I know everybody says he is too hyped. Some people say kobe is better or tmac is better. I know some people would even say they would take yao over lebron because it is hard to find a big man. Even if he cavs go on to lose this series I would take lebron james no. 1 over any player in the last 9 years. He is just a joy to watch. Even when he can't score, he makes an impact on the game.
Out of all the players in the league, he has the most potential to actually change the way the game is played... like Bird, Magic, and Jordan (and to some extent Hakeem) did. Kobe is a Jordan-type player all over again... still spectacular, but we've seen it before. Duncan is a combo of McHale/Olajuwon. Yao Ming has a chance to become a version of Shaq/Kareem... but with a better jump-shot. I'm not taking away anything from those guys... they're all going to hold a special place in league history when they're playing careers are done. But, Lebron... if he continues to improve... will combine the power/athleticism/instincts of the best of Jordan/Kobe/T-mac, and the court-vision/intangibles/leadership of the best of Bird/Magic. If he is indeed still "getting it" (he's only 21, afterall), and if he does manage to get just a little more talent on that team (there's really not all that much there).... it is SCARY to think of how good he can be.
Not everybody thinks he is overhyped. I don't think very many sane people would take Kobe, Tracy or Yao over LeBron. Wasn't just a few weeks back several here said LeBron wasn't clutch? Some claimed to "see something" in his game that told them he lacked the clutchness of Carmelo. What a joke! Then the Cavs ripped on 9 in a row to basically lock up the 4th seed. As long as he (1) doesn't get too full of himself and (2) stays focused ONLY on winning, LeBron will always be in my top 5 favorite players. Nick, Kobe isn't in Jordan's class because he isn't nearly the leader MJ was. A oft repeated (but very true) fact is that Jordan willed his teammates to another level. Kobe obviously doesn't do that. LeBron doesn't either, yet. If he eventually does, the Cavs will be far and away the most fun team to watch for the next few years.
I didn't say Kobe was in Jordan's class... frankly, nobody is in Jordan's class, and probably will never be. I said that Kobe's style of play is a lot like Jordan... he drives it in like early Mike did, gets spectacular dunks, and has the ability to shoot the ball/fadeaway jumpers/set-up teammates like the later Mike did. He's also a similiar type of defender. Lebron has the potential to create HIS OWN style of play... just like Jordan, Hakeem, Bird and Magic did. Not many players today have that sort of potential.
Anyone who says Bron is overhyped is a ******* idiot. This guy can do everything from pass, shoot, rebound, and play D. Without him, the Cavs don't win more than 20 games. He'll probably win several titles before it's all said and done. At 6'8, 230 with handles, he's basically unguardable. Some years you hit the jackpot with the #1 pick (Duncan, Yao, Bron) and other years you get a Kwame Brown.
Fixed it. He is nowhere near being a reliable defensive player---its the only thing stopping him from being the best in the league.
He's actually a terrible defensive player. He doesn't fight through screens, he doesn't get down and move his feet nearly well enough, and off-ball he always plays off guys (In order to go for flashy breakaway steals) instead of getting up in their face to deny the rock. Of course offensively speaking he's all that, and a bag of "family size" chips. Just a truly freakish athlete, built like a PF with the agility and handle of a SG. It'll be interesting to see where he goes from here. And what he can do with a Transcendent Offensive Player/Lousy Defensive Player package.
Jordan picked up his defense when people started critiquing it, maybe LeBron will do the same when ppl critique him. LeBron is so good right now, it's annoying. Obviously there's things he can do better, but he's 21... To think he'd be a junior in college, it's really kind of scary. Some players make watching the NBA fun (people will watch them even if they don't care about the outcome of the game or if they don't even care about the team), and LeBron James is just one of those players. T-Mac is just so fun to watch, I am so glad he came to Houston...I've never seen an NBA player so smooth before him. He makes the NBA game look too easy. WAY too easy.
Game Leaders CLEVELAND Points L. James 22 Rebounds L. James 8 Assists L. James 9 Steals L. James 2 Blocks Z. Ilgauskas 3 wonderin' what his teammates are doin on the court. cheerin' for LBJ?
Come on. Saying he's a terrible defensive player is an exxageration. He's so great on offense, that relatively speaking he appears very poor on defense. But his size, strength, and his quick hands make up a lot for his deficiencies. He's made some very strong one-on-one defensive plays the last two games that a terrible defensive player would not make. Damon Jones is a terrible defensive player. LeBron James? Overall, I'd say he's average.
Lebron James is great. But i find myself cheering for him to lose and choke all the time. I dont see how you can cheer for a guy that comes out of high school annointed as the heir to Jordan, gets a huge Nike contract so we can see tv commercials about guys wearing 'witness' t-shirts, and gets featured in about every NBA commercial unless you happen to be from Cleveland. Its like cheering for Duke. I dont like his cockiness, my friend says he is just confident, i dont know. T-Mac seems cool and confident to me, Lebron just comes across as cocky. Hopefully the pistons finish him off.
Lebron has the size, strength, and hands to be a good defender, but he doesn't hustle for anything but steals. Watch him on the pick and roll. He puts so little effort going over screens. And his body language is just plain lazy when he's defending one on one (like I said, he doesn't get down in his stance and move his feet nearly well enough). And with his wandering eye, and "laying in the weeds" mentality, he's extremely vulnerable to backpicks. And I keep thinking back to that one fastbreak in OT with Arenas in game 5 against the Wiz. Arenas was on the break and Lebron was totally back and able to challenge his shot. The result? I'm sorry, but that is terrible transition defense, to let Arenas go straight to the rim without even challenging the shot. Now I understand that this is only one incident, but in such a big spot, with the game on the line I find it ridiculous that he didn't even get a hand up there. Seriously, how does a guy with possibly the most pure offensive instincts the league has ever seen, be so lost on the other end of the floor. He's terrible on the pick and roll, poor on-ball, nonexistant on denial, and bad in transition. Now it's true that he can and does make some defensive plays, but it really pales in comparison to what he's giving up.
Jordan was overrated that does not mean he was not the best. you let some people tell it . .. Jordan was really making those shots in the commercial with bird [over the stadium, off the billboard, etc . . ] He was Brian Boytano and not LeBron is Rocket River
While i definately agree it was bad transition defence from Lebron on teh Arenas layup.... I THINK that he did have 5 fouls at the time - whcich is why he backed off. But they did end up winning the series so i guess it wasnt that much of a big deal
Unfortunately for us. Lebron is as good or better than Tmac ever was and he is only going to get better.
I hear you and had the same skepticism at first. LeBron has dedicated himself to the game of basketball and has earned every success he's had on the court. Name a player in NBA history who has improved so much from age 19 to 21. That kind of dedication and focus in such a young player is rare. LeBron came into the NBA on a very high pedestal and primed for a fall but he's exceeded expectations. He is the best thing to happen to the NBA in a long time. Let me ask you: How can you NOT like such a player? On cockiness: For a player so good, the guy is remarkably humble and respectful. On his defense: The guy is only 21 years old and may be the best player in the NBA. Give him a couple of more years to develop his defense. His overall improvement from a rookie to now is nothing short of remarkable. Pick apart his defense all you want to. I'm sure he will step it up a notch eventually but remember he's only human, only 21 and carried an inferior squad on his back to the 4th seed in the playoffs, a 1st round series win and two straight wins against the "best team in the NBA." I'll forgive his defense right now.
You wouldn't be asking the question if you did watch the game last night. 15 our of those 22 points were scored in the first half. They won because the Pistons played poorly, Rasheed Wallace hurt his ankel, and Snow made key plays over and over again, NOT because of LeBron's "clutchness" or "defensive play". As Barkely mentioned, the 3 pointers got all those people "wowing" before the half time buzzer was out of bound, and the last possession was very questionable too. LeBron is only 21, one of the top players in the game already. But that wasn't a very good game. The funny thing is, he kept talking about "trusting my teammates" etc after the game, I was wondering what he meant by that, let those guys hustle and make key plays?
He is an exciting player to watch but I cringe sometimes watching him on offense. Take for example the last game, he struggled to generate an efficient offensive move down the stretch. I just did not feel comfortable watching him on offense last night. I expect him to figure it out as the years roll by but for now he is not a trully efficient offensive player (like someone like Wade) but the beauty of his talent makes him to help his team win even when his offensive game still shows signs of immaturity.
