[Orwellian O.]

Kobe = GOAT

[Stefan S]

Originally Posted by Hobbs

"I don't care what the stats say, Kobe is the bestest bester bestestest ever! It's a fact1 Stats is for lamers!"

Again, Kobe has been fairly bad when his team needs it. But those are just those lame stat things again.

LeBron needs to post up more and, sure, develop some consistent post up moves, but even without them he's good in the post (and he's amazingly good outside the post--better than Kobe has ever been). Kobe wasn't doing much quality post work when he was LeBron's age either. Kobe's been a very good player for a long time, but he's roughly half as good as his fanatics believe he is/was.

And the "C'mon..." bit was sad. You're better than that. See? It screams dickishness.

Originally Posted by hack

Kobe's age-onset game is a lot less impressive than many. To me he used to be defined by an unbelievable hang time and an ability to make forced drives/shots look like reasonable activities. Now he's a guy that relies a lot more on his jumper and does the stuff he used to do, just less often and less spectacular. Posting a guy now and then isn't the same as ``having a post game'' in the way a similar player, Jordan, did.

Comparisons of Kobe to LeBron and especially Jordan are inevitable because their styles and their development are so similar. For me, he is not quite there however: you see it on the floor and the stats do not lie.

[hack]

Not sure who you're saying that about, Stefan. Though I could guess based on opinions already shared...

[El Axe]

Originally Posted by Hobbs

"I don't care what the stats say, Kobe is the bestest bester bestestest ever! It's a fact1 Stats is for lamers!"

Again, Kobe has been fairly bad when his team needs it. But those are just those lame stat things again.

LeBron needs to post up more and, sure, develop some consistent post up moves, but even without them he's good in the post (and he's amazingly good outside the post--better than Kobe has ever been). Kobe wasn't doing much quality post work when he was LeBron's age either. Kobe's been a very good player for a long time, but he's roughly half as good as his fanatics believe he is/was.

And the "C'mon..." bit was sad. You're better than that. See? It screams dickishness.

I seriously don't get why you're attributing Kobe love to me. None of my posts refer to Kobe whatsoever. It's like you're arguing with someone else.

I don't disagree with most of your above basketball points, except to point out that LeBron currently isn't good in the post when he needs to be. His poor ability to score when the game is on the line is well documented. A polished/dedicated post up game will likely remedy that flaw.

[hack]

Not really addressing the point at hand, but LeBron doesn't NEED a post game to score in the clutch. He can do that just fine, except for the games in which he can't. He needs a new mentality more than anything else. Brian Windhorst and Bill Simmons have done good work describing how, in playoff fourth quarters he's either dialled in and devastating, or there's an odd distant look in his face and he's not.

Certainly either a post game or a good step-back jumper off a dribble would help his confidence. The most clutch swingmen are not going and posting with ten seconds left. You win off jumpers most of the time.

[Billl]

Lebron needs to get his ass in the post WAY more often then he currently does. It might make the game marginally easier for him, but it will make it a lot easier on this teammates. He's going to draw doubles no matter where he is, but it is much harder for a defense to rotate on a perimeter drive then on a postup. There are also just a lot more guys in the league that can hit an open jumper off a post kickout then there are that can react to how a defense plays a drive and find an open spot to move to.

[Stefan S]

ESPN had this 500 to 1 ranking of all NBA players. LeBron emerged as #1. here is what the "experts" say about it:

1. LeBron James at No. 1: Too high, too low or just right





Henry Abbott, ESPN.com: Just right. It's a loaded, emotional issue, but if there are any objective people left -- Daryl Morey, for instance -- they'll tell you. No, his footwork isn't perfect. Yes, his jumper needs fixing. Sure, he had a bad crunch time when it mattered most. But put together his total contributions at both ends of the floor, many of which come from his size (so what?), and nobody produces like this dude.


J.A. Adande, ESPN.com: Just right. Sigh. This feels like the golf and women's tennis rankings, in which the No. 1 players never win championships. LeBron's array of skills is unmatched. He just doesn't put them all to the best use.


Mark Haubner, TrueHoop Network: Just right. I guess. Following the Eastern Conference finals, I thought LeBron had fully re-established himself as unquestionably the best player in basketball, but after another strangely passive playoff performance in the Finals, I don't know anymore. I firmly believe LeBron's subpar play now has cost his teams championships in two straight seasons. Maybe No. 1 is better left as "Vacant" for now.


John Hollinger, ESPN.com: Just right. I understand the criticism -- how can you put him at No. 1 when he hasn't won a championship? But day in, day out, he's the best player in the league right now.



Marc Stein, ESPN.com: Too high. LeBron is still the best all-around player and best two-way player in the game on this scorecard. But you can't be No. 1 if you fall as far short in the finishing department as he did in the NBA Finals. He has to take a dip after that performance. It's only proper.

NBA -- #NBArank 1-5 debate - ESPN

To my mind, it's kind of weird as both him and Wade (ranked #3) were outplayed by Dirk (ranked #5) in a head to head battle.

[tin mad dog]

What is weird to me is talking anything NBA. This lockout (at least for now) has really deflated my interest. I just wish that Darius Morris had stuck around Ann Arbor so I'd be even more pumped about Michigan's team.

[The King]

"The NBA Doesn't Care."

Neither do the fans. This has to be one of the worst lockouts in sports. The fans could care less. The country doesn't care about a bunch of black guys (players) fighting with a bunch of white guys (owners) over money in a shit economy. They are all a bunch of idiots.

Oh well, should be a great college hoops season. A lot of those stud players came back (now you see why) and should be an exciting season.

[Stefan S]

A nice essay about LBJ. To me, he definitely looks better in this interview than before.

LeBron James opens up in London

November, 21, 2011

By Brian Windhorst
ESPN.com
Archive


AP Photo/Tim Hales
LeBron James spoke candidly about his 'Decision,' his legacy and Cavs owner Dan Gilbert.


LeBron James does not give many one-on-one in-depth interviews. It fact, it almost never happens. There are a number of reasons for it, ranging from the demand to time to public relations to personal reasons. This is usually true overseas as well; James regularly conducts controlled media sessions in China.

Last week, however, James sat for a lengthy discussion with The Guardian’s Donald McRae in London. It was a promotional stop for James, a Nike event at the London School for Basketball. Kobe Bryant visited there last year. England is almost completely devoid of basketball journalists and James’ profile there has increased recently only because he’s taken a fractional ownership stake in the soccer club Liverpool as part of a larger business deal earlier this year. In a display of just how different James’ popularity is in England from the rest the world, The Guardian waited eight days to publish the interview.

McRae was able to get some insightful answers from James. Some revealed some thoughts James had not talked about before. Several excerpts stood out:

Q: Did you feel vindicated by the way that Dan Gilbert responded (to Decision)?

A: I didn't need that to vindicate my decision. I think Dan Gilbert was talking out of anger. And I don't take anything personal. As a professional athlete a lot is going to be said about you – but I just try to move forward and try to achieve my goals.

Q: You've been quoted as saying it's not impossible you could play for Cleveland again?

A: It's not impossible [smiling].

Q: But unlikely?

A: It's not impossible [laughs]. I still love the city. I have so many great memories of all those fans – so it's not impossible.

When James previously had been asked about Gilbert’s infamous letter – in the last such interview he did over a year ago with GQ – he said “You will see the light of people when they hit adversity. You'll get a good sense of their character. Me and my family have seen the character of that man.”

Gilbert and James obviously have a complex relationship, both before and after his time in Cleveland. There’s still plenty of tension. The two were in the same room for several hours recently during a negotiating session in New York. One observer said James would not look at Gilbert. In this interview, James seems to have moved past some of the animosity. Not that the two will be sending holiday cards.

On the seemingly far flung notion that he might return to the Cavs someday, James has been consistent on this issue. He has always left the door open, much in the same way he always left the door open that he might not re-sign with the Cavs when he was asked in the two-year build up to his free agency.

Q:Great players before you, from Magic Johnson to Larry Bird to Michael Jordan, all seem to have said that they would never have wanted to team up with their rivals.

A: Right, right.

Q: Do you think their argument has no substance - because the game has changed so much?

A: Um, well I believe that when Magic was drafted to the Lakers he had Kareem and, as the team was built, James Worthy was part of that team, as was Jamaal Wilkes, and Bob McAdoo so he had four Hall of Famers right there on his team. And Jordan went through his bumps and bruises coming up with Chicago but they were eventually able to draft Scottie Pippen and then they got Horace Grant – two great players – and then they got Dennis Rodman – another Hall of Famer. So that team was built for Jordan. Same with Larry Bird. He had Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Danny Ainge – all great players. And eventually Bill Walton went to the Celtics. So I know the history of the game. Individuals get a lot of the spotlight. But there's never just been one individual who has done it by himself. You can go all the way back to when Oscar Robinson dominated at a high level and he was averaging triple-doubles season after season. But it was not until he teamed up with Kareem that he was able to win a championship. Same thing goes with Jerry West. Not a lot of people know that Jerry West went to the finals nine times and lost the first eight times. He won it at his ninth try.

Now this is the answer James probably should’ve given the night the Finals ended and not saying "At the end of the day, all of the people that were rooting for me to fail, tomorrow they'll have to wake up and have the same life they had before they woke up today. They got the same personal problems they had today and I'm going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things I want to do.”

James instantly regretted that quote, which was said rather clearly as a defense mechanism in the moments after one of the most bitter defeats of his life. The next day he tried to take it back but it was too late. With months to reflect by now, James combines eloquence and a sense of history to continue to express his thinking leading up to his decision.

Coming to that decision created such a wave of reaction with many questions about James’ methodology. It took him months to start to articulate his thought process and make it public. It started the night the Heat beat the Celtics in the playoffs when James said:

"I knew deep down in my heart, as much as I loved my teammates back in Cleveland and as much as I loved home, I knew it couldn't do it by myself against that team. The way it panned out with all the friends and family and the fans back home, I apologize for the way it happened. I knew this opportunity was once in a lifetime. To be able to come down here and pair with two guys and this organization -- in order for me to move on with my career, that team that we just defeated, we had to go through them."

James goes further with The Guardian, referencing how much history played a role with his choice to join up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. He also talks about two players he seems to truly relate to, continuing to offer an in-depth window into his mindset.

Robertson had some of the best statistics in history but waited until his 11th season -- five of which he didn’t even make the playoffs -- before getting a title with the Milwaukee Bucks. The West comparison is new and telling. Now eight years into his career with the ninth season in doubt, James is clearly feeling his legacy.

In a way, this is a defense mechanism too. It is James bringing up all-time greats and comparing their individual histories to his own. It’s a valid point, a response to critics and a personal buttress all in one swoop. It may be just an answer to a question to an interview but James has clearly thought about this prickly topic.

Q: When you met Pat Riley, before deciding to join Miami, and he showed you the Championship rings he had won, was that a key moment?

A: Definitely. It was a great moment. I know the history of the game so I knew how many rings he has won as a coach and how he was a player at Kentucky – and all those other intangibles that go with a great career like he's had. But what made me a really big believer in the team and the franchise was the fact that they talk a lot about family. They take care of their guys and it's not just all about winning. That was a huge thing for me.

There have been both veiled and direct references to potential tampering by the Heat before James became a free agent. There were reports of clandestine meetings and the like. There is little doubt that the most important factor was Wade selling James on joining him and doing it in Miami, not in Chicago or anywhere else. Even Wade, he has told friends, was surprised James actually pulled the trigger on it. Regardless, James has referenced his official meeting with the Heat and its importance several times over the last year.

The Heat were the third team to meet with James on the morning of the second day. Their entourage arrived nearly an hour before James did on that morning and Riley paced the halls of James’ Cleveland offices preparing himself for the sale. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra talked, owner Micky Arison went to the extreme measure of wearing a suit and tie, and Alonzo Mourning cried.

But Riley’s move of pulling out his title rings and putting them on the table resonated with James then and apparently continues to this day.

LeBron James opens up in London - Heat Index Blog - ESPN

[Stefan S]

And here is the whole thing from Guardian:
LeBron James: I can understand why a lot of people were upset | Sport | The Guardian

PART 1:

LeBron James: I can understand why a lot of people were upset

The Miami superstar on his controversial move from Cleveland, the NBA lockout and why he bought a stake in Liverpool

LeBron James is waiting for a resolution to the NBA lockout and admits it has been 'really difficult' not playing. Photograph: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for Nike The long wait for LeBron James unfolds in a luxury hotel suite large enough to fit a stylish apartment. It is a very big space for small talk with a quartet of people I have just met. But these are the people assigned to a basketball superstar visiting London. They, in turn, are expected to liaise with the separate group of "LeBron's people" who are with him a floor above us in this swish Soho establishment.
There has been much discussion between the different sets of people and my interview with James has been arranged, cancelled, rearranged and now simply delayed. I had called it off two days previously when told that LeBron's people were not prepared for him to discuss either the smouldering controversy surrounding his move last year from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat or the current lockout which has prevented the start of the NBA season.

He would not be here, attending a London School of Basketball day earlier this month, if not for a lockout which could ruin the entire NBA season. And it would be impossible to interview James without asking him about the way in which, during the summer of 2010, he opted to showcase his new choice of team as a television extravaganza he called "The Decision".

After seven years as their star player, James phoned Cleveland just minutes before announcing Miami as his destination live on television. Disappointed rivals and indignant fans unleashed furious condemnation. For James, who has long proclaimed his intention of using his "brand" to help him become a billionaire, the vehement reaction was a painful surprise.

It is my turn to be surprised. The interview had been salvaged when James's team backtracked and agreed that he would answer questions about "The Decision". Even more strikingly, the people looking after LeBron's people try their best – and when James finally arrives his entourage of eight disappear behind the divide of our massive suite. King James and I settle down alone on a plush sofa. As a gentle prelude, now that he is a minority shareholder in Liverpool, I ask him about his tweet in October on Twitter. Having visited Anfield, and seeing Liverpool draw 1-1 with Manchester United, he hailed an "unbelievable experience".

James smiles and polishes the memory: "That came from the simple fact of how passionate and loyal those fans are. But to walk through the facility the day before – to see all the history and achievements was very powerful. Liverpool have won 19 league championships [in fact, they have won 18] and it meant a lot to read about King Kenny and Steven Gerrard – a hometown kid who now captains the team. And then to be at Anfield and see 40,000 fans screaming at the top of their lungs, the whole game, was an unbelievable experience for me."

I grin back at the smooth King Kenny reference. When he met Liverpool's manager, did he find it easy to tune into Dalglish's Glaswegian accent? "King Kenny is something else! His accent is very strong. So it was very difficult to understand what he was saying – but it was great being around him and [Luis] Suárez and Gerrard and Dirk [Kuyt] and those guys. I was very humbled that they knew me."

More significantly, James's interest in the club is centred on a belief that Liverpool have the potential to widen their global appeal. "Absolutely," he says. "Any time you have so much history and so much power behind their story, there is great potential to continue that expansion. Liverpool are definitely one of those clubs. They really are like Man U – and the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Yankees. There are some teams and logos you see, no matter where you are in the world, and you know exactly who they are and what they mean. I see Liverpool in that group."

If he declines to confirm the exact size of his small stake in Liverpool, James warms to the idea that, like him, the club is in passionate pursuit of a long-lost championship. It has been over 20 years since Liverpool won their last league title; while James is still chasing his first NBA championship ring after eight seasons. "It definitely gives me another incentive to be part of that team. They're striving to be a champion and I'm striving to do the same. It would be great if we could do it in the same year."

[Stefan S]

Part 2:

This June, in a Miami team featuring two other free-agent All-Stars in Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, James fell at the final hurdle – losing 4-2 to the Dallas Mavericks. James might be dismissed by many for his corporate sensibility but defeat hurt him badly. When did he get over the loss? "A couple of days ago," he says, laughing wryly. "It stayed with me a couple of months. It was definitely heartbreaking. [But] I really believe it's made me a better player. And I'm a better person as well for it – just in terms of focusing harder, zeroing in even more. It's made me critique my game and work out who I am as a person. We faced a great team in Dallas and I don't think enough people gave them the credit they deserve. They were so excited to write and talk about us they often forgot about the Dallas Mavericks. But they have two Hall of Famers in Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd."


James admits a more personal hurt. "It's definitely tough, sometimes, when you read a lot of negative things that say you're selfish or you don't play the right way. But, for me, I've only played one way: for the team."

Can he understand why he was criticised by so many past great players who felt he had sacrificed his own legacy by linking up so calculatedly with Wade and Bosh – rather than trying to drive Cleveland to a championship? "Of course I understand that. But people talk as if I'm done. I've got years left to build my individual legacy – if that's what they want to call it. But, right now, it's all about my team's legacy."

Was James taken aback by the ferocious criticism of his screening of "The Decision"? "Um, yeah. I was surprised by it because I was making a decision for myself. I was doing something that I believed was going to make me happy and freshen me up. But looking back I can understand why a lot of people were upset. That definitely wasn't my intention: to upset people."

Does he wish he could change what he did in the summer of 2010? "I can't say I would change anything – because it would change so much that is leading to the future. But, yeah, there is definitely a better way I could have handled it, as far as the whole TV thing is concerned, and the same goes for the build-up to the announcement. A lot of people were hurt by it – and I definitely apologise to them. At the same time, you should never be afraid to do what you believe in."

James insists that, in choosing to show "The Decision" on television, he was motivated by a desire to plough back the money he earned into ordinary communities. "My thinking was built around those kids who would benefit from me making this decision, all these underprivileged kids that would get the millions and millions of dollars that I would receive. That was my whole motivation."

Yet he is still perceived by many to be greedy and egotistical? "Yeah, well, that's definitely how it's been projected. You can get angry but, you know, I'm satisfied when I go to those kids' clubs all over the United States that they don't forget the moment when their gymnasium was refurbished, or their library or media centre, and they went from big old computers to laptops. To be a part of those clubs makes me smile. As a professional athlete a lot is going to be said about you – but I just try to move forward and achieve my goals. You've got to go through the tornado to get to the clear weather. I feel we went through it and now we're headed on the right path."

James clearly does not need his "people" to protect him. He speaks as calmly here as he does when endorsing the London School of Basketball as a way of providing structure and focus to young British players and when plugging his latest Nike shoe, the LEBRON 9. Yet he has been sufficiently scarred to be evasively diplomatic about the lockout – which is a complicated wrangle between the owners and players over how they should split the $4bn (£2.5bn) revenue the NBA generates. The owners argue that, to increase the league's competitiveness, the players need to substantially reduce their current 57% claim. While agreeing to that demand the players have refused to go below 52% and have completely rejected the owners' stipulated 50-50 split.

We met last Monday when it briefly appeared as if a quick resolution might be realistic. "I believe it is," James said then. "It's a sensitive subject, but I've always been optimistic that there will be a season this year. Both sides know how important the game of basketball is. We know that the fans make the game. Without the fans there is no us."

Yet even then, before the latest breakdown of talks, it was easy to sense the owners digging in for a bitter battle. "I don't think anyone wants a long battle. I think both sides want to be fair to one another and try to figure out a deal. Right now it hasn't worked out but I believe that, with David Stern [the NBA commissioner] and the owners, and Billy Hunter on our side on the players' association, we will figure out a way."

When the most charming member of the LeBron entourage is sent over to tap her watch politely, I try to get King James to speak more plainly. What did he think of the American broadcaster Bryant Gumbel's accusation that Stern operates as "a modern plantation overseer" towards his multimillionaire players? "I didn't get the opportunity to sit down and watch the Bryant Gumbel piece so I can't really comment. I know, as a player, when I'm on the court, I try to play the best I can and represent the NBA the best I can."

This is James in full corporate flight but, nodding at me and all his people, it is also possible to believe he would rather be on court. "At the start of every season for the last eight years I've always known I've been going back to work. So this lockout has been difficult, really difficult, and for the simple fact that I love playing the game at a high level. I miss playing right now."
James even claims to miss the booing that usually trails him. "I miss it right now with the lockout, feeding off the opposing crowd and them booing you – in a good way. Some of 'em, they boo you because they don't like you personally – but they don't know you personally. They haven't had the opportunity to sit next to you. If they did, they might have a totally different idea about you."


Visit Nikebasketball.com and londonschoolofbasketball.com for more information on James's range of shoes and the London School of Basketball.

LeBron James: I can understand why a lot of people were upset | Sport | The Guardian

[Stefan S]

Updated: February 8, 2012, 5:01 PM ET
Kendrick Perkins rips LeBron for tweets


Kendrick Perkins can live with being dunked on as part of the game. He can even handle being tweeted about being dunked on. But LeBron James' Twitter reaction to Blake Griffin's did-you-see-that dunk over Perkins didn't sit well with the Oklahoma City Thunder center.


Perkins found himself in Griffin's career highlight reel when the Los Angeles Clippers forward soared over him, absorbed contact and threw the ball down into the basket, fingers grazing the rim, in the Clippers' 112-100 win Jan. 30. Perkins then found himself on Twitter, where James, among others, could not contain his amazement over what he had seen.


"Dunk of the Year! @blakegriffin just dunked on Kendrick Perkins so hard!!! Wow! I guess I'm No. 2 now. Move over #6," James tweeted, apparently referring to his own dunk the day before over Chicago Bulls point guard John Lucas III being relegated behind Griffin's poster-quality jam.


Perkins told Yahoo! Sports that he didn't appreciate that.



"You don't see Kobe (Bryant) tweeting," Perkins said, according to the report. "You don't see Michael Jordan tweeting. If you're an elite player, plays like that don't excite you."



"At the end of the day, the guys who are playing for the right reasons who are trying to win championships are not worrying about one play. They also are not tweeting about themselves talking about going down to No. 2," Perkins added, according to the report. "I just feel (James) is always looking for attention and he wants the world to like him."


Perkins told Yahoo! Sports he respected Griffin for not making a spectacle of the moment. But if Griffin goes at the rim again the next time the Clippers and Thunder meet, Perkins said he won't back down.


"If I was in the same position, in the same rotation, I'm going to jump again and again and again," Perkins said, according to Yahoo! Sports. "A lot of people are afraid of humiliation or don't know how to handle embarrassment or would even get embarrassed. I don't care."


"That's my job," Perkins added, according to the report. "How will my teammates look at me if next time I just back out of the way and just let him dunk when I'm supposed to be defensive-minded, a shot-blocker? That would be a coward move on me. He'd just have to dunk on me again."

Kendrick Perkins of Oklahoma City Thunder rips LeBron James of Miami Heat for dunk tweets - ESPN

[Hobbs]

Perkins should rip himself for sucking.

[Stefan S]

... like Kipling says, "but that's another story."

(about this story, the comparison of LeBron to all time greats is very apt. MJ and Bird would yap a lot on the court but they were able to back it up. And, surely, they were rather silent when the games were over.0

[Jangul]

No, MJ never shut up. After the Bulls finally gained the upper hand against us, he still couldn't resist talking shit against us in the media. He was still talking trash in his retirement speech.

[Dave Bing]

Although I can't imagine Jordan getting on twitter and talking about anyone else's dunk.

[Stefan S]

Especially not if it was a better dunk; MJ would never admit anyone did anything better than him.

On the other hand, we have different times; it's the twitter generation.

[Dave Bing]

Jordan would have sought out both Perkins and Griffin for some dunkage at the first opportunity. Dude was an angry assassin.

[B.I.G.]

LeBron dunks on little guys.

[Stefan S]

As much as I dislike him,
his will to win was unmatchable (except for the Bad Boys)

[Dave Bing]

For a guy with so much skill and success, he had a GIANT chip on his shoulder.

[Stefan S]

Incidentally, after seeing Kobe this year (and MJ before the rings)
we see the value of triangle -- it helps to keep everyone involved

[tin mad dog]

Originally Posted by Dave Bing

Although I can't imagine Jordan getting on twitter and talking about anyone else's dunk.

LeBron didn't really dis Perkins at all. Here's his tweet:

The Miami Heat star wrote: "Dunk of the Year! @blakegriffin just dunked on Kendrick Perkins so hard!!! Wow! I guess I'm No. 2 now. Move over #6."

Perkins comes off like a bitch in this story.


As for MJ, yeah, he'd be too bitter to give anyone much credit.

[Stefan S]

Five basketball experts compare the Big Soft Pussy with all times greats: Magic, Bird, Wilt, Oscar, and Jordan.

NBA -- LeBron James against the all-time greats - ESPN

[El Axe]

2. Take your pick: LeBron or Bird?

Abbott: LeBron. See, now you're asking me to pick between a chronically injured player and one with the most dominant physical advantage of all time. I had a Larry Bird poster on my wall as a kid -- I know he's a basketball hero. But in four years, James will have played as many seasons as Bird ever did, and the years after that he'll still be spectacular. What a bonus to the owner who picks that guy.

Is this guy for real?

Larry Bird NBA & ABA Statistics | Basketball-Reference.com

In Larry Bird's first 8 seasons (the number of seasons LeBron has played thus far), he played 7 full seasons and his only "injured" season, 81-82, he still played in 77 games, though started only 58.

It wasn't until his 11th season, when he was 32, that he finally had a severe injury that kept him off the court. Remember, too, that in his day, players were less likely to leave school early.

Oh, and in those first 8 years, the Celtics won 3 championships with 2 additional championship appearances.

[Stefan S]

Updated: April 20, 2012, 8:28 AM ET
1. Heat Have Become LeBron's Team
By Brian Windhorst
ESPN.com

MIAMI -- It started with the music.

LeBron James preferred a different introduction song when the Miami Heat players were announced at home. The song was changed. James wanted music to be played in the locker room, not just in headphones, before the game. Loudly. The change was permitted.

It has manifested itself in dozens of different of other ways, both blatant and subtle, recently. James has been taking over the Heat, becoming the focal point and becoming the floor leader. It may not be permanent. Few things in the game are, even if some prefer definitive and unwavering declarations. But right now the Heat are James' team.

...

Daily Dime - ESPN

[tin mad dog]

I really wish a star player would step up and try to kill the Jordanization of the NBA that has hurt the league in the past 20 years and say "I am a MEMBER of the TEAM. There is no 'So-and-so's Team'. I am one of 12."

[Stefan S]

Originally Posted by tin mad dog

I really wish a star player would step up and try to kill the Jordanization of the NBA that has hurt the league in the past 20 years and say "I am a MEMBER of the TEAM. There is no 'So-and-so's Team'. I am one of 12."

C0-signed with both hands.

That's why, perhaps, Durant is so likable. You do not get from his much of the superstar vibe and 'tude. Also, that's why like so much our last championship team -- a true team w/o any superstars.

Incidentally, speaking about LeBron, when asked recently about MVP and what it would mean to him to win it he said it is enormously important to him because it would put him in a select group of few (I think 6 or 7) who did it 3 times.

[Dave Bing]

Kevin Durant.

[tin mad dog]

Durant hasn't said the things I posted but he also hasn't really sought the limelight either.

It is mostly the media that puts the "_____'s Team" tag on the player anyway. It's just that there hasn't been a player to reject that tag.

[Stefan S]

Just to throw it out there:
PPG 27.8 PPG 27.1
RPG 8.0 RPG 7.9
APG 3.5 APG 6.3
SPG 1.4 SPG 1.9
BPG 1.2 BPG 0.8
Durant/Lebron

[tin mad dog]

FG .502/.531
3FG.378/.363
FT .856/.768
ORPG .6/1.5
TO 3.7/.3.4
A/TO .95/ 1.84
PER 26.49/30.73

LeBron is having the better overall season but KD is a solid 2nd.

BTW- It looks like KD has fouled out twice in his career and LeBron three times. Both are pretty close to Wilt there.

[tin mad dog]

Also, while Kobe is ahead in PPG, he trails LeBron in every other category except FT %. He has his worst FG% since his 2nd year in the league (.431) and his 3 PT. FG% is the 2nd worst of his career (.299).

He really should learn to feed the bigs on the lakes more but instead he's taking the 3rd most SPG in his career.

[Stefan S]

LeBron is probably better than KD on D, which is hard to measure in stat terms (steals are very misleading because they frequently involve gambling).

[Stefan S]

Originally Posted by tin mad dog

Also, while Kobe is ahead in PPG, he trails LeBron in every other category except FT %. He has his worst FG% since his 2nd year in the league (.431) and his 3 PT. FG% is the 2nd worst of his career (.299).

He really should learn to feed the bigs on the lakes more but instead he's taking the 3rd most SPG in his career.

Kobe is a very selfish player.

One thing about both LB and KD, they both play team ball.

[tin mad dog]

The Xerox really separates himself from The Original Mikey in FG%. Kobe's career FG% is .453 and MJ's is .497.

As far as I know, jordan never gave himself a nickname either.

[ThaMaestro]

I'm surprised how close Lebron is to Durant in 3pt shooting. Durant is known to be a shooter, and Lebron we know can shoot, but it's not exactly his known forte.

As far as MVP you could really flip a coin. I'm sure they both will have a few more chances to win MVP in the future, too.

[hack]

http://www.polyestertime.it/files/Pl...0-04-2012.pdf: the intersection of the petrochemicals industry and fun font usage!

[Stefan S]

Disgusting: 2012 NBA playoffs -- Nike designer mocks Derrick Rose of Chicago Bulls after torn ACL - ESPN Chicago

I do not blame LeBron for this. But, generally, his associates have a poor record handling his affairs and other related issues.

[tin mad dog]

So nice of you not to blame LeBron for something he had nothing to do with.

As for Nike, fuck them!:

http://detroitpistonsforum.com/forum...once-more.html (Fuck Nike (once more))

[Stefan S]

Originally Posted by tin mad dog

So nice of you not to blame LeBron for something he had nothing to do with.

As for Nike, fuck them!:

http://detroitpistonsforum.com/forum...once-more.html (Fuck Nike (once more))

You are welcome!

It's comletely messed up thing by Nike. I thought it's interesting and this seemed to be the most fitting thread.
EDIT: I did not see there is a thread for this before I made my post.

[hack]

Other people who should not be blamed include everyone on the planet except for the guy who made the tweet.

[Money23]

LOL, exactly.

[Stefan S]

Chuck Barkley on LeBron's being the best player in the league now, Wades winning a ring because Shaq and Zo were dominating inside, andJordan's having his feeling hurt when he was called on being a shitty owner...

Watch Jim Rome tackle the latest topics in the world of sports. - CBSSports.com

[tin mad dog]

Pretty spot on. I do think that there's still a place for Wade in crunch time but LeBron had made two clutch shots in the last 80 seconds of the game so maybe Spolstra should've ran the ball through his hands on the last play.

[hack]

``I do think that there's still a place for Wade in crunch time''

Gonna save that one for later.

[tin mad dog]

You can bring it up when he makes one, so you can prove me right.

[hack]

Well he'll have to do it first. No evidence that'll ever happen...

[Stefan S]

Every gamer is going to make some and miss some, no doubt. Even the Greatest One, the freakin' His Airness, missed so many. but as he said, he has never been afraid to take the responsibility into his hands and take the next shot in the clutch.

That's why I think Wade is so valuable. It's not because he has more skills than anyone else, certainly not more than LeBron. But he has the same mental attitude as MJ used to demonstrate on so many occasions. He has shown that, with a game totally on the line, he will not hesitate and, make or break, he will give it a shot. It's invaluable to have someone with this mental state on your team.

I'm not saying that LeBron will not develop this skill. Furthermore, once you have him on your team, he is so good that most of the time it will not come down to the final play or two. But once the crucial playoff game is on the line, Wade has already proven his value. In my humble opinion, the jury is still out on LB.