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venturalakersfan
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Location: The Gold Coast
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 Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 7:36 am Post subject: |
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| adkindo wrote: | I woke up around 3 or 4 AM this morning....one of those weird times where your kind of wide awake at the wrong time. Flipped on the television, and the Cavs/Pacers game was re airing on ESPN. I began to watch and noticed something that I think is starting to support a personal theory.....we are seeing the beginning of Lebron James truly losing a step in his game.
It was not the first game that I noticed a similar trend with him....he comes out early in the game, and is attacking the defense.....getting to the rim, creating plays for teammates, aggressively rebounding, etc. By the 4th Quarter...he is mostly playing isolation basketball more often settling for contested 3 pointers and long jumpers while everyone kind of watches. It appears he is settling for these shots because he can no longer play aggressively from tip to end of the game. On one hand, he is still scoring late in games...his numbers still look good....but everyone else is barely involved and the teams production plummets. If he truly is showing a loss of step, declines of players his age can be rapid once they begin.
Anyone else noticed anything similar? Maybe he is just tired from a long season? |
It was noticeable last season. The guy is aging, it happens to everyone.
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adkindo
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Joined: 16 Jun 2005
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Location: Dirty South
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 7:48 am Post subject: |
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| venturalakersfan wrote: | | adkindo wrote: | I woke up around 3 or 4 AM this morning....one of those weird times where your kind of wide awake at the wrong time. Flipped on the television, and the Cavs/Pacers game was re airing on ESPN. I began to watch and noticed something that I think is starting to support a personal theory.....we are seeing the beginning of Lebron James truly losing a step in his game.
It was not the first game that I noticed a similar trend with him....he comes out early in the game, and is attacking the defense.....getting to the rim, creating plays for teammates, aggressively rebounding, etc. By the 4th Quarter...he is mostly playing isolation basketball more often settling for contested 3 pointers and long jumpers while everyone kind of watches. It appears he is settling for these shots because he can no longer play aggressively from tip to end of the game. On one hand, he is still scoring late in games...his numbers still look good....but everyone else is barely involved and the teams production plummets. If he truly is showing a loss of step, declines of players his age can be rapid once they begin.
Anyone else noticed anything similar? Maybe he is just tired from a long season? |
It was noticeable last season. The guy is aging, it happens to everyone. |
my worry is everyone thinks he will sign a 2 year deal or something....but if I am him, and I know that I am slowing.....I may be seeking that 4 year (or 5 w/ Cleveland) now to ensure I get those last 2 years where I am paid at level nobody would offer. |
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LakerLogic
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Joined: 27 Mar 2005
Posts: 17886
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 7:54 am Post subject: |
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| I wouldn't sign LeBron at 35 million per year. |
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ringfinger
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Joined: 08 Oct 2013
Posts: 29418
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 7:54 am Post subject: |
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| ^ Yeah. I think he will be able to force a Pujols type deal where you are paying for X years but getting X-Y years out of him. |
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Sojo
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Joined: 11 Nov 2005
Posts: 2083
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 7:55 am Post subject: |
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| venturalakersfan wrote: | | adkindo wrote: | I woke up around 3 or 4 AM this morning....one of those weird times where your kind of wide awake at the wrong time. Flipped on the television, and the Cavs/Pacers game was re airing on ESPN. I began to watch and noticed something that I think is starting to support a personal theory.....we are seeing the beginning of Lebron James truly losing a step in his game.
It was not the first game that I noticed a similar trend with him....he comes out early in the game, and is attacking the defense.....getting to the rim, creating plays for teammates, aggressively rebounding, etc. By the 4th Quarter...he is mostly playing isolation basketball more often settling for contested 3 pointers and long jumpers while everyone kind of watches. It appears he is settling for these shots because he can no longer play aggressively from tip to end of the game. On one hand, he is still scoring late in games...his numbers still look good....but everyone else is barely involved and the teams production plummets. If he truly is showing a loss of step, declines of players his age can be rapid once they begin.
Anyone else noticed anything similar? Maybe he is just tired from a long season? |
It was noticeable last season. The guy is aging, it happens to everyone. |
And once again, this is why I don't want to bet the farm on him. Aging always wins. If your game is predicated on freak athleticism (which his game primarily is, at least 80%) and you don't transition your game into something else, the decline is really gonna hit you. He'll still be able to pass, still be able to dunk from time to time but he isn't going to be able to give you something like a 26 to 31 or so year old player would. Our media today are prisoners of the moment and still think of LeBron in terms of the unstoppable force (and to be fair he certainly impacts the game tremendously). The problem is, the subtle signs are there. I don't want a one or two year rental that puts us back in the crap after he's gone. GS has stayed on this long because they DIDN'T leverage their young core for superstars. And what happened? The superstar came to them and took less money. I believe we've got a chance to take that model and do even better. But trading young assests for questionable age (LeBron) or injury (Lenorad) is not something we should do. |
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adkindo
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 7:57 am Post subject: |
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| LakerLogic wrote: | | I wouldn't sign LeBron at 35 million per year. |
I am getting closer to preferring PG-13.....and try to trade for Kawhi, and if that does not work, try to sign him or someone else in 2019.....just terrified of having 40%+ of the cap tied up in a 36 /37 year old Lebron. People crap on the Cleveland roster....but they have another All Star on roster...and a handful of adequate players....and they cannot take out a Oladipo lead Indy team? Oladipo is great...but he is not Durant or Harden. |
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BobbyB
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:04 am Post subject: |
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| What do you guys think Aaron Gordon gets from the magic? And do fans here think Randle is better? |
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adkindo
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Location: Dirty South
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:06 am Post subject: |
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| BobbyB wrote: | | What do you guys think Aaron Gordon gets from the magic? And do fans here think Randle is better? |
seems like when this is discussed, most on LG prefer Randle....but I personally prefer Gordon. |
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Annihilator
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:21 am Post subject: |
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| adkindo wrote: | | LakerLogic wrote: | | I wouldn't sign LeBron at 35 million per year. |
I am getting closer to preferring PG-13.....and try to trade for Kawhi, and if that does not work, try to sign him or someone else in 2019.....just terrified of having 40%+ of the cap tied up in a 36 /37 year old Lebron. People crap on the Cleveland roster....but they have another All Star on roster...and a handful of adequate players....and they cannot take out a Oladipo lead Indy team? Oladipo is great...but he is not Durant or Harden. |
After watching last night's game, I would tend to agree. LeBron is still great; he isn't worth $35 million. LeBron needs complementary players around him. That high of a salary just takes away from the ability to get the type of players that he needs. If LeBron wants to win another championship in his career he is going to have to sign for a much lower salary. I am not sure that even a team that has a lot of quality players still on rookie contracts (like Philadelphia or the Lakers) will have the veteran leadership from other players that LeBron needs to win a championship.
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LakerLogic
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Joined: 27 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:27 am Post subject: |
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| adkindo wrote: | | LakerLogic wrote: | | I wouldn't sign LeBron at 35 million per year. |
I am getting closer to preferring PG-13.....and try to trade for Kawhi, and if that does not work, try to sign him or someone else in 2019.....just terrified of having 40%+ of the cap tied up in a 36 /37 year old Lebron. People crap on the Cleveland roster....but they have another All Star on roster...and a handful of adequate players....and they cannot take out a Oladipo lead Indy team? Oladipo is great...but he is not Durant or Harden. |
Cavs might still win the series but their defense is terrible. LeBron is starting to look like a post-prime Kobe. Pacers have a very good defense and Turner came up back last night. Cavs have no rebounders and their offense is LBJ iso at the top or PnR with everyone else standing. |
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adkindo
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:35 am Post subject: |
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| LakerLogic wrote: | | adkindo wrote: | | LakerLogic wrote: | | I wouldn't sign LeBron at 35 million per year. |
I am getting closer to preferring PG-13.....and try to trade for Kawhi, and if that does not work, try to sign him or someone else in 2019.....just terrified of having 40%+ of the cap tied up in a 36 /37 year old Lebron. People crap on the Cleveland roster....but they have another All Star on roster...and a handful of adequate players....and they cannot take out a Oladipo lead Indy team? Oladipo is great...but he is not Durant or Harden. |
Cavs might still win the series but their defense is terrible. LeBron is starting to look like a post-prime Kobe. Pacers have a very good defense and Turner came up back last night. Cavs have no rebounders and their offense is LBJ iso at the top or PnR with everyone else standing. |
their defense has been fine in the playoffs....through 3 games they are giving up an average of 95 Point Per Game.....and have the 5th best defensive rating of the 16 playoff teams. It is Cleveland's offense inability to score....especially late in the game during the last two. Last night...there was like 3 minutes left, and they had cut the lead to 5 points....and I think on the next 4 or 5 possessions, they threw up 3 pointers without even trying to create a better shot....missing every one of them. |
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trablos
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:54 am Post subject: |
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| Its still mind boggling how the players and league agreed that one guy should be able to prevent 30-40 percent of a franchises spending power...I mean how can you possibly be successful paying that much to one guy? |
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Chad09
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Location: Studio City
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:58 am Post subject: |
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| LeBron hasn't had a bad year for a lost a step kinda guy. |
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Super Mega Team
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:59 am Post subject: |
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| trablos wrote: | | Its still mind boggling how the players and league agreed that one guy should be able to prevent 30-40 percent of a franchises spending power...I mean how can you possibly be successful paying that much to one guy? |
By mixing I. Talent in rookie contracts and good roleplayer vets on reasonable ones. |
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lakersfever714
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Joined: 05 Jan 2016
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 9:01 am Post subject: |
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You guys are ridiculous. Lebron had one unspectacular game and everyone is like "look, he's too old". He played like 40+ minutes for the three playoff games. Last game, he had a godly game so yea, he might be gassed a little. I almost feel sorry for him for having to played so many minutes because his team is complete garbage. Look at Wade playing in the playoffs right now at 36. Lebron will be better than that at 36 (because he is better than Wade at 33). At 36, he would still be better than a lot of the max players out there.
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adkindo
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 9:18 am Post subject: |
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| lakersfever714 wrote: | | Look at Wade playing in the playoffs right now at 36. Lebron will be better than that at 36 (because he is better than Wade at 33). |
it does not really work that way....he is better than Ginóbili @ 33 years old also....not sure I would bet on him being better than Ginóbili @ 40. |
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Laker's Fan
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 9:22 am Post subject: |
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| LakerLogic wrote: | | I wouldn't sign LeBron at 35 million per year. |
All 30 teams provided the opportunity would.
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Inspector Gadget
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 9:24 am Post subject: |
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| FWIW Kareem was a Impact player in his late 30s and early 40s... that’s one of the reasons why the Lakers will take exception to it and sign LeBron. |
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Car54
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 9:43 am Post subject: |
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| adkindo wrote: | | BobbyB wrote: | | What do you guys think Aaron Gordon gets from the magic? And do fans here think Randle is better? |
seems like when this is discussed, most on LG prefer Randle....but I personally prefer Gordon. |
Randle is the better defender. Gordon shoots 3s though
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adkindo
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 9:58 am Post subject: |
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| Car54 wrote: | | adkindo wrote: | | BobbyB wrote: | | What do you guys think Aaron Gordon gets from the magic? And do fans here think Randle is better? |
seems like when this is discussed, most on LG prefer Randle....but I personally prefer Gordon. |
Randle is the better defender. Gordon shoots 3s though |
this cannot be true....Gordon is significantly higher in DRPM....and I have been told on LG that DRPM is the gold standard of evaluating a players defense.  |
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Sojo
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 10:08 am Post subject: |
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| Kareem's game was far more skills based and less physical, Wade has had far more rest the past two years than LeBron (Wade has a total of 39k minutes in his career, LeBron 53k; BIG DIFFERENCE). If you think you can compare those things...forget it. LeBron is getting worn out at a FAR higher rate than most stars ever did (and again, look at what happened to Kobe) |
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Mike@LG
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 10:12 am Post subject: |
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| Car54 wrote: | | adkindo wrote: | | BobbyB wrote: | | What do you guys think Aaron Gordon gets from the magic? And do fans here think Randle is better? |
seems like when this is discussed, most on LG prefer Randle....but I personally prefer Gordon. |
Randle is the better defender. Gordon shoots 3s though |
Randle's not a better defender. He's a more versatile one.
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Ziggy
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Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 12722
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 10:21 am Post subject: |
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| lakersfever714 wrote: | | You guys are ridiculous. Lebron had one unspectacular game and everyone is like "look, he's too old". He played like 40+ minutes for the three playoff games. Last game, he had a godly game so yea, he might be gassed a little. I almost feel sorry for him for having to played so many minutes because his team is complete garbage. Look at Wade playing in the playoffs right now at 36. Lebron will be better than that at 36 (because he is better than Wade at 33). At 36, he would still be better than a lot of the max players out there. |
Can't blame the teammates. He forced the organization to sign his friends to ridiculous contracts and now they're sitting on the bench because they're useless. These are the guys he wanted on the team. |
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Sentient Meat
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Joined: 04 Jul 2014
Posts: 12978
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 10:31 am Post subject: |
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Kawhi... doesn't even want to play or is badly hurt (Let's trade half the team for him!)
George... shoots like crap the last half of the season and chokes badly last game (he's fantastic... can't wait until he's here)
Jimmy Butler... invisible this series scoring 13 and 11.
LeBron... outscores Klay, Giannis, and even AD (He's finished... we shouldn't sign him.)
SMH... |
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Jesusdelonla
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Joined: 24 Jan 2018
Posts: 15430
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 10:32 am Post subject: |
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| Sentient Meat wrote: | Kawhi... doesn't even want to play or is badly hurt (Let's trade half the team for him!)
George... shoots like crap the last half of the season and chokes badly last game (he's fantastic... can't wait until he's here)
Jimmy Butler... invisible this series scoring 13 and 11.
LeBron... outscores Klay, Giannis, and even AD (He's finished... we shouldn't sign him.)
SMH... |
lets sign IT, the savior
SMH |
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