New NBA season

There doesn’t need to be an “excuse”. I’ve never said that LeBron had a great or even good series against Dallas because he never. He struggled, as every NBA player in the history of the whole sport has at some point. I’ve said that the Heat were beaten on both occasions by teams who played better than they did. It’s a team game and it happens.

Not at all. Criticising LeBron when there’s merit (eg Dallas) is totally understandable as it is with any player. They’re human and they have off nights. However, constantly moving the goalposts to try and suit your “MJ is the goat and there’s no comparison” stance is farcical and just makes you look like a daft little fanboy. I’ve not taken a single thing in this thread personally, but the fact you seemingly want to continuously make it a personal thing just suggests there’s no proper basis to your arguments and you really are pretty clueless. That’s okay, don’t worry about it.

 

Ok, he was a loss. But not a loss that ever had them in trouble of being knocked out. They didn’t need him. You’re literally the only person on the planet saying “wow they done it without Avery Bradley”. People WERE saying what if Dragic was playing.

Home advantage matters when it’s a factor for everyone. It wasn’t a factor at all. You’re not understanding that they’ve beaten teams in the exact same situation as them. I’ll repeat. Level playing field. If they walk off the court like they did in Game three in Miami, Butler is telling LeBron “you’re in trouble” in Miami. Wow... the crowd feeding off that going into game 4 would of been electric. The bubble has had its pro’s and con’s for every team. Not just the Lakers. They haven’t overcome some unfair process. It couldn’t of been more fair.

Difference between the Lakers and The Heat and Cavs, LeBron had Wade and Bosh, Kyrie and Love. At the Lakers he has AD. And AD has came in, bedded into a place that LeBron’s been at for a year and he’s played out his skin. Hugely under appreciated by the media and the fans. Lakers fans are spoiled brats, always have been and always will be.

 

Could you point to any point where I said anything close to “wow they done it without Avery Bradley”? It’s not something I’ve ever said. I’ve clearly stated that going into next season they’ll be improved by having him back, just like having home advantage would improve their chances and longer rest periods would improve their chances (mainly due to LeBron’s age). You were arguing that Bradley was no loss, but Dragić was a huge loss and I merely stated that you can’t have it both ways. Of course Dragić was a huge loss to Miami (even though he wasn’t even a starter all season and is the definition of a role player, he’s a great player).

The home advantage part didn’t come into play against Miami (hence why I said Portland, Houston and Denver), but would have if it had went to a seven game series. The fact the Lakers earned that right in the regular season but didn’t get the benefit means they lost that advantage. Yes, it was a very level playing field so credit to the Lakers for coming through it when they would have had that earned advantage in regular circumstances.

I don’t think AD is under appreciated at all though. He’s received so much credit from fans and media alike in the last 24 hours never mind the last few months. He deserves every ounce of it, just like he thoroughly deserves to be a champion. Completely agree that Lakers fans are spoilt brats though!

The Heat hadn’t won a playoff series in 4 years when LeBron arrived. The Cavs hadn’t even went above .500 or to the playoffs for 4 years when LeBron went home. The Lakers were in the midst of their worst stretch in franchise history when LeBron arrived. All three were NBA Champions within two years and LeBron is the common denominator and deserves huge credit for that. That’s no slight on the likes of AD, Kyrie, Love, Wade and Bosh.

 

I’m done talking about Bradley, The Bubble and AD. I’ve had my say on both. I don’t need to repeat myself.

But just regarding your point, LeBron goes to teams to win. He’s not going to go to a team that’s not got the drive to succeed like him. You recruit him and he recruits the parts he needs. He joins the Heat and over his time there you get Bosh, Allen, Mike Miller, Shane Battier, Rashad Lewis. Joins the Cavs and you get Love, Jones and Miller follow, JR Smith, Jefferson. Joins the Lakers and you know the script.

If an organisation brings him in, they’ve got to be in a transitional phase to pay him and the parts he will demand to win now. NBA teams generally have peaks and troughs. That’s just the way it is. He’s a player you bring in to change things.

So when people talk about AD at New Orleans etc, they are players who don’t get the help to win now but are expected to carry teams like LeBron does. He gets all the help he asks for and he does the rest.

 

You’ve just made the point that everyone that isn’t a Lebron fanboy has been saying...

The main factor in the Lakers winning the championship was AD.

They didn’t even make the playoffs last year without him.

This is tiring man

 

And how can someone not understand that a level playing field for everyone doesn’t put anyone at a disadvantage

 

Okay mate. I’ll take that as a retraction of your comment then.

Every free agent takes the chances of winning into consideration when making their decision on where to sign, not just LeBron. All of those other players chose to join LeBron because it’s their best chance to win; AD included.

AD’s time at the Pelicans is quite comparable to LeBron’s first spell in Cleveland, yes, except from the fact that LeBron lead the Cavs more capably and to far more success. Neither got the help they needed to ultimately win though, so both chose to leave. LeBron gets widely criticised for it, while AD is widely applauded.

 

I’m pretty sure you’d have quoted me if I said anything that suggested that at all, so stop making * up to try and suit your arguments

Do you need reminded that LeBron was ahead of AD on the MVP voting and also won the FMVP unanimously? Absolutely no one of any merit agrees with you. You’re welcome to your opinion, but you simply can’t back it up.

 

So if Celtic were due to play Rangers on Saturday in front of 60,000 at Celtic Park, but instead it got moved to a neutral venue with no fans, you wouldn’t think Celtic had lost an advantage?

If that’s the case then you’re absolutely deranged. I never said the Lakers were disadvantaged, I said that they lost an advantage that they had earned and other teams gained an advantage from that. If you can’t understand that, I’m not sure how to put it more simply for you. Four games at home to three away is a far bigger advantage than 7 games neutrally. Do you not understand that?

Edit: Sorry if that sounds condescending in any way, but it’s quite embarrassing having to explain a concept as simple as home advantage to you

 

A retraction of what comment?

It’s because I’m * bored of repeating myself.

Not every free agent. Some chase money. Some want to be “The Man”. Some want the location and the lifestyle. LeBron wants a legacy and he gets given what he wants to get that.

Why are you comparing them?! Nobody else is. I was using AD as an example of a player not getting help at an organisation. Ok it happened once in LeBron’s career that he never got help and he never won then either. It’s pointless.

My whole gripe was AD being under appreciated at the Lakers this season and it’s turned into a breakdown of LeBron’s career.

 

Is that the MVP voting process that LeBron hates aye?

 

Not if the return fixture was the same. Like it was.

LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.

 

The Lakers would have had more games at home than away, like they should have in the West playoffs and should have if the finals went to seven games. That’s how NBA playoff series work... the team with home advantage gets more home games. The Lakers lost that advantage, yet won anyway.

That’s absolutely indisputable fact. It’s not an opinion.

 

THEY DIDNT HAVE ANY AWAY GAMES!

 

A retraction of your statement where you incorrectly claimed that I said anything close to “wow they done it without Avery Bradley.”

The whole LeBron and AD debate started with people stating that AD was a bigger factor than LeBron in the Lakers’ winning a title. So naturally they’re compared; but you can’t just compare the positives and ignore the negatives. I made the very valid point that AD gets plaudits for forcing a move to LA to win, while LeBron is roundly criticised for his free agency decisions.

I completely disagree that AD has been under appreciated in any way. He’s been a huge part of the Lakers success. What you (and Valhalla) don’t seem to want to acknowledge though is that it’s only natural that LeBron gets the majority of the coverage because he’s their most valuable player and arguably the greatest to ever play the game.

 

That’s completely irrelevant. They still lost the advantage of having home advantage.

In your opinion is home advantage NOT an advantage? That’s the only plausible explanation for your argument.

 

The replies to this are gold man

“Celtics only won 4 chips with colour TVs”

 

I had to mute him man. He’s clearly trolling now

 

Yes. What’s your point? You’re the one in the debate and you’re also the one who said the voting was correct

 

Absolutely pathetic. Losing an argument to far more valid points, so you block someone. Childish beyond measure.