Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 8380 Location: Santa Monica
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 9:27 pm Post subject: What happened to LeBron's leadership?
Last season, LeBron showed bad leadership. When he was out with that groin injury, the young guys didn't take care of business against bad teams and LeBron lost confidence in him. His body language was bad, and his teammates had to call a team meeting to confront him about it.
For most of this season, it seemed LeBron was showing great leadership. He was locked in, playing with a chip on his shoulder and even playing D.
Once they got into the bubble and during training camp, the team looked united and happy.
But what's going on with him now? According to reports, the team isn't holding gameday shootaround (like every other team) just because LeBron doesn't want to do it.
This is where LeBron needs to show leadership with the playoffs nearing. On their day off, he needs to reset the team's mindset, because they need to treat these last 3 regular season games as dress rehearsals. Despite what most people think, these last 3 games matter a lot. _________________ Lakers 49ers Chargers Dodgers
Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 8380 Location: Santa Monica
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2020 9:33 pm Post subject:
CandyCanes wrote:
What happened to AD’s?
Doesn't matter that much. AD just needs to play well. LeBron not only needs to play well, he also has to lead well. He's this team's alpha. _________________ Lakers 49ers Chargers Dodgers
I don’t want to sound harsh but the shutdown of the season has threw the team off in a big way, it’s bad that we lost Bradley as well, I know it’s not our fault and it’s possible the team is just having basic struggles, but I don’t know what’s going on with the team we looked so good during the real regular season.
In Cleveland, LeBron used to sit back and watch his teammates try and figure it out. They’d always fail and he would always step in at the very last moment. He watched as Dion and Kyrie took turns playing ISO Ball. He’s doing it again. _________________ “You have to dance beautifully in the box that you are comfortable dancing in.” - Kobe Bryant
In Cleveland, LeBron used to sit back and watch his teammates try and figure it out. They’d always fail and he would always step in at the very last moment. He watched as Dion and Kyrie took turns playing ISO Ball. He’s doing it again.
100%. The question is can 2020 playoff Lebron replicate 2018 playoff Lebron.
With the limited role players the Lakers have, he will need to be that dominant.
But yeah to your point, that’s been his strategy in the bubble games so far.
In Cleveland, LeBron used to sit back and watch his teammates try and figure it out. They’d always fail and he would always step in at the very last moment. He watched as Dion and Kyrie took turns playing ISO Ball. He’s doing it again.
100%. The question is can 2020 playoff Lebron replicate 2018 playoff Lebron.
With the limited role players the Lakers have, he will need to be that dominant.
But yeah to your point, that’s been his strategy in the bubble games so far.
As a longtime fan of his, I hope this is the case. He might be observing what he has to work with, who he can count on (Kuz has stepped up) and preparing himself now on the workload he’ll have to carry. It’s a shame because I expected more from the other guys and haven’t seen it so far. LeBron is no longer Miami LeBron. He’s going to need guys to actually play well. I will say, LeBron has been known to single-handedly win a game or two in each series he’s in.
What's the logic behind not having shoot-arounds? Was that ever articulated?
To my understanding of the report ( and please correct me if I’m wrong) it is more of an issue of semantics. For a “shoot around” the press has to allowed access. But they still do individual workouts and film study.
Part of the report did say that James ( with Davis following) did not like shoot arounds on game days due to saving their legs.
Whatever the reason, we are a little over a week from finding out who this team really is. Just pathetic to watch most of the time since they arrived in the bubble.
IMO this is no surprise. Since before the season we all knew the that James and Davis have to play at a All NBA level every single game to win in the playoffs. We knew the flaws in the roster and the inconsistent play of the role players.
My hopes were raised with the way they were playing in Feb/ Mar but I’ve tempered my enthusiasm a bit since they lost Bradley and the recent performances. The margin for error is razor thin even if they can somehow summon the needed sustained intensity and chemistry to win against the teams they are about to face.
Psychoanalyzing each post-#1 seed clinched game in a bubble after 4 months off is well, psychotic. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals
Last edited by yinoma2001 on Fri Aug 07, 2020 10:18 am; edited 1 time in total
What's the logic behind not having shoot-arounds? Was that ever articulated?
To my understanding of the report ( and please correct me if I’m wrong) it is more of an issue of semantics. For a “shoot around” the press has to allowed access. But they still do individual workouts and film study.
Part of the report did say that James ( with Davis following) did not like shoot arounds on game days due to saving their legs.
Whatever the reason, we are a little over a week from finding out who this team really is. Just pathetic to watch most of the time since they arrived in the bubble.
IMO this is no surprise. Since before the season we all knew the that James and Davis have to play at a All NBA level every single game to win in the playoffs. We knew the flaws in the roster and the inconsistent play of the role players.
My hopes were raised with the way they were playing in Feb/ Mar but I’ve tempered my enthusiasm a bit since they lost Bradley and the recent performances. The margin for error is razor thin even if they can somehow summon the needed sustained intensity and chemistry to win against the teams they are about to face.
The two theories are:
1. Lebron and AD are resting their bodies.
2. They are avoiding official shootarounds so they don't have to deal with media.
This isn't new to the bubble. The Lakers haven't been doing official shootarounds for much of the year.
Joined: 14 Apr 2001 Posts: 144475 Location: The Gold Coast
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2020 10:47 am Post subject:
yinoma2001 wrote:
PSA: Lakers clinched the #1 seed 2 games ago.
Psychoanalyzing each post-#1 seed clinched game in a bubble after 4 months off is well, psychotic.
They are 2-3 right now. What happened half a year ago is 100% different than what is happening now. _________________ RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023.
Psychoanalyzing each post-#1 seed clinched game in a bubble after 4 months off is well, psychotic.
They are 2-3 right now. What happened half a year ago is 100% different than what is happening now.
What are the Clips and Bucks records in the bubble? Teams that need to win every game to make the playoffs are playing like that. We have not throttled up at all. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals
This overreaction is funny, because if this same thing happened without the restart/bubble, way less people would be freaking out. If the Lakers clinched the #1 seed with 10 games left (and had nothing left to play for) and started taking it easy/playing youngsters, most of us wouldn't bat an eye. But, because of the bubble, people are freaking out?
There's even LESS incentive to play hard in these games. It's no longer an 82 game season, so there's no point in trying to rack up as many wins as possible. There's no home court advantage, so the race with the Bucks is meaningless. And we're only playing GOOD teams, who are (for the most part) still jockeying for positioning and/or to get into the playoffs.
Why go all out and risk injury under those circumstances? Do people really think this Lakers team went from tops in the league, to worst because of a layoff? Just wait until the playoffs start before freaking out...
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