2013 All-Star Game
I agree, dont sleep on Kyrie Irving. He has been the star of the weekend so far and I dont think he is finished yet. He has a chip on his shoulder, and he want to show the world that he is a premiere player in this league. Something tells me that Cleveland will have a few more nationally televised games next year.
Kyrie *should* play a lot in this game because the Rondo injury added an extra big and took away a guard. I love watching LBJ and Durant go at it, I just wish some other people would get involved heavily. Maybe its Melo, maybe its Irving. I'm sure Kobe will blackhole it pretty hard and still end up as one of the leading scorers, but if Harden gets a decent amount of minutes he could outperform him.
I expect Blake and CP3 to steal the show with numerous lobs. But I expect Lebron to go beast mode and take the MVP. He's still mad at losing last year, even though he like everyone else waited until the final 2 minutes of the game to care about the game.
That's true, but let's not act like LeBron hasn't been known for taking his game up a notch in All-Star games... Especially down the stretch.
He was playing hard against Kobe and he tried to take it personally, but he got abused.
That was pure domination by Kobe.
I'm not a LeBron fan, but I'm not a hater. You'll have to re-post something I've said that could be considering "hating". A hater is somebody who doesn't acknowledge how great a player is. I think LeBron is a great player and one of the most physically gifted players in the history of athletics.
I've criticized holes in LeBron's game in the past, but he's really closed majority of them up. There's not been much to really criticize about him since last season to be honest. He's been that great.
I still think people get too sensitive on this site. Had LeBron locked Kobe up like this basically going one on one, I'd have been saying the same thing.
I agree with Y2G. You are clearly one of the best posters on this site, but it's obvious you don't like LeBron.
You can give him credit, and say "He's covered up most of his flaws" and all that, but then, the first time he fails at anything this season, you are the first guy on here talking about how Kobe dominated him, in an exhibition no less. Yes these guys take pride in winning the game, but the fact is, its just not important to anyone except the media who would love to debate Kobe/Lebron some more. I doubt you were the first guy on here when LeBron was going on that tear posting about how amazing it was.
Okay... And it's clear you don't like D. Wade. And? That's your personal preference. You think I give a care?
And you need to shhh somewhat when you're consistently hating on D. Wade. According to you, he's no longer an elite level player. I doubt you were the first guy to give D. Wade credit during these last five games where he's averaged 24 points on 51% shooting, 90% FT and making clutch plays down the stretch of multiple games.
Back to the original point... You're talking about LeBron failing for the first time this season lol... It's not that deep. Kobe locked him up in an exhibition game and that's that. I took pleasure in it because I like Kobe more than LeBron. I don't see the big deal. LeBron is still the best player in the world and I feel he'll get his 2nd ring this season.
I guess it's possible that it's just me and swag. It just seems to me like every chance there is to criticize LeBron he's right there. Example being last night, or when the Heat were down to Indiana he started saying Kevin Durant was the best player in the NBA, among other things. They aren't big things, just constant little things or backhanded remarks that you don't hear him say about KD. He does give LeBron credit sometimes though so I'll credit him there.
Come on lol. You say I'm there every chance there is to criticize LeBron, but the last time you can bring up is last season's playoffs.
And I wasn't the only one thinking Durant was either better or on the verge of passing LeBron last season. My opinion has changed since then though, just like I'm sure a lot of people's have. I don't see the problem with that.
Like I said it's a bunch of little things that on their own are fine, but they happen often. You tend to always be the guy arguing on the side of Kobe/Durant when they are grouped/compared with LeBron. The playoffs last year you did a lot of it, this season their hasn't really been a chance to criticize him. Instead of crediting LeBron for his awesome recent stretch of games lately you said something about the offensive system making it easy for him. Which I think most people would agree with but it still seems like a backhanded compliment. I know I've seen more examples but that's what I have off the top of my head. It's just those constant little things that have added up (in my mind). Again though it's not a huge deal, just kind of annoying. I mean I ranked you the #2 poster of all time in a short article I wrote last year so obviously I like you as a poster.
Its a simple process
Throw in disclaimers "He's doing great", "He's the best player in the league"
And then argue against him in every player debate, never comment on "Player X put up 35-12-12 tonight", comment when he rarely falters and act like you're not being bias.
I know, because I have done it before lol.
The reason I don't like D Wade, is because the media will continue to give him accolades and recognition he doesn't deserve. He has been good lately, but he's done it in Lebron's shadow. LeBron is better than D Wade at every single aspect of basketball.
I especially began disliking D Wade towards the end of last season. LeBron was passing game winners up to Udonis Haslem, and the media was clammering for Wade to become the "Closer" when Wade's credibility as a closer couldn't be more overblown. Yes in 2006, he was phenomenal, in every sense of the word in the Finals. But over the past few years, he hasn't been clutch at all. Not only has he constantly missed the game winning shots the Heat have had to give him so he doesn't whine about LeBron getting the ball too much, but his shot selection was horrible. Vs the Bulls last season, he took the most awkward, off balance, unnecessarily tough shot he could have taken, fading out of bounds. He missed it, like he missed numerous game winners, eventually doing so against the Knicks in the playoffs. Wade has this credibility as a closer, because he won an NBA title. I just thought was really stupid and no one ever wanted to point out that he was choking, they said stuff along the lines of "Well, at least they got it to him instead of LeBron".
And then, in the playoffs, probably somewhere between the Indiana and Boston series', Wade realized it: LeBron was just better than him. He finally accepted it, he finally took the back seat, he finally let Cavs Lebron come back and he was just in the main supporting role, which is perfect for him. Wade is still an elite basketball player. He is a sure fire all star, and one of the 10-15 best players in the world. He isn't number 3, or number 2, or number 1, or whatever fans thought he was in the summer of 2010. Do I dislike him, and maybe be a little bias against him? Sure. But he has digressed as a player, that is fact. He didn't just get beat in an All Star game ever though he's in the midst of one of the best regular season stretches we've ever seen, thats the difference.
Last season's top performers:
West
Kevin Durant: 36pts, 7rebs, 3asts
Kobe Bryant: 27pts
Blake Griffin: 22pts, 8rebs, 3asts
East
LeBron James: 36pts, 6rebs, 7asts
Dwyane Wade: 24pts, 10asts, 10 rebs
Carmelo Anthony: 19pts, 8rebs
Am I the only one expecting either (or both) Durant and LeBron to drop 40+ points tonight?
Any predictions?