If LeBron cant make the playoffs his 1st year in the west, Harden deserves more credit.

You have to factor in that they had the softest schedule in the league in the first half. Now they have the hardest.

Who knows what would have happened had Lebron not gotten hurt.

I don’t doubt that they would be in the playoffs but I also don’t think they would be anywhere near the top 4.

My guess is they would be around we’re the clippers spurs and maybe Utah are at which is still good.

But the west was strange to start the season.

When have we seen a team 20-16 in the west be the 4th seed 35 games in?

The parity was really odd the first half of the season.

It’s kind of normalized now with Denver and GS being up top by 5-6 games and then 3-5 being separated by less than 2 games.

 

I don't know if it's harden deserves more credit or lebron deserves less .

Father Time is catching up with Lebron .

Fans of his will say that he has another level in the playoffs .... but he doesn't have the durability anymore to play hard for a long portion of the regular season AND take it up a notch in the playoffs .

Even his last couple years in Cleveland he took like a month off every season .... maybe not in games missed but definitely in regards to his effort .

Lebron isn't the undisputed best player anymore .... or at least he isn't a solo act .

The only guy who can still pull that off is Harden . But , we should definitely not want Harden to have to do it .

If the lakers don't pick up another superstar (or at least a star) next year , then Lebron could fall out of the top 5 .

Harden , KD , kawhi , curry , Giannis, and AD could do more for their squads next year.

It all depends on the situation

 

Which is why I despise the excuses the media makes for this man. Keep in mind, Harden took a team with Omir Asik, Chandler Parsons & Jeremy Lin to the playoffs. I don't wanna hear how Lebron doesn't have any help. The West was harder then too. Lebron got a HUGE advantage playing in the east which should add a even bigger asterisk on his legacy

 

When AD requested a trade. Every GM offered players so not like those people should be surprised.

 

The, “he doesn’t have any help” excuse is definitely bs. His age might not be though, people really forget how long Lebron hasn’t been doing this and what the other guys at his age are doing.

 

Obviously I am a huge homer, but about LeBron:

2008-2009, winningest team, most win shares, best PER, MVP
2009-2010, winningest team, most win shares, best PER, MVP
2010-2011, best PER, most win shares
2011-2012, most win shares, best PER, MVP
2012-2013, winningest team, most win shares, best PER, MVP

LeBron is past his prime, but his peak was huge.

 

Lebron has also been hurt for extended periods of time this year. The list of guys who could drag almost any team to the playoffs is incredibly small. I wouldn’t put Paul George or Giannis on that list. This years version of those guys...maybe. But I need to see more than a season of MVP level play first.

James Harden
Kevin Durant
Lebron James

That’s about it.

 

The year that Lebron had us actually debating whether he could beat GS or not with kyrie and love out was ridiculous. I’m happy he’s losing because I despise laker fans but he’s had an extraordinary career

 

I couldn’t be happier for LeBron and the Lakers

 

Dude the person doing the leaking was lebrons agent
This means lebron told him to force the trade
They have the same agent

 

LeBron James is one rebound away from a great statistical loss

 

LeBum chokes away both free throws in the last minute against the Suns and Lakers lose.

lulz...

Thoroughly enjoying this.

 

Ok to be fair that's not the whole picture. They were also like what 2 loses from being out the playoff at that time. Iys was super.early in the year when everybody except the nuggets was struggling..so I think it's funny when people mention that narrative but leave that fact out hot they were also a couple loses from like 10th seed lol.

 

Lol its not father time hes in the west now with no star help...and hes used to having obligtory 2 all star teammates in the last decade coasting vs east
his domination was nothing but an illusion

 

THIS

 

2 of those 3 have actually done it. Durant hasnt had the opportunity yet.

 

Curious, why don't you have Steph in there?

 

thats why KD is such as cupcake

he joined a 73 win team

 

James Harden would have the Lakers well in the playoffs. They aren’t good but there is plenty of talent on the roster.

 

James Harden wouldn’t try to screw his teammates over by having his agent trade everyone for Anthony Davis