LeBron James

[TyGuy]

What's up with these former players like Barkley and Pippen belatedly putting Kobe Bryant so high on their lists? Kobe was the best player in the world for a relatively short amount of time...basically the few years after the decline of Shaq/Duncan and before the rise of LeBron.

There's an argument to be made that Kobe was never the best in the world. For me it went Jordan, Shaq, Duncan, LeBron.

 

[mohawklion]

Pippen has also said he was Lebron James before Lebron James. Old time players like to defend their era or teammate in most cases. It's understandable but annoying. And as long as Lebron is currently playing, everyone will always point out is most recent missteps.

 

[czvo]

What's up with these former players like Barkley and Pippen belatedly putting Kobe Bryant so high on their lists? Kobe was the best player in the world for a relatively short amount of time...basically the few years after the decline of Shaq/Duncan and before the rise of LeBron.

Counterpoint: Kobe was NEVER the best player in the world.

 

[KilgoreTrout]

He is chasing Jordan and Jordan's most famous game is probably the Flu game. Having a bad game while sick negates GOAT status all by itself lol

Jordan had bad games while sick, too. He had a famous good game, but he had famous bad games, too.

 

[KilgoreTrout]

I don't think fan/media grief and speculation is high on the list of concerns for the Cavs.

Yeah, but still - you don't want Boston to get confident. You nip that in the bud, by saying, "You that game you barely won? You won it, because I was playing at 25% capacity. You still suck, and I will feel a lot better in a couple of days. So don't get all happy."

See? Psychological warfare.

 

[Jordan]

I am not expecting a gigantic Game 5 for LeBron. He's sick plus we only get one day of rest and we have to travel.

Kyrie and Kevin have to be locked in and the entire team needs to be focused on closing this out.

The sooner we end this round, the better.

If anyone wonders why this information is only coming out now (LeBron sick), it's because the Cavs refuse to make excuses like the Warriors do and did ("Steph is still hurt"). They don't want to be seen as whiners and BS'ers.

@Chris Parker was also saying on Twitter that the Cavs tend to be less open with the media than other organizations. So I'm sure this has something to do with why we didn't hear.

 

[KilgoreTrout]

Counterpoint: Kobe was NEVER the best player in the world.

EVER.

 

[bob2the2nd]

And in 20-30 years we will all tell our children/grand children about what it was like to watch lebron. and his legend will grow just like MJs.

The game i went to this year i sat mext to two guys from England visiting forthe weekend. They couldnt have given two shits about the game but kept saying no one from home would ever believe they got to see lebron play.

 

[KilgoreTrout]

Yea speculating that his mother screwed a teammate and that he's tanking on purpose sure seemed reasonable in the game thread.

Can you blame people's minds for going to dark places? We were traumatized by 2010, and the curse was only recently banished, if at all (was the Indians' collapse evidence that it was only on hiatus?).

It's hard to break the habit of waiting for the other shoe to drop, after 52 years.

 

[czvo]

Yea speculating that his mother screwed a teammate and that he's tanking on purpose sure seemed reasonable in the game thread.

Even at the time, it was astonishing how fast that whole Delonte-Gloria thing spread. Looking back on it now... it's even more bewildering that so many people believed it. And so many still do.

 

[KilgoreTrout]

I think at this point Michael Jordan = Unicorn. I'm sure people will say he never blew a wide open dunk too. At this point, Lebron is chasing a mythical Michael Jordan that shot 99.9% from the field, who basically had a quadruple-double every game. Lebron has a "bad" game but still goes 34-5-6 and people want to just say "nope, not enough". If anyone on the Celtics has that game, it's a career game. I just don't get it. I will still give Jordan the edge, but you're also comparing a complete body of work vs a work in progress.

Jordan never had to go up against the 2014-2017 Warriors, plus a curse.

The Western Conference teams that Jordan had to beat were mediocre, at best.

Me and 4 of my friends could have beaten those Suns/Blazers/Jazz teams. None of those teams had 4 superstars. Plus, Refrigerator Perry had already broken the Chicago Curse, and Jordan had Pippen to carry him, anyhow.

Bron is ALREADY the GOAT. Anything else he does is GRAVY.

 

[Ruggeder]

Nike is the worst thing to happen to basketball. Jordan is so overrated, it's exhausting. He was an excellent scorer, but he had Harden level "foul" calls to help with that every game. He was a good defender, who never fouled anyone draymond style. He was assisted by the league greatly in his pursuits. Nike made amazing marketing videos and brainwashing gestures to prop him up as this unicorn that was this untouchable.

 

[Gus Zing]

Can you blame people's minds for going to dark places? We were traumatized by 2010, and the curse was only recently banished, if at all (was the Indians' collapse evidence that it was only on hiatus?).

It's hard to break the habit of waiting for the other shoe to drop, after 52 years.

Again. You're just proving a few Cavs fans can be spoiled as shit. It should never go that far after he's come back. It should never get that far after he's won a championship especially one down 3-1.

It exposed how some people really feel and haven't gotten over it. Which is fine. I have good friends who've never forgiven LeBron, but at least are consistent in how th My issue is at least be a fan that doesn't get too high about him then. If after 3 great playoff runs, 2 soon to be 3 finals appearances, one improbable championship you still resort to that after 6 quarters in the playoffs. Don't overpraise him when he's doing great. Cause you know in your heart you'll be ready throw him under the bus at any given moment. Or...6 quarters.

 

[Cavatt]

Jordan had bad games while sick, too. He had a famous good game, but he had famous bad games, too.

Yeah no doubt. That isn't part of the legend of Jordan though, the flu game is.

 

[buzzdog]

Olynyk passing around goat flu and shit.

It's probably chlamydia.

Kelly "Chlamydia" Olynyk.