Lebron James IS the best player right now!

[lamarownsem]

Too bad I don't live in Cali. I actually live in the SAME STATE that Lebron does.

And Lebron's free throw shooting has gotten significantly worse than his rookie season, but it has improved slightly so far this year.

 

[darthska]

I watch the games.

And just because you improved on your jumper from last year, that means your jumper is better than mine this year?

That's way too easy to refute.

Allow me to exaggerate to make the point.

Say you shot .189 last year, worked hard on your shot, and now you're shooting .395 this year. That's an improvement of .206 between last year and thisyear.

Say I shot .567 last year, and I'm shooting .503 this year, for a decline of .064 between lasst year and this year.

You're supposed to be hailed as a better shooter than me because of that?

Just because you improved on last year doesn't make you super-awesome. It makes you... improved. But if someone is still a better shooter than you, evenwith your improvement, then they're a better shooter than you. Period. Regardless of your improvement.

 

[aristotle604]

Another triple double today? Wow, this guy is on another level right now... I've never really liked Lebron but I have to give credit where credit'sdue. He's also been playing clutch from what I've seen. Props to him.

 

[nyk buc]

Originally Posted by LamarOwnsem

Let me reiterate that stats mean nothing when discussing who is the best.

Lebron still doesn't have a reliable jump shot, doesn't shoot free throws well, nor does he play good individual defense. Other than that, I believe he and Kobe are equal in all other aspects of the game.

he's ONLY 23. his J is improving year by year. look at his 3pt%. his range has extended too if u saw the wolves game. he's shooting 49%. 38% from3s. his fts still need A LOT of work.

like i said, the scary thing is, he's 23.

 

[gko2408]

LeBron's greatness won't be known until he's in his 30's and he won't be able to rely on his freakish size and athleticism to carry him tothe basket.

 

[belle155]

yeah but you cant give fake numbers like that .189 shooting percentage. last year he averaged 27, 6 and 6 or somethin like that. all those numbers haveimproved to career bests into this (young) season. we arent saying he went from 13th man to 6th man to all star. we're saying he went from top 5 in the NBAto right now, #1.

lets watch PTI and around the horn tomorrow, i bet this is a top topic. i wanna hear what they have to say. no one is on brons level right now

 

[darthska]

belle155 wrote:

---

yeah but you cant give fake numbers like that .

Sure I can, if all I'm trying to do is make a point to ask a question.

And that's exactly what I was doing. I wasn't saying anything about LeBron or Kobe or anyone.

I simply presented a hypothetical to pose a question, and you're avoiding that question.

Question being: if one person improved on their terrible shooting from last year but they're still not on the level of someone who is still revered as anexcellent shooter, should you now be considered a better shooter than that person?

I know you don't want to answer that, because then you'd be admitting that LeBron is not a better shooter than Kobe.

But even without answering, you've answered.

nyk buc wrote:

---

he's ONLY 23. his J is improving year by year. look at his 3pt%. his range has extended too if u saw the wolves game. he's shooting 49%. 38% from 3s. his fts still need A LOT of work.

like i said, the scary thing is, he's 23.

LamarOwnsem wrote:

---

Let me reiterate that stats mean nothing when discussing who is the best.

Lebron still doesn't have a reliable jump shot, doesn't shoot free throws well, nor does he play good individual defense. Other than that, I believe he and Kobe are equal in all other aspects of the game.

Again with the future talk.

Whenever you're discussing LeBron, you would do well to pretend that yesterday was the last day LeBron will ever play.

Because a major crux of your LeBron arguments hinge upon the future, how good he COULD be (because he's only 23) and awesome he COULD shoot (because hisjumper improves every year), etc.

 

[nyk buc]

Originally Posted by 23ska909red02

nyk buc wrote:

---

he's ONLY 23. his J is improving year by year. look at his 3pt%. his range has extended too if u saw the wolves game. he's shooting 49%. 38% from 3s. his fts still need A LOT of work.

like i said, the scary thing is, he's 23.

LamarOwnsem wrote:

---

Let me reiterate that stats mean nothing when discussing who is the best.

Lebron still doesn't have a reliable jump shot, doesn't shoot free throws well, nor does he play good individual defense. Other than that, I believe he and Kobe are equal in all other aspects of the game.

Again with the future talk.

Whenever you're discussing LeBron, you would do well to pretend that yesterday was the last day LeBron will ever play.

Because a major crux of your LeBron arguments hinge upon the future, how good he COULD be (because he's only 23) and awesome he COULD shoot (because his jumper improves every year), etc.

and that's a good argument b/c well, he HAS IMPROVED every year on almost every aspect of his game (outside of the free throws of course). people saidhe couldn't shoot jack. his perimeter game is nowhere near kobe, but now it's a threat. look at his 3pt shot. look at his range.
people say he coasts on D. this yr he has put an emphasis on playing great defense, esp. help team defense. and he's one of the best at helpdefense right now i believe.

so it's not a bad argument if u see the improvements he brings to his game every year. his J will continue to get better as it has gotten MUCH better fromhis rookie year. his awareness on D will improve as he matures.

it's a bad argument if you use it on guys like durant or some unproven players and saying, "oh man, that dude has the potential to be great. he'llbe one of the best in 3-5 years." b/c we base that on potential.

 

[lamarownsem]

Originally Posted by nyk buc


he's ONLY 23. his J is improving year by year. look at his 3pt%. his range has extended too if u saw the wolves game. he's shooting 49%. 38% from 3s. his fts still need A LOT of work.

like i said, the scary thing is, he's 23.

It doesn't matter if he's 17 or 47. Just because he has these abilities at a young age doesn't make him better than Kobe. We're talkingabout RIGHT NOW. Not what he will be in the future. Will he be better than Kobe is now in a couple years? Maybe. Maybe not. But RIGHT NOW, AT THIS MOMENT,he is not better. Are Lebron's stats better than Kobe's stats? Yes. Are his abilities and skills better? No.

And the only reason why is field goal percentage is so high is because he drives to the basket so much (which is a result in his inability to shoot wellconsistently).

 

[darthska]

^ Yes, saying he's great today because you know he'll be great tomorrow is a bad argument, as is saying that he's great right now because he'llbe great next year and every year from now on.

Like I said, you would do well for yourself to pretend that yesterday was LeBron's last day of playing.

 

[nyk buc]

Originally Posted by LamarOwnsem

Originally Posted by nyk buc


he's ONLY 23. his J is improving year by year. look at his 3pt%. his range has extended too if u saw the wolves game. he's shooting 49%. 38% from 3s. his fts still need A LOT of work.

like i said, the scary thing is, he's 23.

It doesn't matter if he's 17 or 47. Just because he has these abilities at a young age doesn't make him better than Kobe. We're talking about RIGHT NOW. Not what he will be in the future. Will he be better than Kobe is now in a couple years? Maybe. Maybe not. But RIGHT NOW, AT THIS MOMENT, he is not better. Are Lebron's stats better than Kobe's stats? Yes. Are his abilities and skills better? No.

And the only reason why is field goal percentage is so high is because he drives to the basket so much (which is a result in his inability to shoot well consistently).

kobe is better primarily b/c he's more experienced. there are things lebron hasn't learned yet. you can only learn certain nuances of the game(along w/ honing your skills) by playing more.

and kobe is not that much better. the gap is like closing FAST if you still put kobe as the better player.

 

[belle155]

nah we dont need future talk, 31, 8, and 8 is legend status...even if he 'peaks' here, thats better than anything we've seen in a long time. IF andthats IF he gets better, he will go down as one of the, if not the, greatest to do it. enough with the future talk tho, 31, 8 and 8 is NOW.

 

[lamarownsem]

Originally Posted by nyk buc


kobe is better primarily b/c he's more experienced. there are things lebron hasn't learned yet. you can only learn certain nuances of the game (along w/ honing your skills) by playing more.

Exactly, which means that Kobe is better, regardless of experience. He's better right now. End of discussion.

 

[darthska]

belle155 wrote:

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nah we dont need future talk, 31, 8, and 8 is legend status...even if he 'peaks' here, thats better than anything we've seen in a long time. IF and thats IF he gets better, he will go down as one of the, if not the, greatest to do it. enough with the future talk tho, 31, 8 and 8 is NOW.
See, I can ride with that.

Even though I don't agree with it, that is a MUCH better argument than, "He's the GOAT because he's 31, 8, and 8 right now at 23 and thatmeans he'll be doing 35, 9, and 12 next year and then 38, 12, and 17 the next year and then 89, 47, and 67 the year after that!"

 

[belle155]

yeah if you can ride with that, im fine with it. im not lookin towards next year, im lookin towards next week, i have season tickets and i need to get rid of afew games.

 

[air ewayz]

The funniest thing about this post is that all Kobe fans say "numbers don't mean everything". Lebron's greatest asset is what isn't shownin the stat sheet - making those around him better.

Take into consideration all the stats + how much better he has made Gibson, Pavlovic, Varejao, Gooden, Z....Lebron is the most valuable player in the league(and should have been the past two years as well).

I would say the most talented (individually) is Kobe, but if I were to start a team my #1 pick hands down is LBJ (regardless of age).

 

[caliwestcoast1]

yes hes got the rebs the assists and the points...but the kid doesnt have d yet....he wiLL be the best pLayer in the NBA in the future but right now that titLebeLongs to kobe bryant

 

[quik1987]

Why do stats mean nothing? I thought numbers are the only thing that don't lie.

What's the point of being the "best player in the league" if you don't demonstrate it.

If thats what you are saying, Maceo Baston could potentially be better than Jordan and the best player in the league. He just doesn't put up the stats.

What is criteria for being the best player in the league if not stats? Why even bother handing out a scoring title every year?

 

[dmxfury]

Numbers can always lie. Lies, damn lies and stats.....


I think Kobe is probably still better right now, but both great players. And why were people trashing Timmy D? Guy is a joy to watch and a true HOF career

 

[baconeggcheesebiscuit]

this "stats mean nothing" argument is total BS.
when u talking about the best, ur arguments are based on stats and accolades.

and i'm sure u kobe fans were getting your rocks off his 35 ppg average a couple years ago.
stats ain't nothing now though right?

and that 23skared guy is talking out of his butt, nothing he says makes sense.

 

[lamarownsem]

Originally Posted by BaconEggCheeseBiscuit

and that 23skared guy is talking out of his butt, nothing he says makes sense.

Oh man.
I'll say it again. Based on stats, Lebron (as an example) is a better defender than Bruce Bowen but we all know that is not the case. We aretalking about quality, not quantity here.

 

[th0mas cr0wn]

BaconEggCheeseBiscuit wrote:

and that 23skared guy is talking out of his butt, nothing he says makes sense.

btw, nyk buc giving up on Tback?

found someone new?

 

[nyk buc]

Originally Posted by TH0MAS CR0WN

BaconEggCheeseBiscuit wrote:

and that 23skared guy is talking out of his butt, nothing he says makes sense.

btw, nyk buc giving up on Tback?

found someone new?


lol that's all u can say? when someone compliments another player and defends his opinion

lakers are my team and kobe is arguably the best, but the difference b/t lebron and kobe is ZILCH basically.

hell kobe strugglin 3-14 again and lakeres winning. bron is doing more with less this yr.

 

[franchise3]

31 8 and 8 makes him the best in the game right now, period.

There's no way to argue this, if you wanna take out the future talk, which I don't mind.

But then that means you gotta take out all the hypothetical, last shot I'd rather take ____ over 'Bron or 'Bron's D ain't on the level of___, stuff as well. Or wait until he wins a chip then we'll crown him talk. Or 'Bron ain't as experienced as ____, so he can't be the best yet.

What are we really picking at here then?

The numbers don't lie.

31 8 and 8 is indeed legendary status, in this day and age.

What Lebron James is doing is out of this world. With a lot less talent around him than whoever you think is 'better' than him.

 

[th0mas cr0wn]

I didn't say anything about Kobe

I just asked a simple question