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I& #39;m bored and the Last Dance has made LeBron& #39;s playoff & #39;failures& #39; a hot topic in recent weeks, so let& #39;s do a quick overview of his career.
The Zero Year -
Cleveland has a 17-65 record, finishing with the No. 28 (of 29) offense, the No. 24 defense, and -10.2 net rating.
They are quite bad.
Cleveland has a 17-65 record, finishing with the No. 28 (of 29) offense, the No. 24 defense, and -10.2 net rating.
They are quite bad.
LeBron, Year 1 (2003-04) -
Cleveland improves drastically, more than doubling its previous win total with a 35-47 record, the No. 22 offense, No. 19 defense, and a -2.8 net rating.
21p, 5.5r, 6a for LeBron, albeit on poor 49% TS.
Cleveland improves drastically, more than doubling its previous win total with a 35-47 record, the No. 22 offense, No. 19 defense, and a -2.8 net rating.
21p, 5.5r, 6a for LeBron, albeit on poor 49% TS.
Year 2 -
Cleveland breaks .500, finishing 42-40 with the No. 12 offense & defense. Miss the playoffs on a tiebreak, so instead of Wade & Shaq vs LBJ, Miami instead sweeps the Nets. Lame.
LBJ at 27p, 7.5r, 7a on 55.4% TS, already No. 6 in the MVP vote as a sophomore.
Cleveland breaks .500, finishing 42-40 with the No. 12 offense & defense. Miss the playoffs on a tiebreak, so instead of Wade & Shaq vs LBJ, Miami instead sweeps the Nets. Lame.
LBJ at 27p, 7.5r, 7a on 55.4% TS, already No. 6 in the MVP vote as a sophomore.
Year 3 -
Cleveland wins 50 for the first time since 1992-93. No. 9 offense, No. 14 defense, +2.4 net. Beats WAS 4-2 in R1, then faces 64-18 DET. After dropping two games CLE wins 3 straight, pushing them to the brink before falling in 7.
LBJ 2nd to Nash in MVP vote.
Cleveland wins 50 for the first time since 1992-93. No. 9 offense, No. 14 defense, +2.4 net. Beats WAS 4-2 in R1, then faces 64-18 DET. After dropping two games CLE wins 3 straight, pushing them to the brink before falling in 7.
LBJ 2nd to Nash in MVP vote.
Year 4 -
Cleveland wins 50 again. Sweeps WAS. Beats NJ 4-2, then end the DET dynasty 4-2 to make the Finals.
So: 50 win, +4.2 net CLE vs 58 win, +9.3 net SAS in the Finals. We all remember the sweep, but maybe you don& #39;t remember this part...
Cleveland wins 50 again. Sweeps WAS. Beats NJ 4-2, then end the DET dynasty 4-2 to make the Finals.
So: 50 win, +4.2 net CLE vs 58 win, +9.3 net SAS in the Finals. We all remember the sweep, but maybe you don& #39;t remember this part...
LeBron played 42.6 MPG in those Finals, only resting for 324 seconds per game.
He was only -4 total over those 4 games. They BARELY lost the 170.4 minutes he played, but were -20 in the 21.6 minutes he didn& #39;t.
He was a plus while playing 46.5 in the last game, and they lost.
He was only -4 total over those 4 games. They BARELY lost the 170.4 minutes he played, but were -20 in the 21.6 minutes he didn& #39;t.
He was a plus while playing 46.5 in the last game, and they lost.
Year 5 -
Injuries to Hughes, West, Gooden, Gibson, Varejao and Wallace slow CLE down. 45-37 record, -0.4 net. 4 seed, and beat the Wizards 4-2.
R2 is against the newly formed Big 3 Celtics, a 66 win, +11.3 net monster.
For context, 2017 GSW had 67 wins, +11.6 net.
Injuries to Hughes, West, Gooden, Gibson, Varejao and Wallace slow CLE down. 45-37 record, -0.4 net. 4 seed, and beat the Wizards 4-2.
R2 is against the newly formed Big 3 Celtics, a 66 win, +11.3 net monster.
For context, 2017 GSW had 67 wins, +11.6 net.
Fun fact: Cleveland outscored Boston in this series by 8 points.
They lost in 7 despite 45 points and a +/- of zero from LeBron in 46:48 during G7.
Still, taking a dominant team like that to the brink is big. LeBron +21 for the series on 43.3 MPG. Brilliant over the last 5.
They lost in 7 despite 45 points and a +/- of zero from LeBron in 46:48 during G7.
Still, taking a dominant team like that to the brink is big. LeBron +21 for the series on 43.3 MPG. Brilliant over the last 5.
Year 6 is when this version of CLE peaked. 66-16 record, +10 net. Top 4 on both ends of the court. Swept DET and ATL in R1-R2.
Then came Orlando. 59 win, +7.3 team with the No. 1 defense. What went wrong?
Then came Orlando. 59 win, +7.3 team with the No. 1 defense. What went wrong?
Well, it wasn& #39;t the offense. LeBron & co. dropped a 110.6 ORtg on that ORL No. 1 defense, with LeBron averaging 38.5 p, 8r, 8a on 59% TS.
But the defensive roster built around LBJ just had no answer for D12. He scored 26p on 69% TS, and his shooters converted 41% beyond the arc.
But the defensive roster built around LBJ just had no answer for D12. He scored 26p on 69% TS, and his shooters converted 41% beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, CLE has the No. 2 3P% in the league in 2009 at 39.3%, but could only muster 32.3% from beyond the arc in this series.
Add in a pair of close losses (by 1 in G1, by 2 in G4), and ORL took the series in 6.
Then ORL forgot how to shoot in the Finals and got crushed.
Add in a pair of close losses (by 1 in G1, by 2 in G4), and ORL took the series in 6.
Then ORL forgot how to shoot in the Finals and got crushed.
I forgot to mention, 2008-09 was the first of LeBron& #39;s four MVPs, and deservedly so. This was his athletic & defensive peak IMO, and likely the last time he went full throttle for the better part of an 82 game season. They went 76-20 including playoffs, a simply incredible year.
Year 7 was also very strong, despite his free agency on the horizon. 61-21 record, +7.1 net, No. 1 seed again.
After taking CHI 4-1, they ran into the Big Three Celtics again. BOS had a solid 50 win, +3.9 net season, but it fit the mold of a prior champion on cruise control.
After taking CHI 4-1, they ran into the Big Three Celtics again. BOS had a solid 50 win, +3.9 net season, but it fit the mold of a prior champion on cruise control.
They won the ECF 4-2, then took the Lakers to 7 games in the Finals, so clearly were better than advertised on the surface.
Still, this was one of LBJ& #39;s worse series: a ho-hum 27p, 9r, 7a on 55.6% TS and the most stocks on either team.
Not bad, but not what CLE needed, either.
Still, this was one of LBJ& #39;s worse series: a ho-hum 27p, 9r, 7a on 55.6% TS and the most stocks on either team.
Not bad, but not what CLE needed, either.
The last 3 games in particular were poor by his standards, and BOS won the series fairly convincingly in 6 games. This is one of two series losses in his career that merits some legitimate criticism IMO.
Of course, only two in a career that long is pretty good TBH.
Of course, only two in a career that long is pretty good TBH.
