Lebron's Legacy

[MikeO]

Please. Jordan never lost a Finals he appeared in, Lebron has lost two. Also the Eastern Conference was far more loaded and tougher than it is so far during Lebron's career. The Knicks, Celtics, Pacers, and Pistons were all capable of winning the title every year.
Lebron has been in the league for 7 years, Jordan already had a title by this same time.
Stop making excuses for this guy.

They can't help but make excuses for this guy. Even after what we just witnessed for the past week.

In 10 NBA Finals games now, Lebron has NEVER scored more than 25 pts in any game. And he averages 19pts in those games. The man is a choke artist!

[MikeO]

After last nights game

Question: Does it bother you that so many people are happy to see you fail?

LeBron: "Absolutely not. Because at the end of the day all the people that was rooting on me to fail, at the end of the day they've got to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before they woke up today. They've got the same personal problems they had today. And I'm going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things I want to do with my family and be happy with that."

Lebron..open mouth, insert foot!!

[Sunstroke]

I wonder how many "LeBron sucks" threads the Haters need to complete their psychotherapy?

[Thundergod]

^^^

Now THAT is funny. Sweet stuff  'Stroke.

[Thundergod]

I wonder when I get to order my new Miami LeBrons jersey. I hope they can pick up LeBron in the offseason to compliment LeBron and LeBron. Coach LeBron has a lot on his plate this coming year.

[jtex316]

Jordan lost a lot to the Pistons in the late 80's before he got "over the hump".

[Landshark]

You guys heard about the new line of Lebron James lawn chairs?  They fold easily and are very easy to put away at home. 

[CF DolFan]

After last nights game

Question: Does it bother you that so many people are happy to see you fail?

LeBron: "Absolutely not. Because at the end of the day all the people that was rooting on me to fail, at the end of the day they've got to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before they woke up today. They've got the same personal problems they had today. And I'm going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things I want to do with my family and be happy with that."

Lebron..open mouth, insert foot!!

I don't think this is a horrible statement. I am glad he lost but it doesn't change my life. He could have been an arse and said everyone who wanted him to loose just wishes they had his money!! 

[Phishfan]

I believe this is the worst Heat team you'll see. One that made it to the Finals. This isn't the Miami LeBrons. Holes will be filled. Smile America, Miami finally lost.

Their money is already tied up and the players they had in role positions were playing for minimums basically (and were actually thought to be a steal for the money). So I am curious how you feel they will fill holes? Are they going to find better players to play for less money again?

[Phishfan]

Um, LeBron is 26 years old.  When Jordan was 26, he hadn't even sniffed a Finals.  LeBron has been there twice.

Calm down with the "He's done!" talk.

Yet, Jordan did have a title by the time he spent the same amount of years in the NBA. I agree LeBron likely will return, but he will never get six titles. I think most everyone should agree these comparisons should stop.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Take the all star power, universal hate towards, and shocker of a loss of the 2007 Patriots and add in the arrogance and big mouth of Rex Ryan and you have the Miami Heat. 

[mboss]

Jordan lost a lot to the Pistons in the late 80's before he got "over the hump".

Jordan didn't leave the Bulls to join the Pistons to get a title...that's the difference.

[mecadonzilla]

Well, I'm awake and sober this morning and have had a chance to see all the replays and analysis ESPN has to offer. 

I'm still amazed how little LeBron wanted to play in this game.  He was excited to be there in the 1st quarter, and may as well have left the arena after that.  The Heat wanted to get him involved, but he just wanted to pass the ball and stand around. He was mentally beaten and he got worse the longer each game progressed.  To me, it looked like he was afraid.  That's his legacy...for now.

In fact, I think if Lebron isn't on this team, they would have had a better chance of winning this series. 

I have no idea how anyone could be a fan of this guy after his repeated "performances" in the biggest moments of his career  (AKA this series).  He showed zero determination, zero tenacity, zero guts, zero heart, etc.  Lebron is like a pretty porcelain doll.  Nice to look at and marvel at the beauty, but fragile and empty on the inside.

The bright side for Lebron is that he has a chance to change all of that.  He's young and his book is not yet written.

[Landshark]

Jordan didn't leave the Bulls to join the Pistons to get a title...that's the difference.

But he did help orchestrate the trade that brought Dennis Rodman to the Bulls for Will Perdue.  That was such a lopsided trade, it isn't even funny. 

This is something that younger basketball fans don't realize.  Collusion among players to chase a title is nothing new.  A year after that trade for Rodman by the Bulls, the Rockets acquired Charles Barkley from the Suns to team with Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler.   And of course, we know about the Heat's moves in 2004 and the Celtics in 2007. 

[jtex316]

Jordan didn't leave the Bulls to join the Pistons to get a title...that's the difference.

It's not the fact he "left" (which, he was a Free Agent, which means he can "leave" if he wants to, which he did). That's the easy, boilerplate, explanation.

What people are upset about is the "The Decision" and then the "Pep Rally". Also, Chicago Bulls fans and New York Knicks fans and especially Cleveland loser fans are the three major markets that are upset and now "hate" the Miami Heat because they all got snubbed b/c they thought they were the ones who were going to win the LeBron James sweepstakes last off-season.

Let's take a look at Shaq - Shaq outright "left" the Orlando Magic to join the Lakers in 1996, after he "couldn't get it done' with the Magic. It took him 3 years to finally win out in L.A. Why wasn't there all this hatred for Shaq "leaving" the team that originally drafted him at the time? It's because the way he left wasn't like the way LeBron "left".

Maybe if Dan Gilbert knew how to build a team around a superstar like Kraus / Reinsdorf did back in the late 80's, then maybe LeBron wouldn't have chosen another team. Example: trading Scottie Pippen for Olden Polynice in 1987 (Jordan's 3rd season). Drafting Horace Grant that same year 10th overall. Then picking up the pieces between 3-peats and acquiring Ron Harper, Dennis Rodman, and signing Steve Kerr (and getting the "Croatian Michael Jordan", Toni Kukoc).

What move(s) did Dan Gilbert make to build a winner around LeBron James? Mo Williams? "Boo-Boo" Gibson? Zydrunus Ilgauskas? A fat, out-of-shapre, old Shaq? Antwan Jaimeson? Delonte West?

Now, with all of that being said, Michael Jordan will ALWAYS be #1, no matter what LeBron does (even if he wins the next 7 titles in a row and passes him in all-time scoring). It's just no question - Jordan is cut from a much different cloth than James - I knew that after he lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the finals 4 seasons ago.

There will never be another Michael Jordan - but Kobe Bryant is as close as you can get today to that.