LeBron had a pretty good team the past 3 years. Where has he gone with them? Re: expecations (bolded above) How are they higher? Both are expected to play at an MVP level. Both are expected to win it all. I don't see any deviation there.
LeBron struggled against Boston everyone accused him of quitting. Kobe struggled against Boston and nobody accused him of quitting. Difference is Kobe's teammates helped him out unlike Bron's teammates. Bron team was good sure in the regular season. A lot of those guys disappeared in the playoffs. Not sure how that is on LeBron. Like I have said before you can't win championships with the way Mike Brown coaches his offense because in the playoffs it is easy to adjust to.
The difference is defined by the TEAM you're on, ParaSolid. The point of the thing, to win the damn game is the job of the TEAM. Players, no matter how great or awful, all have a stake in that. TEAMS WIN, if what you mean by winning is winning when it counts. Kobe Bryant NEVER won by himself. He never could. He didn't even bother to try on his own as long as LeBron did, because Bryant was fortunate and opportunistic enough to WIN when he had a prime Shaquille O'Neal. Dan Gilbert, Cleveland's owner, has the lowness to dig around and try to find a handful of games over LeBron James' SEVEN years as a Cavalier where he performed below the standards that James himself set (James has been better than the hype that's surrounded him, especially coming directly into the league from high school). James singlehandedly WON more postseason games and series for the Cavaliers than he supposedly "quit" on. It's one thing to feel betrayed, or to know one guy's departure effectively set your franchise back a couple dozen seasons (especially when James gave them a hometown discount and some time to build a team around him, rather than sticky-glue one on his back). It's quite another thing to drag that player through the mud in the type of fit you'd see from toddlers in the sandbox on a playground. The ONLY thing James owed anybody in Cleveland in his departure was dignity and class. Contrition and humility. He should have said goodbye to that city, team and area quietly and somberly. They revered him, and even though I've never been a fan of placing a disproportionate amount of praise on players in this day and age (where self-gratifying behavior is standard enough on it's own), he should have been so much more sensitive to how his choice would effect the area. It wouldn't have mattered. James would still be thought of as a traitor or coward or quitter. But it would have been the best way to leave. How could Kobe play well so intermittently this past postseason and the Lakers could still win, ParaSolid? My guess would be that he's on a pretty damned good team, one that could weather him not being great for more than five minutes. Look at it like this, ParaSolid. When Hakeem and the Rockets won, those casts were, by and large, as nondescript as the Cavaliers are. Hakeem was as consistently dominant as any player in the league has ever been. The Rockets STILL could not have won if not for Vernon Maxwell. Or Kenny Smith. Or Otis Thorpe. Or Mario Elie. Or Robert Horry. Or Sam Cassell. Or Clyde Drexler. THAT'S an awful lot of help for a player like the Dream, who everybody thinks didn't have any help or need any help, ParaSolid. LeBron did more on his own with a sub-par team than his new teammate Dwayne Wade was able to do in Miami after his title run in 2006. That people still try to offer something like LeBron doesn't have to will or desire or courage to win ins (excepting some truly horrible PR stunts the last few weeks), is borderline insanity. Certainly misplaced logic, and bafflingly ignorant of the circumstances. James will win. No one will like it, at least for awhile, initially, ParaSolid. James isn't perfect. He has a bit more maturing to do, seeing as he's still only 25 years old. But he's going to win. I don't see how he doesn't deserve to.
Whether it appears to be immature or sour I don't really mind. From all the attention he tried to garner with his documentary and twitting, and the way he bask in it one can only suggest he seems to be more of a stats padder than a real winner. Yes. I believe that his agent Thomas used us as leverage. And Chris did not say a word as follows " Houston, I really appreciate your effort. I would have come if not...... He did not do it. He was in middle of all attention and behaved like a immature pup. I am not a fan of his game. I admit I wanted him on the Rockets because he was a good fit next Yao but I had my doubts about his post up game before that. I would even preferred an aging Kevin G. over him. I am seriously envious of the Heat because they have Bron and Wade. I am not so sure about Bosh not really needing to step up his game to Gasol's level. Gasol wasn't even on 2008 KG's level though he was much improved from previous years. After all, it needs 5 to play a game not 2 and a half.
Kobe drained his knee during Thunder series. We all see how a phantom elbow could affect LeBron. Jeez, if he broke 2 fingers like Kobe did, it's season ending for the queen already. And no, Kobe didn't face single coverage vs. Boston, I am not sure what series you watched. Doc Rivers emphasized the attention Kobe demanded opened up the court for others after he struggled in game 3.
So you are saying LeBron, unlike Kobe, couldn't make his teammates better in playoff. So you know why? Because LeBron was such a ballhog, every play was ISO or P&R running through him. The limited offense sets wouldn't fair well in playoff, when the defense was fine-tuned to stop them. But Mr. James needed those stats to be MVP, didn't he? A balanced offense team is harder to stop, it's not rocket science. May LeBron will figure it out now he's the 2nd fiddle.
The irony of a Kobe fan calling LeBron a ballhog. The same Kobe that threw a temper tantrum in the OKC series when Artest took a wide open 3.
Because Wade has already proven to be a better clutch or go-to player. Don't get me wrong, Lebron has hit some clutch shots, but Wade has done it to win a Championship, and has proven he can excel with or without the good players around him. He still dragged the Heat into the playoffs the last 2 seasons. Lebron needed a team of great role players handed to him on a silver platter. Another thing, yes Lebron is a more complete player than Wade, but that also means he is a better playmaker than wade. Lebron can be the facilitator for both Bosh (post finisher) and Wade (clutch go-to guy). Basically, what this means is that lebron SHOULD NOT be the #1 option in order to maximise the talent of the big 3. If he is the #1 option, it greatly diminishes the effectiveness of Bosh, and more importantly, Wade.
Lebron never had a Pau Gasol. not even a Lamar Odom quality player.. so seriously, people who are calling him a choker need to look at his teams and see the supporting cast.
see games 1-5, esp. games 1-3. JVG and mark jackson commented on the single coverage NUMEROUS times in their broadcasts. lebron w/ an elbow injury still put up 29, 7, 7 on 44% shooting. if you call those "season-ending" stats, well, kobe couldn't do that.
the same kobe that phil jackson AND pau gasol called out numerous times this past season for not passing the ball into the paint enough? OH, the irony.
Don't have anything bad to say about Wade, the guy seems like he really wants to win again. Lebron and Bosh seem more worried about the media, marketing and their image more than anything. Let's see how dedicated the three amigos are over in Miami with all the extra activities around there. I image they be seen out at all the hot spots when really they should be pushing to be the best they can, only time will tell. BTW, I wonder when Lebron will start to refer to himself in the 3rd person and he better start winning and show up big in big games or he will undoubtedly become more hype than substance.
People defending Lebron as a non-choker because he doesn't have Pau Gasol or Lamar Odom didn't watch the Boston series. I don't care who your teammates are when you're the superstar, your team is down 3 games to 2, you're down by 8 points in the 4th quarter, you get an outlet pass, and instead of pushing the ball down the floor and creating, you leisurely stroll across half court and lob a cross-court pass to Mo Williams to let him do whatever. LeQuit...quit. Plain and simple. You could see it in his body language. When Kobe's losing (and I hate Kobe), you can tellllll that losing is killing him. When Lebron's losing, it looks like he's getting ready for the press conference already.
The main reason why miami wont be lebrons team is because wade has been there for 7 years and he was the mastermind behind all this bs also they renamed the COUNTY for wade and i dont see them changing it to miami james county..
nope he is pretty easily the best, he will prove it this year. if you took kobe off of the lakers this season they would still make the playoffs. you take lebron off of the cavs and they are/will gonna suck it up and not make the playoffs in the crappy ass east. lebron is better then kobe
He's seriously the dumbest poster I've ever seen on all of the Internet forums I've visited. It almost has to be an act, except I just can't believe anyone would keep it up this long.
