LeBron James

[CHIMOCHIS]

The losing culture has really infected a lot of yall

Lol at thinking Mr. 2 rings is going to waste his energy every meaningless regular season game

Yall don't know what winning a title takes. But don't worry me and the two Mr. 2 rings will showy all if the losers soon to winners join the show in the post season where it matters

 

[MirORich]

What, so you mean in 5 weeks on a new team he hasn't matched a 3 minute highlight reel culled from his entire year? This is a shocking disappointing development? And even is a 30 year old man doesn't quite have the get up of his 27 year old or 22 year old self(gasp), how is that indicative of his overall ability to effect a game and lead his team?

I mean, some of you sound like you expected us(and LeBron) from day one to look like the Heat during their 27 game win streak in the 2012-2013 season.

 

[All4One1ForAll]

For the love of God.

Make. It. Stop.

Still in denial I see. It's ok. You're not the only one. I understand it's hard for fans to see their idolized high flier begin to lose his athleticism but going on 30 years old, it was expected. And it shouldn't be a big deal considering how he's changing his game.

 

[NasstyNate]

For the love of God.

Make. It. Stop.

I don't understand the criticism of posts like All4One1ForAll's. He is right. Lebron is less athletic and I don't understand why anyone would disagree with that statement. A 30 year old with 40,000 minutes is going to be less athletic than when he was 23. The real people who need to stop are the ones denying that fact. And further, less athletic does not mean he belongs in a wheelchair or can no longer dunk. It just means less athletic.

It seems that the people who are condescendingly denying these observations are making the incorrect logical leap that the observer is stating that Lebron is no longer a good player. While I do not deny that there might be some people making that statement (and they are wrong), All4One1ForAll points out that Lebron has changed his game. Now me? I prefer a less athletic Lebron with extensive basketball experience and knowledge over a young and precocious Lebron that is recklessly flying around the court and piling up chase down blocks. And I suspect most here do. But for the others who want to see the Lebron before he went to Miami, that person does not exist anymore. And we will be better for it.

 

[AZCavs]

It's not that I don't agree. It's that you guys are beating a dead horse. The argument has been rehashed over and over and over again.

Assuming that LeBron lost a large chunk of athleticism before 30 before any major injury is absurd and posting highlights that cherry pick plays over a significant course of time isn't helping the argument.

The Dallas game in the preseason his head almost hit the rim. The other night against Washington when he stormed past the defense and threw it down with authority. I could point to three or four other plays that could indicate the athleticism is still there.

Is it more logical that LeBron has lost a step or that his back may have hindered him a bit earlier in the season and he's being a bit (admittedly) passive and he's making the conscious effort to preserve his energy?

You guys have spent all damn off-season looking at LeBron's YouTube highlights and remembering his impressive plays. You don't remember all the passive standing in the corner and lackadaisical play under Mike Brown. He's shown numerous times that he's still ridiculously athletic. Picking instances where he is playing passive to support your argument doesn't really hold water.

I prefer this LeBron too. That doesn't mean I don't think he's athletic. It means I notice he's making a conscious effort to preserve his energy. You're talking about one of the most meticulous players to ever play in the league. Not some scrub that just goes out there to collect a paycheck and go home.

The "he's lost athleticism" discussion is tired and off base.

 

[catfish]

It's not that I don't agree. It's that you guys are beating a dead horse. The argument has been rehashed over and over and over again.

Assuming that LeBron lost a large chunk of athleticism before 30 before any major injury is absurd and posting highlights that cherry pick plays over a significant course of time isn't helping the argument.

The Dallas game in the preseason his head almost hit the rim. The other night against Washington when he stormed past the defense and threw it down with authority. I could point to three or four other plays that could indicate the athleticism is still there.

Is it more logical that LeBron has lost a step or that his back may have hindered him a bit earlier in the season and he's being a bit (admittedly) passive and he's making the conscious effort to preserve his energy?

You guys have spent all damn off-season looking at LeBron's YouTube highlights and remembering his impressive plays. You don't remember all the passive standing in the corner and lackadaisical play under Mike Brown. He's shown numerous times that he's still ridiculously athletic. Picking instances where he is playing passive to support your argument doesn't really hold water.

I prefer this LeBron too. That doesn't mean I don't think he's athletic. It means I notice he's making a conscious effort to preserve his energy. You're talking about one of the most meticulous players to ever play in the league. Not some scrub that just goes out there to collect a paycheck and go home.

The "he's lost athleticism" discussion is tired and off base.

Doesnt seem like you have watched the games. I will take it a step farther. I dont think he was the same player even in the most recent NBA finals. Leonard took him out of the game defensively that series. Never been done before. The guy is not the same player.

 

[NasstyNate]

It's not that I don't agree. It's that you guys are beating a dead horse. The argument has been rehashed over and over and over again...

Well then shut off the internet, homie.

I don't think rewatching videos of what he once was adds anything to the conversation. So I ignore them. But there is a very valid and topical conversation of a superstar player getting older and transforming his game that is worth having. And part of that transformation is no longer relying on athleticism to continue to dominate. It's happened to just about every great player in the league. But instead of having this conversation, people go for cheap shots and likes by mischaracterizing the point as saying less athletic is tantamount to no longer good. Both the videos you (and I) hate and posts like MirORich's in #2461 don't add anything of value.

 

[AZCavs]

Doesnt seem like you have watched the games. I will take it a step farther. I dont think he was the same player even in the most recent NBA finals. Leonard took him out of the game defensively that series. Never been done before. The guy is not the same player.

The only game I missed a significant chunk of was the Washington game (the second one). I have watched LeBron all season long.

What Spurs series are you referring to? The one in 2014 where LeBron averaged 28.2 points per game, 7.8 rebounds, 4 assists, shot 57 percent from the floor and 52 percent from three point range?

You're telling me I haven't been watching LeBron play and here you are throwing around narratives that are generally spewed by people who didn't watch the game. The idea that Leonard shut LeBron down is false. Leonard's team won the finals and he was the MVP because he was the best player on said team. But, make no mistake about it, LeBron was the best player in that series. His supporting cast just took a giant dump.

 

[AZCavs]

Well then shut off the internet, homie.

I don't think rewatching videos of what he once was adds anything to the conversation. So I ignore them. But there is a very valid and topical conversation of a superstar player getting older and transforming his game that is worth having. And part of that transformation is no longer relying on athleticism to continue to dominate. It's happened to just about every great player in the league. But instead of having this conversation, people go for cheap shots and likes by mischaracterizing the point as saying less athletic is tantamount to no longer good. Both the videos you (and I) hate and posts like MirORich's in #2461 don't add anything of value.

But, the reference to the video is the evidence being presented to support the case that LeBron has lost a step athletically. And it's not that he is less athletic than he was at 23. I think that's pretty much a given. It's the notion that he is a shell of his former self in terms of athleticism when, in reality, it's more about his approach to each game as he continues to adapt to his altered body and new team. He's shown, numerous times this season, that he still has plenty of explosion. He's also shown, and admitted, to being overly passive at times. He's trying to be smarter and feeling things out right now.

 

[theSTEREO.]

What, so you mean in 5 weeks on a new team he hasn't matched a 3 minute highlight reel culled from his entire year? This is a shocking disappointing development? And even is a 30 year old man doesn't quite have the get up of his 27 year old or 22 year old self(gasp), how is that indicative of his overall ability to effect a game and lead his team?

I mean, some of you sound like you expected us(and LeBron) from day one to look like the Heat during their 27 game win streak in the 2012-2013 season.

25-5-8-1-1 on a better shooting % than his career average over his last 10 games, BUT WHERE ARE THE DUNKKKKKKSSSSSSS!?!?!?!?!?!?!

 

[NasstyNate]

"It's the notion that he is a shell of his former self in terms of athleticism when, in reality, it's more about his approach to each game as he continues to adapt to his altered body and new team."

The bolded is exactly what I am talking about. What credible people are making this claim? In fact, at the end of the post, All4One1ForAll talks about Lebron changing his game and continuing his production, which is precisely what you are saying "it's more about...."

 

[All4One1ForAll]

What, so you mean in 5 weeks on a new team he hasn't matched a 3 minute highlight reel culled from his entire year? This is a shocking disappointing development? And even is a 30 year old man doesn't quite have the get up of his 27 year old or 22 year old self(gasp), how is that indicative of his overall ability to effect a game and lead his team?

I mean, some of you sound like you expected us(and LeBron) from day one to look like the Heat during their 27 game win streak in the 2012-2013 season.

Might wanna actually finish reading my post before you jump to conclusions.

 

[AZCavs]

"It's the notion that he is a shell of his former self in terms of athleticism when, in reality, it's more about his approach to each game as he continues to adapt to his altered body and new team."

The bolded is exactly what I am talking about. What credible people are making this claim? In fact, at the end of the post, All4One1ForAll talks about Lebron changing his game and continuing his production, which is precisely what you are saying "it's more about...."

This is all going to become circular here if we keep going. There is a difference in changing your game because you're losing a step and changing your game because you want to lengthen your career and preserve your energy.

Again, do I think he's as athletic as he was in his early 20's? Nope. I don't think he was as athletic in his second year in Miami as he was at 23, but he had the best all around season of his life that year and won his first championship. The tone being presented in the "He's not as athletic" arguments is as if this is some drastic change in his game. It's really not. The biggest change for LeBron is that he's playing more on the wing with the Cavs and less on the block.

 

[NasstyNate]

This is all going to become circular here if we keep going. There is a difference in changing your game because you're losing a step and changing your game because you want to lengthen your career and preserve your energy.

Again, do I think he's as athletic as he was in his early 20's? Nope. I don't think he was as athletic in his second year in Miami as he was at 23, but he had the best all around season of his life that year and won his first championship. The tone being presented in the "He's not as athletic" arguments is as if this is some drastic change in his game. It's really not. The biggest change for LeBron is that he's playing more on the wing with the Cavs and less on the block.

Fair enough. I think the only sticking point that we have is your read of the tone in comments. While I am sure there are some 13 year olds who have no idea what they are talking about and making that claim (as well as trolls), I am not getting that same read from people. If someone says they see Lebron being less athletic, then I think they mean just that. It just jumped out to me that you read that tone from All4One1ForAll's post when he so clearly agreed with your overall point.

Posts like #2469 are just childish and detract from conversation.

 

[AZCavs]

Fair enough. I think the only sticking point that we have is your read of the tone in comments. While I am sure there are some 13 year olds who have no idea what they are talking about and making that claim (as well as trolls), I am not getting that same read from people. If someone says they see Lebron being less athletic, then I think they mean just that. It just jumped out to me that you read that tone from All4One1ForAll's post when he so clearly agreed with your overall point.

Posts like #2469 are just childish and detract from conversation.

Nate, explain to me what that post really contributed that hasn't been stated numerous times ad naseum.