In an alternate universe where Miami make the finals, does LBJ choke like always

[Celtics4ever]

I think he will choke.  He cares more about his brand than winning.   No other supposed greatest in the game of all time got swept in the finals.  The moment things get rough in the playoff the old demons will come back to him.

Swept in the finals counts as choking to me, folks.   Besides last year he didn't choke he quit which is worse.   He is a great player but he doesn't have the heart of a champion and his 6-24 from the field games will surface again.

NBA can market him all they want, I am not drinking the Kool-aid.  Saw him growing up and his shot has improved since he was a sophmore in HS.

[Fan from VT]

I think he will choke.  He cares more about his brand than winning.   No other supposed greatest in the game of all time got swept in the finals.  The moment things get rough in the playoff the old demons will come back to him.

Swept in the finals counts as choking to me, folks.   Besides last year he didn't choke he quit which is worse.   He is a great player but he doesn't have the heart of a champion and his 6-24 from the field games will surface again.

NBA can market him all they want, I am not drinking the Kool-aid.  Saw him growing up and his shot has improved since he was a sophmore in HS.

that's interesting. so it's less "chokey" to lose in the conference finals in 6 or 7 games than to make the finals and get swept? Seems like the further a team goes, the better it is. Also, isn't basketball a team game? I'm not sure why all the success/failure in basketball is ascribed to one person. What, exactly, did KG/Ray/PP do differently in '08 than they did their entire careers, except play with better teammates?

[mgent]

Age 22 vs. Spurs: 22pts, 6.75 assts, 7 rbs, 6.3 to's, 20-29 FT's, 32-90 fg. Pretty good series against a great Spurs squad that was significantly better at every other position on the floor.

Age 23 vs. Celts 26.7 pts, 7.6 assts, 6.4 rbs, 5.2 to's, 105-258 fg, 112-157 ft's. And Cleveland outscored Boston in the series. Not a choke job at all; great win for the C's that again was better at 4/5 of the other positions on the floor.

Age 24 vs. Orlando: 38.5 pts, 8 assts, 8.3 rbs, 5 to's, 70-94  ft's, 75-154 fg's. Cleveland just couldn't handle Orlando's matchups elsewhere, but that's a great series.

These are just the elimination series from '07-'09. I don't see a choke at all, just a very good player with a terrible overwhelmed supporting cast. Even last year's "epic choke"

Age 25 vs. Boston: 26.8 pts, 7.2 assts, 9.3 rbs, 4.5 to's, 52-70 fts', 51-114 fg's.

TP for this list, LeBron has only one game where I'd consider him choking, Game 5 last year.

Meanwhile he's had a lot more huge games that got his team wins, the Game 2 of the Orlando series in 09. Or the 24 straight points against the Pistons team that had just been to the Finals.

I think last year is the only year where anyone can make a case that he choked, but I also think you can say that for the entire series.  It wasn't just one game where he failed to live up to the MVP title.  Overall he looked very unLeBron-like except for 1 or 2 games.

[Celtics4ever]

Greats don't get swept they find a way to win a game....

[Fafnir]

Greats don't get swept they find a way to win a game....

Glad to know that Shaq, Kobe, Tim Duncan, Wilt Chamberlin, and Larry Bird aren't greats since they've all gotten swept in a playoff series.

[BASS_THUMPER]

bests believe ya boy james aint goin down without a fight...

james threw those games in cleveland..he had to lose to break away...if he took it to la..impossible to leave..

he goiin hard this time around

[Finkelskyhook]

The alternative universe will happen when Ainge blows us up.  Until then, the messiah will choke in whatever round his team plays a team who actually plays defense, has the depth to take about 15 phantom fouls a game,  and slows the game down.

[indeedproceed]

I don't think LeBron has ever really choked in the playoffs.

I do think though that he's been surrounded by what is obviously the worst collection of basketball talent on any team, and made them infinitely better.

When Miami loses in the playoffs this year, it won't be because LeBron choked and gave it away, it'll be because a team is good enough to take it away.

[BballTim]

Greats don't get swept they find a way to win a game....

Glad to know that Shaq, Kobe, Tim Duncan, Wilt Chamberlin, and Larry Bird aren't greats since they've all gotten swept in a playoff series.

  Didn't the Celts sweep MJ and the Bulls? Another slacker. Oh, and add in Magic, Kareem and Isaiah.

[barefacedmonk]

I don't think LeBron has ever really choked in the playoffs.

I agree. Contrary to the belief, it was our defense that won the playoffs last year not his "choke job".

When Miami loses in the playoffs this year, it won't be because LeBron choked and gave it away, it'll be because a team is good enough to take it away.

TP for using 'when' and not 'if'.

[BASS_THUMPER]

Greats don't get swept they find a way to win a game....

Glad to know that Shaq, Kobe, Tim Duncan, Wilt Chamberlin, and Larry Bird aren't greats since they've all gotten swept in a playoff series.

  Didn't the Celts sweep MJ and the Bulls? Another slacker. Oh, and add in Magic, Kareem and Isaiah.

jordan,,lol

look up slacker and u while see his named udNer in the definition sentence..

he  is only know for stickin his tounge out while he dunked on fools

[BballTim]

I think he will choke.  He cares more about his brand than winning.   No other supposed greatest in the game of all time got swept in the finals.  The moment things get rough in the playoff the old demons will come back to him.

Swept in the finals counts as choking to me, folks.   Besides last year he didn't choke he quit which is worse.   He is a great player but he doesn't have the heart of a champion and his 6-24 from the field games will surface again.

NBA can market him all they want, I am not drinking the Kool-aid.  Saw him growing up and his shot has improved since he was a sophmore in HS.

  Magic, Kareem, Shaq, Elvin Hayes, Earl Monroe and Wes Unseld were swept in the finals. In fact Magic, Kareem and Unseld were swept *twice* in the Finals.

[mgent]

Greats don't get swept they find a way to win a game....

Glad to know that Shaq, Kobe, Tim Duncan, Wilt Chamberlin, and Larry Bird aren't greats since they've all gotten swept in a playoff series.

  Didn't the Celts sweep MJ and the Bulls? Another slacker. Oh, and add in Magic, Kareem and Isaiah.

What about Russell, that's the true test.

[Moranis]

Greats don't get swept they find a way to win a game....

Glad to know that Shaq, Kobe, Tim Duncan, Wilt Chamberlin, and Larry Bird aren't greats since they've all gotten swept in a playoff series.

let us also not forget Michael Jordan who was swept in the first round in back to back seasons.

How about the Bad Boy Pistons, swept in the conference finals of 90-91 (by MJ's Bulls) after winning the previous two NBA titles.  And that first title by the Pistons, they swept the two time defending champion Showtime Lakers in the Finals (Kareem, Magic, Worthy, Green, Scott, Thompson, Scott, etc.)  Which is even more amazing because the Lakers didn't lose a single playoff game until hitting the Pistons in the finals (that team swept the Suns, Sonics, Blazers).

[Eja117]

Greats don't get swept they find a way to win a game....

Glad to know that Shaq, Kobe, Tim Duncan, Wilt Chamberlin, and Larry Bird aren't greats since they've all gotten swept in a playoff series.