2798 replies to this topic

[Mike in STL]

Steph had 2 assists yesterday. He's not a bad rebounder for his size and position but still, he's not some great rebounder and he's not a good defender.

So when Curry is shooting cold, he's Melo Trimble.

Man. That's a low floor for a player of Curry's caliber.

[bnickle]

I can think of someone

Hi buddy

Saving something in the gas tank is one thing. That's fine. What's not fine and what's not excused is the way he conducted himself at times on social media this year

[SBTarheel]

Hi buddy

Saving something in the gas tank is one thing. That's fine. What's not fine and what's not excused is the way he conducted himself at times on social media this year

You tell him, big fella!! 

[Pedro Cerrano]

Hi buddy

Saving something in the gas tank is one thing. That's fine. What's not fine and what's not excused is the way he conducted himself at times on social media this year

 

Whatever you say Skippy.

[bnickle]

Whatever you say Skippy.

Even Weber critized his social media antics

[Pedro Cerrano]

Even Weber critized his social media antics

 

You're just reaching for stuff at this point.  This is such a bad look for you, I can't believe you don't see it.

[bnickle]

I don't believe he's gonna leave, but am curious what you guys think about him leaving Cle again. Obviously, my opinion is known so I'm not going to go crazy about any dissenting thoughts.

[SBTarheel]

Has ESPN hired a LeBron James social media antics analyst yet? 

[The Epic]

This whole past 10 pages has been beyond high comedy.

 

I think the Finals was rigged just so that this discussion could be had, because this...this is money, guys.

[B00E00N00]

Think people will be asking what is wrong with James when he coasts / paces himself through the first 75% of next season again?

 

He should coast, he just needs to be fresh for the home stretch because the East is mediocre. 

[SportsGuy]

I don't believe he's gonna leave, but am curious what you guys think about him leaving Cle again. Obviously, my opinion is known so I'm not going to go crazy about any dissenting thoughts.

Stephen A Smith said he has heard that if LBJ wins a title in Cle, that he may go back to Miami.

My reaction if he leaves? Who the hell gives a shit? It will have done what he set out to do. He won a title for that city. If he leaves because he is happier to be with Wade and be in Miami, so be it. Why should we hold that against him? You can argue that he is leaving for a worse team if he does that, so what would your complaint be?

[You Play to Win the Game]

[SportsGuy]

The comp for LBJ has always been Magic, not Michael...and he is better than Magic.

 

LeBron and Jordan are just so different.

[PD24]

Honestly I'm really happy that the series and game 7 played out the way it did. I've said all year that it's absurd that people legitimately believed that Steph Curry was a better player than LeBron James. 

 

First off, what Bomani said today is what I've been saying all year. When Steph's shot isn't falling, there's not much else he can do. He can't create his own shot. Sure, he can make the occasional floater and tough layup but there's really not a ton that he ca do. His idea of creating a shot, as we saw in the last possession vs Kevin Love, is to use his great handle to create a not so open 3 that he still is great at making. And props to him for being the best shooter ever, but if that's the only thing that he can do in that spot, he is clearly not the best player in the game. 

 

LeBron is a hell of a leader off the court. He can drive to the basket and get fouled whenever he wants. His jumper has been poor this year but overall in his career he's had it and he seems to be able to make it when it counts. He is one of the best passers that has ever lived. And he is always true to the game of basketball - he doesn't force things. Too often, Curry will force the issue to get off a 3, again, because that's the only thing he can do on the court. And he's 6'3, so he has to work really hard to get that off. Big difference in a guy like LeBron who even though his shot isn't close to Steph's, he can get it off whenever he wants.

 

Plus, when you take Curry off GS, they are still really good. They were 6 point road favorites in the 2nd round of the playoffs WITHOUT Curry. Look at what Cleveland and then Miami became when LeBron left. 

 

I'm not trying to trash Curry. I just think he had a magical couple years with his jumper, combined with an amazing team and a great system for him, and when you have a public/media obsessed with the 3 point line, he got put up way too high. Plus, they have a bunch of young, hungry players that all have something to prove, plus a new coach/system last year, which caused them to play hard every single night in a league that it just doesn't happen. So that probably earns them 5-10 extra wins per year because they actually play as hard as they can night 2 of a back to back on the road in Charlotte, where Cleveland is coasting in the game because once you've been to 5 straight Finals, you understand what's really important...and all of that leads to people questioning LeBron and anointing Steph.

 

I would take LeBron, KD, Westbrook, Kawhi, Lillard, and maybe Harden over Steph. I'd put Steph somewhere around 6-7. I also think Wall is about to take a huge jump and could enter that conversation next year but we'll see. I just want a player to impact the game in a lot of different ways, and Steph just can't do that. Not his fault that the hype got too large, but I just hope people see what I've been saying now.

 

 

[mweb08]

Curry was clearly the best player in the regular season this year and was arguably the best player last year as well. It's fine to look at what happened in the Finals and knock him down a peg, but I don't see any sound argument for him not being considered a top 3 player right now. Westbrook, Lillard, and Harden over Curry is a huge reach. 

[PD24]

The comp for LBJ has always been Magic, not Michael...and he is better than Magic.

 

LeBron and Jordan are just so different.

 

Yeah, Colin Cowherd on his show a couple weeks ago brought up LeBron's stats from high school. From his sophomore to his senior season, he only averaged 5 points more his senior season. Colin's point was, come on guys, if LeBron wanted to score 70 a game in high school, he clearly could have. But he's always made the right basketball play. That's what people criticized him for early on his career, by saying he didn't have the balls or he was unclutch, like when he made the right play and passed it in the All Star game and Kobe got on him. I love Kobe, but ballhogging at the end of the game isn't always the right thing to do. 

 

He's not a guy that's going to look to score 50. And as someone who loves playing basketball, I really respect that. You really do have to be true to the game IMO. But I do think he is unfairly judged on that and compared to MJ in that regard. 

[PD24]

Curry was clearly the best player in the regular season this year and was arguably the best player last year as well. It's fine to look at what happened in the Finals and knock him down a peg, but I don't see any sound argument for him not being considered a top 3 player right now. Westbrook, Lillard, and Harden over Curry is a huge reach. 

 

But there is a difference between performing as the best player in the regular season, and being the best overall player at that time. I do think Curry "played better," because I think GS as a team played harder with more purpose, and I think he individually tried harder than LeBron. But there was still no point for me where if I had to pick one player to have on my team this year, that I would have picked Curry. Do you agree with that or no? 

 

It's like Jake Arrieta last year, was he better than Clayton Kershaw in the regular season? Yeah probably. But would you still take him on your team over Kershaw? Probably not. 

 

As for your last point, it's just a matter of preference for me. I really don't like Harden so I probably wouldn't take him, that's why I said "maybe Harden." But I would definitely take LeBron, KD, Kawhi, and would really have to think long and hard about Westbrook and Lillard. I probably would end up picking 1 of those 2, so I'd put Curry as my personal 5th best player in NBA. Not that that means anything, just saying for sake of our discussion. 

[mweb08]

But there is a difference between performing as the best player in the regular season, and being the best overall player at that time. I do think Curry "played better," because I think GS as a team played harder with more purpose, and I think he individually tried harder than LeBron. But there was still no point for me where if I had to pick one player to have on my team this year, that I would have picked Curry. Do you agree with that or no? 

 

It's like Jake Arrieta last year, was he better than Clayton Kershaw in the regular season? Yeah probably. But would you still take him on your team over Kershaw? Probably not. 

 

As for your last point, it's just a matter of preference for me. I really don't like Harden so I probably wouldn't take him, that's why I said "maybe Harden." But I would definitely take LeBron, KD, Kawhi, and would really have to think long and hard about Westbrook and Lillard. I probably would end up picking 1 of those 2, so I'd put Curry as my personal 5th best player in NBA. Not that that means anything, just saying for sake of our discussion. 

 

LeBron outplayed Curry this series. But it's not like Curry can't get it done in the postseason or is a one year wonder. He's won back to back MVP awards, this one unanimously, has been to back to back Finals, and came away with one ring. 

 

I would have taken Curry first this year, but LeBron obviously outplayed him in the Finals, so in hindsight, my opinion doesn't look as good. Still, he led his team to 73 wins and probably would have another ring if it weren't for some health issues for him and others, plus the Draymond suspension. 

 

The only other player I'd strongly consider over Curry is Durant. Kawhi is next on my list. Those other guys don't even deserve consideration over Curry.

[PD24]

LeBron outplayed Curry this series. But it's not like Curry can't get it done in the postseason or is a one year wonder. He's won back to back MVP awards, this one unanimously, has been to back to back Finals, and came away with one ring. 

 

I would have taken Curry first this year, but LeBron obviously outplayed him in the Finals, so in hindsight, my opinion doesn't look as good. Still, he led his team to 73 wins and probably would have another ring if it weren't for some health issues for him and others, plus the Draymond suspension. 

 

The only other player I'd strongly consider over Curry is Durant. Kawhi is next on my list. Those other guys don't even deserve consideration over Curry.

 

So if you can pick one guy to start a team with right now for one year, would you pick Steph or LeBron? 

 

And back to the discussion, I certainly don't think Curry is a one year wonder. I think he's the 5th best player in basketball which is huge. But unanimous MVP? Again, the Warriors were 6 point favorites on the road in the 2nd round of the west playoffs WITHOUT Steph Curry. Without LeBron, the Cavs barely function. 

 

I also think people SEVERELY underrate the rest of the Warriors team. 

[mweb08]

LeBron outplayed Curry this series. But it's not like Curry can't get it done in the postseason or is a one year wonder. He's won back to back MVP awards, this one unanimously, has been to back to back Finals, and came away with one ring. 
 
I would have taken Curry first this year, but LeBron obviously outplayed him in the Finals, so in hindsight, my opinion doesn't look as good. Still, he led his team to 73 wins and probably would have another ring if it weren't for some health issues for him and others, plus the Draymond suspension. 
 
The only other player I'd strongly consider over Curry is Durant. Kawhi is next on my list. Those other guys don't even deserve consideration over Curry.

 
So if you can pick one guy to start a team with right now for one year, would you pick Steph or LeBron? 
 
And back to the discussion, I certainly don't think Curry is a one year wonder. I think he's the 5th best player in basketball which is huge. But unanimous MVP? Again, the Warriors were 6 point favorites on the road in the 2nd round of the west playoffs WITHOUT Steph Curry. Without LeBron, the Cavs barely function. 
 
I also think people SEVERELY underrate the rest of the Warriors team. 

Based off what just happened, I'd probably take LeBron. But Curry is next and was clearly the MVP of the regular season. My problem with your post was not that you placed Lebron above Curry, it's that you said he was like 7th, now up to 5th. He's clearly a top 3 player imo.