The Biggest Losers of a (likely) Nixed NBA Season

[msgkings322]

LeBron could win not one, not two, but five titles as a Laker, and I would still think of him as a Cav first and foremost.

Well, 1 or 2 sure
5? Come on dude.

 

[trojanfan12]

Would it be crazy to make Wilt first team?

Not at all. You could actually make any of the 3 first team and not be wrong.

 

[Robotech]

Not at all. You could actually make any of the 3 first team and not be wrong.

Yeah, it would be the ultimate load management team. Give each 28 starts to Wilt, 27 to Kareem, and 27 to Shaq.

 

[Robotech]

Let's make an all time load management team. Pop has to be the coach.

 

[trojanfan12]

LeBron could win not one, not two, but five titles as a Laker, and I would still think of him as a Cav first and foremost.

Well, first of all, unless another young star caliber player decides to join the Lakers, Lebron isn't winning more than 1, maaaaybe 2 titles with the Lakers.

But, for the sake of discussion.

It depends on how much longer he plays and at what level. If he can play 5-6 more years at this current level AND win 5 titles, I think he'd end up being thought of a Laker.

1 or 2, he'll be thought of as a Cav first. 3, you start to wonder. 4-5 (as long as he wasn't a "tag along"for the last 2 or 3), he'd be thought of as a Laker first, imo.

 

[tlance]

It has plenty because the Eastern Conference was so weak, the best team in the East almost shifted automatically from the Heat to the Cavaliers which was a statement by itself. If Lebron had Davis in Cleveland, who knows what would have happened

Yet still, regardless of how strong or weak the East was, the Warriors were favored because they were perceived to be better. They won more games in the stronger conference.

If the Warriors had played in the East and the Cavs in the West, the Warriors still would have been favored.

 

[tlance]

Don't take this the wrong way, I'm not looking to get anything started. But if you look at the numbers LeBron has a better FG%* & even a better 3 pt. %*. And LeBron has hit a better % of game winning shots*.

* = career #'s for both through 15 full seasons

I totally agree about his decision to go to Miami. It's not about him leaving, it was how he handled it. Hell I can't blame him. He's a kid from Akron that spent his first 7 years in the league right up the road from his hometown. Those 4 years with the Heat was like a kid going to college for 4 years.

Kobe. As everyone knows in the NBA threads I'm 100% Celtics. So not really liking the Lakers is natural. I respect their history though. Just as any real Lakers fans should always have a dislike of the Celtics. But man I did enjoy watching Kobe in his prime. He was just incredible. Mamba's gone, but he'll never be forgotten.

Not to change the subject but one thing I'm a little jealous of about the Lakers is they probably have the best starting 5 of all time. And I might catch some flack for this but my Lakers all time starting 5 doesn't have LeBron on it. By no fault of his own he's yet to make the playoffs wearing the Purple 'n Gold.

Magic
Kobe
Worthy
KAJ
Shaq

Who would be your all time Lakers starting 5?

I get that. And Worthy was a good player.

But LeBron is so many orders of magnitude better than Worthy that longevity shouldn’t matter.

He has delivered an MVP caliber performance this year. Worthy never sniffed that. Not to mention, LeBron is also just the more skilled perimeter player.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Yet still, regardless of how strong or weak the East was, the Warriors were favored because they were perceived to be better. They won more games in the stronger conference.

If the Warriors had played in the East and the Cavs in the West, the Warriors still would have been favored.

No question about it, but that doesnt change what i said

 

[Wamu]

I get that. And Worthy was a good player.

But LeBron is so many orders of magnitude better than Worthy that longevity shouldn’t matter.

He has delivered an MVP caliber performance this year. Worthy never sniffed that. Not to mention, LeBron is also just the more skilled perimeter player.

Maybe I should have been a more specific. When I listed my all time Lakers starting 5 I was taking into consideration what they did as a Laker. And while it's obvious LeBron is 100 times better than Worthy he hasn't even gone to the playoff with them yet.

 

[gohusk]

Warriors obviously. They were just giving the league a false sense of comfort and were about to make a monster run.

 

[trojanfan12]

But LeBron is so many orders of magnitude better than Worthy that longevity shouldn’t matter.

Disagree. I'm not saying that Worthy is better, but he was a great player.

He sacrificed because he was on a team with Magic and Kareem. Worthy won a finals MVP when he wasn't even the #1 option on his team.

Worthy is a top 50 all time player and a Hall of Famer.

We'll never get to know, but if Worthy had played for virtually any other team at the time, he'd likely have won a lot more individual accolades, but he'd also have fewer rings.

 

[Robotech]

Disagree. I'm not saying that Worthy is better, but he was a great player.

He sacrificed because he was on a team with Magic and Kareem. Worthy won a finals MVP when he wasn't even the #1 option on his team.

Worthy is a top 50 all time player and a Hall of Famer.

We'll never get to know, but if Worthy had played for virtually any other team at the time, he'd likely have won a lot more individual accolades, but he'd also have fewer rings.

He was the number 1 pick they got from Stepien, right? That makes me smile a little bit now that we are comparing LeBron and Worthy. LOL.

Yeah, Worthy was a great. I was a kid just starting to watch sports then, but I knew that he was a top notch player. I remember him mostly for being a finisher at the rim.

 

[tlance]

Maybe I should have been a more specific. When I listed my all time Lakers starting 5 I was taking into consideration what they did as a Laker. And while it's obvious LeBron is 100 times better than Worthy he hasn't even gone to the playoff with them yet.

I totally understood what you meant. And it is a valid point.

I just disagree about the importance of longevity in these things.

Obviously Worthy had a lot more time

Disagree. I'm not saying that Worthy is better, but he was a great player.

He sacrificed because he was on a team with Magic and Kareem. Worthy won a finals MVP when he wasn't even the #1 option on his team.

Worthy is a top 50 all time player and a Hall of Famer.

We'll never get to know, but if Worthy had played for virtually any other team at the time, he'd likely have won a lot more individual accolades, but he'd also have fewer rings.

Yes. But this is LeBron. He is literally on the Mount Rushmore of the NBA’s greatest players.

If he has worn your uniform, he is in the all time starting 5.

 

[Robotech]

I totally understood what you meant. And it is a valid point.

I just disagree about the importance of longevity in these things.

Obviously Worthy had a lot more time


Yes. But this is LeBron. He is literally on the Mount Rushmore of the NBA’s greatest players.

If he has worn your uniform, he is in the all time starting 5.

I think the standard should be which team is a player most associated with. I think it's still the Cavs with LeBron. I know this is all just dream teams and dream matchups, but I would still prefer that teams not carry any duplicate players. I wouldn't want LA all time team with LeBron facing Cleveland all time team with LeBron, or LA all time team with Kareem facing Milwaukee all time team with Kareem. And then you would have Wilt playing on the all time team of 3 different NBA teams. It would all just be too messy.

 

[msgkings322]

I think the standard should be which team is a player most associated with. I think it's still the Cavs with LeBron. I know this is all just dream teams and dream matchups, but I would still prefer that teams not carry any duplicate players. I wouldn't want LA all time team with LeBron facing Cleveland all time team with LeBron, or LA all time team with Kareem facing Milwaukee all time team with Kareem. And then you would have Wilt playing on the all time team of 3 different NBA teams. It would all just be too messy.

I like this rule. A player can only be on one all time great team, so if another team has a better claim then your team can't have him.

 

[Robotech]

Though Wilt as the center for our all time Warriors team would make us unbeatable.

 

[msgkings322]

Though Wilt as the center for our all time Warriors team would make us unbeatable.

For sure.

So by our rules the all-time great Warrior team is probably:

PG- Curry
SG - Barry
SF - Klay (I know, I know)
PF - Draymond
C - Nate Thurmond

 

[Robotech]

For sure.

So by our rules the all-time great Warrior team is probably:

PG- Curry
SG - Barry
SF - Klay (I know, I know)
PF - Draymond
C - Nate Thurmond

LOL. We should be allowed to claim KD because Thunder fans have disowned him and there's no case for the Nets yet.

 

[msgkings322]

LOL. We should be allowed to claim KD because Thunder fans have disowned him and there's no case for the Nets yet.

 

[trojanfan12]

He was the number 1 pick they got from Stepien, right? That makes me smile a little bit now that we are comparing LeBron and Worthy. LOL.

Yeah, Worthy was a great. I was a kid just starting to watch sports then, but I knew that he was a top notch player. I remember him mostly for being a finisher at the rim.

Yep that was him.

If I remember correctly, the Lakers were trying to decide between Worthy and Dominique Wilkins.

They felt Worthy fit the overall makeup and chemistry of the team better.

It would have been interesting to see what Showtime looked like with Dominique.