Basketball unlike any other sport, compares its top superstar players to those of the past. I will not get into every head-to-head comparison, but instead I will just state the biggest one. Anybody vs. Jordan. First it was Harold Miner vs. Jordan, then J.R./Isaiah Rider vs. Jordan, Penny Hardaway vs. Jordan, Grant Hill vs. Jordan, then the big two, Kobe vs. Lebron vs. Jordan vs. Kobe.
I would say Kobe is much more like Jordan in terms of style of play, where as Lebron is a more physical player. The former two being more calculated strategy-wise. But, we have all this hoopla over Lebron James being THE GREATEST CLOSER OF ALL-TIME. This is the most laughable thing I’ve ever heard when it comes to basketball. He is not 1/10 the closer of Jordan or ½ the closer of Kobe. Jordan could beat you without even touching the ball, and Kobe towards the end of the game will hit damn near every shot no matter how impossible, and will involve his teammates. Lebron can miss a bunch of free throws, have 3 turnovers, and completely neglect his teammates but when he makes the game winner, he is the hero instead of the goat (not greatest of all time kind of goat) that kept his team from winning by 10. Now a win is a win but that attitude will not win Championships.
I also am no longer willing to hear the statements of “He has no one to play with.” Bullshit, the team won 66 games. You don’t win that much because one player got all 66 wins. Sure Lebron is the leader of the team, and can be attributed to many of those wins, but T-Mac, Vince Carter, A.I., Kobe, Jordan, or anybody can not win 66 games by their lonesome.
There is no question that Lebron is top 5 in this league, I will not argue that, but it is up for debate the position in that top 5.
His 4th Quarter game is terrible. He will not pass the ball when behind, he will turn it over, miss free throws by the bunch. But if he makes the last shot to win the game, it is a beautiful canvas of art that the Prince gave us. I, for once agree with Skip Baylass just on the Prince James title.
I watched game 2 when Hedo Turkoglu hit the shot with 1.0 seconds left (Hedo is the better closer, by the way) and Lebron got the inbounds, and hit the game winning 3-point fade away. What you don’t read is the stat sheet 2-6 FG’s, 2-2 FT’s, 7pts., 1 Assist, 1 rebound, 3 turnovers. How’s is that closing?
Game 3 he went 3-8 FG’s 7-12 FT’s for 14 points, 1 steal, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 turnover. Not too bad but his team lost.
In Game 4, he went 4-11fg’s 7-10 FT’s 17pts. 5 Reb. 2 Assists, 7 Turnovers and missed 3 shots that would have tied the game in OT.
On the other hand, Lebron had a great game 5 with a very good 4th quarter but he has had 4 of 5 bad 4th quarters that is not an elite closer.
I also figured out his game. He just drives the ball to the paint and throws up a layup and gets the foul pretty much 100% of the time because he’s Lebron. Kobe doesn’t get those calls as much as LBJ does and neither did Jordan. In the playoffs Lebron shoots 14 free throws a game, where as Kobe shoots 9. Kobe also shoots over half of his free throws when his team is winning and they are intentional fouls. Lebron shoots 75% of his free throws in the fourth quarter. Never intentional fouls because he is not the player the Cavs want to shoot them. If he were, he would always leave the other team in the game. Also Kobe makes 9/10 free throws, while Bron makes 6.5-7.5/10. That is all the difference between winning and losing many games.
So when someone tells you, you cannot guard Lebron James I can’t lie, it is true. But it is not true because he hits every shot, or is a master strategist like MJ or Kobe who gets in your heard. You will not be able to stop Lebron for 1 reason, whenever he drives to the hoop he will get the call regardless i.e. Howard’s 6th foul in Game 5. Until Lebron doesn’t miss half his free throws or have 3 turnovers in the 4th he is not the greatest closer ever, today, or even best player in the league for that matter.
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I agree with you on most of your points, however it may not be totally Brons fault for his poor performance in the 4th quarter. Mike Brown is the one putting the ball in his hands and calling the play. He's the one call out the iso for Bron at the top of the key and telling him to let the shot clock twindle down to mere seconds. Mike Brown is a great coach, he brought Bron to the finals and eastern conference finals twice with a mediocre cast, but his gameplan for close games are wack!
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