Add Lebron to yet another that Luka has elevated

[90sgoat]

Lebron looks great out there and its all Luka's doing.

Like last game, Luka ends with a pedestrian 20-13-5, but 14-5-4 of that was in the first quarter.

Luka essentially closed the game in the first and they were up 20 ppg at one point.

Same thing game against Mavs, Luka coming out blazing.

Then Lebron rests for most of the game and he finishes out strong. Seems to work for both.

[Phoenix]

I'm getting confused with these conversations now. I thought Luka-ball cratered teammates and Bron was only effective if he dominated the ball? Are we now saying that when you pair two high IQ players with what looks to be a high IQ coach that they will eventually figure it out? Bear in mind these two have only played for 2 weeks together. This is likely the worst you're going to see from them as a duo. Luka controlling the pace of the game so that Lebron at 40 can be a play finisher and conserve energy to actually play some defense is what SHOULD be happening at this point. Not only that, but Reaves hasn't been 'cratered' so far like the narratives say he should be.

[90sgoat]

I'm getting confused with these conversations now. I thought Luka-ball cratered teammates and Bron was only effective if he dominated the ball? Are we now saying that when you pair two high IQ players with what looks to be a high IQ coach that they will eventually figure it out? Bear in mind these two have only played for 2 weeks together. This is likely the worst you're going to see from them as a duo. Luka controlling the pace of the game so that Lebron at 40 can be a play finisher and conserve energy to actually play some defense is what SHOULD be happening at this point. Not only that, but Reaves hasn't been 'cratered' so far like the narratives say he should be.

It might be that both Luka and Lebron have too much respect for each other, so they compromise and play as they should for the first time in their careers.

[ArbitraryWater]

LeBron had a great season, won 5 straight without AD before the trade, led them to the 4th seed, his stats havent changed much.

[Phoenix]

It might be that both Luka and Lebron have too much respect for each other, so they compromise and play as they should for the first time in their careers.

This is the first time Lebron has played with someone who is his equal as a playmaker/scorer. Wade was a good passer for a shooting guard but turning him into a facilitator for the offense wasn't his strength, or not a better option than having Lebron do it. Kyrie is best deployed as an offensive weapon who can get his without relying on the table being set for him, he's not a floor general type. AD obviously can't run your offense. Luka can control the offense at a level where Lebron isn't now the de facto option for that role and can come more off-ball. And JJ is smart enough to not let Reaves rot over in a corner as a bystander.

[90sgoat]

This is the first time Lebron has played with someone who is his equal as a playmaker/scorer. Wade was a good passer for a shooting guard but turning him into a facilitator for the offense wasn't his strength, or not a better option than having Lebron do it. Kyrie is best deployed as an offensive weapon who can get his without relying on the table being set for him, he's not a floor general type. AD obviously can't run your offense. Luka can control the offense at a level where Lebron isn't now the de facto option for that role and can come more off-ball. And JJ is smart enough to not let Reaves rot over in a corner as a bystander.

This is where 3balls arguments are correct. Lebron might be the best playmaker on the team, but the team is not better when he is the playmaker for the entire game. It limits his teammates because Lebron does the same thing every play. Lebron is a better scorer than a passer for sure, while Luka is actually perhaps as good a passer as he is scorer.

[sdot_thadon]

This is the first time Lebron has played with someone who is his equal as a playmaker/scorer. Wade was a good passer for a shooting guard but turning him into a facilitator for the offense wasn't his strength, or not a better option than having Lebron do it. Kyrie is best deployed as an offensive weapon who can get his without relying on the table being set for him, he's not a floor general type. AD obviously can't run your offense. Luka can control the offense at a level where Lebron isn't now the de facto option for that role and can come more off-ball. And JJ is smart enough to not let Reaves rot over in a corner as a bystander.

This. I dunno, some weird posts coming out of the hate camp since the trade along with a ton of silence. Think this scares the living shit out of them that he might in fact be playing for a title in a few months.

[StrongLurk]

LeBron had a great season, won 5 straight without AD before the trade, led them to the 4th seed, his stats havent changed much.

Lebrons stats definitely different since Luka played. Lebron is scoring way more and playmaking way less.

[sdot_thadon]

This is where 3balls arguments are correct. Lebron might be the best playmaker on the team, but the team is not better when he is the playmaker for the entire game. It limits his teammates because Lebron does the same thing every play. Lebron is a better scorer than a passer for sure, while Luka is actually perhaps as good a passer as he is scorer.

Where 3balls take falls firmly and flatly on its face each and every time is the fact he's won 4 chips this way. Its like saying Mj is the best option to score yet Bj Armstrong should get a sizable number of his shots. And you should be ashamed for cosigning something so clearly brain-rot retarded.

[Phoenix]

This is where 3balls arguments are correct. Lebron might be the best playmaker on the team, but the team is not better when he is the playmaker for the entire game. It limits his teammates because Lebron does the same thing every play. Lebron is a better scorer than a passer for sure, while Luka is actually perhaps as good a passer as he is scorer.

So what alternative scenarios based on the teammates he's had over the years would have netted better results? There are things to fairly criticize Lebron on, but he's never played with high level 'facilitators' before. Wade and Kyrie were/are scorers first and foremost. Putting the ball in their hands to run the offense is neither better for the offenses they played in, or better for them as players in terms of maximizing their own strengths. So whatever you think you're gaining in one way is gonna be lost in other ways.

[Phoenix]

This. I dunno, some weird posts coming out of the hate camp since the trade along with a ton of silence. Think this scares the living shit out of them that he might in fact be playing for a title in a few months.

I'm still taking the 'wait and see' approach as to how this all pans out, but right now the results are flying in the face of the narratives, and some of these people here are so hard-coded into running with them, they are unable/unwilling to pivot when provided with evidence contrary to their long-held beliefs. The human ego is a fragile thing.

[aj1987]

I'm still taking the 'wait and see' approach as to how this all pans out, but right now the results are flying in the face of the narratives, and some of these people here are so hard-coded into running with them, they are unable/unwilling to pivot when provided with evidence contrary to their long-held beliefs. The human ego is a fragile thing.

Luka is a shit 3pt shooter and he should be no where close to 10 attempts a game. More like 5. He should run the offense and get LeBron more looks from the 3.

However, the only problem with that is LeBron's gonna get gassed playing off-ball too much. Can't expect a 280lb dude to run around the court constantly.

[Phoenix]

Luka is a shit 3pt shooter and he should be no where close to 10 attempts a game. More like 5. He should run the offense and get LeBron more looks from the 3.

However, the only problem with that is LeBron's gonna get gassed playing off-ball too much. Can't expect a 280lb dude to run around the court constantly.

Yeah, a product of the modern game. It's like Wemby taking 9 attempts or whatever his average was when his year ended. The list of people who actually are accurate enough to justify 10 attempts I can count on one hand off the top of my head, but modern offenses are just built around these teams taking 40 a night now.

[sdot_thadon]

I'm still taking the 'wait and see' approach as to how this all pans out, but right now the results are flying in the face of the narratives, and some of these people here are so hard-coded into running with them, they are unable/unwilling to pivot when provided with evidence contrary to their long-held beliefs. The human ego is a fragile thing.

Same. However I will allow myself to enjoy all the preemptive meltdowns I'm seeing currently lol. Its always been crazy to me how long people hold on to these outdated narratives when it comes to him though. The guys talking about derangement syndromes may have a point.

[90sgoat]

So what alternative scenarios based on the teammates he's had over the years would have netted better results? There are things to fairly criticize Lebron on, but he's never played with high level 'facilitators' before. Wade and Kyrie were/are scorers first and foremost. Putting the ball in their hands to run the offense is neither better for the offenses they played in, or better for them as players in terms of maximizing their own strengths. So whatever you think you're gaining in one way is gonna be lost in other ways.

Lebron has never seemed to want a Chris Paul or Rajon Rondo or old Jason Kidd.

He wanted Wade and Kyrie, someone to help close out.

[Im Still Ballin]

LeBron in 6 games with Luka Doncic:

- 36.7 minutes per game
- 25.5 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 6.7 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.0 bpg
- 54.1% FG, 61.8% 2PT (11.0 attempts), 41.9% 3PT (7.2 attempts), 68.0% FT (4.2 attempts), 63.8% TS

He's playing off-ball more, shooting more spot-up threes, getting out in transition, and cutting to the rim for high-percentage baskets.

As for Luka, it's just his mostly his three-point shot that's been off. He's also missing some short mid-range shots from that 3-16 feet region that he's normally money from. Free-throw rate looks good. +9.2 on-court rating and +7.6 on-off net rating over 182 minutes of play.

[Phoenix]

Lebron has never seemed to want a Chris Paul or Rajon Rondo or old Jason Kidd.

He wanted Wade and Kyrie, someone to help close out.

Out of that list, a prime Chris Paul would have been the only scorer/playmaker prolific enough to move Lebron off-ball. That would have been an interesting pairing. Think 'lob city' but with Lebron in place of Blake finishing plays. Kidd most definitely purely as a playmaker, but was past his prime by the time Lebron came into his own( especially at the time he left Cleveland). Rondo won a title with him in 2020, albeit in a reduced role at that point.

[RRR3]

Lebron has never seemed to want a Chris Paul or Rajon Rondo or old Jason Kidd.

He wanted Wade and Kyrie, someone to help close out.
LeBron literally won a ring with Rondo. You're retarded.

[Walk on Water]

LeBron literally won a ring with Rondo. You're retarded.


But don’t he also miss the playoffs with Rondo?

[sdot_thadon]

But don’t he also miss the playoffs with Rondo?

You mean that time he missed a quarter of the season and AD missed half of the same season?

[Full Court]

Luka is a shit 3pt shooter and he should be no where close to 10 attempts a game. More like 5. He should run the offense and get LeBron more looks from the 3.

However, the only problem with that is LeBron's gonna get gassed playing off-ball too much. Can't expect a 280lb dude to run around the court constantly.

:roll:
Yep, Lebron has the most stacked team in the league but he still needs more help. So predictable.

[aj1987]

:roll:
Yep, Lebron has the most stacked team in the league but he still needs more help. So predictable.
Full Retard, I said Luka needs to stop taking a dozen 3's a game. Never said that he doesn't have help.

With that being said, Rui, AR, and the rest of the supporting cast would be literal nobodies if they weren't playing with the Lakers and didn't have the spotlight on them.

The tanking Wizards didn't want Rui, FFS.

[90sgoat]

Full Retard, I said Luka needs to stop taking a dozen 3's a game. Never said that he doesn't have help.

With that being said, Rui, AR, and the rest of the supporting cast would be literal nobodies if they weren't playing with the Lakers and didn't have the spotlight on them.

The tanking Wizards didn't want Rui, FFS.

Reaves could be a 1b on a bad team. Rui will always be a role player.

[John8204]

The whole point of Lebron is he's a 2 option who plays all 5 positions and he's done it well longer than anyone has ever done it before.

[ILLsmak]

The whole point of Lebron is he's a 2 option who plays all 5 positions and he's done it well longer than anyone has ever done it before.

Excellent embedded troll haha

-Smak

[bison]

Totally agree. Luka dominating first quarters and getting large early leads allows LeFrontRunner to coast and stat pad the rest of the game.