Is it just me, or is Lebron looking much more human these days?
I wonder if age and mileages are starting to catch up with him. I mean sure he had 30 tonight, but he also shot 9-25 from the field and 0-5 from three with 6 turnovers.
Plus I dunno, watching him play he just doesn't seem to physically dominate the way he used to - doesn't seem as explosive, and often looks like he's trying to force bad plays and getting frustrated as a result.
I've always felt that Lebron was a guy who was incredibly dependant on his physical dominance (athleticism, specifically) and that once it started to fade he wouldn't have the skills to continue to dominate the way guys like Kobe/MJ did late in their careers. Starting to wonder if that's true because Lebron is only barely 30 and already looks a step behind where he once was.
I mean he still a great player, but he no longer looks like he is unstoppable, can dominate at will and is 2 levels above everybody else. He looks defendable now.
With this version of Lebron, these Cavs are very much beatable. Irving and Love are both pretty one dimension (and overrated, IMO players, and the rest of the roster is really nothing special.
Toronto could give them a real scare in a 7 games series, and I think even Boston would make it
tough.
I think this Eastern conference is more wide open than people think.
He's not the same, but it may be that he's at the point where he's monitoring his effort. IOW, he cannot dominate the game all the time and still be the player he needs to be in the playoffs for the Cavs to have a chance to win. Last season, he seemed to to slow down, but I thought he was clearly the best player in the playoffs.
I think he is getting older and more worn down, and he no longer has the physical ability to be that guy all the time.
But I think the problem is that it looks like in his mind, he is still that guy, and I get the impression that he feels like he can still do the things that he can no longer still do. If that makes sense.
It's like he'll still try to drive hard and force his way to the basket the way he would have two years ago, except he's not getting the same explosiveness and the defender is sticking with him. Or he gets to the basket but can't go up as strong as he used to, and ends up missing the layup or getting blocked.
Wheras in the past, he would have blown straight by the defender with his explosiveness and/or made the shot despite contact.
To me it looks like he also lacks trust in his teammates - like he doesn't trust in there ability to make the right play, so he feels he has to keep forcing it all himself.
Kind reminds me of watching Kobe in those later (less impressive) Laker years, when he had no support around him and no trust in any teammates, so he was just constantly trying to force things that he just couldn't do anymore.
If you look guys who continue to excel as they get older, they tend to adjust their game to make up for the things they can no longer do. Karl Malone for example became a really good jump shooter - ditto KG - when they realised they couldn't overpower people with physicality anymore.
I feel like it's reaching that point where if Lebron wants to give himself a serious shot at another title, he's going to have to change the way he plays the game. Give up some of the responsibility, try to get other guys involved more - allow your to beat the opponent as a team, rather than individually.
I think a lot of people take for granted how much Dwyane Wade helped Lebron's career in Miami. Having a physically dominant, high energy guy like Wade always in attack mode drew a LOT of attention, and would have given Lebron a hell of a lot more space to operate. Kyrie and Love are both more finesse players who don't play with that type of wreckless aggression, and I think because of that it's forcing Lebron to ALWAYS be the aggressor...which I think will wear him down in time.
I kinda agree with a lot of people that Love doesn't fit with Irving and Lebron. They need an aggressive, physically dominant guy there to take attention off Lebron.
Kyle Lowry would be a fantastic fit in Cleveland I think, or Jimmy Butler. Maybe even take a gamble on Joakhim Noah or Derek Rose - much as I dislike both players, they definitely have no shortage aggression. Maybe try to swing a Love-for-Cousins deal with Sacramento. A big, strong, physical, angry guy like Cousins would be just what that team needs.
That roster right now just screams soft - when Lebron is the toughest guy on your team, it's not a good sign.
Topic: Celtics (29-22) at Cavaliers (35-13) Game #52 2/5/16 (Read 88164 times)