Lebron from 2016-2018

[Carbine]

Trollpols strikes again.

How hard is it to just use logic?

Lebron being on the team is likely the sole reason that team is ranked #5 in team offense. Everything ran through him for the most part when he was on the floor. The '20 Mavs with Doncic was #1 in offense..... because of Doncic. Not because of Tim Hardaway Jr.

Pretty easy to understand if you aren't agenda driven.

[HoopsNY]

I haven't been able to take his posts seriously since he said Tom Brady was the biggest choker in NBA history.





...because MJ racked up sooooooo many of his points by shooting threes.

Good point

On the one hand, he's saying that MJ wouldn't drop buckets because of threes, meanwhile MJ didn't have a high volume of 3s to begin with, but still put up an insane stat line.

MJ put up 2.2 3PA in the first round between 1996-98. And still averaged nearly 35 a night.

[Hey Yo]

That's what I'm saying. If you want to make the debate you have to do it without saying some totally off the rails stuff first.

That version of Lebron was probably almost equal to prime MJ in terms of pure talent and ability imo.

So it's funny to see Lebron stans act like somebody that was as good as him would have no chance of running the Oladipo / Derozan / Tatum gauntlet.

I guess it's just cognitive dissonance.

Would have liked to seen how MJ would have played that 2018 postseason coming off 7 consecutive Finals appearances.

Saying that version of LeBron, in his 15th season, was close to prime MJ is saying a lot.

[tpols]

Lebron averaged 27/9/9 in 2018 when the cavaliers had a top 5 offense. He was great.

But... those aren't productions Michael Jordan is incapable of. A little less dimes but more points. And better defense. Cavs were 29th ranked defense that year, which shows Lebron gave them 0 defensive identity as a supposed GOAT defender.

We're not talking about replacing Lebron with Joe Johnson. This is Michael ****ing Jordan.

[tpols]

Would have liked to seen how MJ would have played that 2018 postseason coming off 7 consecutive Finals appearances.

Saying that version of LeBron, in his 15th season, was close to prime MJ is saying a lot.

Yea I mean 2018 Lebron was the GOAT version for me. He had no fear that year, and was a straight juggernaut especially in the playoffs. That Game 1 was probably the best game of his career and a contender for best game ever even though he lost.

We can acknowledge that from our side without saying crazy things like prime MJ getting crushed by some of the mid teams that existed in the 2018 eastern conference playoff picture.

[Axe]

Trollpols strikes again.

How hard is it to just use logic?

Lebron being on the team is likely the sole reason that team is ranked #5 in team offense. Everything ran through him for the most part when he was on the floor. The '20 Mavs with Doncic was #1 in offense..... because of Doncic. Not because of Tim Hardaway Jr.

Pretty easy to understand if you aren't agenda driven.

Yeah. What's the cavs record without him during that season? I'm very sure it's a paltry one.

It's well known that kong excels a lot when he's on a team full of scrubs. It definitely helped him post an insane statline, something that wouldn't happen if he's playing for a stacked team bt.

[Hey Yo]

Yea I mean 2018 Lebron was the GOAT version for me. He had no fear that year, and was a straight juggernaut especially in the playoffs. That Game 1 was probably the best game of his career and a contender for best game ever even though he lost.

We can acknowledge that from our side without saying crazy things like prime MJ getting crushed by some of the mid teams that existed in the 2018 eastern conference playoff picture.

You consider 96-98 prime MJ? Cause 2018 James definitely wasn't prime.

[tpols]

You consider 96-98 prime MJ? Cause 2018 James definitely wasn't prime.

Lebrons prime was longer than Jordan's. You really don't think 2018 Lebron was still in his prime?

[Carbine]

I personally agree that 2018 is the best version of Lebron the basektball player. His shot had improved by then, he still was physically dominant over everyone and most importantly his mental game was at the top level for him. Post game was at a level not seen before for him as well.

2018 best version for playoff basketball

[Hey Yo]

Lebrons prime was longer than Jordan's. You really don't think 2018 Lebron was still in his prime?

No player in his 15 season, coming off 7 consecutive Finals (6 consecutive 1st option) appearances, is still considered to be in their prime.

96-98 is still considered MJ's prime to you?

[SouBeachTalents]

No player in his 15 season, coming off 7 consecutive Finals (6 consecutive 1st option) appearances, is still considered to be in their prime.

96-98 is still considered MJ's prime to you?

Jordan was still in his prime those years, he was still the BITW, but he was obviously no longer at his peak, which was roughly '88-'93.

Are you actually claiming a guy who averaged 34/9/9 through the Finals wasn't in his prime You think those arbitrary numbers offset GOAT tier production.

[Gudo]

I love how OP puts out a dumb post and everyone just gets reeled into it.

[tpols]

No player in his 15 season, coming off 7 consecutive Finals (6 consecutive 1st option) appearances, is still considered to be in their prime.

96-98 is still considered MJ's prime to you?

Lebron came into the NBA out of high school as a teenager so it was really like his 12th season relative to MJ who went to UNC for college.

Lebron does have better longevity though. In Jordan's era all you could really get was the basic steroids that would get you bodybuilder jacked which isn't great for a speed sport like basketball, but nowadays the game is elevated.

Lebron has access to a superior medical team and regiment than Jordan had. He's basically like a basketball Frankenstein. Which I have no problem with.

If a team of doctors told me they could give me procedures to be super strong and fit for longer why wouldn't I do it? Lebrons not buying anabolics from gym bros off the street. He's got scientists behind him.

And witnessing peak performance is interesting so I'm not against it.

[Hey Yo]

Jordan was still in his prime those years, he was still the BITW, but he was obviously no longer at his peak, which was roughly '88-'93.

Are you actually claiming a guy who averaged 34/9/9 through the Finals wasn't in his prime You think those arbitrary numbers offset GOAT tier production.

Still being BITW was due to era and the time off he took. Too me, there's very little difference between peak and prime. They're basically the same thing. When you're considered to be in your prime playing shape, you're considered being the best version of yourself.

What those numbers by LeBron does is screams he's the GOAT if he's going to be considered in his prime at the end of his 15th consecutive season and 7th consecutive Finals appearance.

[SouBeachTalents]

Still being BITW was due to era and the time off he took. Too me, there's very little difference between peak and prime. They're basically the same thing. When you're considered to be in your prime playing shape, you're considered being the best version of yourself.

What those numbers by LeBron does is screams he's the GOAT if he's going to be considered in his prime at the end of his 15th consecutive season and 7th consecutive Finals appearance.

Hard disagree here, there's a clear difference in performance for guys like Shaq & Hakeem during their peak years as opposed to other prime years. 2000 Shaq was simply a different animal than the 90's version.

And sure, LeBron being great for so long, in addition to all of his accomplishments, give him a valid argument for GOAT.