for his career (RS and PO), compared to 47% on 3.6 attempts for 97' and 98' MJ.. that's 20% more clutch attempts on far better efficiency for old MJ
His meltdown at the end of Game 1 of 2018 Finals proves he was still a choker that late in his career - 0-8 on clutch shots in the championship - there's at least 5 tight Finals games that MJ would've won because:
down the stretch of tight games (last 5 within 5), lebron shoots 41% on 3.0 attempts per game for his career (RS and PO), compared to 47% on 3.6 attempts for 97' and 98' MJ.. that's 20% more clutch attempts on far better efficiency for old MJ
mj literally didnt win a single ring without pippen and the stacked bulls system. and when he left the team still won 55 games without him. :oldlol:
mj never played a team EVEN CLOSE to the warriors the year that you're talking about. none of his finals competition came close - not one. :oldlol:
aj1987
03-26-2020, 05:25 PM
I'm sorry, but LeBron wasn't a bad defender in '18. He was mediocre in '17, but he was a capable defender in '18. G1 of the Finals was a masterpiece. It would've been the greatest individual performance, if it wasn't for JR's brain fart.
I pick '12 ECF G6 though. Dude was a flat out monster with zero emotions. Literally. All he wanted to do was win and he willed his team to one. Arguably the GOAT performance, considering the stakes and circumstances.
SouBeachTalents
03-26-2020, 05:29 PM
I'm sorry, but LeBron wasn't a bad defender in '18. He was mediocre in '17, but he was an capable defender in '18. G1 of the Finals was a masterpiece. It would've been the greatest individual performance, if it wasn't for JR's brain fart.
I pick '12 ECF G6 though. Dude was a flat out monster with zero emotions. Literally. All he wanted to do was win and he willed his team to one.
It wasn't just that either. The Hill missed FT, the abysmal charge/block reversal, in addition to a couple of other really bad calls against the Cavs. It took a perfect storm of events for LeBron to lose that game
tpols
03-26-2020, 05:34 PM
'09 is easily his peak.
with the heat he became too bulky, and then, by 2014 a little slower. Didnt play defense on the cavs in the second stint much, wasnt particularly clutch.
'09 bron had the best clutch stats in the league kobe was in 2nd. i think the expectations from the team hops put a permanent "clutch" roadblock up for him.
SouBeachTalents
03-26-2020, 05:44 PM
i think the expectations from the team hops put a permanent "clutch" roadblock up for him.
That first year, sure. But we really gonna pretend 3 titles, 3 FMVP's, 4 playoff game winners, a handful of the greatest playoff performances ever, and the first 3-1 comeback in Finals history is part of a clutch roadblock, well, I don't know what to tell ya :lol Who could we even consider clutch if that doesn't meet the criteria
'09 is easily his peak.
with the heat he became too bulky, and then, by 2014 a little slower. Didnt play defense on the cavs in the second stint much, wasnt particularly clutch.
'09 bron had the best clutch stats in the league kobe was in 2nd. i think the expectations from the team hops put a permanent "clutch" roadblock up for him.
lebron has been very clutch actually.
won his second championship with clutch daggers game 7 in the finals - something kobe never did in his career.
https://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2818159/lebronclutch.gif
tpols
03-26-2020, 05:50 PM
That first year, sure. But we really gonna pretend 3 titles, 3 FMVP's, 4 playoff game winners, a handful of the greatest playoff performances ever, and the first 3-1 comeback in Finals history is part of a clutch roadblock, well, I don't know what to tell ya :lol Who could we even consider clutch if that doesn't meet the criteria
2012 there was basically no clutch play. Games were decided early. Game 6 was great but the game was over at halftime.
2013 Ray Allen was the clutch one... Lebron was shrinking huge against the spurs before his shot swung the series. the numbers were 2011 'esque.
and 2016 kyrie was the offensive closer and best clutch player. He was trusted with the game 7 Finals gamewinner for a reason. I dont think anyones gonna argue hes on irving's level as a half court shotmaker.
Manny98
03-26-2020, 05:53 PM
The one that embarrassed df out of MJ in a scrimmage in which he confiscated the footage
ArbitraryWater
03-26-2020, 06:01 PM
I'm sorry, but LeBron wasn't a bad defender in '18. He was mediocre in '17, but he was a capable defender in '18. G1 of the Finals was a masterpiece. It would've been the greatest individual performance, if it wasn't for JR's brain fart.
I pick '12 ECF G6 though. Dude was a flat out monster with zero emotions. Literally. All he wanted to do was win and he willed his team to one. Arguably the GOAT performance, considering the stakes and circumstances.
Cutting it down to that Jr brainfart is weak.
It was more and bigger things than that, particularly the blocking foul.
No guarantee they would have scored with 2 secs left.
But Bron was scoring at will, and GSW is not winning that game down 4 with 30 secs left.
2012 there was basically no clutch play. Games were decided early. Game 6 was great but the game was over at halftime.
2013 Ray Allen was the clutch one... Lebron was shrinking huge against the spurs before his shot swung the series. the numbers were 2011 'esque.
and 2016 kyrie was the offensive closer and best clutch player. He was trusted with the game 7 Finals gamewinner for a reason. I dont think anyones gonna argue hes on irving's level as a half court shotmaker.
doesnt work like that baby boi. 2013 sparking a comeback when your team is down 10 in the 4th and then putting up 37 with the daggers in game 7 is undeniably clutch.
he was clutch in the east the rest of those years too, just didnt get the chance to display much 2014 and 2015.
SouBeachTalents
03-26-2020, 06:11 PM
2012 there was basically no clutch play. Games were decided early. Game 6 was great but the game was over at halftime.
2013 Ray Allen was the clutch one... Lebron was shrinking huge against the spurs before his shot swung the series. the numbers were 2011 'esque.
and 2016 kyrie was the offensive closer and best clutch player. He was trusted with the game 7 Finals gamewinner for a reason. I dont think anyones gonna argue hes on irving's level as a half court shotmaker.
Y'all Kobe stans are so narrow minded on this issue it is insane :oldlol: LeBron drags the Heat back from the dead in Game 6 in 2013, scoring and assisting on nearly all of the Heats 4th quarter and overtime points, and you literally ignore all of this happening, and focus solely on one play, the Allen 3. You do the same exact shit for Game 7 in 2016. LeBron leads both teams in 4th quarter scoring, hit's 3 huge FT's and a 3 pointer with the Warriors up 4 midway through the 4th, has the colossal block on Iggy, and even hits the FT to all but seal the game, but again, same narrow ass minded view, you literally put all of the focus on one play, the Kyrie 3.
LeBron was by far the catalyst in both those 4th quarters and was the biggest reason why they were able to win
Y'all Kobe stans are so narrow minded on this issue it is insane :oldlol: LeBron drags the Heat back from the dead in Game 6 in 2013, scoring and assisting on nearly all of the Heats 4th quarter and overtime points, and you literally ignore all of this happening, and focus solely on one play, the Allen 3. You do the same exact shit for Game 7 in 2016. LeBron leads both teams in 4th quarter scoring, hit's 3 huge FT's and 3 pointer when the Warriors were up 4 midway through the 4th, has the colossal block on Iggy, then even hits the FT to all but seal the game, but again, same narrow ass minded view, you literally put all of the focus on one play, the Kyrie 3.
LeBron was by far the catalyst in both those 4th quarters and was the biggest reason why they were able to win
yep. cavs were down 3-1 and need 3 wins. bron puts up back to back 40 point games where the cavs need every point and then puts up a triple double playing great defense in game 7 (shout out kyrie - lebron and kyrie only duo to score 40 points in the finals in the same game, plus the dagger over steph)
thats GOAT shit right there from lebron.
Shane
03-26-2020, 06:22 PM
Choose which version of LeBron James would you want to play on your team.
Listed arguably the top 4 performances of his career.
2007 ECF Game 5 in Detroit LeBron
https://youtu.be/sx4z_pCA_6k
2012 ECF Game 6 in Boston LeBron
https://youtu.be/rN17J-KMWnY
2016 Finals Game 6 in Cleveland LeBron
https://youtu.be/bJEG7fcUn-s
2018 Finals Game 1 in GS LeBron
https://youtu.be/bJEG7fcUn-s
2016 Lebron all the way
The one who got swept in the finals.
Turbo Slayer
03-26-2020, 06:51 PM
2018.
3ball
03-26-2020, 06:52 PM
'09 is easily his peak.
with the heat he became too bulky, and then, by 2014 a little slower. Didnt play defense on the cavs in the second stint much, wasnt particularly clutch.
'09 bron had the best clutch stats in the league kobe was in 2nd. i think the expectations from the team hops put a permanent "clutch" roadblock up for him.
Expectations from that 1 season permeated the rest of his career, so he benefitted - but it was a lebron-specific bias because Dirk didn't get the career rep of carrying teams after his 1-time, 67-win carry job in 07'... and nor did other guys for having great regular season campaigns without major talent.
Ultimately, his 07' Finals run without star support was something that every great player did in the 00's East, aka Dwight, AI, Kidd, Lebron.
And his 09' regular season was another 1-off, this time in the regular season.
These 1-time runs aren't unprecedented, especially in that conference, which makes his more frequent low moments during the same time period more damning (his 07' and 11' Finals debacles bookended his brickfest in 08 ecsf and his history-making, repeat losses with 60-win 1 seeds in 09/10
Furthermore, he was still too inexperienced and didn't know how to win in 2009 - i.e. lost multiple 1-possession games in ECF... 30% on 4th quarter jumpers in ECF despite otherwise high team ortg series... so predictable that couldn't command a double, according to SVG.. etc, etc
He was a worse-shooting James Harden in the sense that he could get 40 and it's like "who cares" because the WAY he plays.. people just have group-think bias for lebron that they don't have for others with similar styles that favor stat-accumulation over winning, aka the aforementioned Harden, Westbrook, etc.
i.e. people give lebron props in 15' for taking his 1-man show to 6 games with the KD-less Warriors, but then they were an underdog when Kyrie and Love returned in 16'.. whereas the 19' clippers also took the Warriors 6 games, but were favored when Kawhi and PG13 are added.
Wally450
03-26-2020, 06:53 PM
If we're going off one game, I'm going 2012 easily. As great as those other performances are, 2012 he was a man possessed. I know he has the iconic picture, but there was no one the Celtics could throw at LeBron without LeBron getting any shot he wanted.
Whoah10115
03-26-2020, 07:09 PM
Wow, anyone picking 2009 LeBron, I mean...please.
Was simply a better basketball player from his second season in Miami...literally to now.
If we're going off one game, I'm going 2012 easily. As great as those other performances are, 2012 he was a man possessed. I know he has the iconic picture, but there was no one the Celtics could throw at LeBron without LeBron getting any shot he wanted.
Lol at his first-ever championship.
DoctorP
03-26-2020, 09:23 PM
I'm going to say 2007 LeBron because although he fell short, against Detroit there was peak "I'm too young to realize I can't fail" swag and against REAL 90's -like defense LeBron roasted a GREAT Pistons defense and COMPLETELY TOOK OVER THE GAME. He was only realizing he was a Sith and had powers beyond his control. Commissioner Palpatine would later show him.
RAW.
UNTAPPED>
POWER.
BWAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA
https://media2.giphy.com/media/3oKIPzLXQYb2Bn5PLG/giphy.gif
CodeBreaker
03-27-2020, 02:19 AM
His meltdown at the end of Game 1 of 2018 Finals proves he was still a choker that late in his career - 0-8 on clutch shots in the championship - there's at least 5 tight Finals games that MJ would've won because:
down the stretch of tight games (last 5 within 5), lebron shoots 41% on 3.0 attempts per game for his career (RS and PO), compared to 47% on 3.6 attempts for 97' and 98' MJ.. that's 20% more clutch attempts on far better efficiency for old MJ
what the heck does MJ have to do with this thread?
Wally450
03-27-2020, 09:03 AM
what the heck does MJ have to do with this thread?
If its a thread about LeBron James, he's so insecure that he has to post positive stats about MJ to make himself feel better.
ImKobe
03-27-2020, 09:52 AM
2011 Finals
Charlie Sheen
03-27-2020, 10:42 AM
His moment of arrival in that 2007 ECF is one of my all time favorite NBA memories because it was roughly the same time in life when I was coming into my own as a man achieving financial independence. My rooting interests never aligned with Lebron until the last 2 years, but that 2007 ECF will always be the most meaningful point of his career to me.
Overdrive
03-27-2020, 10:45 AM
2012 and 2016 were crazy good. Yes 2018 G1 was good, but he let his spoiled child mentality get to him once again.
2012 was one of the greatest displays of determination. Especially given that his legacy was severely on the line at that moment.
Dr Hawk
03-27-2020, 10:48 AM
Lebronto is the one I enjoyed the most.
Out of those, 2012 vs Boston.
Gougou
03-28-2020, 04:36 AM
2016 Lebron, 2012 Lebron had some trouble VS Spurs.
Uncle Drew
03-28-2020, 04:54 AM
2018 G1 is the greatest one man performance of all time.
Wally450
03-28-2020, 08:24 AM
2016 Lebron, 2012 Lebron had some trouble VS Spurs.
I think you're thinking of 2013. He played the Celtics in the 2012 ECF and the Thunder in the 2012 Finals.
paksat
03-28-2020, 05:59 PM
03 version
DoctorP
03-28-2020, 06:27 PM
so according to this poll peak LeBron is 2012. hm ok
CodeBreaker
03-29-2020, 08:41 AM
2016 Lebron, 2012 Lebron had some trouble VS Spurs.
OKC dismantled the Spurs in WCF, and LeBron destroyed the Thunder in the Finals
iamgine
03-29-2020, 09:01 AM
https://media.giphy.com/media/NJRJyLEKnX2Q8/giphy.gif
FromDowntown
03-29-2020, 10:35 AM
https://media.giphy.com/media/NJRJyLEKnX2Q8/giphy.gif
GOAT run
Averaged 30-10-5 on 50% for the entire playoff run. Only one other player ever did this, and it wasn't MJ.
GOAT run.
https://media.giphy.com/media/NJRJyLEKnX2Q8/giphy.gif
2011?
Jay-B
03-30-2020, 01:53 AM
2016 nba finals and I’ll tell you the reason why, game 7 of the finals I believe early to mid 4th quarter, he gets fouled shooting a 3. He walks up to the line with the Golden State crowd in his face and calmly drains 3 free throws, everyone knows Lebron never makes his free throws, he elevated his game that series
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