1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:16,320 Speaker 1: The Volume. All right, welcome to tonight. You're at the Volume. 2 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 1: Happy Saturday, everybody. I hope all of you guys are 3 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: having a great start to your weekend. We are live 4 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 1: on AMPS. If you're watching on YouTube or listening on 5 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:24,800 Speaker 1: the podcast feeds, don't forget that AMP is the very 6 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: first place that you guys can get these shows, reaching 7 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 1: the very end of our top twenty five players for 8 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:32,880 Speaker 1: the last twenty five years today with number one, mister 9 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: Lebron James. And then I've got three mail bag questions 10 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:37,160 Speaker 1: for the end of the show as well. You guys 11 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: know the drop before we get started. Subscribe to the 12 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:41,160 Speaker 1: Volumes YouTube channels. You don't miss any more of our videos. 13 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 1: Follow me on Twitter and underscore Jason LT so you 14 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: guys don't miss any show announcements. And for whatever reason 15 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 1: you miss one of these videos and you can't get 16 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:50,159 Speaker 1: back over to YouTube to finish, don't forget you can 17 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: find them wherever you get your podcasts. Under Hoops tonight, 18 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: all right, let's talk some basketball. Lebron James' accolades just 19 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: a ridiculous list here, four time NBA champion, best player 20 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: on four championship teams, thirteen times first Team All NBA. 21 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:11,479 Speaker 1: That's the most in NBA history, two more than anybody else. 22 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 1: Nineteen total all NBA selections, that's also the most in 23 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:19,920 Speaker 1: NBA history, four more than everyone else, six all defense selections. 24 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:22,559 Speaker 1: He was the scoring champion in two thousand and eight. 25 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: He was the assist champion in twenty twenty. He is 26 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 1: the NBA's all time leading scorer, not just in the 27 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 1: regular season, but also in the postseason. Lebron James has 28 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: two thousand and thirty six more playoff points than any 29 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: player in NBA history. He's also thirty second on the 30 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 1: all time rebounds list, fourth on the all time playoff 31 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 1: rebounds list, fourth on the all time assists list, second 32 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 1: on the all time playoff assists list. And he is 33 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: a four time regular season MVP, which is the fourth 34 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: most in NBA history, and he won it four out 35 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: of five times. Now. One of the prevailing narratives surrounding 36 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: Lebron's careers he should have won the MVP every season. 37 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: I don't see it that way. The only year that 38 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: I think he should have one that he didn't was 39 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty season. I thought that really weak Eastern 40 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: Conference kind of bolstered Giannis's numbers and his team's performance, 41 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 1: and Lebron and the Lakers were right behind him. And 42 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: Lebron is just a better basketball player, and he demonstrated 43 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 1: so in the playoff run. I thought that was the 44 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 1: one year he deserved it. But every one of the 45 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:24,360 Speaker 1: all time greats kind of has a year like that 46 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 1: in there. MJ's got a few of them two, but 47 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: Lebron four regular season MVPs feels about right. He's also 48 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 1: a four time NBA Finals MVP, which is the second 49 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: most in NBA history to MJ. The only two players 50 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:39,640 Speaker 1: in NBA history that have at least four Finals MVPs 51 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: are Lebron James and Michael Jordan. So Lebron has two 52 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: major claims to fame that I want to hit on. 53 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 1: The first is Lebron is the most accomplished basketball player ever. 54 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: Lebron's list of accomplishments, which I just ran through, is 55 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: so insane that if you divided his career in half 56 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: in the summer of twenty fourteen, so if you took 57 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 1: the first Calves stint and the Miami Heat stint on 58 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,639 Speaker 1: one side and pretended that was one player, and then 59 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 1: you took the second calv Stint and the Lakers years 60 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,080 Speaker 1: and thought of that as a second player. Both of 61 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 1: those players would come in in the top ten of 62 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 1: this list. To be exact, they come in at number 63 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: six and number seven. So let's look at him separately 64 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: for a second. Lebron pre summer of twenty fourteen, four MVPs, 65 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 1: ten all NBA selections, five trips to the NBA Finals. 66 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:29,680 Speaker 1: Best player on two championship teams, two finals MVPs. That 67 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 1: comes in at number six on this list. Easy Lebron 68 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: post summer twenty fourteen, no MVPs, but finished second twice 69 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: in third twice, nine all NBA selections. Five more trips 70 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 1: to the finals. Best player on two more championship teams, 71 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: two more finals MVPs. That comes in at seventh on 72 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 1: this list. That's ridiculous. You're taking two complete, separate sections 73 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: of his career and independently they are all time great 74 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 1: NBA players. That is why he is the most accomplished 75 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 1: player in NBA his He's the NBA's all time leading scorer. 76 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 1: He's the NBA's all time leading playoff scorer. He the 77 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 1: most first team All nbas in NBA history, the most 78 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: all NBA selections overall in NBA history. That's his first 79 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 1: claim to fame. Nobody accomplished more in their NBA career 80 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: than Lebron James. The second claim to fame is that 81 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 1: he is the most consistent playoff performer of all time. 82 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:22,840 Speaker 1: Because of Lebron's overall versatility in the many different ways 83 00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 1: that he impacts winning and the fact that he doesn't 84 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 1: rely on his jump shot to be great offensively, he 85 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 1: doesn't have the problem that most perimeter players do in 86 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:35,159 Speaker 1: NBA history, which is, oh, my SHOT's not falling, my 87 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 1: effectiveness craters. Don't get me wrong. If Lebron's making his 88 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 1: jump shot, it's up at an even higher level than that. 89 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 1: But on any given night, because Lebron doesn't need to 90 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:47,040 Speaker 1: make jump shots to impact winning, he was the most 91 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:52,720 Speaker 1: consistently great playoff player in NBA history. Here's a little stat. Obviously, 92 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:55,360 Speaker 1: you just knew that from watching him and as a fan, 93 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:57,920 Speaker 1: what it was like rooting for Lebron was like, every 94 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:00,080 Speaker 1: single time there was a big playoff game, I just 95 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 1: knew he was going to play well. I don't really 96 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:04,920 Speaker 1: know how else to describe it. It was like, basically 97 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: from about I would say, from two thousand and seventeen 98 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 1: on if it was almost certain, but it was kind 99 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: of something that was taking place before then as it 100 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:17,480 Speaker 1: built that faith and confidence. But like twenty seventeen eighteen, 101 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:20,159 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty playoff run, if there was a big game, 102 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 1: I just knew Lebron was going to play well. It 103 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:24,280 Speaker 1: was the craziest thing as a fan rooting for him. 104 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 1: It was a wild reliability that he had, and I 105 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: wanted to give a stat to kind of demonstrate that 106 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:32,279 Speaker 1: for you guys. So Lebron James shot below forty percent 107 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:36,799 Speaker 1: in a playoff game just nineteen times in one hundred 108 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:40,559 Speaker 1: and sixty eight playoff games from twenty twelve to twenty twenty. 109 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:42,280 Speaker 1: That's the period that I think Lebron was the best 110 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 1: player in the world from twenty twelve to twenty twenty. 111 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,160 Speaker 1: Seven of those nineteen games were in that twenty fifteen 112 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:50,359 Speaker 1: season when he had the bad back and both of 113 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: his co stars were hurt, So he was facing obviously 114 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: some pretty tough coverages during the nine years that MJ 115 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,839 Speaker 1: excuse me. During the nine year stretch there for Lebron, 116 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:04,919 Speaker 1: there was about a one in ten chance nineteen and 117 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: one hundred and sixty eight playoff games, roughly about a 118 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:09,599 Speaker 1: one in ten chance that Lebron would have a rough 119 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 1: offensive night. Right to give you an example, Michael Jordan 120 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:17,479 Speaker 1: in the nineties shot below forty percent twenty three times 121 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:20,359 Speaker 1: in one hundred and forty two playoff games. That's over 122 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 1: sixteen percent of the time. So to give you an 123 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: idea that like MJ was prone to these bad shooting 124 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:30,360 Speaker 1: nights because he relied a lot on perimeter shot making. Obviously, 125 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:32,719 Speaker 1: he was a gunning score that was his main way 126 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:35,040 Speaker 1: to impact winning. So that doesn't change that. I think 127 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: MJ's the goat. You guys know that, But that doesn't 128 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:39,599 Speaker 1: changed the fact that on a night in night out basis, 129 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:42,480 Speaker 1: there was more volatility with Michael Jordan. When it comes 130 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:45,920 Speaker 1: to volatility, no player had to deal with less of 131 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: that than Lebron James. In his prime, he was the 132 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:53,360 Speaker 1: most consistently great playoff player in NBA history. Now, there 133 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 1: are three crowning achievements that I want to dive into 134 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 1: with Lebron, but all three rely on a very important 135 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 1: moment that happened in Lebron's career that I want to 136 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 1: talk about. I want to talk about the twenty eleven 137 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: Finals and what that meant for Lebron James big black 138 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 1: mark on his resume is something that is repeatedly brought 139 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: up by his detractors. Now, those of you guys who've 140 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 1: been listening to the show for a while have heard 141 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 1: me say this before, but I view twenty eleven as 142 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 1: a very, very important moment in Lebron's career because he 143 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaker 1: was already incredibly good at basketball and was already an 144 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 1: incredibly hard worker, but he needed to go to another 145 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:30,240 Speaker 1: level beyond that if he wanted to achieve his ultimate goal, 146 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 1: which was to be the greatest basketball player ever. He 147 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: needed a wake up call, in my opinion, in order 148 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 1: to accept that reality. I think when you saw the 149 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:42,840 Speaker 1: twenty eleven heat form, when you saw that weird parade 150 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 1: they had at the arena, when you saw some of 151 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 1: the way Lebron carried himself during that season, I think 152 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:49,080 Speaker 1: he was under the impression that it was going to 153 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: be easier than it actually ended up being. And I 154 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 1: think that that wake up call at the hands of 155 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 1: the Mavericks ended up being exactly what he needed. Now 156 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 1: it was bad. Over the last four games of the 157 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 1: Mavericks series, Lebron averaged fifteen point eight points per game, 158 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 1: shot forty four percent from the field in nineteen percent 159 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 1: from three, and several specific weaknesses in his game got exposed. 160 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 1: It got exposed. For one, he had no real confidence 161 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 1: in his jump shot, especially in high stakes games. Number two, 162 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 1: he couldn't play with his back to the basket. Why 163 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 1: does that matter all these downhill power players. Once you 164 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 1: get to a certain phase against certain caliber of defenses, 165 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: they packed the paint and you just can't drive in 166 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 1: there like that. And so having the ability to back 167 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 1: a defender down and more methodically work your way into 168 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 1: the paint is a very very important trait in the 169 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 1: late stages of the NBA playoffs for power players, and 170 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: the navs were able to switch JJ Burrea or Jason 171 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 1: Kidd on him, or even when he had you know, 172 00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:49,959 Speaker 1: Sean Marion on him, he was capable of physically inflicting himself, 173 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 1: but the paint was packed and he did not successfully 174 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:56,240 Speaker 1: navigate that because he couldn't turn his back to the basket. 175 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: So that was the second flaw that got exposed. And 176 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:01,119 Speaker 1: then the third big one was he responded to adversity 177 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:05,560 Speaker 1: by becoming passive rather than being more and more aggressive 178 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 1: and all three of those he immediately addressed came to 179 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 1: the surface. He was embarrassed, it was an ugly summer, 180 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 1: and he got in the lab and he fixed those problems. 181 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 1: Started by relentlessly working on his jump shot. Famously, he 182 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 1: would travel with his shooting coach, So when he'd go 183 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 1: around with Nike to all the events he'd have to 184 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 1: do in the summer, he'd bring a shooting coach with 185 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: him and they would just work on his jump shot 186 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:31,200 Speaker 1: every single day. Now, as you know, progress with jump 187 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 1: shot is incremental. You have to shoot thousands and thousands 188 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 1: of shots to experience a slight improvement. And so it 189 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 1: wasn't something that happened overnight, but you did see it 190 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 1: happen pretty quickly over the rest of his prime. So 191 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:45,920 Speaker 1: to give you an idea, in twenty twelve, Lebron had 192 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: a thirty seven percent effective field goal percentage on jump 193 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:53,199 Speaker 1: shots in the playoffs. Twenty thirteen forty seven percent, twenty 194 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 1: fourteen fifty two percent, so quickly rising efficiency on jump 195 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 1: shots in the playoffs. Twenty fifteen was his down year. 196 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:03,840 Speaker 1: Like I said, that was the year that his back 197 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: was hurt and they were packing the pain on him. 198 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 1: He have a really rough jump shooting season. That's the 199 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:09,080 Speaker 1: year that I always refer to on this show as 200 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:13,200 Speaker 1: Lebron's like weird outlier shooting year. That's the year that 201 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:15,600 Speaker 1: I kind of look at the twenty twenty three season, 202 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:19,800 Speaker 1: as we'll see, was that another twenty fifteen for Lebron 203 00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:21,560 Speaker 1: because last year he couldn't make a damn jump shot 204 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: to save his life? Was that another twenty fifteen or 205 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:26,480 Speaker 1: was that a beginning of a larger decline for Lebron? 206 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 1: We will see kind of like what I said was 207 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:31,120 Speaker 1: steph during the regular season two years ago, right, but 208 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:34,600 Speaker 1: twenty fifteen was the down year. Lebron shot thirty three 209 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 1: percent in effective field goal percentage on jump shots, literally 210 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 1: shot below thirty percent overall on jump shots in field 211 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 1: goal percentage in that playoff run, but back to normal 212 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:46,840 Speaker 1: in twenty sixteen forty seven percent twenty seventeen, fifty six 213 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 1: percent effective fieldgal percentage twenty eighteen, forty nine percent, twenty 214 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:54,320 Speaker 1: twenty fifty percent. So after he fell flat on his face, 215 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:57,520 Speaker 1: forty seven percent or better in the effective fielgal percentage 216 00:10:57,520 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 1: in five of the next six postseasons. So he made 217 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 1: basically took what was a great weakness in his game 218 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:05,600 Speaker 1: through relentless hard work and turned it into now he's 219 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 1: an above average jump shooter, and if you dare him 220 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:10,080 Speaker 1: to shoot, he'll beat you, just like he did in 221 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:13,480 Speaker 1: the twenty thirteen finals. And that's the most important part 222 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 1: about it was it wasn't just that he got better 223 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 1: at it. He got to the point where he was 224 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:21,520 Speaker 1: confident and comfortable taking jump shots in big moments. Obviously, 225 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 1: like I said, closing out the Spurs in twenty thirteen 226 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:25,960 Speaker 1: with a jump shot. He had a massive three in 227 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:28,080 Speaker 1: the fourth quarter of Game seven in the twenty sixteen 228 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 1: finals against the Warriors. And by twenty eighteen, and we're 229 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 1: gonna talk about this later, he just had this ridiculous 230 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:37,320 Speaker 1: confidence just coming out of him, like he just got 231 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 1: to his spots and he and he always felt comfortable 232 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 1: and confident rising up into a shot, completely different than 233 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 1: what we saw from him in twenty eleven. Can you 234 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 1: believe we've had seven months without an NFL game? 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Call eight 253 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 1: eight eight seven eight nine seven seven seven seven or 254 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:03,000 Speaker 1: visit CCPG. Do please play responsibly on behalf of Boothill 255 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 1: Casino and Resort in Kansas twenty one plus age varies 256 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 1: by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. See DKG dot co slash 257 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:16,839 Speaker 1: football for eligibility terms and responsible gambling resources. Bonus bets 258 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 1: expire seven days after issuance. Eligibility and deposit restrictions apply. Secondly, 259 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:26,680 Speaker 1: he developed the most devastating post game in the league. 260 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 1: In twenty eleven in the playoffs, Lebron made just nineteen 261 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:33,920 Speaker 1: shots out of the post in that playoff run. Now 262 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:37,960 Speaker 1: in twenty twelve, you saw that change and approach immediately manifest. 263 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:41,559 Speaker 1: He scored thirty five madefield goals in the twenty twelve 264 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:44,840 Speaker 1: playoffs out of the post, almost double in one summer 265 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:47,480 Speaker 1: of working on his footwork and working on finishing moves. 266 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:50,680 Speaker 1: There By twenty fourteen, Lebron had become the very best 267 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: post player in the entire NBA. In twenty fourteen, among 268 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 1: thirty one players to run at least three hundred post 269 00:13:56,360 --> 00:14:00,200 Speaker 1: ups that season, Lebron finished first, scoring one point one 270 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:03,440 Speaker 1: two points per possession including passes. Twenty fifteen was the 271 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:06,320 Speaker 1: bad year, like I told you guys earlier. Twenty sixteen, 272 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:08,679 Speaker 1: second place out of nineteen players to run at least 273 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:11,640 Speaker 1: three hundred post ups. Twenty seventeen, fourth place out of 274 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:14,040 Speaker 1: nineteen players to run at least three hundred post ups 275 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 1: twenty eighteen, first place out of seventeen players to run 276 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 1: at least three hundred post ups. Twenty nineteen, he got hurt, 277 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 1: and he still scored two hundred and seven points one 278 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 1: hundred ninety five post ups, and then in twenty twenty 279 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:28,800 Speaker 1: getting more towards the end of Lebron's career, third place 280 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:30,840 Speaker 1: out of eight players to run at least three hundred 281 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 1: post ups. So he went from a guy who like 282 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 1: was not comfortable playing with his back to the basket 283 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 1: to being maybe the very best at it. And that's 284 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 1: what I met when I said he needed to push 285 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 1: himself to the very to like another level that he 286 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 1: wasn't even aware of at the time. He needed to 287 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:49,920 Speaker 1: fall flat on his face and be embarrassed to understand 288 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:52,320 Speaker 1: the level of work that was required for him to 289 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 1: enter into the conversation with people like Michael Jordan. And 290 00:14:55,840 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 1: he did the relentless work ethic to fix his jump shot, 291 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 1: the relentless work ethic to footwork and polish in the post. 292 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 1: He also added a ton of footwork and a polished 293 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:07,440 Speaker 1: to his handle to turn himself into a top tier 294 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 1: shot maker. Now you saw this more in that twenty 295 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:14,240 Speaker 1: seventeen to twenty twenty range. But all of that improvisational, 296 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:18,240 Speaker 1: creative scoring, all of that touch and adjusted release points 297 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 1: and dribble combinations and footwork and stuff that you need 298 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 1: to create and make tough jump shots over the top 299 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 1: of the defense. Lebron had become one of the best 300 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:28,320 Speaker 1: players in the league at that towards the tail end 301 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 1: of his prime and then the last one. Like I 302 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 1: said earlier, he had responded to adversity by becoming passive 303 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:37,800 Speaker 1: rather than aggressive. You saw that pretty quickly in twenty 304 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 1: twelve when his back was against the wall. So let's 305 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 1: get to his first crowning achievement, winning back to back 306 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 1: MVP's Finals MVPs and a gold medal in twenty twelve 307 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: and in twenty thirteen. So in twenty twelve, Lebron comes 308 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 1: out the gates absolutely blazing. He goes thirty eight to 309 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 1: eight in their first nine games on sixty from the field, 310 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 1: the heat go eight and one. Lebron finishes the year 311 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:05,880 Speaker 1: averaging twenty seven, eight and six on sixty one percent 312 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 1: true shooting, First Team All NBA, First Team All Defense, 313 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 1: wins the regular season MVP, but ride and high going 314 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: into the playoffs. Chris Bosh gets hurt in Game one 315 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: of the Pacers series, pulls a muscle in his abdomen, 316 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:20,440 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden it gets rough. They drop 317 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 1: back to back games in game two, and in game 318 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 1: three they're on the road in Indiana, down two games 319 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 1: to one, facing serious trouble. Lebron drops forty points, eighteen rebounds, 320 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 1: and nine assists on the road in Game four to 321 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 1: tie the series. The Heat then regain control of the 322 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: series in advance, but Bosh doesn't come back until Game 323 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:41,320 Speaker 1: five of the Celtics series and comes off the bench 324 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 1: for the rest of the series as a limited version 325 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 1: of himself. So the Heat find themselves down three games 326 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 1: to two on the road in Boston, facing serious trouble, 327 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 1: and Lebron plays one of the very best games of 328 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:55,320 Speaker 1: his career, a forty five point masterpiece, just crushing the 329 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:59,200 Speaker 1: souls of the Boston faithful and leaving no hope for victory. 330 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 1: I was actually watch Steph's Game four against Boston the 331 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:04,520 Speaker 1: other day, and all I could think is, like, man, 332 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:06,920 Speaker 1: Boston's had a rough go of it. Like they've had 333 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:10,199 Speaker 1: some good teams that lost in rather heartbreaking fashion at 334 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:13,359 Speaker 1: the hands of superstars in recent years, right like between 335 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:17,600 Speaker 1: twenty ten, Kobe twenty twelve, Lebron twenty twenty three, or 336 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two Steph Like it's it's been pretty rough there. 337 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:24,320 Speaker 1: But then in Game seven, after he scores forty five 338 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:26,520 Speaker 1: to send it the game seven, scores our assists on 339 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 1: fifteen consecutive points in the fourth quarter to put the 340 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:31,399 Speaker 1: Boston Celtics away. If you guys remember that was the 341 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:34,080 Speaker 1: birth of semi transition. Lebron. He started just kind of 342 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:36,560 Speaker 1: getting ahead of steam on Paul Pierce from half court 343 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:38,760 Speaker 1: and he just could not keep him in front. He 344 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:41,040 Speaker 1: had that driving in one and the driving dunk and 345 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 1: then the driving pass to Chris Bosh in the corner. 346 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:46,159 Speaker 1: Those of you guys who were Heat fans at the 347 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 1: time will remember that game very well. To The twenty 348 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:52,639 Speaker 1: twelve finals were an epic duel between Lebron, James and 349 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant, but Lebron stole the series in crunch time. 350 00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:00,400 Speaker 1: In that series, Lebron had fourteen points in clutch situations 351 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:03,359 Speaker 1: on four for seven from the field, compared to Kevin Durant, 352 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:05,800 Speaker 1: who only had seven points on two for eight shooting. 353 00:18:06,119 --> 00:18:08,679 Speaker 1: In clutch situations in the series. That was basically the 354 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:10,680 Speaker 1: difference in the series. The first four games of the 355 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:13,720 Speaker 1: series were all very close and all came down to 356 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:17,120 Speaker 1: clutch situations. KD got Game one, but in Game two, 357 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:20,280 Speaker 1: Lebron scores or assists on the last eight or excuse me, 358 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: Lebron scores or assists the last eight, I can't talk. 359 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:27,119 Speaker 1: In Game two, Lebron scores or assists on eight of 360 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:29,880 Speaker 1: the last ten points in the game for the Heat. 361 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:32,320 Speaker 1: And then in Game three, the Thunder up by one 362 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 1: with seven minutes left, Lebron generates every single Miami Heat 363 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 1: point except for one way bucket and one in a 364 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:41,040 Speaker 1: thirteen to eight run that puts Miami up by four 365 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 1: with sixteen seconds left, and they end up going up 366 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:45,080 Speaker 1: to to one in the series. And then Game four, 367 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:47,639 Speaker 1: you guys, remember the cramp game, Lebron hits the biggest 368 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:49,320 Speaker 1: shot of the game. Tied at ninety four, late in 369 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:51,399 Speaker 1: the fourth quarter, hits a pull up three at the 370 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:53,000 Speaker 1: top of the key that ends up being the go 371 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:55,159 Speaker 1: ahead shot. And then Game five was basically a blowout, 372 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:57,640 Speaker 1: but you guys get the deal. KD gets Game one, 373 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 1: Game two, Game three, Game four, Lebron James wins those 374 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 1: games in crunch time with slow down half court shot creation, 375 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:08,919 Speaker 1: something that was a weakness for him in the past, 376 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:11,560 Speaker 1: and so that was what was kind of cool about 377 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:15,359 Speaker 1: that twenty eleven moment was it was this ugly moment 378 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:20,520 Speaker 1: that he immediately rectified and then came back and basically 379 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 1: put forth one of the best redemption stories in NBA history, 380 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:27,640 Speaker 1: saving their asses against Indiana, saving their asses against Boston, 381 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:31,119 Speaker 1: and then closing the NBA Finals in crunch time against 382 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:34,159 Speaker 1: the Oklahoma City Thunder. All right, moving on to the 383 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:37,200 Speaker 1: twenty twelve Olympics. That summer far and away the best 384 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:38,960 Speaker 1: player on the team, if you guys remember him and 385 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:41,520 Speaker 1: Chris Paul both have a bunch of clutch plays down 386 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 1: the stretch against Spain as they end up winning the 387 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:46,199 Speaker 1: gold medal. This was a crazy stat. Lebron finished the 388 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:49,919 Speaker 1: summer of twenty twelve scoring seventy seven points on fifty 389 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:52,960 Speaker 1: eight post ups in ISOs. That's one point thirty three 390 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 1: points per possession. That's completely outrageous. Then he goes into 391 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: twenty thirteen, another summer working on his jump shot, working 392 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:02,120 Speaker 1: on his post moves, comes in looking like the best 393 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,680 Speaker 1: player alive. Now, I want to fast forward to February, 394 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:09,359 Speaker 1: specifically February third of twenty thirteen. Lebron rips off six 395 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:12,840 Speaker 1: consecutive games with at least thirty points on at least 396 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:16,159 Speaker 1: sixty percent shooting from the field. But not only was 397 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:19,200 Speaker 1: that a crazy stretch of efficient scoring output, that also 398 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:21,680 Speaker 1: was the first six games of an epic winning streak. 399 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:25,320 Speaker 1: The Heat ripped off twenty seven consecutive wins in the spring, 400 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,959 Speaker 1: the longest streak in NBA history and the longest streak 401 00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:31,600 Speaker 1: in excuse me, the second longest streak in NBA history 402 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:35,760 Speaker 1: and the longest in modern basketball because the nineteen seventy 403 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:40,840 Speaker 1: two Lakers where the longest streak with thirty three games. Again, 404 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:43,720 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy two an entirely different era of basketball, so 405 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:47,600 Speaker 1: basically the longest winning streak in modern basketball history. Lebron 406 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:50,240 Speaker 1: in that winning streak averages twenty seven to eight to 407 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:53,840 Speaker 1: eight on fifty eight percent from the field. Lebron finishes 408 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:56,119 Speaker 1: this season with twenty seven to seven to eight on 409 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:59,120 Speaker 1: sixty four percent true shooting, makes First Team All NBA, 410 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:02,520 Speaker 1: First Team All Defense, wins MVP, and then caps it 411 00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:05,680 Speaker 1: off with an absolutely epic performance in the twenty thirteen Finals, 412 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 1: down three games to two at home against San Antonio, 413 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:12,639 Speaker 1: Tim Duncan's kicking Chris Bosh's ass, He's got thirty and seventeen. 414 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:15,560 Speaker 1: In Game six, the Heater down by ten to start 415 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:19,800 Speaker 1: the fourth quarter, facing elimination, and Lebron just locks in 416 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:23,440 Speaker 1: and puts forth yet another incredibly dominant stretch of basketball, 417 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 1: generates twenty of the first twenty two Heat points in 418 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:29,399 Speaker 1: the fourth quarter, a twenty two to nine run that 419 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 1: leaves the Heat up by three late. Now, you guys 420 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:34,000 Speaker 1: might remember this as the birth of no headband Lebron, 421 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:35,679 Speaker 1: because he lost his head band and played without it 422 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:38,359 Speaker 1: for the rest of that game. But that also was 423 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,240 Speaker 1: the birth of ball screener Lebron because they started to 424 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:43,960 Speaker 1: break out that Mario Chalmers Lebron James pick and roll 425 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:47,440 Speaker 1: where Lebron was the screener in that specific situation. We've 426 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:49,800 Speaker 1: now seen a lot more of that with Lebron in 427 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:53,399 Speaker 1: later years. But then Tony Parker, another guy who was 428 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 1: on this list, makes two ridiculous plays, a step back 429 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:58,880 Speaker 1: three in Lebron James's face to tie it, and then 430 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 1: this ridiculous turner jump shot in the short range over 431 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:03,920 Speaker 1: Mario Chalmers to put him up by two with less 432 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:06,360 Speaker 1: than a minute left. Lebron has a couple bad turnovers. 433 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 1: He gets stripped by Kawhi leonard On like a spin move, 434 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:11,560 Speaker 1: and then he tries to throw a lob past to 435 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:15,240 Speaker 1: Chris Bosh that is off target, and all of a sudden, 436 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 1: they're down by five with twenty eight seconds left, but 437 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:21,120 Speaker 1: Lebron hits a three to get it back to two, 438 00:22:21,359 --> 00:22:23,280 Speaker 1: and then Kawhi misses a free throw, and then Ray 439 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:26,199 Speaker 1: Allen hits a three. They go to OT and then 440 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 1: Lebron scores her assists on all three heat buckets and OT, 441 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 1: including him himself making the go ahead shot with less 442 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:35,400 Speaker 1: than two minutes left, a little pop shot from about 443 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:38,480 Speaker 1: seven feet away, and then Chris block Staindy Green in 444 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:40,720 Speaker 1: the corner. We're going to game seven. In Game seven, 445 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:43,560 Speaker 1: Lebron's game completely comes together. He hits five threes, he 446 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:45,760 Speaker 1: goes eight for eight from the free throw line, really 447 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:48,879 Speaker 1: starts picking on Tim Duncan and switches in the fourth quarter, 448 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:51,640 Speaker 1: hitting pull up jump shots in his face like using 449 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:54,400 Speaker 1: good rhythm combinations to set his rhythm, and then rise 450 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 1: up and knock down shots and then he hits the 451 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:58,440 Speaker 1: biggest shot of his life, up by two with less 452 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:01,879 Speaker 1: than thirty seconds left. The Spurs were daring Lebron to shoot, 453 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:05,439 Speaker 1: like playing way off Kawi's garden, Lebron just above the 454 00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:12,119 Speaker 1: foul line, and so the Sposure has Mario Chalmers come 455 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:15,119 Speaker 1: starts setting ghost screens at the foul line right and 456 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:17,639 Speaker 1: essentially the Spurs have Tony Parker like hedge and then 457 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:21,000 Speaker 1: recover and Lebron just finds that little gap between Tony 458 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 1: Parker's hedge and before Kawhi Leonard closed out, closes out 459 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:27,040 Speaker 1: and stops and pops from twenty feet on the right elbow, 460 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:30,680 Speaker 1: knocks down the shot. Ice is the game, and the 461 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:34,000 Speaker 1: Miami Heat win their second consecutive NBA championship. You know, 462 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:37,119 Speaker 1: I put in my notes the fist pump because this 463 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:39,919 Speaker 1: was something that I remember in the moment was cool 464 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:42,760 Speaker 1: as a basketball fan. Lebron makes the jump shot over 465 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 1: Kawhi that it basically wins his second championship, and he 466 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:47,640 Speaker 1: walks over to the sideline and you can visibly see 467 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:50,680 Speaker 1: him like a lot of Lebron celebrations over the years 468 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:53,479 Speaker 1: are like, you know, normal player celebrations, or they're kind 469 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:55,639 Speaker 1: of like, you know, talking to it's kind of like 470 00:23:55,760 --> 00:23:57,479 Speaker 1: performative for the crowd in a good way. I mean, 471 00:23:57,520 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 1: like he's a showman, right, But there was like this 472 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 1: private celebration Lebron has where he kind of looking down 473 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:05,000 Speaker 1: and he just kind of pops his hand on his 474 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 1: fist like that and says like come on or something 475 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 1: like that, and like you could just tell it was 476 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 1: like the physical manifestation of the emotion of two years 477 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 1: of relentless hard work to turn one of his weaknesses 478 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:24,960 Speaker 1: into his strength. As his strength manifested on the biggest 479 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 1: possible stage, as he made jump shot after jump shot 480 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:32,080 Speaker 1: after jump shot to win the NBA Finals when two 481 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:34,440 Speaker 1: years ago the Mavericks were daring him to shoot and 482 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 1: it was a huge problem in an embarrassing loss. And 483 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:40,159 Speaker 1: it was cool to see Lebron kind of had that 484 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:42,480 Speaker 1: moment with himself where he got to see his hard 485 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:45,280 Speaker 1: work come to fruition. But anyway, as far as far 486 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:47,560 Speaker 1: as that being his first crowning achievement, it's hard to 487 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:50,399 Speaker 1: find a more dominant two year stretch in NBA history. 488 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:53,800 Speaker 1: Between the back to back All Defense's First Team All 489 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:57,680 Speaker 1: NBA's MVPs Finals, MVPs with a gold medal in the middle. 490 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 1: It's hard to do any better than that. Lebron's second 491 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:02,960 Speaker 1: crowning achievement winning a title with the Cleveland Cavaliers. So 492 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:05,200 Speaker 1: Lebron goes to Cleveland to play with Kevin Love and 493 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving. They start the season not super great. Remember 494 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:11,639 Speaker 1: Lebron came in super thin. That was when he was 495 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:14,439 Speaker 1: on that fish diet all summer, and Lebron was like, Oh, 496 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:17,120 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be quicker now, and he looked like super thin, 497 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 1: but he wasn't moving super well. Well, it turns out 498 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 1: he was having back issues, so he takes a two 499 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:24,760 Speaker 1: week break. He goes off to Miami and rehabs his back, 500 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,040 Speaker 1: and then when he comes off comes back, the Cavs 501 00:25:27,119 --> 00:25:28,960 Speaker 1: just take off. They immediately rip off a twelve game 502 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:31,960 Speaker 1: winning streak. They finished the season thirty four to nine 503 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:33,840 Speaker 1: in their last forty three games, which was actually the 504 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:36,320 Speaker 1: best record in the NBA over that span, even better 505 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:38,320 Speaker 1: than the Warriors over that span. But if you guys 506 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:42,199 Speaker 1: remember first round series against Boston, Kevin Love gets his 507 00:25:42,359 --> 00:25:44,640 Speaker 1: arm pulled out of its socket on a questionable play 508 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:48,159 Speaker 1: from Kaliyolinik. He's out then Kyrie's knee starts bothering him 509 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:50,600 Speaker 1: when he's playing, he doesn't look like Kyrie, and then 510 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:53,240 Speaker 1: he's missing games in the conference finals, and then finally, 511 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:55,639 Speaker 1: in ot of Game one of the Finals, Klay Thompson 512 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:58,359 Speaker 1: bumps knees with him and his knee his kneecap breaks, 513 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:01,040 Speaker 1: and then he's out and Lebron does his very best 514 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:02,960 Speaker 1: to try to get the job done anyway, but the 515 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:05,800 Speaker 1: Warriors talent advantage is just too much, and the Cavs 516 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:09,439 Speaker 1: losing six twenty sixteen was a little weird with the 517 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 1: blat firing, but the Caves are way more dominant. They 518 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 1: got the one seed in the East, they won their 519 00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:16,639 Speaker 1: first ten playoff games, and they make it into the 520 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:20,040 Speaker 1: NBA Finals for a rematch against Golden State. Right, except 521 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:21,840 Speaker 1: for at this point, Golden State's even better. They've won 522 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 1: seventy three games, steph is the unanimous MVP best regular 523 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:27,680 Speaker 1: season team in history. They're here to close the deal, 524 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:31,119 Speaker 1: and Golden State jumps on them earlier. Early in the series, 525 00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:33,760 Speaker 1: both Lebron and Kyrie don't play well. They fall down 526 00:26:33,800 --> 00:26:36,440 Speaker 1: three games to one, but then they get their break. 527 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:39,000 Speaker 1: And remember I went over this two or three days ago. 528 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:42,560 Speaker 1: But every NBA Championship team catches a break, just like 529 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 1: the twenty fifteen Warriors caught the break and Kevin Love 530 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:47,520 Speaker 1: and Kyrie Irving right the break that the twenty sixteen 531 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:50,240 Speaker 1: Calves caught with was. Draymond Green gets suspended for Game 532 00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:53,439 Speaker 1: five and Lebron James and Kyrie Irving both play some 533 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:56,280 Speaker 1: of the best basketball of their careers. Lebron plays probably 534 00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:58,919 Speaker 1: the best three game stretch of his career forty one, 535 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 1: sixteen and seven in Game five on the road to 536 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:04,640 Speaker 1: extend the series forty one to eight, and eleven at 537 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:07,440 Speaker 1: home in Game six to force a Game seven. Then 538 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:09,480 Speaker 1: we go to Game seven and it's a road game 539 00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:12,840 Speaker 1: in Golden State. It's an absolute rock fight. Both teams 540 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:15,919 Speaker 1: are playing terribly on offense. Everyone looks shaky, it's super 541 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 1: super physical, but Lebron puts together a really really impressive 542 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:23,000 Speaker 1: rock fight, you know, half court execution performance down. The 543 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:24,880 Speaker 1: stretch of his game starts in the third quarter. It's 544 00:27:24,920 --> 00:27:28,480 Speaker 1: like a tough little baseline fade away over Sean Livingston. 545 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:32,679 Speaker 1: Then he starts the fourth quarter with another driving floater, 546 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:34,960 Speaker 1: kind of like a half hook over his left shoulder 547 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:39,520 Speaker 1: against Sean Livingston. Then he makes this unbelievable driving bank 548 00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:42,000 Speaker 1: shot on Harrison Barnes where kind of rips through the 549 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:44,399 Speaker 1: left and he elevates from about the semi circle and 550 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:46,359 Speaker 1: kind of floats in the air and double pumps and 551 00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 1: then banks it in off the glass with one hand. 552 00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:50,920 Speaker 1: Just a ridiculous shot. That little right handed bank shot 553 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 1: on the left side of the basket became a big 554 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:55,159 Speaker 1: shot for Lebron towards the tail end of his career. 555 00:27:57,080 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 1: But then after that he starts picking on festus zillion 556 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:03,680 Speaker 1: switches and you'll, you'll, you guys will probably remember this 557 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:06,360 Speaker 1: sequence where Lebron gets fastest on the switch. He pump 558 00:28:06,440 --> 00:28:10,040 Speaker 1: fakes fastest, jumps, shoots into him, draws the foul, makes 559 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:12,240 Speaker 1: all three free throws. The very next possession gets fastest 560 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:14,879 Speaker 1: on another switch. This time Fastest doesn't want to contest 561 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:17,399 Speaker 1: because he doesn't want a foul. Now Lebron just rises 562 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:19,920 Speaker 1: up and shoots the three, knocks it down. Now they're 563 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:23,720 Speaker 1: up by two, but Klay Thompson ties the game and 564 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:27,919 Speaker 1: we go into classic rock fight basketball for almost four minutes. 565 00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:32,360 Speaker 1: No one scores, you know, like Steph's missing shots, Lebron's 566 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:35,920 Speaker 1: missing shots, No one's able to score. But then Kyrie 567 00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 1: does this like kind of like a pullover dribble floater 568 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:41,720 Speaker 1: that he misses long off the glass, and the long 569 00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:45,720 Speaker 1: rebound sparks a two to on one fast break with 570 00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:49,120 Speaker 1: Stephan andre Gudala. Lebron James is out of the play, 571 00:28:49,680 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 1: trailing on the left side, and he runs harder than 572 00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:54,600 Speaker 1: he's ever run in his life and makes the most 573 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:58,240 Speaker 1: unbelievable defensive play in NBA history, rising up to block 574 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:02,120 Speaker 1: andre Gudala and keep the game alive, stopping that one 575 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:04,239 Speaker 1: easy layup that would have broken the damn in an 576 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 1: eighty nine to eighty nine game. Then Lebron misses Steph 577 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 1: missus the call timeout. Lebron selflessly understands he's at a 578 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:16,840 Speaker 1: rhythm and he's tired, and he points over at Kyrie Irving. 579 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:19,840 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving gets the shot, gets Steph Curry on a switch, 580 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:23,240 Speaker 1: makes a step back three. The rest is history. And 581 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:24,520 Speaker 1: you know what was cool about that one is you 582 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:27,760 Speaker 1: could just tell that one meant more for Lebron than 583 00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:30,840 Speaker 1: all the others. It's funny because the twenty twenty championship, 584 00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:33,600 Speaker 1: you look back and like that was a super important 585 00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:38,200 Speaker 1: championship for Lebron's legacy, right, Like he that puts him 586 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:40,800 Speaker 1: like in that you know, three to six with MJ. 587 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:43,760 Speaker 1: It's like, dude, you can't even have that conversation four 588 00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:46,440 Speaker 1: to six with all the longevity stuff. Like Lebron fans 589 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:49,400 Speaker 1: have been making that case for years now, since twenty twenty. Right, 590 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 1: It's not a case I make, but it's a case 591 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:52,600 Speaker 1: that a lot of people make. That was a very 592 00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:57,320 Speaker 1: important championship for Lebron's legacy. Lebron's reaction to that was different, 593 00:29:57,400 --> 00:29:59,920 Speaker 1: Like it was kind of you know, classic Lebron, like 594 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:04,200 Speaker 1: confident Lebron, Like it's a cigar smoke on Instagram up 595 00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:06,600 Speaker 1: in smoke too, where I just busted everyone's ass, let 596 00:30:06,680 --> 00:30:08,240 Speaker 1: him know what it is, right, Like, it was a 597 00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:11,960 Speaker 1: cool moment, but nothing was like what that CAZ Championship was. 598 00:30:12,080 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 1: Like you could tell it meant something to him on 599 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:18,240 Speaker 1: a level emotionally that nothing else that he accomplished in 600 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:22,920 Speaker 1: his career meant final crowning achievement. I'm referring to this 601 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:26,040 Speaker 1: as Lebron's total mastery of the game now is totally 602 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 1: wasted on an incredibly limited roster. With the twenty eighteen Caves, 603 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:32,800 Speaker 1: Remember Kyrie Irving demands a trade. At the time, there's 604 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 1: all this conversation, it's like, oh, did Lebron push Kyrie out? 605 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:37,800 Speaker 1: Now we know in retrospect that was stupid, because this 606 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:41,240 Speaker 1: was just the first of like six different Kyrie crazy 607 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:46,800 Speaker 1: outburst saga, ridiculousness, you know, classic Kyrie behavior. Right, But 608 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:50,040 Speaker 1: the trade go backfires on the Caves because Isaiah Thomas 609 00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:51,560 Speaker 1: ends up hurting his hip and not looking like the 610 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:54,080 Speaker 1: same player. They flip in for some more role players, 611 00:30:54,560 --> 00:30:57,479 Speaker 1: and they just didn't really have any shot to win, right. 612 00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:00,440 Speaker 1: They have real trouble with Indiana in the first they 613 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 1: have real trouble with Boston in the conference finals. But 614 00:31:03,800 --> 00:31:06,200 Speaker 1: I think this was the very best version of Lebron 615 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:09,880 Speaker 1: James and quite possibly the very best basketball player we've 616 00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:11,840 Speaker 1: ever seen. In fact, I think if I had to 617 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:15,960 Speaker 1: pick one specific version of one basketball player, I would 618 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:19,600 Speaker 1: pick twenty eighteen Lebron as the best basketball player that 619 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:22,840 Speaker 1: I've ever seen. Is forty six and twelve on the 620 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:25,880 Speaker 1: Pacers in Game two forty four to ten and eight, 621 00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:28,280 Speaker 1: and the game saving block on Victor Oladipo and a 622 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:31,680 Speaker 1: game winning buzzer beater in Game five forty five eight 623 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:34,560 Speaker 1: and seven in game seven when facing elimination to beat 624 00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:37,120 Speaker 1: the Pacers. Then we go into the Toronto series where 625 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:39,120 Speaker 1: the Raptors are favored and they're the one seed in 626 00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:42,040 Speaker 1: the East. He hits the game tying shot, a fadeaway 627 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:45,960 Speaker 1: over over og And Andobi on the right block that 628 00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:48,080 Speaker 1: sends the game to ot in game one where the 629 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:51,040 Speaker 1: Cavs win. Then in game two, forty three eight and 630 00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:55,200 Speaker 1: fourteen assists completely sucks the life out of the entire 631 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:58,880 Speaker 1: Toronto organization, coaching staff, team, and fan base by just 632 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:02,360 Speaker 1: hitting this ridiculous line of turnaround fade away jump shots, 633 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:04,720 Speaker 1: every single one of them. Just you could hear the 634 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:06,800 Speaker 1: crowd going like, oh my god, he made it again, 635 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:10,200 Speaker 1: right again, complete and total mastery of the game. We're 636 00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:11,800 Speaker 1: not even close to being done with this list, by 637 00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:14,560 Speaker 1: the way. Game three at home Toronto somehow finds the 638 00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:17,800 Speaker 1: will to keep fighting. Lebron hits a running one legged 639 00:32:17,880 --> 00:32:21,520 Speaker 1: floater at the buzzer to put them up three games 640 00:32:21,560 --> 00:32:24,720 Speaker 1: to none, the audacity to take a running one legged 641 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:27,200 Speaker 1: floater in a situation like that finish the game with 642 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:29,920 Speaker 1: thirty eight points, six rebounds, and seven assists. Then we 643 00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:32,800 Speaker 1: go to the Boston series, forty four points on sixty 644 00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:34,640 Speaker 1: one percent true shooting in Game four to tie the 645 00:32:34,720 --> 00:32:37,640 Speaker 1: series at two, Forty six points, eleven rebounds and nine 646 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:39,800 Speaker 1: assists in Game six to tie the series at three. 647 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:42,000 Speaker 1: This is where he hit the back to back pull 648 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:44,480 Speaker 1: up threes in Jason Tatum's face to ice the game. 649 00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:48,640 Speaker 1: Then a masterful thirty five to fifteen to nine in 650 00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:51,600 Speaker 1: Game seven on the road, another absolute rock fight to 651 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:55,160 Speaker 1: once again crush the hearts of Celtics fans and improbably 652 00:32:55,280 --> 00:32:57,920 Speaker 1: send the Cavs to the finals. And this story culminates 653 00:32:57,960 --> 00:33:00,560 Speaker 1: with Game one of the two thousand in an eighteen 654 00:33:00,640 --> 00:33:03,400 Speaker 1: NBA Finals, quite possibly the greatest basketball game any player 655 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:07,520 Speaker 1: has ever played. You were heading into this ridiculous series 656 00:33:07,640 --> 00:33:10,040 Speaker 1: right where it's like the most talented roster ever assembled 657 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:13,200 Speaker 1: in the twenty eighteen you know, twenty seventeen, twenty eighteen Warriors, right, 658 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:15,480 Speaker 1: but still more or less the same guys, And they're 659 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:18,440 Speaker 1: like ESPN's like showing these promos and they're ridiculous because 660 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:21,320 Speaker 1: it's like Steph and Kadi and Klay Thompson and over 661 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:24,840 Speaker 1: here it's like Lebron, James, Tristan Thompson and Kyle Korver 662 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:27,000 Speaker 1: and you're like, this is completely ridiculous, right, Like these 663 00:33:27,040 --> 00:33:30,480 Speaker 1: guys have no chance. But Lebron pours in fifty one points, 664 00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:32,880 Speaker 1: eight rebounds and eight assists, including what should have been 665 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:35,240 Speaker 1: the game winner over Steph Curry with fifty seconds left, 666 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:37,960 Speaker 1: but bizarrely, on the other end of the floor, the 667 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:40,400 Speaker 1: Caves draw charge. I think it was Lebron who drew 668 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:41,959 Speaker 1: the charge, if I remember correctly, with the Caves draw 669 00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:45,240 Speaker 1: charge on Kevin Durant. They call it a charge and 670 00:33:45,320 --> 00:33:47,320 Speaker 1: then they overturn it, which at the time was like 671 00:33:47,440 --> 00:33:50,560 Speaker 1: unheard of because they didn't have coaches challenges at that point. 672 00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:53,960 Speaker 1: They overturn it. Katie gets two free throws. Lebron goes 673 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:57,080 Speaker 1: down again and makes another go ahead shot, a driving 674 00:33:57,200 --> 00:34:01,080 Speaker 1: layup up and under a like nifty layup, and then 675 00:34:01,160 --> 00:34:03,360 Speaker 1: Steph Curry gets the driving and one to put them 676 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:05,720 Speaker 1: up one. Lebron hits George Hill on the cut, makes 677 00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:07,680 Speaker 1: the first free throw, misses the second. We have the Jr. 678 00:34:07,760 --> 00:34:10,400 Speaker 1: Smith play. Things fall apart in ot and all of 679 00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:13,680 Speaker 1: it ends in a loss. Unfortunately, but that fifty one 680 00:34:13,719 --> 00:34:17,600 Speaker 1: to eight to eight was probably very well could have 681 00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:20,920 Speaker 1: been the best individual performance in his single NBA Finals 682 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:23,640 Speaker 1: game in the history of the NBA. The rest of 683 00:34:23,680 --> 00:34:25,600 Speaker 1: the series, though, the Warriors just throw the kitchen sink 684 00:34:25,640 --> 00:34:27,480 Speaker 1: at Lebron, they pick him up full cord, they start 685 00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:30,319 Speaker 1: doubling him everywhere. The average is an efficient twenty eight, 686 00:34:30,480 --> 00:34:33,120 Speaker 1: nine and eleven in the final three games of the series, 687 00:34:33,200 --> 00:34:35,759 Speaker 1: but it does end in a sweep. That lack of 688 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:38,360 Speaker 1: talent certainly was never going to be enough to overcome 689 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:41,520 Speaker 1: the most talented roster in NBA history with the KD. 690 00:34:41,680 --> 00:34:45,359 Speaker 1: Steph Warriors. Lebron finished that playoff run averaging thirty four points, 691 00:34:45,480 --> 00:34:48,240 Speaker 1: nine rebounds, and nine assists on sixty two percent through shooting. 692 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:51,920 Speaker 1: He had ten thirty five plus point games, eight forty 693 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:55,200 Speaker 1: plus point games and a fifty point game, forty seven 694 00:34:55,280 --> 00:34:58,120 Speaker 1: points in clutch situations on fifty percent from the field 695 00:34:58,160 --> 00:35:01,440 Speaker 1: and forty percent from three game winning buzzer beaters, and 696 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:03,680 Speaker 1: yet another trip to the NBA Finals with a trip 697 00:35:03,880 --> 00:35:07,120 Speaker 1: with the team that had no business being there. Michael 698 00:35:07,160 --> 00:35:09,839 Speaker 1: Jordan may be the greatest player that ever played when 699 00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:12,440 Speaker 1: we look at the big picture of his career, but 700 00:35:12,520 --> 00:35:16,320 Speaker 1: I've never seen a better basketball player. In twenty eighteen Lebron. 701 00:35:16,719 --> 00:35:19,680 Speaker 1: He had completely mastered the game. He had no weaknesses, 702 00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:22,840 Speaker 1: and he was completely unguardable. I'll finish it off with 703 00:35:22,880 --> 00:35:25,239 Speaker 1: a quote from Steve Kerr after Game one of the 704 00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 1: NBA Finals. They have a guy who's playing basketball at 705 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:31,040 Speaker 1: a level that I'm not sure anyone's ever seen before. 706 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:35,239 Speaker 1: End quote. I'm not gonna do a what if with Lebron. 707 00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:37,960 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna finish it up with this. I understand 708 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:40,520 Speaker 1: that Lebron is the most polarizing player ever. He does 709 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:42,200 Speaker 1: a lot of stuff that rubs people the wrong way. 710 00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:44,480 Speaker 1: He can be dramatic, he can be passive, aggressive. I 711 00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:47,000 Speaker 1: understand why some people don't like it, and there are 712 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:48,640 Speaker 1: sometimes when I'm watching him and I'm like, Aye, that's 713 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:51,640 Speaker 1: kind of annoying, right, But what he's done and what 714 00:35:51,760 --> 00:35:56,200 Speaker 1: he's still doing is not normal, and we may never 715 00:35:56,320 --> 00:36:00,880 Speaker 1: see anything like him again. So we're getting close to 716 00:36:00,920 --> 00:36:03,400 Speaker 1: the end here. Guys like he's going into his twenty 717 00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:07,719 Speaker 1: first season. We saw his first significant playoff decline last year. 718 00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:12,120 Speaker 1: So I just enjoy it while it lasts. Even if 719 00:36:12,160 --> 00:36:15,200 Speaker 1: you disliked the guy, like we literally might not see 720 00:36:15,239 --> 00:36:18,160 Speaker 1: this again. It could be decades, So just as a 721 00:36:18,239 --> 00:36:22,359 Speaker 1: basketball fan, enjoy this while it lasts like I think, 722 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:24,920 Speaker 1: I think people are taking Lebron for granted a little bit. 723 00:36:25,440 --> 00:36:26,799 Speaker 1: All right, before we get out here, I got three 724 00:36:26,840 --> 00:36:29,080 Speaker 1: mail back questions for you guys. First one's from Wesley. 725 00:36:30,480 --> 00:36:32,439 Speaker 1: How is Kobe higher than Steph in your last twenty 726 00:36:32,480 --> 00:36:34,279 Speaker 1: five year list but not in your all time list? 727 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:37,760 Speaker 1: No idea where you got that from. I had Kobe 728 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:40,319 Speaker 1: above Steph in this list, and then in my top 729 00:36:40,680 --> 00:36:46,560 Speaker 1: perimeter players of all time, it's Lebron. Excuse me, MJ. Lebron, Kobe, Magic, 730 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:49,200 Speaker 1: Steph Bird. So I have Steph at fourth. So I'm 731 00:36:49,239 --> 00:36:50,919 Speaker 1: not sure where that got confused, but I just wanted 732 00:36:50,960 --> 00:36:54,000 Speaker 1: to clarify that. Second one from Shane, what do you 733 00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:57,480 Speaker 1: think of Chris Finch saying in JJ JJ Reddick's podcast 734 00:36:58,080 --> 00:37:02,600 Speaker 1: analytics are guides, not gods. You guys have heard me 735 00:37:02,640 --> 00:37:04,839 Speaker 1: say this before. But I look at basketball as an art, 736 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:08,279 Speaker 1: not a science. I don't think anyone's ever right or 737 00:37:08,440 --> 00:37:11,320 Speaker 1: wrong about anything when we're talking about basketball analysis, because 738 00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:14,760 Speaker 1: it's completely open for interpretation. There's too many moving parts. 739 00:37:15,239 --> 00:37:16,960 Speaker 1: Like I said, it's an art, not a science. It's 740 00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:19,480 Speaker 1: not like playing a game of war with cards where 741 00:37:19,520 --> 00:37:21,319 Speaker 1: you drew four and I drew three, so you win. 742 00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:23,719 Speaker 1: That's not how it works. Like there is so much 743 00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:28,879 Speaker 1: open for interpretation. The only thing that is clearly scientific 744 00:37:29,120 --> 00:37:32,799 Speaker 1: is the final score between two teams, right, Like, there's 745 00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:36,719 Speaker 1: no doubt that the Denver Nuggets won the NBA Championship 746 00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:41,279 Speaker 1: last year. Everything about the the basketball intricacies about how 747 00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:44,640 Speaker 1: that happened are open to interpretation. You'll have Nuggets fans 748 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:49,000 Speaker 1: that think Jokicic was the you know, played the best 749 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:50,919 Speaker 1: basketball anyone's ever played and it was just a bunch 750 00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:53,279 Speaker 1: of role players. You'll have people that think it was 751 00:37:53,280 --> 00:37:55,680 Speaker 1: an incredibly talented roster. And there are still people out 752 00:37:55,680 --> 00:37:57,359 Speaker 1: there don't think Yokis is the best player in the world, 753 00:37:57,400 --> 00:37:59,879 Speaker 1: which I disagree with, But there are people who feel 754 00:37:59,880 --> 00:38:01,840 Speaker 1: that way, and you can't prove it one way or 755 00:38:01,880 --> 00:38:04,920 Speaker 1: another because there's too many moving parts. Even when it 756 00:38:04,960 --> 00:38:06,759 Speaker 1: comes to the world of analytics, it's like that, Like 757 00:38:06,920 --> 00:38:09,040 Speaker 1: I've talked to you guys about this before, but I 758 00:38:09,120 --> 00:38:12,560 Speaker 1: really like using points per possession on different play types 759 00:38:12,640 --> 00:38:15,560 Speaker 1: to evaluate players, right like ISOs and post ups and 760 00:38:15,719 --> 00:38:19,520 Speaker 1: pick and rolls. But even then, you know, are you 761 00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:21,600 Speaker 1: in a weak Eastern Conference that year? Are you in 762 00:38:21,640 --> 00:38:24,240 Speaker 1: a week Western Conference that year. You know, what about 763 00:38:25,520 --> 00:38:27,400 Speaker 1: what about the overall makeup of your team? Are you 764 00:38:27,480 --> 00:38:30,120 Speaker 1: running pick and rolls with a a roleman that has 765 00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:32,640 Speaker 1: bad hands and struggles to catch and make plays. Are 766 00:38:32,680 --> 00:38:34,680 Speaker 1: you running pick and rolls with not a lot of 767 00:38:34,719 --> 00:38:38,200 Speaker 1: weak side shooting? You know, like if I you picked 768 00:38:38,239 --> 00:38:40,560 Speaker 1: up a you know, let's just take Let's just take 769 00:38:40,640 --> 00:38:43,239 Speaker 1: Lebron for example for today. You know, if I took 770 00:38:43,320 --> 00:38:47,319 Speaker 1: him and I dropped him into the twenty twenty two 771 00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:51,520 Speaker 1: Sons where he's playing with Mikale Bridges and Cam Johnson 772 00:38:51,560 --> 00:38:54,000 Speaker 1: on the week side or dead eye three point shooters 773 00:38:54,440 --> 00:38:57,440 Speaker 1: and DeAndre and the roleman who catches and finishes everything 774 00:38:58,000 --> 00:39:00,200 Speaker 1: and a legit backup ball handler and Chris p Also, 775 00:39:00,239 --> 00:39:03,080 Speaker 1: he doesn't have to do everything on every single possession, 776 00:39:03,200 --> 00:39:05,560 Speaker 1: like I would imagine his points per possession would be 777 00:39:05,640 --> 00:39:07,880 Speaker 1: higher than it would be if he was on the 778 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:11,359 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two Lakers with Russell Westbrook and a bunch 779 00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:14,480 Speaker 1: of dysfunction Right, So, even as we look at specifics 780 00:39:14,840 --> 00:39:18,000 Speaker 1: and really refined and narrow data, it doesn't tell the 781 00:39:18,080 --> 00:39:20,600 Speaker 1: full story. And so how do we expect to use 782 00:39:20,640 --> 00:39:22,800 Speaker 1: these sorts of things. It's just a tool. It's just 783 00:39:22,880 --> 00:39:25,920 Speaker 1: in further context, you should never watch something in a 784 00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:29,000 Speaker 1: game and reach an opinion without checking the numbers and 785 00:39:29,160 --> 00:39:31,959 Speaker 1: just seeing how they influence that. You should never see 786 00:39:32,000 --> 00:39:35,120 Speaker 1: a number and not check the footage to see if 787 00:39:35,120 --> 00:39:38,000 Speaker 1: there's not something you're missing there. Everything goes hand in hand. 788 00:39:38,080 --> 00:39:40,520 Speaker 1: The eye test isn't perfect, the data is not perfect. 789 00:39:40,560 --> 00:39:43,560 Speaker 1: I do think the eye test is more accurate than 790 00:39:43,600 --> 00:39:46,640 Speaker 1: the data, because if you understand what you're seeing, you 791 00:39:46,719 --> 00:39:50,600 Speaker 1: can actually see that art and you can interpret that art. 792 00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:54,759 Speaker 1: I think that sometimes the data puts people in a 793 00:39:54,800 --> 00:39:57,600 Speaker 1: position where they don't see the bigger picture. But at 794 00:39:57,600 --> 00:40:00,200 Speaker 1: the end of the day, I think any goal to 795 00:40:00,239 --> 00:40:03,200 Speaker 1: try to turn basketball into a science is doomed to failure, 796 00:40:03,760 --> 00:40:06,960 Speaker 1: and that this data is best used as a supplement 797 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:09,960 Speaker 1: to us actually watching the games. Last mail back question 798 00:40:10,360 --> 00:40:13,920 Speaker 1: from Jamrio. We know you always we know you always 799 00:40:13,920 --> 00:40:16,080 Speaker 1: talk in basketball, but do you watch any football or 800 00:40:16,160 --> 00:40:19,400 Speaker 1: keep keep up with football? I do. Football is a 801 00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:21,760 Speaker 1: very important sport in my family. Both of my brothers 802 00:40:21,840 --> 00:40:25,000 Speaker 1: played in college. My little brother was a very very 803 00:40:25,040 --> 00:40:27,120 Speaker 1: good college football player, is a two time team captain 804 00:40:27,160 --> 00:40:30,040 Speaker 1: at West Point as a middle linebacker and is one 805 00:40:30,080 --> 00:40:33,760 Speaker 1: of their all time leading tacklers there. I was fortunate 806 00:40:33,840 --> 00:40:35,600 Speaker 1: to be living in Charlotte when that was happening, so 807 00:40:35,640 --> 00:40:37,440 Speaker 1: I got to travel around and watch him play a lot. 808 00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:42,279 Speaker 1: Always been a big NFL fan. My family, my entire 809 00:40:42,360 --> 00:40:44,480 Speaker 1: extended family lives in the Dallas Fort Worth areas. I'm 810 00:40:44,480 --> 00:40:46,759 Speaker 1: a huge Dallas Cowboys fan. It's been a tradition in 811 00:40:46,840 --> 00:40:49,640 Speaker 1: my family forever to go out to Texas for Thanksgiving 812 00:40:49,760 --> 00:40:53,560 Speaker 1: and and watch Cowboys. The Cowboys game on Thanksgiving Day. 813 00:40:55,080 --> 00:40:58,239 Speaker 1: I was I'm a big Tony Romo fan that a 814 00:40:58,280 --> 00:41:00,400 Speaker 1: lot of Cowboys fans didn't like him. I was always 815 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:03,120 Speaker 1: a big Tony Romo fan. Here's the thing. Over the 816 00:41:03,200 --> 00:41:05,319 Speaker 1: last two or three years, I've really poured my heart 817 00:41:05,360 --> 00:41:08,239 Speaker 1: and soul into the basketball because I've really wanted to 818 00:41:08,320 --> 00:41:10,200 Speaker 1: make this dream of mine a reality, the dream of 819 00:41:10,280 --> 00:41:12,200 Speaker 1: getting to talk about basketball for a living. And I'm very, 820 00:41:12,280 --> 00:41:15,279 Speaker 1: very fortunate to be in this position now. But I 821 00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:18,000 Speaker 1: literally poured my heart and soul into it, and so 822 00:41:18,680 --> 00:41:20,920 Speaker 1: I didn't watch as much football as I wanted to, 823 00:41:21,239 --> 00:41:24,879 Speaker 1: and I have become a more casual fan. That said, 824 00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:28,480 Speaker 1: one of my big picture goals is to have a 825 00:41:28,520 --> 00:41:31,400 Speaker 1: podcast where I can talk about anything, including football, obviously 826 00:41:31,480 --> 00:41:36,320 Speaker 1: with a basketball focus, and part of my process in 827 00:41:36,400 --> 00:41:38,799 Speaker 1: that department is to watch more football starting this year, 828 00:41:39,120 --> 00:41:42,600 Speaker 1: and I did watch the entire game last night. The 829 00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:47,000 Speaker 1: pick six obviously was a huge game changer in that 830 00:41:47,080 --> 00:41:50,919 Speaker 1: particular game. Watching Patrick Mahomes try to make plays without 831 00:41:50,920 --> 00:41:53,480 Speaker 1: his skill players, it was certainly an adventure. The Detroit 832 00:41:53,560 --> 00:41:56,080 Speaker 1: Lions offensive line was super impressive. The push they were 833 00:41:56,120 --> 00:41:58,759 Speaker 1: getting on every single play was super impressive. I have 834 00:41:58,800 --> 00:42:00,960 Speaker 1: a general understanding of the way the game works. I 835 00:42:01,040 --> 00:42:02,759 Speaker 1: played in high school. I wasn't very good, but I 836 00:42:02,800 --> 00:42:04,920 Speaker 1: played in high school and I've followed the game my 837 00:42:04,960 --> 00:42:07,000 Speaker 1: whole life. But the big thing is is like if 838 00:42:07,040 --> 00:42:08,680 Speaker 1: I want to talk about it on this show, I 839 00:42:08,800 --> 00:42:11,640 Speaker 1: need to get smarter about it. And so it might 840 00:42:11,719 --> 00:42:14,239 Speaker 1: take a year or two maybe more for me to 841 00:42:14,280 --> 00:42:16,600 Speaker 1: get to the point where I feel comfortable talking about 842 00:42:16,600 --> 00:42:19,719 Speaker 1: it more in this format, and so I'm kind of 843 00:42:19,800 --> 00:42:22,440 Speaker 1: doing that now. Thankfully, I've gotten more efficient with my 844 00:42:22,600 --> 00:42:26,840 Speaker 1: time as it pertains to as it pertains to covering 845 00:42:26,880 --> 00:42:29,000 Speaker 1: the NBA, like, I've just gotten more efficient with it. 846 00:42:29,160 --> 00:42:31,719 Speaker 1: So I have more time available to me now and 847 00:42:31,719 --> 00:42:34,160 Speaker 1: I plan on using that to watch and learn more 848 00:42:34,200 --> 00:42:36,680 Speaker 1: about football, but it'll be a couple of years before 849 00:42:37,920 --> 00:42:40,839 Speaker 1: I cover it in any sort of professional capacity. All right, guys, 850 00:42:40,920 --> 00:42:42,239 Speaker 1: that is all I have for today. I hope you 851 00:42:42,280 --> 00:42:44,400 Speaker 1: guys enjoy your weekend. We're back on Monday with our 852 00:42:44,440 --> 00:42:46,719 Speaker 1: season previews, and just so you guys know, we're gonna 853 00:42:46,719 --> 00:42:48,880 Speaker 1: be hitting on twenty teams this year, So starting Monday, 854 00:42:49,320 --> 00:42:52,880 Speaker 1: we'll have we'll go Monday through Friday, twenty through sixteen, 855 00:42:52,960 --> 00:42:55,799 Speaker 1: Monday through Friday, fifteen through eleven, so on and so forth. 856 00:42:56,080 --> 00:42:57,520 Speaker 1: But we're gonna get to hit on two thirds of 857 00:42:57,560 --> 00:43:01,719 Speaker 1: the league. So chances are team is relevant. You're going 858 00:43:01,800 --> 00:43:05,240 Speaker 1: to get a season preview video done. Very very excited 859 00:43:05,280 --> 00:43:07,560 Speaker 1: to dive into this particular season, Very very excited to 860 00:43:07,600 --> 00:43:10,759 Speaker 1: get back to games. I Uh, these lists have been 861 00:43:10,840 --> 00:43:14,440 Speaker 1: fun looking back, but man, it's we've been doing them 862 00:43:14,640 --> 00:43:17,520 Speaker 1: now for what six weeks. I'm ready to to get 863 00:43:17,920 --> 00:43:43,400 Speaker 1: look into the future now. The volume