Serious Question: What exactly does Lebron do BETTER right now than Penny Hardaway did offensively?
- Thread starter DoubleClutch
- Start date
You're only skilled as how effective you are. No one cares that Brooke Lopez or Demaecus Cousins are better ball-handlers or more "skilled" than Shaq but who cares?
Penny's game is smoother and more aesthetically pleasing but he's not as good as Lebron.
Lebron is better at reading defensive rotations, a better play maker, a much better finisher, better at utilizing his strength and speed, attacking mismatches, body control and balance (Eapecially in mid-air and through contact), and he's not made of glass.
You seem to think skills are only fluidity and aesthetics but it's not. Lebron's skills are understanding defensive schemes, predicting and reacting to rotations, and attacking defenses to open up good shots.
god shamgod
Veteran
That's what all nerds who never saw a player play resort too.Stats on stats on stats
I was told in another thread lebron has a nice post game cuz of point per possessions per 100 blah,blah blah.Penny,Jordan,kobe even baron davis post game better than lebrons
DoubleClutch
Superstar
Seriously though, after looking at the stats. Lebron's y'know 27 and 7. But Kobe's averaged 28 when with Shaq, he's hit 30, 34, 35 a few times. It's insane.
Magic's around 20 points, but 15 assists. Larry Bird 24 points, 7 assists
Bill Russell 20 points, 24 rebounds Wilt started 40 points, 20 rebounds, finally settled to 15 ppg territory
Then you hit Michael Jordan's stats.
He had Hardaway's 5 assists pretty much. But he averaged over 30 points a game for 7 years in a row
Four other years, he was within a point and a half of thirty, one time he averaged fukking 37 points a game.
You don't even have to watch him play, you just read his PPG stat line and are like "Give him the GOAT."
I would've been honored to watch that guy play, because honestly I don't even understand. Steph Curry hits 3 pointers from behind 8 dudes, and he only averages 21. What the hell was Michael Jordan doing
Thank you
Steph Curry being the best player and maybe the greatest shooter all time while only averaging 21 points per game is a perfect example of how stats are often misleading and irrelevant in debates
GPBear
The Tape Crusader
I get that. I was just saying LeBron make more points a game, and has a higher percentage of makes. So, he takes more shots, and makes a higher percent of them. So, he is is better at being Lebron James, than Penny Hardaway is at being Penny Hardaway. He can make more of his abilities in 4 quarters of basketball than Hardaway did with his. Whether its a physically dominating skillset or a technical finesse skillset is besides the point.
So an unfinished Lebron, at the age of 20, is better and more impactful than the "finished product" that was Penny?
You're pretty much feeding into Lebron's absolute greatness. He's so naturally gifted and unstoppable that he completely shyts all over "more finished" players at the age of 20.
Lebron's impact > Penny's skills
IllmaticDelta
Veteran
People forget used to play differently before he bulked up. Young Lebron actually played like a guard but with beast strength
No, Lebron has a good post game because he's pretty much unstoppable in a one on one single coverage for 98% of defenders and one of the best finishers in the league.
Why do people think stats don't count simply because you don't like the image they paint?
You would swear he was averaging 10 points and not in the finals, near triple double and 30 points son what are u complaining about?
I'm not complaining actually, but responding to people complaining about my posts I guess. Never said LBJ was playing poorly but simply that he isn't playing at his normal god like levels and is uncharastically struggling from the field. I have acknowledged that his defense, rebounding and his playmaking has been on point as per usual although the turnovers are a bit high, but his scoring is a little off as a whole. When you're as great a player as LBJ, I reiterate I think he's top six all time, its fair to point out areas of their game where they aren't performing up to usual great levels that you might be accustomed to seeing. Its hardly criticism and more like an observation.
Definitely wasn't the post player Penny was until around '14 but I'd still give him an edge in most years because of the dominant drives. Its not so much him being capable of so many more things than Penny but the fact that he does certain things at a much, much higher level. Of course right now might be an exception with the sudden decline in jumpshooting which is why I think its a good discussion to have between them. Same with the very very early LBJ who hadn't figured the game out yet
People are going to look at this comparison as stupid but its actually a really good one. Penny's legit one of the most skilled perimeter players to play this game. If he had his own team for a couple seasons & didn't get cut down by injuries so abruptly I have little doubt he'd be an all time great player. Actually hard for me to compare him to someone in todays game he was just so unique. I think Oscar might be the best I can do from an historical standpoint if I ignore rebounds but even thats not highly accurate
First 22 games in the '96 season Shaq misses with an injury. I guess the Magic will struggle out the gate right? No, they start 17-5 and Penny averages 26ppg 5rpg 7apg 2spg on 62.2% TS (50.3% FG, 11.0 FTA). In an injury plagued '97 season the Magic are down 2-0 to the 61-21 Miami Heat. He responds with b2b 40 point bombs in the face of constant doubles as the offense ran through him with Shaq gone to LA, dominant first round performance against the best defense in the game
GPBear
The Tape Crusader
Hm, I learned something todayPenny's best skill was passing and lebron crushed him there
If you get LeBron in the right post, he will pull out this weird behind the back over-the-opposite shoulder-look pass.
Classic.
only pussies take good shots
IllmaticDelta
Veteran
Lebron has a good post game because not only because he will score from there but he's almost like a big man in the sense he will also pick you apart with his passing from the post. Jordan, Kobe and Penny were primarily scorers from the post..lebron does that and passes out of them. You wont find Kobe and Jordan doing this out of the post on a consistent bases..
DoubleClutch
Superstar
Not badPenny's best skill was passing and lebron crushed him there
considering he probably learned how to pass by watching Penny play growing up
IllmaticDelta
Veteran
Penny's passing isn't in LBJ's league
