What is LeBron's legacy if he loses 5 times in the finals?

[huskers1217]

Discuss

see Braves of the 1990's

 

[gordontrue]

1 more title for Curry and everyone will forget about LeBron.

In the context of the current state of the league... maybe, to some degree. In the context of the history of the league... I would argue that LeBron is further away from being forgotten than anyone.

 

[CitySushi]

Out of players control? Cry me a river. When you faced more physical competition (and teams that don't tank) you should get more notoriety. And I'm only 27. The Jordan Era with the Bulls was just ending when I first started following the NBA.

What about Russell getting 11 championships playing against supremely unskilled players as compared to today's NBA?

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

Top 10.

Didn't hurt Malone.

Didn't hurt Elway in Football either.

 

[Heatles84]

He'd be the Buffalo Bills of the NBA.

Oh wait, he's already lost 4 times.

Guess that means he'd be even worse than the Buffalo Bills.

Actually, Lebron's currently the John Elway of the NBA. He's 2-4, just like Elway.

If Lebron loses another and never returns to the Finals, he'll be considered a loser. He'll still be top 10, but he'd have that blemish on his record.

If Lebron wins one or two more titles, I still can't put him above Magic or MJ. Hell, I can't even put him in front of Kareem or Duncan right now.

I've said it earlier, but I think Lebron's performance starts to diminish the season after next.

 

[lebron23james]

Actually, Lebron's currently the John Elway of the NBA. He's 2-4, just like Elway.

If Lebron loses another and never returns to the Finals, he'll be considered a loser. He'll still be top 10, but he'd have that blemish on his record.

If Lebron wins one or two more titles, I still can't put him above Magic or MJ. Hell, I can't even put him in front of Kareem or Duncan right now.

I've said it earlier, but I think Lebron's performance starts to diminish the season after next.

Titles are a bad measuring stick imo

You put lebron on any championship team and he is by far the best player out their the last 10 years...I mean any team....Lebron gets knocked for losing in the finals but it really was never his fault...It was the team, he was always the best player on the court

Lebron got more finals mvp votes than curry last year in a losing effort

I think he def needs at least 1 more title just for basic fan perception

 

[gordontrue]

I've said it before and its not popular but I'll say it again.

If you think that its better for LeBron's legacy to lose to the Hawks or Pacers or Bulls or Heat or any Eastern conference team than it is to make it to another Finals and go down to the Spurs or Warriors.... I just don't know what to say to you. That logic is so plainly flawed that there's no purpose in explaining why.

 

[lebron23james]

I've said it before and its not popular but I'll say it again.

If you think that its better for LeBron's legacy to lose to the Hawks or Pacers or Bulls or Heat or any Eastern conference team than it is to make it to another Finals and go down to the Spurs or Warriors.... I just don't know what to say to you. That logic is so plainly flawed that there's no point trying to explain why.

If you hold lebron accountable for losing in the finals you should hold other players accountable for how many times they didn't even make it to the finals.

Lebron has made the finals exactly half the time he has been in the league, and his team has rarely been the favorite.

 

[Heatles84]

1 more title for Curry and everyone will forget about LeBron.

I'm indifferent on that one. But Curry's having a historic season. If the Dubs beat the '96 Bulls record and win the title while Curry's playing at this rate (and wins another MVP), then you can start maybe putting him in that discussion. Although, he would need to finish his career off (next 7-10 years) of this kind of play.

 

[Iggloo]

The NBA's Jim Kelly. Not top 5, that's silly.

 

[The Q]

How many times has he lost as a favorite? That's a bigger issue.

The loss to that laughably inferior Dallas team will forever be the black mark on his career though.

 

[gordontrue]

Here's a question.... if the Warriors make it to the next 15 straight Finals and Curry finishes with a Finals record of 6 - 10.... how will you compare Curry's Finals record to Jordan's???

To me... going 6 - 10 in the Finals is far, far superior to going 6 - 6.

 

[lebron23james]

How many times has he lost as a favorite? That's a bigger issue.

The loss to that laughably inferior Dallas team will forever be the black mark on his career though.

Dallas was prob the only loss he has as the favorite

 

[lakersrule]

I've said it before and its not popular but I'll say it again.

If you think that its better for LeBron's legacy to lose to the Hawks or Pacers or Bulls or Heat or any Eastern conference team than it is to make it to another Finals and go down to the Spurs or Warriors.... I just don't know what to say to you. That logic is so plainly flawed that there's no purpose in explaining why.

I don't hold Finals losses against a player. Magic went to 9. Lost 4. However, the greats are ultimately distinguished by their wins. Malone is second on the all-time leading scorers list. He's never discussed as being in the top 10 though. If he had beaten Jordan a couple of times, the narrative could have different.

 

[lebron23james]

Here's a question.... if the Warriors make it to the next 15 straight Finals and Curry finishes with a Finals record of 6 - 10.... how will you compare Curry's Finals record to Jordan's???

To me... going 6 - 10 in the Finals is far, far superior to going 6 - 6.

Agreed but it won't happen, curry is already 28

 

[lebron23james]

I don't hold Finals losses against a player. Magic went to 9. Lost 4. However, the greats are ultimately distinguished by their wins. Malone is second on the all-time leading scorers list. He's never discussed as being in the top 10 though. If he had beaten Jordan a couple of times, the narrative could have different.

Depending on what team lebron joined/drafted by his career championships could have been 6, 7+...Def would have changed his legacy, funny how what team you are on can change someones legacy so much.

 

[gordontrue]

I don't hold Finals losses against a player. Magic went to 9. Lost 4. However, the greats are ultimately distinguished by their wins. Malone is second on the all-time leading scorers list. He's never discussed as being in the top 10 though. If he had beaten Jordan a couple of times, the narrative could have different.

Agreed. Finals wins are what matter. Finals losses are no worse (actually, they're better) than any other season that doesn't end in a title.

LeBron falls short of many of the greats with 2 current titles. His 4 Finals losses should have nothing to do with it. IMO, any additional Finals appearances help a player's resume, not hurt it.

 

[CitySushi]

Depending on what team lebron joined/drafted by his career championships could have been 6, 7+...Def would have changed his legacy, funny how what team you are on can change someones legacy so much.

Your argument about championships being a bad measuring stick I agree with.

Your stance on Lebron and his team is completely laughable. Man if only Lebron could have teammed up with two other superstar players, on MULTIPLE teams, in order to try and win championships. If only he could have gotten two other Superstars to take less to form a super team, that would be ideal in him having 6 or 7 championships. Man that would have been nice. Or if only he would have dropped from the Number 1 overall pick and every other team passed on him except for the Spurs, that would have been nice.

It's too bad he couldn't have like dictated his own future, on where he wanted to go, and who he wanted to play with.

 

[Dolemite censored]

What is LeBron's legacy if he loses 5 times in the finals?

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

But ive never seen him as a player that could carry a team to the Finals, completely on his shoulders, as Lebron has done a couple of times with Cleveland

Duncan carried that 2003 team to a title.
It was essentially a one-man show. He did everything.
Like everything else about Duncan, that accomplishment is understated.

Sure there was a few big names...but they were either at the very end of their careers on fumes or not even close to being established. He had roleplayers at that point in their careers.

1994,1995 Hakeem
2003 Duncan
2011 Dirk

That is the list.