2014 NBA Playoffs thread

That's because of the fourth quarter, when he disappeared. He scored two points in that quarter, a gimme layup with 30 seconds left and the Mavs up seven. Through the first five games of that series, he had 11 fourth-quarter points. (He "exploded" for seven in Game 6.)

He stood on the perimeter and didn't want the ball.

 

This sounds like a Tom Brady vs. Joe Montana argument.

 

LOL to "15 seasons." Keep fucking that Wizards chicken.

So is a triple-double automatically better than a 50-point game? Because Jordan had eight of those in the playoffs. James' career high is 49 points. Jordan also has six of the 10 highest playoff series scoring averages in NBA history, including the highest finals average ever -- 41.0 ppg against Phoenix in '93 in that series that Rick posted the link about him hiding from the ball.

 

Jordan is so good we don't count "seasons during which he was an active player" as "part of his career."

And, yes, as a general rule, I think triple-doubles are more impressive than 50-point games.

 

Too bad the Subservient Chicken isn't around anymore to take that command ...

 

Don't players usually get criticized for taking the most money and not caring about winning?

 

All right. I will console myself with, for instance, the 42/12/9 Jordan had one game against Phoenix. Or the 55/8/4 later in that series.

No triple-double, though. Damn.

 

The goalposts, they just moved.

 

Other than Jordan, NOBODY in my lifetime has held that Best Player in The World Status nearly as long as Lebron now.

Seems like the longest any other player has clearly had it was about three years. Bird had it for at least three years in the mid-80, Magic for a brief run after that, Duncan and Shaq sort of shared it for about three or four years at the beginning of the 00s, and then Kobe for a short run after that.

By far, the longest guy to hold it was Jordan. If the MVP Award actually went to the best player (which it frequently does not), you can legitimately say Jordan should've won it for every single full season he played from 88 through 98. Even during the years in that period when the award went to someone else like Barkley, Magic and Malone, it was always with this wink and tacit acknowledgement that Jordan was really the best.

Only comparable run is the one Lebron's currently on. I'd say he's been the clear BPIW for at least six straight years now (and arguably seven or eight) and he ain't done yet.

 

6-0 vs. 2-3

And nobody should penalize James for losing in the finals with the Cavs. But when you lose titles when your team is the favorite (2010) or getting completely dominated like they were this year, it doesn't help his cause in the Jordan debate.