NBA thread

[FRED HALE SR.]

Originally Posted by butthead aka 216

Durant has been the bettet scorer for a few yrs imo. Lebrons passing tho is incredible and really sets him spart offensively from everyone in the league

Durants weakness is always gonna be on the defensive side in pick and roll and swing defense. Hes a hell of a player but can disappear from games when it matters most. I agree hes mvp this year, but come playoff time the gloves are off and Lebron will take over.

[Wpnfire]

Originally Posted by YorkeDaddy

I honestly believe Durant has evolved into a better scorer than LeBron at this point. I fully believe LeBron could still average 35-40 a night if he wanted to but thats not his game or personality. Durant is just automatic from ANYWHERE its honestly incredible. He could become the greatest pure scorer of all-time, but he still doesn't quite have the impeccable complete two-way production that LeBron has perfected.

Basketball is a team game though, and LeBron averages 7 assists per game. How many of those assists lead to three-pointers for Miami when you have Chalmers, **RAY ALLEN**, Battier, and even Bosh making threes? The correct answer is a whole lot of three's come off Lebron's assists. So when James has the ball in his hands, his team "scores" defacto nearly as much as KD does on his own.

However, Durant has VASTLY improved (and still is improving) in his assists, having increased his APG TWOFOLD since his rookie year. There's no doubt, Durant is a scoring machine.

When you talk about individual player scoring, you should keep in mind the context each player is in. The Thunder don't have a whole lot of scorers, (this was especially evident last year when Westbrook was out), and so it usually falls on Durant to score points for the whole team. LeBron was in a very similar situation in Cleveland (perhaps it was even worse than the Thunder-Westrbook!). James twice hit 30+ ppg, and he's NEVER done that in Miami. The most he's gotten is 27 PPG. He CAN score as much as KD, that's just not how he likes to play, (he now also plays slightly less minutes than KD too).

LeBron>Durant.

[YorkeDaddy]

Originally Posted by Wpnfire

Basketball is a team game though, and LeBron averages 7 assists per game. How many of those assists lead to three-pointers for Miami when you have Chalmers, **RAY ALLEN**, Battier, and even Bosh making threes? The correct answer is a whole lot of three's come off Lebron's assists. So when James has the ball in his hands, his team "scores" defacto nearly as much as KD does on his own.

However, Durant has VASTLY improved (and still is improving) in his assists, having increased his APG TWOFOLD since his rookie year. There's no doubt, Durant is a scoring machine.

When you talk about individual player scoring, you should keep in mind the context each player is in. The Thunder don't have a whole lot of scorers, (this was especially evident last year when Westbrook was out), and so it usually falls on Durant to score points for the whole team. LeBron was in a very similar situation in Cleveland (perhaps it was even worse than the Thunder-Westrbook!). James twice hit 30+ ppg, and he's NEVER done that in Miami. The most he's gotten is 27 PPG. He CAN score as much as KD, that's just not how he likes to play, (he now also plays slightly less minutes than KD too).

LeBron>Durant.

Interesting points! Dont get me wrong though, you wont find any bigger LeBron fans than me. I've followed him since he was in high school (I grew up pretty close to Akron). As far as I'm concerned, he's already the second greatest player to ever touch a basketball, and all he needs is to keep up this same production for a few more years and there wont be a question in my opinion.

I actually believe LeBron wouldve been the greatest ever in ANY sport, literally. You think Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham are devastating on a football field? Those guys arent half the athlete LeBron is. And can you even imagine how well LeBron couldve pitched? If he couldve perfected a curve ball he wouldve been Randy Johnson 2.0.

[Soulflower]

Oh I can find bigger Lebron and Miami fans because my brothers are and my goodness it is annoying!!lol

I just want to be clear with my opinion on Lebron.

He might be the best player in the league right now but I don't think he is worthy to be compared to Michael Jordan. He doesn't have as many shooting titles and championships as MJ and I just don't think he is this likable iconic player that the NBA makes him out to be. I know throughout the series over the summer they made mini commercials comparing MJ stats to Lebron and making it seem as though Lebron had surpassed Jordan.

I really would like to hear FRED HALE perspectives on this.

This does not change that Lebron is the best right now but I don't think he is on the level of MJ or has even surpassed him. I also think the way in which he got his championships need to be taken into consideration as well. He had to go to another team to get his championships. Didn't MJ have dry spells before he started winning championships with the Bulls? He still stayed on the team though and built a team around him. I dunno, I just don't think they are in the same category and in saying that does not mean I am not acknowledging he is the best right now.

He might be the best in the league right now but he personally isn't my favorite ball player. I like others like Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, West Brooke, Jason Terry and a few others. As far as personality, I really like Kevin Durant and Tim Duncan.

I also find Lebron to be very arrogant.

[FRED HALE SR.]

Originally Posted by realtalk92

Oh I can find bigger Lebron and Miami fans because my brothers are and my goodness it is annoying!!lol

I just want to be clear with my opinion on Lebron.

He might be the best player in the league right now but I don't think he is worthy to be compared to Michael Jordan. He doesn't have as many shooting titles and championships as MJ and I just don't think he is this likable iconic player that the NBA makes him out to be. I know throughout the series over the summer they made mini commercials comparing MJ stats to Lebron and making it seem as though Lebron had surpassed Jordan.

I really would like to hear FRED HALE perspectives on this.

This does not change that Lebron is the best right now but I don't think he is on the level of MJ or has even surpassed him. I also think the way in which he got his championships need to be taken into consideration as well. He had to go to another team to get his championships. Didn't MJ have dry spells before he started winning championships with the Bulls? He still stayed on the team though and built a team around him. I dunno, I just don't think they are in the same category and in saying that does not mean I am not acknowledging he is the best right now.

He might be the best in the league right now but he personally isn't my favorite ball player. I like others like Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, West Brooke, Jason Terry and a few others. As far as personality, I really like Kevin Durant and Tim Duncan.

I also find Lebron to be very arrogant.

I would still consider Jordan the best to ever grace a court. I have had a multitude of debates with friends before regarding the passing of the torch to Kobe/Lebron. Nobody in my eyes was as calculated and cerebral when it came to scoring. I've never seen a more competitive person in any sport i've watched. He is the best defensive guard to ever play the game also. If his team needed a rebound he was snagging 10 a game, if they needed him to facilitate and assist he would draw the double team and make easy looks for people. But when they needed him to score he was the best ever. His team being a bunch of fill players and Scottie Pippen leads a lot more credence to how gifted he truly was.

That all being said if Lebron matches his rings and continues to elevate his game there is some merit to the comparison. Head to head I believe Lebron would give him problems in the post, but MJ would break his ankles in the open court.

[Wpnfire]

Originally Posted by realtalk92

He might be the best in the league right now but he personally isn't my favorite ball player. I like others like Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, West Brooke, Jason Terry and a few others. As far as personality, I really like Kevin Durant and Tim Duncan.

I also find Lebron to be very arrogant.

I dislike it when people call LeBron arrogant. Kobe Bryant is ridiculously arrogant, and I don't feel LeBron is anywhere close to that, so from that perspective, he's likable.

Also, I am a Heat fan cause I live in Kansas and go to Jayhawk games weekly, and it's fun to watch LeBron play and see the connections to Andrew Wiggins (6'8", unstoppable slashers, play awesome defense, run the break, etc...)

Also also, Ray Allen is my all-time favorite basketball player, and he played such a critical part in the finals last year for miami!

Also also also, West Brooke!? Who's he?

[butthead aka 216]

Bron is so humble abd likeable its ridiculous. Lotta haters still got the blinders on unfortunately

[FRED HALE SR.]

Originally Posted by Wpnfire

I dislike it when people call LeBron arrogant. Kobe Bryant is ridiculously arrogant, and I don't feel LeBron is anywhere close to that, so from that perspective, he's likable.

Also, I am a Heat fan cause I live in Kansas and go to Jayhawk games weekly, and it's fun to watch LeBron play and see the connections to Andrew Wiggins (6'8", unstoppable slashers, play awesome defense, run the break, etc...)

Also also, Ray Allen is my all-time favorite basketball player, and he played such a critical part in the finals last year for miami!

Also also also, West Brooke!? Who's he?

Heat fan in Kansas, how does that even happen. Wiggins is a beast. I love watching NCAA, I've watched a bunch of Duke this year because Parker is fun to watch.

My alltime favorite baller is definitely Magic Johnson. He and Bird were the reason I started watching and fell in love with the game when they were in College.

You know who shes referring to. The typo police are in effect. I never saw it coming with Westbrook he was so average at UCLA. Even Kevin Love was just a good player, not the absolute madman we see playing for the T-wolves now. Must be a Ben Howland thing.

[Moss]

Being a fan in a fly over city (Denver) I would take Durant over any player in the league. LeBron was never going to stay in a small market. Too much ego. Thats kobes downfall too.

Wade is one of the greats and was unstoppable before getting injured. people will talk about getting to see him play someday.

I dont think the league is fixed but you see the refs controlling things all the time. Lebron would have to take out a gun and shoot someone in the face to get a 6th foul in an important game. When the score gets lopsided the foul calls start to change. Other sports just dont have that. NBA is still my fave sport though.

[Wpnfire]

Originally Posted by FRED HALE SR.

Heat fan in Kansas, how does that even happen. Wiggins is a beast. I love watching NCAA, I've watched a bunch of Duke this year because Parker is fun to watch.

I knew there was a reason why I started watching the Heat that I forgot to mention: It started with Mario Chalmers (used to play for KU, really famous there) being a starter for Miami. He fits so well with LeBron and Wade there, being able to space the floor. He's also gotten surprisingly good.

Wiggins also scored a career high 29 points last night, he was amazing. Two or three games ago he had 2 points, so he's still developing consistency.

^Also, LeBron took less money so Miami could still sign other players. How does that equate to him having a large ego? Again just compare him to Kobe and you'll see he's not as bad as you might believe...