LeBron James (2008-09 NBA MVP)

[BUCKYLE]

I don't give a [censored] about the Cavs. That being said, you put Pippen with Lebron...is that really a question in anyones mind? Is it up for debate what would happen? The Cavs would be winning their third straight title this year.

[TRON 2.0]

LOS ANGELES -- NBA commissioner David Stern says LeBron James has been fined $25,000 for skipping the postgame news conference after Cleveland lost to Orlando in the Eastern Conference finals.

Cont...LeBron James fined $25K for skipping postgame news conference - ESPN

[jimotis4heisman]

Originally Posted by crazybuckfan40

I will defend LBj in this situation...shake hands? When the team has confetti, they are happy...no...I have no problem with him leaving the court...
he missed an opportunity show some real class, be the king. for me one of my favorite part of playoff hockey is when both teams line up after a series and shake hands. everytime ive ever seen it is has shocked me. the time it takes for 20 guys with skates on to shake hands. these guys physically spent between 4 and 7 games attempting to kill each other (in some instances literally, some figuratively). i always liked that.

Who cares about the media...lbj should, they hold the key in some relevance to his popularity. that being said does he have to care, no. but i tend to think he does care. he talks to them all the time... and i commend him for that. he realizes he derives value from that, free advertisement for his personal brand...He keeps them in a job, i understand he is obligated to talk to the media, but if he doesn't one time after a season ending loss who gives a [censored]...if hes contractually obligated (as it appears he was) then he should. sorry but in addition to that its in lebrons best interest to do it, it really is. whether he realizes that in the moment, he knows it. whether he "owes" it to the fans, kids, media, etc is debateable, imo. but given time to rationalize it hed spend some sort of time with them, thats been shown by him before.

THe media drags him through the mud after one thing like this, not any different than anyother high level person. be it obama, bush, liddy, ceo, poli, sports star, movie star, etc.and they want him to talk to them all the time...not doubt who wouldnt?kinda goes both ways one would think...so lebron should pick and chose when he wants to talk and only talk then? maybe theyd chose to listen only when they want to listen, write only the snipets they want, etc... it is a two way street no doubt bu tthats not the attitude he should want or take.

As for LBJ/Jordan...

Jordan is who he is because of the titles...Obviously another top 50 player in the history of the game playing alongside him helped...
id have to look it up but pippen wasnt the same with hakeem and sir charles one year after playing with mj...

If you would put a top 50 guy alongside LBJ they would rule the league...Some have mentioned Amare, Bosh...Guys that are all-stars year in and year out but not top 50 players, and still with guys like that I think they would rule the league...
could/would/should. the thing is now who wants to play with lbj, will he take the pay need be to assemble a detroit red wings caliber roster?

So if LBJ is able to put up title victories anywhere around 4, depending on the talent that he has around him, he will go down as the best player and surpassing Jordan...
under the assumption you automatically crown mj the greatest ever. those old timers dont... wilt, russell, kareem etc...

The kid is 24...and a 5 year vet. (it will be intersting to see if him, kobe, garnett can play till 35 or whether they are cooked after say 13-16 years..)Yeah the jumpshot is not great yethis 3 ball has improved greatly., he is still finding his niche for his gamehes got his niche......His free throw stroke is not great...Give him next year, and I think he improves all that with the way he works on his game and I think we honeslty could see a title in Cleveland and LBJ really starting his legacy...If not he will stay in Cleveland and bring a guy like Bosh in with him and win one that year...
personally id like to see the cavs run a high pick and roll with a bigger player who can pull of the screen and pop or roll. with those two im not sure how you could defend it.. im really not sure how with the way the game is officiated today. (few if any offensive foul calls)

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[BUCKYLE]

Originally Posted by jimotis4heisman

bold

Moses Malone played almost 20 years. Didn't seem to bother him, coming straight from HS.

[jlb1705]

Originally Posted by KING

LOS ANGELES -- NBA commissioner David Stern says LeBron James has been fined $25,000 for skipping the postgame news conference after Cleveland lost to Orlando in the Eastern Conference finals.

Cont...LeBron James fined $25K for skipping postgame news conference - ESPN

I wonder if he would've got a smaller fine if he had elbowed somebody in the face instead of skipping out on the media?

Who cares what the player on the losing team has to say anyway? It wasn't the right move by LeBron, but it's not as if we're still reading or watching Jordan interviews from the times he got bounced in the playoffs.

[BB73]

Originally Posted by jo4h

Jordan is who he is because of the titles...Obviously another top 50 player in the history of the game playing alongside him helped...

id have to look it up but pippen wasnt the same with hakeem and sir charles one year after playing with mj...

Take a look at the year that Pippen had in '94, when he was in his prime and Jordan was off playing baseball.

He was 3rd in the MVP voting, with these numbers:

22.0 ppg, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.9 steals.

[jlb1705]

Originally Posted by BB73

Take a look at the year that Pippen had in '94, when he was in his prime and Jordan was off playing baseball.

He was 3rd in the MVP voting, with these numbers:

22.0 ppg, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.9 steals.

If he'd had a Pippen he might've won a championship that year.

[Bleed S & G]

Originally Posted by crazybuckfan40

Who cares about the media...he talks to them all the time...He keeps them in a job, i understand he is obligated to talk to the media, but if he doesn't one time after a season ending loss who gives a [censored]

The only issue I have with it is this..

LBJ is there when they're winning getting all the credit.. to make his teammates do the press conference after losing was pretty [censored]ty.

[LitlBuck]

I will give LBJ a pass on both walking off the court immediately after the game (confetti doesn't come down after an NHL hockey game) and I will give him a pass on not talking to the media (he really doesn't need to give any explanation why they lost). If the media can't figure it out for themselves, they probably shouldn't be covering NBA playoff games.

I am also pretty sure that Lebron knew about the tumor by his parotid gland sometime ago because that is not something that shows up on a normal physical exam. To remove such a tumor a surgeon must come extremely close to the facial nerve and I mean extremely close to make sure they get all of the tumor. I am sure that Lebron did not have that surgery on his mind at all after the game.

[jimotis4heisman]

Originally Posted by BUCKYLE

Moses Malone played almost 20 years. Didn't seem to bother him, coming straight from HS.

true but thats one guy. im interested to see if in large scale the wear/tear grinds as heavily on these hs to nba guys in the large scale.

Originally Posted by BB73

Take a look at the year that Pippen had in '94, when he was in his prime and Jordan was off playing baseball.

He was 3rd in the MVP voting, with these numbers:

22.0 ppg, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.9 steals.

the "perennial all start" not "top 50 all time" chris bosh this year...
22.7 10 rbs 2.5apg .9 stls
career for bosh 20 and 9.2 rpg. (the last four basically 22 and 10)

[ScriptOhio]

With LeBron James facing free agency, speculation is heating up regarding where the Cleveland Cavaliers star will end up for the next NBA season.
In Las Vegas all Lucky?s sports books have posted a prop asking whether James will score one point or more for the Cavaliers during the 2010-11 season.
The odds opened at pick ?em, or minus 110 either way.
That line roughly corresponds to the odds offered at an offshore book on where James will start the season. The Cavaliers are even money on the offshore line, followed by the Knicks at plus 200 and the Nets ? co-owned by rapper Jay-Z, a friend of James ? at plus 350.
After the Magic knocked Cleveland out of the NBA playoffs, James offered no hints about his future, instead opting to play the relax-and-spend-time-with-my-family-before-I-decide card.

Entire artricle: Losers lovable on prop bet - Las Vegas Sun

[BUCKYLE]

Originally Posted by jimotis4heisman

true but thats one guy. im interested to see if in large scale the wear/tear grinds as heavily on these hs to nba guys in the large scale.

I'd argue that starting earlier means less overall wear and tear. When you're 18, your body can handle pretty much anything. Not so much at thirty.

[NFBuck]

Originally Posted by jimotis4heisman

true but thats one guy. im interested to see if in large scale the wear/tear grinds as heavily on these hs to nba guys in the large scale.

Garnett went straight from HS to the NBA and is going into his 15th year (I believe). Kobe will be in his 14th next year. HS kids really only started again with garnett in '95. I think it's a little early to say if that leads to a shorter shelf life. If anything, shorter career for HS players has more to do with them not producing on as large a scale as kids with college experience. The guys that have produced have had long careers.

[Merih]

1 thing I'm interested to see in the next 5 seasons or so is how Lebron's game evolves. Kobe, as his athleticism hit its peak and is now on a downswing, reinvented his game so that it takes less of a toll on his body. More back down as oppossed to driving, more medium range as oppossed to high flying. Everyone feels the effects of age. If Lebron is to become the greatest player of all time it will take some refining to his game. This is not to say that he can't do it; I'm just saying that we can't simply outmuscle and out-athlete everyone forever.

[NFBuck]

Originally Posted by Merih

1 thing I'm interested to see in the next 5 seasons or so is how Lebron's game evolves. Kobe, as his athleticism hit its peak and is now on a downswing, reinvented his game so that it takes less of a toll on his body. More back down as oppossed to driving, more medium range as oppossed to high flying. Everyone feels the effects of age. If Lebron is to become the greatest player of all time it will take some refining to his game. This is not to say that he can't do it; I'm just saying that we can't simply outmuscle and out-athlete everyone forever.

If the Cavs get an inside presence (in '10?), I think you'll see LBJ rely more on his perimeter game, which showed some decent improvement this year. Until then, LeBron is really our best/only option.