Now let's talk about what the Spurs can learn from Alabama: after blowing the big game (2010 Iron Bowl in our case, championship last year in theirs), you show what you're all about by winning the next TWO titles.
What We and Everybody Else Can Learn From the San Antonio Spurs
- Thread starter 4Q Basket Case
- Start date
Jordan is unquestionably the most clutch athlete I've ever seen. Based on those numbers, though, it looks like Lebron could catch up with him in the number of walk-off shots. That's strange because Lebron never struck me as a buzzer-beater guy. Also, are those regular season and playoffs or just playoffs?
It's regular season and playoffs combined. Lebron could catch up on total shots but it's the % that's amazing. At the same % rate Lebron would have to be 22/55 at 40% to catch MJ....so it would have taken MJ 12-13 less Clutch attempts for the same amount of 22 buzzer beater walk-offs. Kobe is the real shocking one because he's been compared to MJ forever but he misses far more than he makes even though he has the most at 28 winners....but it does play into he selfish just 'jack-it-up' reputation.
1st - He may be the most naturally gifted -- but if LJ is the "Best Player in the World" where would you rank Leonard? Because he was the best player in the series -- when it was all on the line -- and I doubt anyone would rank Duncan, Parker and Genobili (sp?) -- as Top 10 talent anymore --
The Spurs were great -- but "talent wise" do the Spurs compare to the Bulls team (Three Peat 1 or 2 Team?), do they compare to the (Olajuwon, Drexler, Horry) Rockets?, do they compare to the Isiah, Dumars, Lambeer Pistons?, do they compare to the Kobe/Shaq Laker teams?, the Bird/McHale Celtics?, the Malone/Erving/Toney Sixers? ---
I don't think the Spurs team ranks anywhere near any of those teams -- and if they don't -- then how can you say Lebron (who got smoked this year with the Heat, and should have lost last year) -- can be anywhere near Jordan in talent, results, or desire --
Jordan was the highest paid player in the NBA, but he played the game like he was a rookie trying to make the team --
Lebron plays like he's going to get paid either way, win or lose --
What sold it for me was in game 4 -- Spurs destroying them on their home court -- and LJ and Wade are laughing on the sidelines --
Jordan would either have been in the game fighting until the end, OR sitting on the sidelines planning what he needed to do to turn it around in Game 5
Second of all -- how is it stupid? It's logical to wonder -- to debate -- to compare --
Too soon? Maybe -- Stupid? -- nah
I don't think it's really debatable as to who the best player in the league is. It's LeBron, hands down.
But last night looked like a five on one pickup game. LeBron had very very little help from anybody after the first six minutes. As good as he is individually he can't beat a very intelligent and fundamentally sound basketball team like the Spurs by himself--and last night that's pretty much what he was trying to do.
I'll give San Antonio all the credit rather than criticizing LeBron's performance. They played absolutely brilliant basketball this entire series. I think it was one of the all time great team performances ever.
But last night looked like a five on one pickup game. LeBron had very very little help from anybody after the first six minutes. As good as he is individually he can't beat a very intelligent and fundamentally sound basketball team like the Spurs by himself--and last night that's pretty much what he was trying to do.
I'll give San Antonio all the credit rather than criticizing LeBron's performance. They played absolutely brilliant basketball this entire series. I think it was one of the all time great team performances ever.
Agreed. Team effort beat the best individual player. SA worked extremely well togther; I think they averaged 25+ assists in their wins which probably accounted for almost half of their baskets made. LeBron led his team in almost every statistical category (including minutes played) in almost every game. He wasn't the reason the Heat lost. The way the Spurs played and lack of secondary help are the reasons the Heat lost. Just like our game against LSU in the Superdome, I think it was evident, the Spurs were more focused and "into" the series/game than the Heat were and they won almost as convincingly as we did (revenge/redemption is a great motivator).
Agree with you and Sip, and I will add Popovich is the best coach in the business.
LeBron is Peyton Manning. Everything about him looks & feels like the making of a GOAT candidate. Then you start looking at rings....and you start making excuses about his teammates and how they let him down. MJ, Larry, Magic.....they willed their teams to win. Their teammates played better because these superstars willed them to.
IMHO this is why LBJ loses the GOAT argument every time.
IMHO this is why LBJ loses the GOAT argument every time.
That's (one of the area's) where I draw the line as well. Lebron doesn't inspire the love of the fans or his team like Jordan did. The Heat, including Lebron about half the time, were flat as a tire. Lebron had some amazing runs but the other half of the time he looked exhausted. Part of that is Spoelestra's fault but at times he looked like he didn't want it but he wanted to want it. Say what you will about the lack of help, but the team feeds off the energy of its best player. I've always thought Lebron deferred the leadership role to Wade.
Lebron has four years on MJ at his age because Lebron skipped college and never left to play baseball. I'm saying that if Jordan had never left the game, he might've had seven or eight consecutive championships. I don't think anyone would've beaten the Jackson-coached Bulls. Also, Jordan won a championship in college (he hit a buzzer-beating three to win it if I'm not mistaken). But no one ever mentions that when talking about his legacy.
He left after his junior year not sophomore year. He played an UNC from 1981-1984.
Jordan hit a jumper with 17 seconds left to put UNC up by 1. There were no 3 pointers in 1982.
You are right about MJ since he was 6-0 in the finals but Larry lost 3 times in the finals and Magic 4 times (albeit to each other at times).
Lebron will finish his career with more championships than Larry. He already has as many Finals MVP awards. While Lebron has sometimes underperformed in the Finals, he's been outstanding in the playoffs in general. Peyton has a mind-boggling number of first-round exits. During his last two Super Bowl runs, his teams cake-walked through the AFC because it was a weak conference. You can't compare Lebron's playoff success to Peyton's.
Lebron still has a shot to become the best ever but he isnt as of now..hands down the best in the league currently though. whats ironic is the reason he left Cleveland is the same reason Miami lost in the finals this year.
There was no real competition for the Jordan Bull teams - they beat an aging Laker team (after Magic pulled up in game one with a hamstring), Portland and Phoenix, Seattle and the Jazz twice. Had the Pistons not gotten older, I am not sure they ever would have overcome Daly's Bruisers.
Jordan simply never had a rival - like Bird and Magic, Russell and Wilt, even a Duncan-Lebron type thing.
Jordan simply never had a rival - like Bird and Magic, Russell and Wilt, even a Duncan-Lebron type thing.
No competition?? Dude you are kidding right? Except for that 1991 Lakers final they faced the #1 Western Conference team in 5 out of the 6 Finals. But...That was an awesome 1991 Pistons team still they had to get by and it's because MJ bulked up and they finally put the pieces together.
They lost to the Pistons the year before in a 7 game Eastern Finals classic. '92 Portland was awesome with Clyde the Glide Drexler, '93 Phoenix was ridiculous good and Barkley was MVP that season. '96 Seattle had a franchise record year with Shawn Kemp leading them and those '97-'98 Utah Teams with Malone and Stockton?!?? Get out of here with that mess. The Bulls played the best there was to play and flat beat them. It was no cake walk.
They did overcome the Badboys too...after losing in 6 and 7 games in '89 and '90 they took them out in '91. It wasn't just because of 'aging' either. They made it a mission to beat them. That 1991 Pistons team would have 3-peated if they could have beaten the Bulls and then played the Lakers.
You are completely not giving Jordan and the Bulls enough credit. They were dominate but not from lack of fierce competitor. Of course Jordan didn't have a rival...put him in any era and he'd still never have a rival....he's in his own stratosphere of greatness.
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And who the heck is Lebron's rival? The youngster Durant, who, in my opinion, still doesn't "get it" (I'm hoping he will soon). Or is it 38-year-old Tim Duncan? Or Kwahi Leonard? Or is it Paul George? Except for Durant, none of those guys come close to the competition Jordan faced, and we haven't seen Durant's best yet--not even close.
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