2018 NBA Playoffs

[brokenshoelace]

I was watching Stephen A Smith on First Take yesterday. I'm not ashamed to say I'm an MJ fan. I think Lebron is great but I don't think his achievements match up to MJ. So it's not surprising that I sort of agree with his lack of competition thesis... Thoughts?

Word of advice, even when he does make good points, don't listen to Stephen A. Smith. He's a joke.

 

[DarthFed]

I don't think the weak competition thing stands up when you consider the difference in teams LeBron is going up against from the West compared to what Jordan faced. Easier competition in the East for sure, but way tougher teams in the finals. LeBron won't ever truly measure up unless he at least matches Jordan in rings. The Mavs chokejob is what may ultimately hurt LeBron and keep him as 2nd or even 3rd greatest. Given what we've seen in the playoffs so far I think LeBron may be the best player in the league another few years which is crazy seeing as he's been the best for probably 11 years now. Winning 6 may be tough, but if he's still this good for another few years and goes to a solid team he could win a couple more easily.

 

[DarthFed]

And I'm no longer dismissing his chances this year, he's playing at an unprecedented level even for him right now. If he keeps this up Golden State would have something to worry about in the finals.

 

[Federberg]

I don't think the weak competition thing stands up when you consider the difference in teams LeBron is going up against from the West compared to what Jordan faced. Easier competition in the East for sure, but way tougher teams in the finals. LeBron won't ever truly measure up unless he at least matches Jordan in rings. The Mavs chokejob is what may ultimately hurt LeBron and keep him as 2nd or even 3rd greatest. Given what we've seen in the playoffs so far I think LeBron may be the best player in the league another few years which is crazy seeing as he's been the best for probably 11 years now. Winning 6 may be tough, but if he's still this good for another few years and goes to a solid team he could win a couple more easily.

No no! My point is that I agree with his point about what a cake walk the Eastern Conference is. As awesome as Lebron has been in the playoffs so far, we also have to look at how weak the opposition has been for him

 

[Federberg]

Word of advice, even when he does make good points, don't listen to Stephen A. Smith. He's a joke.

haha! He certainly can be. But even a clock is right twice a day. Besides he's a great deal better than Skip Bayless

 

[DarthFed]

No no! My point is that I agree with his point about what a cake walk the Eastern Conference is. As awesome as Lebron has been in the playoffs so far, we also have to look at how weak the opposition has been for him

But if it's a competition thing overall then it's pointless just to look at the East without including the juggernauts out West. I also think it's easy to overstate the weakness of the East. LeBron has gone through some pretty good teams out there over the years. He makes them look worse than they are.

 

[DarthFed]

And anyone saying the Pacers were weak watched a different series. The Cavs were completely outmatched. On paper the Raps were considered beastly too, if you replace LeBron with anyone aside from maybe KD I'd have put money on Raps winning that series easily

 

[DarthFed]

And Stephen A has gotten too over the top. He always was crazy but now he's taken it to a new level, I also think he's currently bitter because his home team has fallen flat on their face vs the Celtics. If LeBron joins Philly this offseason he will be back to singing his praises.

 

[Federberg]

But if it's a competition thing overall then it's pointless just to look at the East without including the juggernauts out West. I also think it's easy to overstate the weakness of the East. LeBron has gone through some pretty good teams out there over the years. He makes them look worse than they are.

The point is that if the riposte about lack of rings is the consecutive finals then the level of competition in the East becomes a factor in the debate. As I said I think he's great, but I do find it a bit irritating that people are going nuts over him because of his playoff performance (which I think has been phenomenal btw) and many are giving him the GOAT title for this run, when he'll probably get smashed in the final again this year

 

[Federberg]

And Stephen A has gotten too over the top. He always was crazy but now he's taken it to a new level, I also think he's currently bitter because his home team has fallen flat on their face vs the Celtics. If LeBron joins Philly this offseason he will be back to singing his praises.

Lol! I repeat I agreed with what he said in the clip I posted. That doesn't mean I think he's the fountain of truth or common sense. I don't.

 

[Federberg]

And anyone saying the Pacers were weak watched a different series. The Cavs were completely outmatched. On paper the Raps were considered beastly too, if you replace LeBron with anyone aside from maybe KD I'd have put money on Raps winning that series easily

I thought the Pacers were fantastic. They should have won. But even there let's take a step back and think about it. Oladipo was discarded from OKC. He comes over to the East and becomes a franchise player for a team that should have beaten Lebron? That says something to me

 

[DarthFed]

I thought the Pacers were fantastic. They should have won. But even there let's take a step back and think about it. Oladipo was discarded from OKC. He comes over to the East and becomes a franchise player for a team that should have beaten Lebron? That says something to me

A superstar is a superstar, he was discarded because they didn't know what they had and also were all about getting another superstar in Paul George. Also, in watching the clip it's clear Stephen A forgot about Derrick Rose in Bron's first year with the Heat, also forgot about a team with KG, Pierce and Allen that was still great in 2012. Paul George and a pretty good Pacers team for many years too.

 

[Federberg]

A superstar is a superstar, he was discarded because they didn't know what they had and also were all about getting another superstar in Paul George. Also, in watching the clip it's clear Stephen A forgot about Derrick Rose in Bron's first year with the Heat, also forgot about a team with KG, Pierce and Allen that was still great in 2012. Paul George and a pretty good Pacers team for many years too.

So you think it's more of an indictment of OKC than anything else? I don't recall anyone thinking Oladipo was this good though

Still it has to be said, OKC is demonstrating profligacy on a par with Chelsea in the EPL. How a team can let go of the two players in contention for POTY (Debruyne and Salah) is quite beyond me

 

[the AntiPusher]

I was watching Stephen A Smith on First Take yesterday. I'm not ashamed to say I'm an MJ fan. I think Lebron is great but I don't think his achievements match up to MJ. So it's not surprising that I sort of agree with his lack of competition thesis... Thoughts?

You do realize that you are asking a guy who resides and still maintains a residence in Wisconsin to be bipartisan about maybe the greatest thing to hit the city of chicago and the state of Illinois since Oprah and Abe Lincoln. That’s like asking a Trump follower to give their thoughts about The Clinton or soon to be Obama Presidential Library.

 

[DarthFed]

You do realize that you are asking a guy who resides and still maintains a residence in Wisconsin to be bipartisan about maybe the greatest thing to hit the city of chicago and the state of Illinois since Oprah and Abe Lincoln. That’s like asking a Trump follower to give their thoughts about The Clinton or soon to be Obama Presidential Library.

AP, you know I'm a huge MJ fan right? That guy was so great and I hadn't developed the Chicago hate yet. LBJ is incredible too, but I don't want him to get 6 rings btw.

 

[DarthFed]

So you think it's more of an indictment of OKC than anything else? I don't recall anyone thinking Oladipo was this good though

Still it has to be said, OKC is demonstrating profligacy on a par with Chelsea in the EPL. How a team can let go of the two players in contention for POTY (Debruyne and Salah) is quite beyond me

It was a couple factors; Westbrook is so ball-dominant that they didn't know what they had and the bigger factor is that George is a binafide star. OKC didn't have to think twice about that trade at the time.

Also lets not act like Indy was winning that series due to Oladipo coming close to equaling LeBron. James' teammates were so bad that they made a skit on SNL about it. I still don't know how it's possible to win 4 out of 7 when your next leading scorer averages 11 points.

 

[Federberg]

It was a couple factors; Westbrook is so ball-dominant that they didn't know what they had and the bigger factor is that George is a binafide star. OKC didn't have to think twice about that trade at the time.

Also lets not act like Indy was winning that series due to Oladipo coming close to equaling LeBron. James' teammates were so bad that they made a skit on SNL about it. I still don't know how it's possible to win 4 out of 7 when your next leading scorer averages 11 points.

Did anyone say that he's in Lebron's league? Of course not. That's the point...

 

[DarthFed]

And also...Oprah over MJ? And you think I'm hating

 

[DarthFed]

Did anyone say that he's in Lebron's league? Of course not. That's the point...

And no one is saying it after that series. I don't think anyone was saying Leonard was in his league after the 2014 finals or that Curry was in his league after the 2015 finals. It is a team game, the fact that one guy has often dragged pretty bad teams to the finals is impressive. The only one in the game that is sometimes considered to be in LeBron's league is Durant. If you brought him over to a good team in the East then LeBron would have trouble, if you brought any of the rest over then they better have a great team and hope LeBron doesn't.

 

[the AntiPusher]

AP, you know I'm a huge MJ fan right? That guy was so great and I hadn't developed the Chicago hate yet. LBJ is incredible too, but I don't want him to get 6 rings btw.

Okay..I wasn’t sure..It’s not fair to compare Lebron to MJ. That’s like comparing Lebron to Wilt. MJ was 6-6 190-205..Lebron is 6-9 255..Lebron is right behind Jordan with Kobe on the right side of Lebron..LoL