Peak Lebron, Criminally Underrated

[Im Still Ballin]

dominated (proper domination) in an era when domination was a thing of the past.

much more dominant peak than Kobe, Magic, Bird or Duncan.

we laugh at him like he has always been the bald mofvcker he is, but there was a 2 year stretch where he played the game at a higher level than ANYONE has ever played (sorry Wilt, but he would have clowned those silly white boys back in your day too)

[ImKobe]

dominated (proper domination) in an era when domination was a thing of the past.

much more dominant peak than Kobe, Magic, Bird or Duncan.

we laugh at him like he has always been the bald mofvcker he is, but there was a 2 year stretch where he played the game at a higher level than ANYONE has ever played (sorry Wilt, but he would have clowned those silly white boys back in your day too)

His run with the Miami Heat was as successful as Kobe's from 08-10, and Kobe didn't need two other all-stars to make the Finals or win a Finals series.

Kobe's numbers for 08-10 Playoffs: 30/6/6/2/1 on 46/34/85 shooting, 57%TS

Lebron's numbers for 11-14 Playoffs: 27/8/6/2/1 on 50/35/77 shooting, 60%TS

So, Lebron is slightly more efficient while taking 3.5 less FGA per game, Kobe averages around the same number of assists as the guy who is claimed to be a much better playmaker and his AST-TO ratio is near identical as well


Kobe's 3 straight Finals runs while being out of his peak is more impressive than Lebron's 4 straight Finals runs during his absolute prime and having a better and a deeper roster.

08 he led a team before the Pau Gasol trade to the top of the West and on a 50+ win pace, Pau was not an all-star that year and was pretty medicore in Memphis, his numbers skyrocketed next to Kobe, the supposed "ballhog" and ballstopper. 08 Western Conference Playoff run was a thing of beauty, he also shot 48% for the Playoffs despite having a below-average shooting series against Boston in the Finals (08 Celtics were the best defensive team of that era), averaged 32/6/6 on 51% shooting against the Western Conference, single-handedly dominated the defending champs, San Antonio Spurs


09 he dominated every Playoff series and was the 1st player since MJ in 91 to drop 30+ppg/5+reb/7+ast in a Finals series, put up 34/6/6 on 48/34/93 shooting in the WCF

2010 is where Kobe's physical decline began, but he still had some impressive Playoff series. Put up 32/4/6 on 52% shooting against Utah and 34/7/8(with only 2.5 TOs) on 52/43/88 shooting against the Suns in the WCF, averaged 30/7/4 on 43/37/93 shooting in the first 6 games of the Finals, Game 7 was a horrible shooting game, but he did enough to win the game in the 4th quarter with his clutch FTs and defense.

Peak Lebron is an overrated statpadder that had the luxury of playing with 3 other hall of famers, if he doesn't win in Cleveland it will just get worse for him. He hasn't made anyone a HOFer or a superstar like Kobe did to Pau, he needed proven superstars to win rings, period.

[Fudge]

I pick Kobe.

[Sarcastic]

Weak era.

[Yankstar]

Kobe

[russwest0]

His run with the Miami Heat was as successful as Kobe's from 08-10, and Kobe didn't need two other all-stars to make the Finals or win a Finals series.

Kobe's numbers for 08-10 Playoffs: 30/6/6/2/1 on 46/34/85 shooting, 57%TS

Lebron's numbers for 11-14 Playoffs: 27/8/6/2/1 on 50/35/77 shooting, 60%TS

So, Lebron is slightly more efficient while taking 3.5 less FGA per game, Kobe averages around the same number of assists as the guy who is claimed to be a much better playmaker and his AST-TO ratio is near identical as well


Kobe's 3 straight Finals runs while being out of his peak is more impressive than Lebron's 4 straight Finals runs during his absolute prime and having a better and a deeper roster.

08 he led a team before the Pau Gasol trade to the top of the West and on a 50+ win pace, Pau was not an all-star that year and was pretty medicore in Memphis, his numbers skyrocketed next to Kobe, the supposed "ballhog" and ballstopper. 08 Western Conference Playoff run was a thing of beauty, he also shot 48% for the Playoffs despite having a below-average shooting series against Boston in the Finals (08 Celtics were the best defensive team of that era), averaged 32/6/6 on 51% shooting against the Western Conference, single-handedly dominated the defending champs, San Antonio Spurs


09 he dominated every Playoff series and was the 1st player since MJ in 91 to drop 30+ppg/5+reb/7+ast in a Finals series, put up 34/6/6 on 48/34/93 shooting in the WCF

2010 is where Kobe's physical decline began, but he still had some impressive Playoff series. Put up 32/4/6 on 52% shooting against Utah and 34/7/8(with only 2.5 TOs) on 52/43/88 shooting against the Suns in the WCF, averaged 30/7/4 on 43/37/93 shooting in the first 6 games of the Finals, Game 7 was a horrible shooting game, but he did enough to win the game in the 4th quarter with his clutch FTs and defense.

Peak Lebron is an overrated statpadder that had the luxury of playing with 3 other hall of famers, if he doesn't win in Cleveland it will just get worse for him. He hasn't made anyone a HOFer or a superstar like Kobe did to Pau, he needed proven superstars to win rings, period.

Ethered. Plus Kobe was a better defender than LeBron as well.

Kobe >

[JtotheIzzo]

Ethered. Plus Kobe was a better defender than LeBron as well.

Kobe >

I thought the OP was cute but this is way more adorable. *hugs*

[JohnMax]

How can you be underrated when your the most talked about athlete in the Media?

[russwest0]

I thought the OP was cute but this is way more adorable. *hugs*

Nothing better than watching peak LeBron defending a role player in the Finals and making him look like Michael Jordan out there.

[StephHamann]

His run with the Miami Heat was as successful as Kobe's from 08-10, and Kobe didn't need two other all-stars to make the Finals or win a Finals series.

Kobe's numbers for 08-10 Playoffs: 30/6/6/2/1 on 46/34/85 shooting, 57%TS

Lebron's numbers for 11-14 Playoffs: 27/8/6/2/1 on 50/35/77 shooting, 60%TS

So, Lebron is slightly more efficient while taking 3.5 less FGA per game, Kobe averages around the same number of assists as the guy who is claimed to be a much better playmaker and his AST-TO ratio is near identical as well


Kobe's 3 straight Finals runs while being out of his peak is more impressive than Lebron's 4 straight Finals runs during his absolute prime and having a better and a deeper roster.

08 he led a team before the Pau Gasol trade to the top of the West and on a 50+ win pace, Pau was not an all-star that year and was pretty medicore in Memphis, his numbers skyrocketed next to Kobe, the supposed "ballhog" and ballstopper. 08 Western Conference Playoff run was a thing of beauty, he also shot 48% for the Playoffs despite having a below-average shooting series against Boston in the Finals (08 Celtics were the best defensive team of that era), averaged 32/6/6 on 51% shooting against the Western Conference, single-handedly dominated the defending champs, San Antonio Spurs


09 he dominated every Playoff series and was the 1st player since MJ in 91 to drop 30+ppg/5+reb/7+ast in a Finals series, put up 34/6/6 on 48/34/93 shooting in the WCF

2010 is where Kobe's physical decline began, but he still had some impressive Playoff series. Put up 32/4/6 on 52% shooting against Utah and 34/7/8(with only 2.5 TOs) on 52/43/88 shooting against the Suns in the WCF, averaged 30/7/4 on 43/37/93 shooting in the first 6 games of the Finals, Game 7 was a horrible shooting game, but he did enough to win the game in the 4th quarter with his clutch FTs and defense.

Peak Lebron is an overrated statpadder that had the luxury of playing with 3 other hall of famers, if he doesn't win in Cleveland it will just get worse for him. He hasn't made anyone a HOFer or a superstar like Kobe did to Pau, he needed proven superstars to win rings, period.

[JtotheIzzo]

Nothing better than watching peak LeBron defending a role player in the Finals and making him look like Michael Jordan out there.

LeBron's complete destruction of Derrick Rose on defense in the ECFs the year Rose won MVP is all the defense you need.

NO ONE has ever humbled an MVP in his MVP season more.

[russwest0]

LeBron's complete destruction of Derrick Rose on defense in the ECFs the year Rose won MVP is all the defense you need.

NO ONE has ever humbled an MVP in his MVP season more.

If playing good defense on a guy, in a series, for a total of like 8 minutes is complete destruction then sure.

Durant "completely destroyed" Kobe with good defense in the playoffs 3 years ago as well then.

[Im Still Ballin]

If playing good defense on a guy, in a series, for a total of like 8 minutes is complete destruction then sure.

Durant "completely destroyed" Kobe with good defense in the playoffs 3 years ago as well then.

La La La La

Lafukkin LMAO

Ronny Johns Artest made Kevin spread his cheeks. Sent him packing back to momma in tears. Dude didn't recover till 2011-2012. LMAO.

[AintNoSunshine]

La La La La

Lafukkin LMAO

Ronny Johns Artest made Kevin spread his cheeks. Sent him packing back to momma in tears. Dude didn't recover till 2011-2012. LMAO.

[Roundball_Rock]

much more dominant peak than Kobe, Magic, Bird or Duncan.

This is true. LeBron won 4 MVP's in 5 years. Think about how rare that is. Only KAJ (5 in 7) and Russell (4 in 6) come close.

His run with the Miami Heat was as successful as Kobe's from 08-10, and Kobe didn't need two other all-stars to make the Finals or win a Finals series.

Kobe's peak was probably 2006-2008. By 2009 LeBron had surpassed him as the best player in the game.