SRJ
03-17-2007, 02:06 PM
Over and over and over and over and over and over again (dating back a few years ago on another Spurs forum), Ducks has been hammering the hell out of LeBron James. In and of itself, I have no problem with this - but this blind belief that LeBron is some kind of problem, some kind of detriment to the Cavs and the league, without producing any sort of meaningful evidence to support this opinion was a tired old act 10,000 posts ago.
But I'm not posting here just to bitch about what other posters do and don't do - I'd like to present hard evidence that LeBron has been as good as advertised.
In 2004, LeBron's rookie year, the Cavs finished with a 35-47 record and did not qualify for the playoffs. Before Ducks says "I told you so", basketball-database.com includes every team's Pythagorean projection, a statistic which gives a team's expected winning percentage. The 2004 Cavaliers projected a record of 31-51, and LeBron did more than his share for a rookie: he led his team in minutes, points, field goals made and attempted, three-pointers made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, steals, and assists.
In 2005, despite losing Carlos Boozer (although replaced capably by Drew Gooden) and despite the midseason firing of Paul Silas, the Cavaliers improved by five games compared with the previous season (42-40), missing their Pythagorean projection by only one game. LeBron led the Cavs in the same categories as the previous season, but improved his scoring average (20.9 - 27.2, good for third in the league), field goal percentage (.417 - .472), free throw percentage (.750 - .754), and three point percentage (.290 - 351).
In 2006, the Cavaliers improved yet again (50-32 compared with a Pythagorean projection of 48-34) and LeBron raised his game even more. His field goal percentage improved slightly over the previous season (.472 - .480), although his three-point and free throw percentage dipped slightly compared with 2005 (3FG% .351 - .335; FT .754 - .738). LeBron averaged 31.4 PPG which was good for third in the entire league behind Kobe Bryant (35.4) and Allen Iverson (33.0).
In 2007, the Cavs are on pace to win 50 games for the second straight year (I don't have the Pythagorean for this season) and LeBron is excelling yet again, shooting a career high .484 from the field, scoring 27.2 points per game (6th in the league) with 6.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. And I think it's safe to say that the rosters surrounding LeBron these past four seasons has been underwhelming.
How much more can one ask of a player in his first four seasons? I contend that the only players who could have this much success (or greater) with Cleveland from 2004-07 would be a select few players already in, or sure to enter, the Hall of Fame.
But I'm not posting here just to bitch about what other posters do and don't do - I'd like to present hard evidence that LeBron has been as good as advertised.
In 2004, LeBron's rookie year, the Cavs finished with a 35-47 record and did not qualify for the playoffs. Before Ducks says "I told you so", basketball-database.com includes every team's Pythagorean projection, a statistic which gives a team's expected winning percentage. The 2004 Cavaliers projected a record of 31-51, and LeBron did more than his share for a rookie: he led his team in minutes, points, field goals made and attempted, three-pointers made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, steals, and assists.
In 2005, despite losing Carlos Boozer (although replaced capably by Drew Gooden) and despite the midseason firing of Paul Silas, the Cavaliers improved by five games compared with the previous season (42-40), missing their Pythagorean projection by only one game. LeBron led the Cavs in the same categories as the previous season, but improved his scoring average (20.9 - 27.2, good for third in the league), field goal percentage (.417 - .472), free throw percentage (.750 - .754), and three point percentage (.290 - 351).
In 2006, the Cavaliers improved yet again (50-32 compared with a Pythagorean projection of 48-34) and LeBron raised his game even more. His field goal percentage improved slightly over the previous season (.472 - .480), although his three-point and free throw percentage dipped slightly compared with 2005 (3FG% .351 - .335; FT .754 - .738). LeBron averaged 31.4 PPG which was good for third in the entire league behind Kobe Bryant (35.4) and Allen Iverson (33.0).
In 2007, the Cavs are on pace to win 50 games for the second straight year (I don't have the Pythagorean for this season) and LeBron is excelling yet again, shooting a career high .484 from the field, scoring 27.2 points per game (6th in the league) with 6.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. And I think it's safe to say that the rosters surrounding LeBron these past four seasons has been underwhelming.
How much more can one ask of a player in his first four seasons? I contend that the only players who could have this much success (or greater) with Cleveland from 2004-07 would be a select few players already in, or sure to enter, the Hall of Fame.