NBA: All jokes aside, being 2 out of 5 in the NBA finals in 11 years

[SpursBills]

I agree - but his legacy will be hurt just by association. Just the fact that he was on another losing team in the Finals. Sometimes when people talk history, they gloss over details like "he actually played well though."

Yeah history's a . Lebron still (wrongly) gets flak for losing that 2009 series against orlando even though he put up a 38-8-8 with mo williams as his second best player.

[Cry Havoc]

Duncan is about 3 NBA plays away from having 7 or even 8 NBA rings. That's just hard to fathom.

[ElNono]

Hope you are joking. James is clearly better than Kirby ever was, he just doesn't have anyone to bail him out if he goes 6-24 in a Finals game.

[ImDaNuts]

Lebron will end up going 4 for 9 in his career when it's all said and done.

[Jacob1983]

Wade misses those 2006 Finals free throws. He knows that he would be out of the league and probably fat and broke if Stern hadn't made him a manufactured superstar.

[Thebesteva]

In every single aspect other than team accomplishments. Can you even imagine a LeBron led team clinching a le while he goes 6-24?

You base all of kobes legacy on one bad performance? His rebounding in that game led to the W

[Malik Hairston]

Lebron deserves blame for 2011, because he sucked and the Heat were favored to win the series..

They were underdogs in this series, according to Vegas, and they were heavy underdogs in 2007, obviously..

These "legacy" talks by measuring stupid like "Finals record" is antiquated, it'll only ever be utilized by casual fans and "old media"..by the time Lebron retires, we'll be in a full-blown data era, where advanced metrics are king(they're already the primary source of discussion on intelligent NBA forums, but it's still about 40/60, unfortunately)..

[FkLA]

You base all of kobes legacy on one bad performance? His rebounding in that game led to the W

He set the record for lowest FG% by a FMVP that year. Shot under 40% IIRC.

And LA still won...

[ezau]

For Lebron James will be devastating to his legacy. To lose this year, when it was gifted with this joke of an EC, this is the stuff that ends legacies. If you look back at Jordan, Bird, Magic, Kobe, Duncan, Shaq, etc. All these s had 2-3 rings by their 10th year. This guy was supposed to surpass Kobe and then ultimately Jordan. NEITHER of which he has done yet if he loses this year.

Duncan on the other hand, is about to surpass Kobe and not even a die hard Kobe stan will have the balls to debate that.

If Duncan wins his 5th ring, Lebron should be placed a tier lower than Duncan, Kobe, and Shaq. All three beat each other in their primes, while Lebron is about to lose his second finals series against an aging Duncan.

[ezau]

Duncan is about 3 NBA plays away from having 7 or even 8 NBA rings. That's just hard to fathom.

So true. He could've been the GOAT

[StrengthAndHonor]

He set the record for lowest FG% by a FMVP that year. Shot under 40% IIRC.

And LA still won...

His percentage is about the same as Lebron's in 2013 (EFG, TS%)

[Donkeybong]

People overestimating Duncan's contributions to the spurs in recent years. Yah, he's been solid, but he's not been an integral part of the spurs success for the last 3 years. He's still top 10, but I don't think in the top 5.

[Malik Hairston]

His percentage is about the same as Lebron's in 2013 (EFG, TS%)

Lebron offensive rating in 2013 Finals: 113 vs. Miami's team rating of 108
Kobe in 2010: 108 vs. LA's 106

Wade in 2013 Finals: 104 vs. Miami's 108
Gasol in 2010: 122 vs. LA's 106

[Malik Hairston]

People overestimating Duncan's contributions to the spurs in recent years. Yah, he's been solid, but he's not been an integral part of the spurs success for the last 3 years. He's still top 10, but I don't think in the top 5.

he leads or is 2nd for the Spurs in every metric in these playoffs..

[midnightpulp]

he leads or is 2nd for the Spurs in every metric in these playoffs..

Do Kobe fans just look at the box score and see a relatively solid 15-10 line and think, "Oh, those numbers aren't All-star level, he's not "integral!" Duncan is one of the main engines of this offense with his picking, cutting, being a threat from 18 feet, and his outlet passing.

No one on the Spurs averages over 17ppg anyway

[Malik Hairston]

Do Kobe fans just look at the box score and see a relatively solid 15-10 line and think, "Oh, those numbers aren't All-star level, he's not "integral!" Duncan is one of the main engines of this offense with his picking, cutting, being a threat from 18 feet, and his outlet passing.

No one on the Spurs averages over 17ppg anyway

I'm pretty sure they only look at: points and facial expressions that display killer instinct, tbh..

[Infinite_limit]

Oh look there's James doing absolutely nothing on a rebound with his 6 foot 8 & 250 pound frame

[Ghazi]

There is no shame in losing to this Spurs team... as discussed in the other thread... I believe they're one of the best teams I've ever seen.

[Franklin]

Agree, this spurs team may be even better than the 07' team. Even the 07' team couldn't win the finals in such a dominant way, (otherwise it'd only mean the 14' cHeat are even tier than the 07' cavs )

[Infinite_limit]

Yep.
LeBron shoots 60% and scores 19 points in the 3rd qtr while the rest of his team goes to pieces.
Kirby ballhogs 6-24 and gets bailed out by ref rimmin and Pao Gasol.
No comparison.

Lebron was -21 tonight, worst on the team

[FkLA]

[DAF86]

People overestimating Duncan's contributions to the spurs in recent years. Yah, he's been solid, but he's not been an integral part of the spurs success for the last 3 years. He's still top 10, but I don't think in the top 5.

This coming from lakerfans that make a living of overestimating Kobe's contributions on his first three championships.

[DAF86]

Regarding the thread topic. I still don't get why some people are so obsessed with finals losses. Hey dummies, making the finals > losing before that.

[Infinite_limit]

Regarding the thread topic. I still don't get why some people are so obsessed with finals losses. Hey dummies, making the finals > losing before that.

Making the Western Conference Finals = Winning the East

Thus the Jazz have some banners to hang

[Thebesteva]

If Duncan wins his 5th ring, Lebron should be placed a tier lower than Duncan, Kobe, and Shaq. All three beat each other in their primes, while Lebron is about to lose his second finals series against an aging Duncan.

agreed