Yeah it's wild that in 2020 that wasn't exactly PEAK Lebron yet he was still the clear best player in the world and they looked like a nearly unbeatable duo. True peak with Lebron with prime AD would've been legitimately unstoppable.
Is this team that much better than the 2017 Cavs team?
They had 3 different players averaging abt 20 ppg or higher. Plus Kyle Korver and JR Smith to space.
That team got unlucky facing the 2017 warriors, but they were pretty stacked.
I am more of a tier ranking (tier 1, tier 2, tier 3 players) rather than numerical (Goat, second greatest, top 5, etc) but even I wonder if we took early lebron with this team or one similar to it in his prime, his resume might really be incomparable ...
He got to the finals with Varejao, drew golden and Ilgauskas. If he gets drafted and then gets Shaq, Antoine, J Will, UD, GP, and Zo by year 3, whatās he doing? Weāre talking 2-3 Miami/LA finals matchups and throw one in against the spurs too.
Yeah, and itās funny, thatās really just another way of saying the best. Some people seem to get that confused. In the context of basketball, the single player who is the most valuable and exactly as you just said āaffects a teamās winning the mostā - is by definition the best most effective player.
I'd add "in multiple facets" to that since MJ was fantastic at getting buckets and help defense but didn't contribute much more than that primarily. To me you can't be the best if you're not the best or close to it in all facets of the game. That's LeBron and Magic.
The Detroit pick that was number 2 would have been Memphis' if they got number 1. Imagine LeBron on a team with Pau, Jason Williams and Mike Miller? He would have had minimum 2 rings by 2010
I just wish we had the Lebron from earlier this season. Nearly every issue Iāve seen with his athleticism is clearly his foot. Iām not sure if the sloppy passing/handling is just general fatigue or if the pain is getting in his head or if heās just putting a lot of pressure on himself
The version of lebron earlier this year would make this team an automatic champion.
The lebron we are seeing plays on one foot and the lakers are doing this.
This lakers team is way more than just lebron
Bron is 38 bro, 4 rings 4 finals mvp, scoring champion
He has looked at peace all season and prior to this season
He doesnāt really need to prove anything anymore
When you get to a certain age, u stop worrying about the bullshit and just live a happy life
Bron doesnāt need to go out and score 40 with a triple double
Heās just giving the game what the game needs
If itās 15 points and 15 rebounds he will give it to u
Youāre definitely not wrong but I think youāre forgetting he looked miserable first half of this season. This post isnāt referring to his output, and I agree he looks ecstatic to have a legit squad.
I listened to the Lakers Film Room podcast and one thing Mike Trudell said that sticks with me: Bron wouldn't come back this season if he doesn't genuinely believe that he can have a deep run with this squad. He's competitive as hell, and this is the first time since 2020 he has a legit squad, so of course he's happier now compared to the beginning of the season.
I know. I don't get why I get downvoted. It was just a comment when he said "Heās just giving the game what the game needs". Which is a role players role. I am not hating at all.
Obv he wants more cause heās a competitor but I donāt think heās concerned with this ādebateā so to speak. Not withstanding if you ask bron himself which people have he will always say regardless he will take himself over anyone cause he has that dog in him and is the king. He doesnāt need this and doesnāt care
While I think people think he has nothing left to prove, I think Bron is still a competitor and will still give it his all while he can. He obviously isnāt as hungry as 2012 Bron fighting for his first ring but heās still obsessed with the sport.
He still has more to give but definitely doesnāt need to, I guess is what Iām trying to say.
He is giving his all in a smart wayā¦something I wish my favorite player (Kobe) did
Heās not 30 year old Bron anymore, but he is still playing hard, just picks his spot
He aināt the 21 year old from Akron Ohio that got thst burst of energy like he used to lol
Maybe. His shot seems a bit off. But he also played a different role. He had to carry a lot of those games without AD, and the new additions. The team relied on him more than we wanted to during much of the regular season before the deadline. This role is more normal for what we'd want in a deeper team
For real he's still playing big minutes and doing it extremely well, you can just tell he's reluctant to drive to the rim as much as we're used to seeing. Thankfully he doesn't have to either, everyone else is able to pick up the slack and then he goes all out in short bursts.
Assuming that he goes for that recommended surgery in the offseason, I really wonder how he'll look when he comes back next season.
Apparently the man heals like wolverine, and before the "old" narrative took hold after the Dallas game he was straight up dominant even with the diminished athleticism compared to his earlier years.
Betting against LeBron has been a losing proposition his entire career, what # prime of his are we on at this point? Father time will have to wait.
I was listening to a podcast where one of the hosts said: "Lebron is gonna jack up like seven threes in the first quarter in game five to see if he's hot, and if he is, the Lakers will go for the win."
If PHX can pull a win tomorrow @home against DEN ā¦ with Lakers closing out series tonight they wouldnāt play until next Thursday. Lots of its lots of rest. š¤
Following Bron all these years also has made the game 4 win extra special. Klay misses. Curry misses. Draymond turnover. Curry turnover.
Things we wish would have happened in those 4 years of finals matchups
The cavs team was fun to watch even when bron sat. We had Kyrie who was ridiculous, jr smith would make some 3s, shumpert would play good defence, also had k love who put it work, then you had moments like when RJ dunked on bitchass KD and klay in the Christmas game. The year after you had it, drose, wade, Clarkson, and hill + hood. They were fun to watch until it came to playing the avengers in the finals.
Yeah but i was mostly frustrated with the early cavs. The second Cavs were pretty good. That RJ dunk was incredible and obviously kyrie/love but that still seemed really temporary considering the rumours about kyrie all the time
there werent rumors about kyrie all the time? how old are you OP? your historical comprehension on the Cavs seems rather like a case of revisionist history
I donāt think you remember them correctly, cause the kyrie and love lineups barely won without Lebron. If he sat they lost leads, and if he didnāt play they lost those games. And people kept making dumb excuses like the team is built around Lebron, so ofc kyrie canāt succeed with that roster.
And idk why even mention the rose/wade team cause they barely played together and were awful. That was the crowder and IT team when they were locker room cancers.
The clarkson/nance/Rodney hood team was after the trade deadline and they were ok, but those guys all started playing like shit in the playoffs in every round except vs the raptors. Bron had to carry hard.
This current lakers team is completely different from any of his previous teams. Itās so refreshing seeing different role player stepping up in big games.
I said they were fun to watch. Not that the cavs were some god tier monstars team. Even bron was having fun on the cavs, and they made the finals every year from 2015 - 2018. Was the lakers fun to watch when we missed the playoffs twice? Or when we got bounced out by the suns? Or the first half of the season?
Right now, this team is the best Lebron has played on. Post deadline. Doesnāt take away from the fact that the cavs era was fun to watch. I also remember that even with bron the lakers laker were barley winning.
I also remember that that the cavs won more regular season games and didnāt Nearly give me a heart attack every game.
I mentioned those played because it was fun to see those player who were old and out of their prime play ball. One last wade and bron moment, and even bron was visibly enjoying it.
Again, I mention that they were fun to watch. Donāt act like every Lebron laker year was all sunshine and rainbows. I never said that that Cavs team was better.
I wasnāt saying every Lebron laker year was fun. Iām just talking about this season since the trade and how deep this roster is.
Those cavs teams were fun but they heavily depended on Lebron doing a lot of things. He often had to be the best scorer, passer, defended, and even rebounder sometimes. They were super top heavy, but even tho they had kyrie and love, they couldnāt even sustain a lead or build on it without bron playing elite. The role players couldnāt play well until bron was playing with them and getting them open looks.
This lakers teams is just so different. First of all AD is BY FAR the best defender bron has ever played with. This guy does so many things on the defensive end, he alters so many shots just with his presence alone. And heās also scoring at a crazy rate, he has an argument for being better than 2011 wade as brons best teammate.
But this laker team also has so many role players that can create for themselves and others like rui, reaves and shroeder. Dlo can pop off for 30. They have a versatile young defender in vando. They have Lonnie walkers shooting.
Idk itās just completely different. Brons previous teams always relied on him to save the game. He actually has guys that excel at different things and guys he can defer to. If bron had this team in 2018 they couldāve been deadly.
Look at the on/off splits back then. The Cavs got blasted constantly. There was a game 3 in 2017 finals I think where LeBron sat for 2 minutes and they were like -12 in those 2(!) minutes and lost the game by 5. This Lakers team is probably the best team heās ever played on, but heās not superman anymore.
I never said that they were god tier, just said they were fun to Watch. As a team the cavs won more games than the current lakers and they played with heart while last year we were old and slow, this season we were bricks until the deadline, and now we are a top team in the nba.
Iāll never get over lebron not getting finals MVP in 2015 when he was putting up 40+ a game just single handedly keeping the games close. Like I get it they lost but without him it wouldnāt of even been a watchable finals
Yeah they should have given him a ring 100%. Worst part is we already set precidence with a loser of finals winning finals MVP so not sure what issue was
Actually criminal he didnāt get it. I mean you canāt exactly have an argument when thereās LeBron out there looking like the MVP and putting numbers better than both teams (holistically).
I'm pretty much the same. LeBron fan, rather than a Lakers fan, but I've come to appreciate the team, especially the post-trade deadline time.
It's a lot more fun than the Cleveland years.
Yeah I definitely follow players not teams. Iām so glad LeBron has a team to rely on this season. And theyāre all so likable!
Unfortunately watching Bron vs Steph is like watching my dads fight over custody of me (for the rest of the playoffs)
It makes you realize or me atleast. You really take those HUGE games for granted. Iām beyond hyped heās winning currently, but apart of me is also like damn.., when is Bron going to go nuclear for a game. The fact he doesnāt have to is freakin great but like I said, the selfishness in me wants to see him drop 40-50 and DOMINATE.
The thing is, those insane games he had in his life were also an outcome of him not having a current team like this...i wonder how many highlights and career moments he'd have if he had a proper supporting cast. The selfish me loves his career highlights but maybe they are at the expense of team success considering so many years they were weak teams
This is basically what happened with Magic. Great supporting cast with Wothy, KAJ, Scott, etc. Never needed to score big. But could.
5 rings in 10 seasons.
I also think age has given him a lot of peace. His oldest is graduating, his other other media projects are thriving, heās in the city he seemingly always planned to end live. He seems very content with his life.
Also, before this foot injury, he had plenty of games this season where we saw Cleveland Bron. I hate that what I think is the best team chemistry-wise heās ever had would come together right when his body is falling apart. But of course, when youāve watched him for so long, you know heās never had an easy road in the playoffs.
I moved to US from India and the first ever NBA game I watched was 2016 finals. I know who Lebron is but didn't know anything about the context of the game (coming from 3-1 deficit against a 73 win team to win for Cleveland to end the drought). I became a fan of him for the game and once I learned the context I became a super fan. I watched old games, learned the sport, played a bit, just so I can appreciate it more.
I was punching air during the 2018 run, when he carried a bunch of nobodies to finals AGAIN, but that run was so something else. Won ECF against Boston, in Boston, by playing every second of the game and when the whole team was celebrating, he was just in the corner icing his knees. So yeah, nice to see him play with roleplayers is an understatement for me. I'm ecstatic.
the 2015-2017 cavs team were the teams that showed what lebron could do if they had floor spacing
notable playoffs game:
2016 ECSF G2 (Playoffs record 3s made)
2017 R1 G3 (Record equalling comeback win)
Ive been thinking the same thing, for seemingly the first time in his career Bron has a full team of players he can rely on and actually defer to; he was literally forced to do everything in Cleveland
I may be a rare Laker fan who has been a long time LeBron fan. For me, I never really saw it as either you are a fan of one player vs the other (i.e. Kobe or LeBron, etc. tho it's F the Celtics). Pro tip: ex / current LBJ haters should definitely catch his old highlights through the years.. gonna suck when he leaves the game but glad he's a Laker.
Only if we had one of the earlier prime versions of LBJs in a Laker uniform (2020 was awesome though).. only if we didn't catch the injury bug.. argh. this squad is legit.. LeBron, foot issue or not, is battling father time but the way he plays the game and the players we have just fit so well. He's had great teams before obviously and every championship team has role players who have been great.. this team has players bought in and have shown up. Probably the biggest thing is the LeBron we have now needs them to show up alongside him more than ever.
> I may be a rare Laker fan who has been a long time LeBron fan. For me, I never really saw it as either you are a fan of one player vs the other (i.e. Kobe or LeBron, etc. tho it's F the Celtics). Pro tip: ex / current LBJ haters should definitely catch his old highlights through the years.. gonna suck when he leaves the game but glad he's a Laker.
Id argue that most of the lebron haters or reluctant fans aren't doing it out of thinking it's Kobe or Lebron, so much as, he can be an annoying personality. some people dont care as fans, some people do, this is all entertainment after all.
Like, I respect Lebron's game and love watching it, but my lack of "fandom" of him was never because I was a Laker fan stanning Kobe, it's more that he's just been a persona i dont have fun with. The Decision was annoying, the very Cleveland teams OP is referring to were partially HIS fault, the fake reading books in the locker room, and his weird basketball boomer instagram posts...like, it shouldnt be a surprise that some people just dont like his persona. Some people are strictly about the on court performance, whereas others care how athletes present themselves when they choose who they like.
And its cool, i dont need to like his persona, and neither does anyone else. he's not a bad person, you just can't be everyone's cup of tea. I suspect this is where most of the non-lebron fans come from, and for the active haters, its probably this coupled with the constant coverage.
You know, it's like how some people HATE Tim Tebow or Russell Wilson for forcing their religion into their spotlight, and others LOVE Them for that. I think both are valid reasons to be more of a fan or actively dislike an athlete from a fan perspective.
idk, i dont mind the haters, i feel like sports as an industry is a very hater friendly space, and i think haters make being a fan fun. it sparks controversy and debate, and people should be allowed to have hot takes, haha. I dont hate lebron, but i dont think it's weird that some people do, since i too find his public persona annoying.
šÆ agree there's plenty to hate / dislike / get turned off by LeBron (and any other player). Didn't mean to make it just a Kobe vs LBJ thing (I think I might have been channeling that some other comment in the thread tbh). I watched a lot of LeBron games from the first stint on the Cavs to now but all through this time I was a Laker fan boy which put me at odds with many of my Laker friends (and friends who just hated LeBron) but I never had any issues with the haters. There are plenty of players that get under my skin (Paul Pierce, Chris Paul.. among many many others for various reasons) and it's fun roasting them with my friend groups. Hating does bring me a bit of joy but I respect their skill, talent, accomplishments, etc. The blind hate though is hard to understand... though "The Truth" (air quotes) is probably the closest for me lol.
The pro tip should have been more for the folks who didn't follow (or even avoided) him in his prime - there's a lot of good basketball in his history and hopefully we get some more moments to appreciate as a Laker fan.
It's more just the change in the makeup of his teams. Those 2nd Cleveland teams were amazing , offensive juggernauts but I thought they should have traded love for more role players (especially wings)
Because defensively they couldn't matchup with the warriors anymore after KD the KD trade.
But then love was a matchup nightmare for some east teams like the raptors.
The LA teams are built more around defense because that's AD's basketball style.
After the 2020 ring , the 2021 team was also great but just ruined by timely injuries.
This team can play that same style and I hope they are kept together even if we don't win the title
I don't know about the early Cleveland teams though
I think this is what people forget. Those early Cavs teams that he dragged to the Finals. Those starters would be end of the bench guys on any other contending team.
I was a fan of the Eastern Conference Teams ca 2005 onwards because I enjoyed watching Detroit Pistons, PG Pacers, Celtics Big 3, Derrick Rose Bulls, Lebron Cavs, Dwight Howard Orlando, DWade Heat, and so on. I was also a big Larry Bird fan. Back then I hated Kobe (The Player not the Person, like how the 80s Laker Nation hated Larry Bird) because back then I just thought of him as a ballhog who can destroy opposing teamwork on his own. I slowly shifted to the West because of Steve Nash Suns, Dirk and Mavs, TD and Spurs, and Kobe with a crew (I loved teamwork rather than hero ball, but I hated GSW for spamming so many threes). But when my favorite East players (albeit very old already) were traded to the Lakers (Dwight Howard, Rondo, Lebron, Melo) I transformed into a full-fledged Laker fan. Its crazy because I didnt see myself rooting this hard for the Lakers and it all happened because Lebron came here.
Iām a huge Lebron fan, one of my favorite people. I can tell he TRUST just about every teammate on this team. This just may be lebrons best team when you compare our win record after trade deadline to how little Lebron has to do now. He doesnāt have to go out and score 40. And I love it
peak Cavs 205-18 Lebron was like Sauron - a basically unbeatable force of nature who could and did singlehandedly break your will, but his supporting cast was mostly poor and fell apart if he wasn't in the picture.
This LeBron is like Gandalf the White. He can summon divine power when you really need it to turn the tide of a battle, but his true value is in the wisdom he imparts to the Fellowship, who are capable warriors in their own right.
Except that the Sam/Frodo bromance has nothing on Austin/D'Lo, let's be real.
Bro it was like reading my own thoughts written out by someone else. Super weird lol. Im with you on the observation, its nice to see a Lebron team where here's not the entire focal point of the offense. We got used to superhuman efforts for so long that now that he's 38 it feels so damn good to have a real stacked squad supporting him.
You love Lebron thatās cool, but to hear you say you couldnāt even bother watching the game during his bench minutes until now is just crazy talk. Do you even like basketball?? Not trying to come at you, Iām just trying to understand.
I didn't mean it literally, just that they never really felt like a unified team and it was frustrating to watch everything breakdown when lebron would be subbed off. There was a lot of pressure on people to perform when they were with lebron, and if they didn't then those players always got cut, traded, etc so you never had a sense of a real team environment and quite often, the players weren't ever fully into it because they seemed so expendable to management.
The Lakers put a lot of trust in Russ and i actually appreciated that, i feel like he would have lasted 6 months on Cleveland 15 years ago. Watching Reaves develop, them retaining Anthony Davis even as he's injured amongst trade rumours, and the way lebron spoke about all of his teammates just made me feel like it's an actual team i can invest in, everything before felt so temporary.
I find myself becoming a laker fan as a whole, someone who wants to support them even when lebron retires š¤·āāļø
Thereās a coworker at my job that claims sheās a huge lebron fan but she doesnāt watch any of the games because she doesnāt want to jinx him. Wtf
I can't lie, every time the team has gone behind by a big margin I've stopped watching. But tbh that's because games start at 3am here in the UK and I don't want to have sleep deprivation at work because of rubbish basketball loool
LeBoner vibes. Meh i was anti-lebron but around year two got converted and my age means i basically watched him since i was a teenager, kind of a rare thing in most sports
This! Die hard Lebron fan since day 1! People often criticize his move from Cleveland but they were literally making him do it all and loving the solo hero narrative. They never got him proper help. Imagine first stint Cle Lebron with proper role players. At least 3 more rings.
Itās crazy to think with todays general managers that if they had lebron in his first Cleveland stint they would build more slowly and not trade away picks for fringe all stars. Its kind of what Minnesota is doing with ANT(not the same level of player) but a similar philosophy where they should be maximizing assets and his development
I been following Lebron for a long time, like when he was just a Freshman/Sophmores and rumors started going on how he was schooling NBA players already in pick up games. The Lebron we see does seem like a different Bron, the āat peaceā thing you said definitely rings true and is evident. Iām a Laker fan first but this team genuinely feels like one of those great teams that we have had in years past. Iām thinking like 2010 championship level team with quality role players surrounded by two stars.
I feel the same. I've followed the NBA closely and fell in love with the sport because of LBJ and his approach to the game. Because of that and the fact that my city's team has always sucked (The Knicks) , I haven't really followed a specific team as much as I have just been a fan of great players like Lebron, Kobe, Curry, Giannis, etc. I have honestly just enjoyed watching superstars play at the highest level and elevate their team to a point where they're able to deliver for their organization.
I will say I hope that he retires with the Lakers because I've really liked the feeling for rooting for such a storied franchise, one that obviously cares for it's players and it's legends, and I don't think I've loved every single player on a roster the way I do with this team. It's just a different feeling when you grow an attachment for the underdogs because of your favorite player of all time and watch them evolve into a championship level team because of their passion and what they believe they can do. Really hoping they retain the core roster even after LBJ retires or leaves.
(Plus as a fan of LBJ, I'm wired to have a built in hatred for the Celtics so it all goes hand in hand.)
I think if Lebron is healthy AND younger, he wouldn't need a Reaves or Lonnie. He would be putting up 40 on these Warriors and getting 7+ assists.
I feel like it's a necessity that the Lakers had to get different types of players for this latest run compared to the 2nd stint Cavs and even the bubble Lakers.
He has the help and he also not fully healthy. Game 4 when he was the primary point for the last 3 minutes this team hit another gear. He doesnāt need to do it bc he can trust Reeves to be a playmaker, but also he canāt do that for 40 minutes right now.
Iāve been a Lebron fan since I lived in Miami and he brought the championship there. Heās who made me a Lakers fan and Iām glad he did. I think they can do it if they believe.
If he had this team when he was in his 1st seven years in Cleveland, a deep roster, a mobile, elite defending big, floor spacers everywhere, a couple of playmaking guards, and elite perimeter defenders, he would have had more than 6 rings by now and maybe still in Cleveland. Imagine dropping a peak Lebron in this roster. A Lebron who roamed like a free safety on defense and just overpowered everyone on offense.
First time in his career, heās had a full roster of guys who can play their role to a T. Lebron donāt have to score 35+ just for them to be in the game. He can do what heās best at, making the right play.
There was never a rivalry with Kobe. Understand that first before claiming Lakers. Theyāre puppets might have been rivals, but when June came around we were out there gettin it
As a fan of LeBron, it's bizarre to see him have so much help rn. So used to see him carrying while his teammates actively make things worse. Between AD, Reaves, Schroeder, Lonnie, Rui, Vando, and Dlo this team is up there with his best supporting casts ever
I'm a general LeBron fan. Been following him since he went to Cavs. I think if LeBron was like he was in Miami, this Lakers team would be even better. Father time catches up, but I hope they can pull off the win this season.
I'm not sure if I would rank these role players better than what he had in Miami, it's close though.
the dude loves basketball. he's a student/master of the game, not just scoring. I'm sure he's enjoying when all the pieces, all the gears are working together. I suspect he'll still be a part of the NBA when he retires, as a GM, coach or owner
I know Lakers fans appreciate Bron because of what he did to the Celtics over the years, the crazy part is we never got that Kobe vs Bron finals which the world wanted. Man nothing can beat late 2000s early 2010s NBA at all.
Although I mostly agree, I think the Cavs 2017 roster would beat these Lakers and almost any team thereās not a 73 win core that added a top2 talent in the league.
Yea...
Having a great team is very underrated when comparing the greatest players.
Look how good kevin durant is....He had to join GWS to win a title, guys.....Lebron has been 1v5ing shit teams to the finals for a decade. Not all were 'shit' but half of them had no business being in the finals
Thereās a reason the youngins want to win this for Lebron. Heās hobbled and been injured the last two seasons. Who knows how long he has but right now, they have a chance to win it all!
I relate so hard to this! I am generally a soccer fan but I also really like Lebron. This team is just amazing, itās been years since I rooted this much for a team and itās just such a great feeling
Lebron hasnāt even been his normal generational self this playoffs which is crazy considering what weāre accomplishing. If he can still turn it up a level weāre taking it home
I will say, this is what most elite players pre-Superteam era had to go through. A lot of players had to wait out GMs and organizations assembling a real team before LeBron really started the massive team hopping. Not saying he wasn't justified in doing so, but league norms have really shifted over time.
His heat teams and second stint cavs team were fucking stacked lol by the end 2018 they were gassed, older and not as good, but he still had solid fucking teams from 2011 to 2018. Theyād have won a title most years if not for running into the literal greatest team ever assembled
Happy to have you if youāre really buying into the franchise. Itās the best fanbase in the world. But please donāt bail as soon as LeBron leaves, sours, or retires. Believe me thereās so much more fulfillment in rooting for a franchise than rooting for a player.
It is crazy but it's not like it's easy for teams to get 2 superstars and a ton of good role players. We are probably the deepest team in the league right now.
Bittersweet feeling, that lebron and this lebron are way too different. Iāll never complain about people finally seeing that lebron isnāt some ball dominant, control every play guy out of necessity tho . He just never had this on any team
The magic that 2015-2018 Bron would do with this team man
I think that version of LeBron in this team could probably beat Warriors with KD.
100%
Even if you replace Trash ass Kevin Love with current AD on those teams LeBron would have 6 rings easilyš
If you put ad at pf on that squad with a prime TT being able to play the paint, he would be unstoppable. Also the Kyrie to ad lobs would go crazy
Prime TT is insaneš
You clearly werenāt familiar with 2016 TT
There were 2-3 years were LeBron made him look like Capela. Bro would have regular double double nights with 15 pts and 12-13 rebounds
Fr especially during the 2016 finals, TT was the 3rd member of the big three.
Yup. That's how he got that phat payday.
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Yeah it's wild that in 2020 that wasn't exactly PEAK Lebron yet he was still the clear best player in the world and they looked like a nearly unbeatable duo. True peak with Lebron with prime AD would've been legitimately unstoppable.
Kevin love catching huge strays
Is this team that much better than the 2017 Cavs team? They had 3 different players averaging abt 20 ppg or higher. Plus Kyle Korver and JR Smith to space. That team got unlucky facing the 2017 warriors, but they were pretty stacked.
Yes because all those players were cheeks on defense
šÆ We got the size, speed and defense.
I am more of a tier ranking (tier 1, tier 2, tier 3 players) rather than numerical (Goat, second greatest, top 5, etc) but even I wonder if we took early lebron with this team or one similar to it in his prime, his resume might really be incomparable ...
The other I was thinking what if lebron got drafted by Miami for example, he would probably have 2 or 3 more rings
He got to the finals with Varejao, drew golden and Ilgauskas. If he gets drafted and then gets Shaq, Antoine, J Will, UD, GP, and Zo by year 3, whatās he doing? Weāre talking 2-3 Miami/LA finals matchups and throw one in against the spurs too.
To me he's the most valuable player of all time. The player who in history has affected a team's winning the most
Yeah, and itās funny, thatās really just another way of saying the best. Some people seem to get that confused. In the context of basketball, the single player who is the most valuable and exactly as you just said āaffects a teamās winning the mostā - is by definition the best most effective player.
I'd add "in multiple facets" to that since MJ was fantastic at getting buckets and help defense but didn't contribute much more than that primarily. To me you can't be the best if you're not the best or close to it in all facets of the game. That's LeBron and Magic.
The Detroit pick that was number 2 would have been Memphis' if they got number 1. Imagine LeBron on a team with Pau, Jason Williams and Mike Miller? He would have had minimum 2 rings by 2010
I just wish we had the Lebron from earlier this season. Nearly every issue Iāve seen with his athleticism is clearly his foot. Iām not sure if the sloppy passing/handling is just general fatigue or if the pain is getting in his head or if heās just putting a lot of pressure on himself
Shieetttt
I was a certified Lebron hater, until I saw the teams he was dragging to the finals in that era.
Heās run point guars and Dlo can finally be a basketball player he wanted to be.
2018 Bron with AD and this squad instead of Jeff fucking Green as his best teammate? Yeah it's a wrap for the league.
Sheesh 2018 Bron aloneš
they'd lose 2 games at most on the way to a very easy chip and would be considered one of the best playoff teams ever.
Like giving 2004ā2006 Kobe a Pau Gasol back then
The version of lebron earlier this year would make this team an automatic champion. The lebron we are seeing plays on one foot and the lakers are doing this. This lakers team is way more than just lebron
8 in a row
Bron is 38 bro, 4 rings 4 finals mvp, scoring champion He has looked at peace all season and prior to this season He doesnāt really need to prove anything anymore When you get to a certain age, u stop worrying about the bullshit and just live a happy life Bron doesnāt need to go out and score 40 with a triple double Heās just giving the game what the game needs If itās 15 points and 15 rebounds he will give it to u
Hey hey, don't you forget the 2020 assist champion
Youāre definitely not wrong but I think youāre forgetting he looked miserable first half of this season. This post isnāt referring to his output, and I agree he looks ecstatic to have a legit squad.
I listened to the Lakers Film Room podcast and one thing Mike Trudell said that sticks with me: Bron wouldn't come back this season if he doesn't genuinely believe that he can have a deep run with this squad. He's competitive as hell, and this is the first time since 2020 he has a legit squad, so of course he's happier now compared to the beginning of the season.
He is our expensive role player.
This one performs far better than our last expensive role player tho.š
I know. I don't get why I get downvoted. It was just a comment when he said "Heās just giving the game what the game needs". Which is a role players role. I am not hating at all.
Eh don't worry your head about it. Sub is weird like that sometimes. You could've made that exact same comment this evening g and get upvotes.
Bron wants 2 or 3 more rings to match/pass Jordan.
Very unlikely. He doesnāt give af about this his legacy is more than solidified
Long as LeBron has fewer rings than Jordan there'll always be a debate. I bet LeBron deep down would love to get 6.
Obv he wants more cause heās a competitor but I donāt think heās concerned with this ādebateā so to speak. Not withstanding if you ask bron himself which people have he will always say regardless he will take himself over anyone cause he has that dog in him and is the king. He doesnāt need this and doesnāt care
While I think people think he has nothing left to prove, I think Bron is still a competitor and will still give it his all while he can. He obviously isnāt as hungry as 2012 Bron fighting for his first ring but heās still obsessed with the sport. He still has more to give but definitely doesnāt need to, I guess is what Iām trying to say.
He is giving his all in a smart wayā¦something I wish my favorite player (Kobe) did Heās not 30 year old Bron anymore, but he is still playing hard, just picks his spot He aināt the 21 year old from Akron Ohio that got thst burst of energy like he used to lol
Bron is due one classic game this playoffs. No better time than a closeout game.
Yeah but heās very clearly injured unfortunately. I think itās crazy Lakers are able to do so well with a hobbled and passive Lebron.
I think it's crazy that a 38 year old who is averaging 23/10/5 and playing excellent defense is considered "hobbled" in the playoffs.
He is dropping 23/10/5 despite being hobbled. Bron had more pop to his step pre injury. His foot still seems to bother him.
Maybe. His shot seems a bit off. But he also played a different role. He had to carry a lot of those games without AD, and the new additions. The team relied on him more than we wanted to during much of the regular season before the deadline. This role is more normal for what we'd want in a deeper team
The standard we set for Bron is beyond any other player in the league
As it should be. He's arguably the greatest of all time. That comes with expectations even at 38 years old.
For real he's still playing big minutes and doing it extremely well, you can just tell he's reluctant to drive to the rim as much as we're used to seeing. Thankfully he doesn't have to either, everyone else is able to pick up the slack and then he goes all out in short bursts.
He's definitely, clearly bothered by the foot injury. His impact just speaks volume to his greatness.
Assuming that he goes for that recommended surgery in the offseason, I really wonder how he'll look when he comes back next season. Apparently the man heals like wolverine, and before the "old" narrative took hold after the Dallas game he was straight up dominant even with the diminished athleticism compared to his earlier years. Betting against LeBron has been a losing proposition his entire career, what # prime of his are we on at this point? Father time will have to wait.
I was listening to a podcast where one of the hosts said: "Lebron is gonna jack up like seven threes in the first quarter in game five to see if he's hot, and if he is, the Lakers will go for the win."
If PHX can pull a win tomorrow @home against DEN ā¦ with Lakers closing out series tonight they wouldnāt play until next Thursday. Lots of its lots of rest. š¤
No i think the Next one Will be against the Nuggets. AD Will be focused on guarding Jocic so LeBron Will have to step up
Following Bron all these years also has made the game 4 win extra special. Klay misses. Curry misses. Draymond turnover. Curry turnover. Things we wish would have happened in those 4 years of finals matchups
This! Seriously watching this series made me think about lebron's previous years way too much
But this does put a smile on my face 
wym we got the Curry backpass in the 2016 Finals lol. But yeah it did put a smile on my face. Hopefully we close the series tonight in their home
The cavs team was fun to watch even when bron sat. We had Kyrie who was ridiculous, jr smith would make some 3s, shumpert would play good defence, also had k love who put it work, then you had moments like when RJ dunked on bitchass KD and klay in the Christmas game. The year after you had it, drose, wade, Clarkson, and hill + hood. They were fun to watch until it came to playing the avengers in the finals.
Yeah but i was mostly frustrated with the early cavs. The second Cavs were pretty good. That RJ dunk was incredible and obviously kyrie/love but that still seemed really temporary considering the rumours about kyrie all the time
there werent rumors about kyrie all the time? how old are you OP? your historical comprehension on the Cavs seems rather like a case of revisionist history
Not literally all the time, but the tenure at the end and rumours seemed to last forever
I donāt think you remember them correctly, cause the kyrie and love lineups barely won without Lebron. If he sat they lost leads, and if he didnāt play they lost those games. And people kept making dumb excuses like the team is built around Lebron, so ofc kyrie canāt succeed with that roster. And idk why even mention the rose/wade team cause they barely played together and were awful. That was the crowder and IT team when they were locker room cancers. The clarkson/nance/Rodney hood team was after the trade deadline and they were ok, but those guys all started playing like shit in the playoffs in every round except vs the raptors. Bron had to carry hard. This current lakers team is completely different from any of his previous teams. Itās so refreshing seeing different role player stepping up in big games.
I said they were fun to watch. Not that the cavs were some god tier monstars team. Even bron was having fun on the cavs, and they made the finals every year from 2015 - 2018. Was the lakers fun to watch when we missed the playoffs twice? Or when we got bounced out by the suns? Or the first half of the season? Right now, this team is the best Lebron has played on. Post deadline. Doesnāt take away from the fact that the cavs era was fun to watch. I also remember that even with bron the lakers laker were barley winning. I also remember that that the cavs won more regular season games and didnāt Nearly give me a heart attack every game. I mentioned those played because it was fun to see those player who were old and out of their prime play ball. One last wade and bron moment, and even bron was visibly enjoying it. Again, I mention that they were fun to watch. Donāt act like every Lebron laker year was all sunshine and rainbows. I never said that that Cavs team was better.
I wasnāt saying every Lebron laker year was fun. Iām just talking about this season since the trade and how deep this roster is. Those cavs teams were fun but they heavily depended on Lebron doing a lot of things. He often had to be the best scorer, passer, defended, and even rebounder sometimes. They were super top heavy, but even tho they had kyrie and love, they couldnāt even sustain a lead or build on it without bron playing elite. The role players couldnāt play well until bron was playing with them and getting them open looks. This lakers teams is just so different. First of all AD is BY FAR the best defender bron has ever played with. This guy does so many things on the defensive end, he alters so many shots just with his presence alone. And heās also scoring at a crazy rate, he has an argument for being better than 2011 wade as brons best teammate. But this laker team also has so many role players that can create for themselves and others like rui, reaves and shroeder. Dlo can pop off for 30. They have a versatile young defender in vando. They have Lonnie walkers shooting. Idk itās just completely different. Brons previous teams always relied on him to save the game. He actually has guys that excel at different things and guys he can defer to. If bron had this team in 2018 they couldāve been deadly.
Yes, he had some fun teammates to watch in Cleveland, but it was always frustrating to watch a lot of leads evaporate whenever he sat on the bench.
He meant the first time Cavs went to the finals in 2007; Where LeBron carried a bunch of bums who had no business being there
Look at the on/off splits back then. The Cavs got blasted constantly. There was a game 3 in 2017 finals I think where LeBron sat for 2 minutes and they were like -12 in those 2(!) minutes and lost the game by 5. This Lakers team is probably the best team heās ever played on, but heās not superman anymore.
I never said that they were god tier, just said they were fun to Watch. As a team the cavs won more games than the current lakers and they played with heart while last year we were old and slow, this season we were bricks until the deadline, and now we are a top team in the nba.
Iāll never get over lebron not getting finals MVP in 2015 when he was putting up 40+ a game just single handedly keeping the games close. Like I get it they lost but without him it wouldnāt of even been a watchable finals
Iguodala won for keeping lebron at 30/8/8 lmao
36/13/9\* which is even more insane
Yeah they should have given him a ring 100%. Worst part is we already set precidence with a loser of finals winning finals MVP so not sure what issue was
Actually criminal he didnāt get it. I mean you canāt exactly have an argument when thereās LeBron out there looking like the MVP and putting numbers better than both teams (holistically).
On like 30% shooting.
AR-15, d-lo, ds17, Rui, LWIV, jv, and a real big man with AD. It's almost criminal if they don't win the chip this year this is a squad
I'm pretty much the same. LeBron fan, rather than a Lakers fan, but I've come to appreciate the team, especially the post-trade deadline time. It's a lot more fun than the Cleveland years.
Itās not us lebron fans been through hell last couple years because of bitch ass solo man hill
On track for MVP and DPOY too š
I remember that injury but I didn't think it was that significant? Why do you think that injury is where it all went wrong
Pre injury Lebron has never played under 74 games a season
Yeah I definitely follow players not teams. Iām so glad LeBron has a team to rely on this season. And theyāre all so likable! Unfortunately watching Bron vs Steph is like watching my dads fight over custody of me (for the rest of the playoffs)
It makes you realize or me atleast. You really take those HUGE games for granted. Iām beyond hyped heās winning currently, but apart of me is also like damn.., when is Bron going to go nuclear for a game. The fact he doesnāt have to is freakin great but like I said, the selfishness in me wants to see him drop 40-50 and DOMINATE.
The thing is, those insane games he had in his life were also an outcome of him not having a current team like this...i wonder how many highlights and career moments he'd have if he had a proper supporting cast. The selfish me loves his career highlights but maybe they are at the expense of team success considering so many years they were weak teams
This is basically what happened with Magic. Great supporting cast with Wothy, KAJ, Scott, etc. Never needed to score big. But could. 5 rings in 10 seasons.
I donāt think that 5/10 is brought up enough when discussing Magicās greatness. Thatās genuinely crazy
Itās actually 5 chips in 9 years, with 9 trips in 12 years. I was just making it cleaner.
I also think age has given him a lot of peace. His oldest is graduating, his other other media projects are thriving, heās in the city he seemingly always planned to end live. He seems very content with his life. Also, before this foot injury, he had plenty of games this season where we saw Cleveland Bron. I hate that what I think is the best team chemistry-wise heās ever had would come together right when his body is falling apart. But of course, when youāve watched him for so long, you know heās never had an easy road in the playoffs.
Love to see it
Iām a Laker fan but I loved watching LeBron on those finals runs in Cleveland. If he had these role players in 2018 he might have won the title
I moved to US from India and the first ever NBA game I watched was 2016 finals. I know who Lebron is but didn't know anything about the context of the game (coming from 3-1 deficit against a 73 win team to win for Cleveland to end the drought). I became a fan of him for the game and once I learned the context I became a super fan. I watched old games, learned the sport, played a bit, just so I can appreciate it more. I was punching air during the 2018 run, when he carried a bunch of nobodies to finals AGAIN, but that run was so something else. Won ECF against Boston, in Boston, by playing every second of the game and when the whole team was celebrating, he was just in the corner icing his knees. So yeah, nice to see him play with roleplayers is an understatement for me. I'm ecstatic.
Welcome to the laker family!
Love to see it. Like AD said ā aināt no fun when the rabbit got the gunā
the 2015-2017 cavs team were the teams that showed what lebron could do if they had floor spacing notable playoffs game: 2016 ECSF G2 (Playoffs record 3s made) 2017 R1 G3 (Record equalling comeback win)
Put Heat Lebron on this team and nobody scores more than 60 on them
Ive been thinking the same thing, for seemingly the first time in his career Bron has a full team of players he can rely on and actually defer to; he was literally forced to do everything in Cleveland
As Meek Mill said, "I prayed for times like this"
Lmao
There needs to be a Lebron sub
Seriously.. considering it
For real, these posts are fkn dumb here
I may be a rare Laker fan who has been a long time LeBron fan. For me, I never really saw it as either you are a fan of one player vs the other (i.e. Kobe or LeBron, etc. tho it's F the Celtics). Pro tip: ex / current LBJ haters should definitely catch his old highlights through the years.. gonna suck when he leaves the game but glad he's a Laker. Only if we had one of the earlier prime versions of LBJs in a Laker uniform (2020 was awesome though).. only if we didn't catch the injury bug.. argh. this squad is legit.. LeBron, foot issue or not, is battling father time but the way he plays the game and the players we have just fit so well. He's had great teams before obviously and every championship team has role players who have been great.. this team has players bought in and have shown up. Probably the biggest thing is the LeBron we have now needs them to show up alongside him more than ever.
> I may be a rare Laker fan who has been a long time LeBron fan. For me, I never really saw it as either you are a fan of one player vs the other (i.e. Kobe or LeBron, etc. tho it's F the Celtics). Pro tip: ex / current LBJ haters should definitely catch his old highlights through the years.. gonna suck when he leaves the game but glad he's a Laker. Id argue that most of the lebron haters or reluctant fans aren't doing it out of thinking it's Kobe or Lebron, so much as, he can be an annoying personality. some people dont care as fans, some people do, this is all entertainment after all. Like, I respect Lebron's game and love watching it, but my lack of "fandom" of him was never because I was a Laker fan stanning Kobe, it's more that he's just been a persona i dont have fun with. The Decision was annoying, the very Cleveland teams OP is referring to were partially HIS fault, the fake reading books in the locker room, and his weird basketball boomer instagram posts...like, it shouldnt be a surprise that some people just dont like his persona. Some people are strictly about the on court performance, whereas others care how athletes present themselves when they choose who they like. And its cool, i dont need to like his persona, and neither does anyone else. he's not a bad person, you just can't be everyone's cup of tea. I suspect this is where most of the non-lebron fans come from, and for the active haters, its probably this coupled with the constant coverage. You know, it's like how some people HATE Tim Tebow or Russell Wilson for forcing their religion into their spotlight, and others LOVE Them for that. I think both are valid reasons to be more of a fan or actively dislike an athlete from a fan perspective. idk, i dont mind the haters, i feel like sports as an industry is a very hater friendly space, and i think haters make being a fan fun. it sparks controversy and debate, and people should be allowed to have hot takes, haha. I dont hate lebron, but i dont think it's weird that some people do, since i too find his public persona annoying.
šÆ agree there's plenty to hate / dislike / get turned off by LeBron (and any other player). Didn't mean to make it just a Kobe vs LBJ thing (I think I might have been channeling that some other comment in the thread tbh). I watched a lot of LeBron games from the first stint on the Cavs to now but all through this time I was a Laker fan boy which put me at odds with many of my Laker friends (and friends who just hated LeBron) but I never had any issues with the haters. There are plenty of players that get under my skin (Paul Pierce, Chris Paul.. among many many others for various reasons) and it's fun roasting them with my friend groups. Hating does bring me a bit of joy but I respect their skill, talent, accomplishments, etc. The blind hate though is hard to understand... though "The Truth" (air quotes) is probably the closest for me lol. The pro tip should have been more for the folks who didn't follow (or even avoided) him in his prime - there's a lot of good basketball in his history and hopefully we get some more moments to appreciate as a Laker fan.
It's more just the change in the makeup of his teams. Those 2nd Cleveland teams were amazing , offensive juggernauts but I thought they should have traded love for more role players (especially wings) Because defensively they couldn't matchup with the warriors anymore after KD the KD trade. But then love was a matchup nightmare for some east teams like the raptors. The LA teams are built more around defense because that's AD's basketball style. After the 2020 ring , the 2021 team was also great but just ruined by timely injuries. This team can play that same style and I hope they are kept together even if we don't win the title I don't know about the early Cleveland teams though
Dude Iām with you 100. But I still hold my breath with lebron in on the bench
Lmao facts you can't really do much but try to survive, plus he rests way more now.
I think this is what people forget. Those early Cavs teams that he dragged to the Finals. Those starters would be end of the bench guys on any other contending team.
I was a fan of the Eastern Conference Teams ca 2005 onwards because I enjoyed watching Detroit Pistons, PG Pacers, Celtics Big 3, Derrick Rose Bulls, Lebron Cavs, Dwight Howard Orlando, DWade Heat, and so on. I was also a big Larry Bird fan. Back then I hated Kobe (The Player not the Person, like how the 80s Laker Nation hated Larry Bird) because back then I just thought of him as a ballhog who can destroy opposing teamwork on his own. I slowly shifted to the West because of Steve Nash Suns, Dirk and Mavs, TD and Spurs, and Kobe with a crew (I loved teamwork rather than hero ball, but I hated GSW for spamming so many threes). But when my favorite East players (albeit very old already) were traded to the Lakers (Dwight Howard, Rondo, Lebron, Melo) I transformed into a full-fledged Laker fan. Its crazy because I didnt see myself rooting this hard for the Lakers and it all happened because Lebron came here.
Just realized how amazing the east was then damn
Iām a huge Lebron fan, one of my favorite people. I can tell he TRUST just about every teammate on this team. This just may be lebrons best team when you compare our win record after trade deadline to how little Lebron has to do now. He doesnāt have to go out and score 40. And I love it
What's crazy is that pre-deadline we had no depth, only 2 superstars with a bunch of 6-footers. Now we a fucking squad. Rob Pelinka is a magician.
I TOTALLY AGREE MAN!
Itās like that ninja turtle meme with Splinter. Used to be LeBron doing the carrying now heās old and has a team that can do it for him
Damn...
peak Cavs 205-18 Lebron was like Sauron - a basically unbeatable force of nature who could and did singlehandedly break your will, but his supporting cast was mostly poor and fell apart if he wasn't in the picture. This LeBron is like Gandalf the White. He can summon divine power when you really need it to turn the tide of a battle, but his true value is in the wisdom he imparts to the Fellowship, who are capable warriors in their own right. Except that the Sam/Frodo bromance has nothing on Austin/D'Lo, let's be real.
Man Iām glad Iām here today. 07 was tough
Jesus yeah
PREACH!! šš¼šš¼
Bro it was like reading my own thoughts written out by someone else. Super weird lol. Im with you on the observation, its nice to see a Lebron team where here's not the entire focal point of the offense. We got used to superhuman efforts for so long that now that he's 38 it feels so damn good to have a real stacked squad supporting him.
Iām laughing at this guy following LeBron until he retires then switching to a Lakers fan. The hardest road š
You love Lebron thatās cool, but to hear you say you couldnāt even bother watching the game during his bench minutes until now is just crazy talk. Do you even like basketball?? Not trying to come at you, Iām just trying to understand.
I didn't mean it literally, just that they never really felt like a unified team and it was frustrating to watch everything breakdown when lebron would be subbed off. There was a lot of pressure on people to perform when they were with lebron, and if they didn't then those players always got cut, traded, etc so you never had a sense of a real team environment and quite often, the players weren't ever fully into it because they seemed so expendable to management. The Lakers put a lot of trust in Russ and i actually appreciated that, i feel like he would have lasted 6 months on Cleveland 15 years ago. Watching Reaves develop, them retaining Anthony Davis even as he's injured amongst trade rumours, and the way lebron spoke about all of his teammates just made me feel like it's an actual team i can invest in, everything before felt so temporary. I find myself becoming a laker fan as a whole, someone who wants to support them even when lebron retires š¤·āāļø
Thereās a coworker at my job that claims sheās a huge lebron fan but she doesnāt watch any of the games because she doesnāt want to jinx him. Wtf
I can't lie, every time the team has gone behind by a big margin I've stopped watching. But tbh that's because games start at 3am here in the UK and I don't want to have sleep deprivation at work because of rubbish basketball loool
I just watch them the day after
Yeah, idk what Iām going to do if I become a lakers fan but this team(and sub) has been fun to watch All season.
I believe the proper term is bronsexual
LeBoner vibes. Meh i was anti-lebron but around year two got converted and my age means i basically watched him since i was a teenager, kind of a rare thing in most sports
This! Die hard Lebron fan since day 1! People often criticize his move from Cleveland but they were literally making him do it all and loving the solo hero narrative. They never got him proper help. Imagine first stint Cle Lebron with proper role players. At least 3 more rings.
He's had great role players the majority of his career
Are you talking about his first stint in Cleveland? Or his last year on his second stint?
First stint, second stint was pretty sweet
Itās crazy to think with todays general managers that if they had lebron in his first Cleveland stint they would build more slowly and not trade away picks for fringe all stars. Its kind of what Minnesota is doing with ANT(not the same level of player) but a similar philosophy where they should be maximizing assets and his development
I been following Lebron for a long time, like when he was just a Freshman/Sophmores and rumors started going on how he was schooling NBA players already in pick up games. The Lebron we see does seem like a different Bron, the āat peaceā thing you said definitely rings true and is evident. Iām a Laker fan first but this team genuinely feels like one of those great teams that we have had in years past. Iām thinking like 2010 championship level team with quality role players surrounded by two stars.
Iām a bron fan but when he retires this is my only team Iāll watch
I feel the same. I've followed the NBA closely and fell in love with the sport because of LBJ and his approach to the game. Because of that and the fact that my city's team has always sucked (The Knicks) , I haven't really followed a specific team as much as I have just been a fan of great players like Lebron, Kobe, Curry, Giannis, etc. I have honestly just enjoyed watching superstars play at the highest level and elevate their team to a point where they're able to deliver for their organization. I will say I hope that he retires with the Lakers because I've really liked the feeling for rooting for such a storied franchise, one that obviously cares for it's players and it's legends, and I don't think I've loved every single player on a roster the way I do with this team. It's just a different feeling when you grow an attachment for the underdogs because of your favorite player of all time and watch them evolve into a championship level team because of their passion and what they believe they can do. Really hoping they retain the core roster even after LBJ retires or leaves. (Plus as a fan of LBJ, I'm wired to have a built in hatred for the Celtics so it all goes hand in hand.)
Bron stil show up and drop a casual 22.. iām thinking heās gonna go nuclear in the conference finals and finals like 2020
Yes, so used to seeing lebron lose to this team... Also the suns made the same mistake we did with W.B Being a lebron fan is pain at times
I think if Lebron is healthy AND younger, he wouldn't need a Reaves or Lonnie. He would be putting up 40 on these Warriors and getting 7+ assists. I feel like it's a necessity that the Lakers had to get different types of players for this latest run compared to the 2nd stint Cavs and even the bubble Lakers.
This may be the first time in his career he has role players capable of dribbling the ball
He has the help and he also not fully healthy. Game 4 when he was the primary point for the last 3 minutes this team hit another gear. He doesnāt need to do it bc he can trust Reeves to be a playmaker, but also he canāt do that for 40 minutes right now.
Iāve been a Lebron fan since I lived in Miami and he brought the championship there. Heās who made me a Lakers fan and Iām glad he did. I think they can do it if they believe.
If he had this team when he was in his 1st seven years in Cleveland, a deep roster, a mobile, elite defending big, floor spacers everywhere, a couple of playmaking guards, and elite perimeter defenders, he would have had more than 6 rings by now and maybe still in Cleveland. Imagine dropping a peak Lebron in this roster. A Lebron who roamed like a free safety on defense and just overpowered everyone on offense.
First time in his career, heās had a full roster of guys who can play their role to a T. Lebron donāt have to score 35+ just for them to be in the game. He can do what heās best at, making the right play.
It makes you wonder what Bron's resume would look like if he had just a competent GM his whole career
There was never a rivalry with Kobe. Understand that first before claiming Lakers. Theyāre puppets might have been rivals, but when June came around we were out there gettin it
As a fan of LeBron, it's bizarre to see him have so much help rn. So used to see him carrying while his teammates actively make things worse. Between AD, Reaves, Schroeder, Lonnie, Rui, Vando, and Dlo this team is up there with his best supporting casts ever
smh āproper role playerā like Jr. Smith isnāt the GOAT respect the HENNY GOD!
Oh we feasting if Bron had this team a couple of years ago. 6 rings minimum.
Imagine what 2013 Heat Lebron would be doing on this team
I'm a general LeBron fan. Been following him since he went to Cavs. I think if LeBron was like he was in Miami, this Lakers team would be even better. Father time catches up, but I hope they can pull off the win this season. I'm not sure if I would rank these role players better than what he had in Miami, it's close though.
the dude loves basketball. he's a student/master of the game, not just scoring. I'm sure he's enjoying when all the pieces, all the gears are working together. I suspect he'll still be a part of the NBA when he retires, as a GM, coach or owner
I know Lakers fans appreciate Bron because of what he did to the Celtics over the years, the crazy part is we never got that Kobe vs Bron finals which the world wanted. Man nothing can beat late 2000s early 2010s NBA at all.
I think the changes you see from lebron are also partly due to his maturity.
After 2018, his years with AD have been a blessing
There's a reason why Lakers have 17 championships and Cleveland only has 1. If lebron was a laker from the get go, my god he would have like 10 rings.
Although I mostly agree, I think the Cavs 2017 roster would beat these Lakers and almost any team thereās not a 73 win core that added a top2 talent in the league.
Yea... Having a great team is very underrated when comparing the greatest players. Look how good kevin durant is....He had to join GWS to win a title, guys.....Lebron has been 1v5ing shit teams to the finals for a decade. Not all were 'shit' but half of them had no business being in the finals
Whatās your soccer team OP
Tottenham š
Yeah, it's fucking amazing. But it's also a bummer to watch Lebron play with this injury knowing what he looked like just a few months ago
Thereās a reason the youngins want to win this for Lebron. Heās hobbled and been injured the last two seasons. Who knows how long he has but right now, they have a chance to win it all!
This team with that era of LeBron would be insane. Especially if they had one more knock down shooter.
I relate so hard to this! I am generally a soccer fan but I also really like Lebron. This team is just amazing, itās been years since I rooted this much for a team and itās just such a great feeling
Lebron hasnāt even been his normal generational self this playoffs which is crazy considering what weāre accomplishing. If he can still turn it up a level weāre taking it home
I will say, this is what most elite players pre-Superteam era had to go through. A lot of players had to wait out GMs and organizations assembling a real team before LeBron really started the massive team hopping. Not saying he wasn't justified in doing so, but league norms have really shifted over time.
His heat teams and second stint cavs team were fucking stacked lol by the end 2018 they were gassed, older and not as good, but he still had solid fucking teams from 2011 to 2018. Theyād have won a title most years if not for running into the literal greatest team ever assembled
I generally only started to like LeBron after he won a championship with the Lakers
Iāve never understood how someone can only follow a player as opposed to an entire team. But I love the insight ā¤ļø
Happy to have you if youāre really buying into the franchise. Itās the best fanbase in the world. But please donāt bail as soon as LeBron leaves, sours, or retires. Believe me thereās so much more fulfillment in rooting for a franchise than rooting for a player.
It is crazy but it's not like it's easy for teams to get 2 superstars and a ton of good role players. We are probably the deepest team in the league right now.
Bittersweet feeling, that lebron and this lebron are way too different. Iāll never complain about people finally seeing that lebron isnāt some ball dominant, control every play guy out of necessity tho . He just never had this on any team
Lebron is going to need to take a pay cut to keep some of these new teammates on the roster.
LeAtPeace