At the end of the day, there is a premium for having a pure scorer as a 1st option

[STATUTORY]

Trailblazers upsetting Lakers showed this in a nutshell. As good as Lebron is and as nice as his stats are, ultimately his game is team DEPENDENT. He does not have the singular takeover ability due to his jankyjumpshot, pedestrian fundamentals and first step which limits him in a half court offense. Because of this he's always relying on his teammates to hit shots for him, playing the facilitator role. This is another reason he always "needs more help"

People get excited about things like triple doubles, but rebounds and assists are team dependent stats, meaning you are relying on your team to make shots and do something with the rebound. Pure scorers like Dame can take over the game regardless of what their team is doing. the name of the game is to put points on the board, Lebron has never the ability to do that consistentlly

[Lebron23]

Trailblazers upsetting Lakers showed this in a nutshell. As good as Lebron is and as nice as his stats are, ultimately his game is team DEPENDENT. He does not have the singular takeover ability due to his jankyjumpshot, pedestrian fundamentals and first step which limits him in a half court offense. Because of this he's always relying on his teammates to hit shots for him, playing the facilitator role. This is another reason he always "needs more help"

People get excited about things like triple doubles, but rebounds and assists are team dependent stats, meaning you are relying on your team to make shots and do something with the rebound. Pure scorers like Dame can take over the game regardless of what their team is doing. the name of the game is to put points on the board, Lebron has never the ability to do that consistentlly

That's why he has more finals mvp, regular season mvp, scored more points than kobe, curry and dame combined.

[ImKobe]

Lebron has the ability to score, he just isn't willing to just yet. How many times have we seen him come out playing passive in Game 1s & lose? He did that against the Pacers & Celtics in 2018.

[Lebron23]

Lebron has the ability to score, he just isn't willing to just yet. How many times have we seen him come out playing passive in Game 1s & lose? He did that against the Pacers & Celtics in 2018.

This. Cavaliers won the 2016 championship once lebron started scoring.

[Phoenix]

Lebron has the ability to score, he just isn't willing to just yet. How many times have we seen him come out playing passive in Game 1s & lose? He did that against the Pacers & Celtics in 2018.

That was one of Lebron's best scoring years though, especially in the playoffs. It's a lot harder to go to that gear for a guy who's 36 on his next birthday and doesn't have the game to game consistency he had established before the season was suspended. Even if he picks it up you got Dame on the other side whose been in 'on fire' mode during the bubble and the perimeter defense has been compromised without Bradley. This Blazers squad under the circumstances present a bigger threat than those teams you mentioned.

[ImKobe]

That was one of Lebron's best scoring years though, especially in the playoffs. It's a lot harder to go to that gear for a guy who's 36 on his next birthday and doesn't have the game to game consistency he had established before the season was suspended.

Yeah, but look at those games. He rarely starts out a series going for 30-40 points, he's always gone up a level scoring-wise when needed, I don't see why he wouldn't do that against a terrible defensive team in Portland that had LeVert and Morant go off for career games against them in do-or-die games. He's been coasting scoring-wise all season and had 5 months off prior to the bubble, he should have enough in the tank at this point.

[Phoenix]

Yeah, but look at those games. He rarely starts out a series going for 30-40 points, he's always gone up a level scoring-wise when needed, I don't see why he wouldn't do that against a terrible defensive team in Portland that had LeVert and Morant go off for career games against them in do-or-die games. He's been coasting scoring-wise all season and had 5 months off prior to the bubble, he should have enough in the tank at this point.

I'm aware of the history, but on the bolded quite the contrary....for a guy like Lebron I think stopping and restarting this season did more harm than any 'rest'. Consider that around March the Lakers took out the Clippers and Bucks, and there was talk of him seriously challenging Giannis for MVP. I don't think he was ever going to get there, but he was mounting a late season offensive and peaking for the playoffs.

The 4 months off had the effect of an off-season, regardless of how well he kept himself in shape, there's a natural effect of atrophy, in-game timing and conditioning that he lacks compared to where he was in March. It should be obvious that he has to build back up to that, and I think he'd be playing better now if the season wasn't suspended. Especially scoring, because he's going to need to be much more of a scorer this series than filling out the stat sheet with rebounds and assists like last night. Especially when you got Dame and CJ who can go off for 60 or 70 between them on any given night and while Melo isn't in 2013 form, you still need to account for him out there. This Blazers team is dangerous.

[ArbitraryWater]

Trailblazers upsetting Lakers showed this in a nutshell. As good as Lebron is and as nice as his stats are, ultimately his game is team DEPENDENT. He does not have the singular takeover ability due to his jankyjumpshot, pedestrian fundamentals and first step which limits him in a half court offense. Because of this he's always relying on his teammates to hit shots for him, playing the facilitator role. This is another reason he always "needs more help"

People get excited about things like triple doubles, but rebounds and assists are team dependent stats, meaning you are relying on your team to make shots and do something with the rebound. Pure scorers like Dame can take over the game regardless of what their team is doing. the name of the game is to put points on the board, Lebron has never the ability to do that consistentlly

Look, another half assed conclusion based on one game in which LeBron refused to take a mid range J, which completely goes against 99% of his playoff career, but lets act as if its the norm anyway.

OP I know you're not this dumb

[ImKobe]

I'm aware of the history, but on the bolded quite the contrary....for a guy like Lebron I think stopping and restarting this season did more harm than any 'rest'. Consider that around March the Lakers took out the Clippers and Bucks, and there was talk of him seriously challenging Giannis for MVP. I don't think he was ever going to get there, but he was mounting a late season offensive and peaking for the playoffs.

The 4 months off had the effect of an off-season, regardless of how well he kept himself in shape, there's a natural effect of atrophy, in-game timing and conditioning that he lacks compared to where he was in March. It should be obvious that he has to build back up to that, and I think he'd be playing better now if the season wasn't suspended. Especially scoring, because he's going to need to be much more of a scorer this series than filling out the stat sheet with rebounds and assists like last night. Especially when you got Dame and CJ who can go off for 60 or 70 between them on any given night and while Melo isn't in 2013 form, you still need to account for him out there. This Blazers team is dangerous.

I see where you're coming from, that's a good argument. I think the time off ends up helping him at this age, we've seen older stars go all out in the RS and get hurt or just wear out in the Playoffs. If anything, it was a detriment to the team's chemistry, they looked like the best team in the league prior to the season being suspended as you mentioned, now guys are missing open 3s and don't look like they're quite on the same page defensively. I do believe that year 17 Lebron benefited from the time off, it's not like he wasn't working out in the 4 months, I'm sure he worked hard to keep himself in peak condition.

Dame and CJ can go off, but their defense is atrocious. Lakers had the 2nd worst 3PT shooting game in Playoffs history and were still up 6 with 8 minutes to go, do you think they'll shoot that poorly from 3 with Davis going 8/24 again? Blazers got away with doubling everyone and leaving guys wide open from 3, at some point that's going to be their downfall. Lebron's going to abuse Gary Trent Jr and Melo offensively. Whiteside's lack of effort/BBIQ is going to be exposed.

[Phoenix]

I see where you're coming from, that's a good argument. I think the time off ends up helping him at this age, we've seen older stars go all out in the RS and get hurt or just wear out in the Playoffs. If anything, it was a detriment to the team's chemistry, they looked like the best team in the league prior to the season being suspended as you mentioned, now guys are missing open 3s and don't look like they're quite on the same page defensively. I do believe that year 17 Lebron benefited from the time off, it's not like he wasn't working out in the 4 months, I'm sure he worked hard to keep himself in peak condition.

Dame and CJ can go off, but their defense is atrocious. Lakers had the 2nd worst 3PT shooting game in Playoffs history and were still up 6 with 8 minutes to go, do you think they'll shoot that poorly from 3 with Davis going 8/24 again? Blazers got away with doubling everyone and leaving guys wide open from 3, at some point that's going to be their downfall. Lebron's going to abuse Gary Trent Jr and Melo offensively. Whiteside's lack of effort/BBIQ is going to be exposed.

It may have helped his body as far as rest, I'm not so sure it did his actual game any favors. Lebron strikes me as someone who works out every off-season so he's always going to be at a certain level of conditioning but he needs the pre-season and first half of the year to pace himself into form. It's happened for years as he's aged. Him working out between March and July likely isn't dissimilar from his typical off-season. There is a synergy between himself and the team that was adversely affected by the layoff.

This is going to be an offensive series. The Lakers ability to contain the Blazers backcourt was upended by Bradley opting out of playing. You'd think at some point those 3s start going down but do bear in mind alot of those guys are untested in high stakes situations like this. The 3ball is often the first thing to go for role players unless you're a Danny Green type and unfazed by championship expectations.

[Whoah10115]

Everyone is different. LeBron is exceptional with his conditioning, and is a freak. His decline always exaggerated.

I've always thought that those of us who play organized sports at a competitive level are able to maintain something resembling a peak longer than pros, because we're not quite as good and therefore the game isn't the same speed, and we're not the same speed, so our muscles don't take the same beating. And for those of us who play at a very high level much of the reason we're not as good in some cases, or as technical, is a matter of training and more repetition. Plenty of guys are recent former pros, either at a lower level or on the cusp of making it somewhere (especially in soccer). We don't rely on training the same way pros do so miss it less. We also don't reach -or at least maintain- the same level.

Other thing I'm starting to fully realize is we don't need and take the same off-seasons pros take. We play pickup more often, we play Summer leagues. So there's never a full stop.

I remember Cafu (for those who watch soccer) suffered his first real injury at 35. A few months before, my friend asked if I thought he could make it to the next World Cup. I told him he literally looked the same, and then on the very next play he speed burst with the ball and we looked at each other and started laughing.

But after that injury, which wasn't even major...he was never the same again. Nowhere near.

[Carbine]

Blaming LeBron for this one for whatever reason you want to use is brutal analysis.

They lost because his other players shot 20/70 against one of the worst defenses in the league.

The blame goes directly to them. LeBron is not at fault here. At all.

[Roundball_Rock]

Third all-time is not being a pure scorer? He gives you Kobe-type scoring (playoff career versus playoff career as superstars) with elite facilitating. That's a bad thing?

Your argument cuts the other way: if the offensive cast is poor at scoring there is a premium on having an elite playmaker spoonfeed them easy baskets.

All in all, an overreaction. Davis will bounce back, they won't go 5 for 32 from three every game, etc.

[STATUTORY]

Third all-time is not being a pure scorer? He gives you Kobe-type scoring (playoff career versus playoff career as superstars) with elite facilitating. That's a bad thing?

Your argument cuts the other way: if the offensive cast is poor at scoring there is a premium on having an elite playmaker spoonfeed them easy baskets.

All in all, an overreaction. Davis will bounce back, they won't go 5 for 32 from three every game, etc.

samething happened with Giannis. This is a recurring theme in the league tbh

[BigtimeNBAFan]

Lebron is a "pure scorer." He is the all time leading playoff scorer in points and has averaged 29 points per game in the playoffs throughout his career. One of the dumber things said by basketball fans and basketball pundits is Lebron isn't a scorer. He is literally going to retire with the most points in NBA history.

They lost one game. They aren't losing this series.

[LAL]

Third all-time is not being a pure scorer? He gives you Kobe-type scoring (playoff career versus playoff career as superstars) with elite facilitating. That's a bad thing?

Your argument cuts the other way: if the offensive cast is poor at scoring there is a premium on having an elite playmaker spoonfeed them easy baskets.

All in all, an overreaction. Davis will bounce back, they won't go 5 for 32 from three every game, etc.

Yes yes stats. We just need him to stop playing like rajon rondo like he has these past 2 years, it's playoff time finally. He's at fault for game 1.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Yes yes stats. We just need him to stop playing like rajon rondo like he has these past 2 years, it's playoff time finally. He's at fault for game 1.

Hey airhead, points are also a stat.

And Bron is third all time in scoring. That negates any point you thought you had.

[Bronbron23]

There some truth to the whole scoring thing but lebron can score with the best of them. Its just one game. I think he was trying to get others involved instead of looking for his shot. I dont expect that to continue. Look for bron to come out looking for his next game

[LAL]

Hey airhead, points are also a stat.

And Bron is third all time in scoring. That negates any point you thought you had.

Stat sheet may tell you he's a scorer, reality is he's ballhogging in his system for all around numbers, mostly agressive when defense isn't set, passes up 1 on 1 oppurtunities because he'll get the ball back anyway, sprinting for every fast break like he suddenly gotten younger, 3 point game has to be on for big nights, dribbling ballhog etc. Pure scorer he is not. Great stats tho.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Stat sheet may tell you he's a scorer, reality is he's ballhogging in his system for all around numbers, mostly agressive when defense isn't set, passes up 1 on 1 oppurtunities because he'll get the ball back anyway, sprinting for every fast break like he suddenly gotten younger, 3 point game has to be on for big nights, dribbling ballhog etc. Pure scorer he is not. Great stats tho.

Damn good post.

Welcome to my ignore list.

[LAL]

Damn good post.

Welcome to my ignore list.

Cmon man think about it atleast

[Gohan]

Damn good post.

Welcome to my ignore list.


I don’t think he minds

[Roundball_Rock]

With LeBron on the court they are the #2 offense. With him off the court they are the #20 offense. Clearly they need his facilitating.

[LAL]

With LeBron on the court they are the #2 offense. With him off the court they are the #20 offense. Clearly they need his facilitating.

I'm going with the old school stats like Lakers being almost unbeatable when lebron goes for 30+

[knicksman]

choosing between kobe or lebron is like choosing between business or working 9-5. Business is harder to start but its easier to succeed just like its harder to start with kobe but once you have a team, youll have a higher chance of winning with him whereas lebron is the exact opposite. Lebron is easier to make the playoffs but harder to win rings. Hes a low risk low reward type of player.