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In some aspects yes, but Kawi doesn't see the floor as well and has to think more when setting up teammates. He just doesn't have a natural passing ability. That and size/strength difference keeps James slightly ahead
In the Manu being a bad teammate thread, I was making a parallel of what Kawhi is being asked to carry at 25 y/o compared to what LeBron carried at same age. Doing so it got me wondering if Kawhi has a case of being a better player than 25 y/o LeBron tbh ?
Obviously looking at raw RS season stat would be a mistake but during those 8 PO games, kawhi basically did it all with the help of a 34 old PG, in this configuration both player are having comparable load and responsability
In some aspects yes, but Kawi doesn't see the floor as well and has to think more when setting up teammates. He just doesn't have a natural passing ability. That and size/strength difference keeps James slightly ahead
It's too early to tell but so far it's pretty even. The Cavs were starting The Big Zombie in Shaquille O'Neal and lost in the conference semis to Boston. That Cavs team also won 61 RS games and Lebron and Kawhi look similar statistically. The biggest difference between the two seasons will be what happens this round.
I'd argue Kawhi is sporting a better team than the 2010 Cavs against a worse opponent than the 2010 Celtics. Lebron had an up and down series but his Game 5 at home with the series tied 2-2 the King turned into the Queen. Celtics closed out at home in game 6. To deem this a better season than Lebron he'd need to split the series in Houston then take Game 5 at home.
So far, I'd take 25 yr old Kawhi over 25 yr old Lebron. Lebron would've been a better creator and passer but in this NBA I value Kawhi's slight edge on perimeter D and his ability to shoot the three more. Fun fact, Danny Green was briefly a teammate of 25 yr old Lebron.
Gotta go with 25 year old LeBron for now
Another question to ask, is how would Kawi do with that calves team from the start of his career to that point?
I love kawi, but he has had the benefit of a lot of great mentoring and coaching. Give the Spurs rooky lebron instead of Kawi, and Spurs would have made lebron better
LeBron at 24 carried the ty Cavs to the ECF while putting up 35/9/7 on great efficiency while posting absurd advanced numbers (37.4 PER, .399 WS/48, 18.2 BPM). Granted, Kawhi is putting up similarly dominant numbers this postseason, but 1) Kawhi has played 3 less games, and I imagine his numbers will drop a bit, and 2) LeBron was noticeably better in the regular season. Yeah - postseason is where it counts...but you can only put so much stock in a 8-10 game sample size.
Sorry, but no. Kawhi is absolutely incredible, but I think it'd be pretty foolish to say that right now he's better than LeBron was in '09 or '10. That's not an insult to Kawhi at all though - just a testament to how freakish LeBron was.
I mean, put it this way: most people now still put current LeBron ahead of Kawhi, no? LeBron in '09 or '10 was better than LeBron is now.
Leonard isn't an assclown. Give me Leonard.
So hard to say. I think Lebron would've become a better shooter without question but would've had worse statistical seasons. Both players obviously have that drive to be great that isn't limited to a system.
no imo
No way, I love Kawhi but c'mon, LeBron dropped 29 on the 4th/OT on the pistons in the playoffs at 21 and led his garbage team to the Finals by himself. Kawhi is a great player, 2nd best in the league imo, but to eclipse lebron at any point is a bit much to ask as imo Lebron is a top 3 all time player at this point... at 25 he was at 29/8.6/7/1.6/1 shooting 50% with a 31 PERI wish Kawhi was averaging those numbers tbh
At 22 Kawhi had FMVP.
Yeah...good points...but Lebron.No way, I love Kawhi but c'mon, LeBron dropped 29 on the 4th/OT on the pistons in the playoffs at 21 and led his garbage team to the Finals by himself. Kawhi is a great player, 2nd best in the league imo, but to eclipse lebron at any point is a bit much to ask as imo Lebron is a top 3 all time player at this point... at 25 he was at 29/8.6/7/1.6/1 shooting 50% with a 31 PER
Tim would have taught him mental strength and how to take advantage on the block (something lebron lacked early on)
pop would have gotten more defense out of him
But I do agree it's hard to say. It's not apples to apples really
I hear you but he never had to be the ball handler, now and surprisingly he is avering near 5 assists per game this PO and already had a 8 assists game. With Parker out he will do that more, he may surprise us on that regard.
But again Kawhi never had neither usage neither green light from Pop to do so tbh...Those 8 games he is at 30/7/5/2 shooting 56% with a PER of 37!!No way, I love Kawhi but c'mon, LeBron dropped 29 on the 4th/OT on the pistons in the playoffs at 21 and led his garbage team to the Finals by himself. Kawhi is a great player, 2nd best in the league imo, but to eclipse lebron at any point is a bit much to ask as imo Lebron is a top 3 all time player at this point... at 25 he was at 29/8.6/7/1.6/1 shooting 50% with a 31 PER
Sample size is small but this is the first time he is being asked to carry as much as LeBron the leat we can say is that he is amazing so far
of course, i dont think saying he isnt as good as one of the top 3 players in league history is a slight to him. its a compliment that the comparison can even be made imo. lebron is a massive got but one cannot deny his greatness tbh. Kawhi has been incredible though, cant wait to see how he responds w/o parker tonight
TBH. LeBron has always been a point forward. Kawhi bot so much.
Kawhi is a jordan player. He needs a pippen type player.
NOOOOO! And it's not even ckose.
Serious question - if you put 22 year-old LeBron on the Spurs in 2014, do they still ring? Does LeBron win FMVP?At 22 Kawhi had FMVP.
22 year old lebrony vs Peak Almost-3-peat lebron. Dude would get destroyed by peak Lebron.
fair enough
Thing is today I see both comparable in terms of scoring efficiency, Kawhi is more of a SF type of scorer and LeBron is playing like a PF with a solid 3 points but at the end their efficiency is pretty comparable tbh... kawhi is a better FT shooter but I believe LeBron is harder to defend.
LeBron is for sure the better ball handler of both, dude is a PF playing PG so yeah. Now I believe Kawhi is a better defender imho don't get me wrong LeBron when on is a great defender but more unconsistent again imho
Kawhi is a ing amazing, I never thought he could dominate POs games like he is today with a superstar kind of load and responsability tbh
If only Kawhi could collude with another top 5 talent and top 10 talent at the time in their primes.
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