Much has been written and reported on LeBron's NBA legacy with regard to whether he wins or loses the championship this year. He's appeared in 6 straight finals and has won 2 back to back previously with Miami. If the Cavs pull off one of the greatest come from behind series wins in sports history on Sunday he will achieve a record of 3-4 in the NBA Finals. If the Cavs lose, his record will be 2-5. For some perspective, the results of players that appeared in at least 5 NBA finals:

Michael Jordan 6-0
Bill Russell 11-1
Bob Cousy 6-1
Tim Duncan 5-1
Kobe Bryant 5-2
Shaquille O'Neal 4-2
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 6-4
Larry Bird 3-2
Magic Johnson 5-4
LeBron James 2-4
Wilt Chamberlain 2-4

LeBron has achieved so much during his 13 seasons outside of championships including 4 MVP's and 2 Finals MVP's. He's "only" 31 so it is safe to assume he is not done achieving other milestones. Other than his "I'm going to take my talents to South Beach" moment his off-the-court record is stellar and he has been a great ambassador to the league. Your thoughts on King James' NBA legacy win or lose in the finals this year?

I have never understood people harping on the finals losses. They are literally saying he would have a better legacy if those four years, his teams had lost earlier in the playoffs, then making it to the final. Ridiculous if you ask me.

(06-17-2016 11:56 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  I have never understood people harping on the finals losses. They are literally saying he would have a better legacy if those four years, his teams had lost earlier in the playoffs, then making it to the final. Ridiculous if you ask me.

But since he wants to be called The King and the greatest...ect... ect.. and MJ went 6-0... yeah you get the picture now....

The only thing that has ever really bugged me about him was the whole "taking my talents to South Beach" made for tv special with ESPN on the hook. That just sent the wrong vibe to me.

(06-18-2016 08:08 AM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  

(06-17-2016 11:56 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  I have never understood people harping on the finals losses. They are literally saying he would have a better legacy if those four years, his teams had lost earlier in the playoffs, then making it to the final. Ridiculous if you ask me.

But since he wants to be called The King and the greatest...ect... ect.. and MJ went 6-0... yeah you get the picture now....

That also means Jordan was sitting home 7 times during his bulls run, plus two more times as a wizard, watching someone else win the finals. He was NOT 6-0 in the finals... he was 6-9 (or 6-8 it you remove the year he missed due to injury) because 9 times his teams did not even make the finals.

Exactly. The only thing that counts is finals victories. How many times you get to finals and lose should not count anymore than makin the conference finals and losing to the eventual champion.

(06-18-2016 01:08 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  

(06-18-2016 08:08 AM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  

(06-17-2016 11:56 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  I have never understood people harping on the finals losses. They are literally saying he would have a better legacy if those four years, his teams had lost earlier in the playoffs, then making it to the final. Ridiculous if you ask me.

But since he wants to be called The King and the greatest...ect... ect.. and MJ went 6-0... yeah you get the picture now....

That also means Jordan was sitting home 7 times during his bulls run, plus two more times as a wizard, watching someone else win the finals. He was NOT 6-0 in the finals... he was 6-9 (or 6-8 it you remove the year he missed due to injury) because 9 times his teams did not even make the finals.

Pretty sure the Wizards were not even a playoff time when Jordan came back for them out of retirement. ...and to that end Jordan was on his last legs as a NBA player.... his comeback tour for the Wizards was dubious at best... the aging super star that had to get the last bit of NBA out of him before he could truthfully let it go.

Depends on how you want to spin Jordan's first retirement in between the two 3 peats.

Also, you have to get to the finals to win or lose one right?

How do you want to spin the Bulls coaching change from Collins to Jackson that finally got them past the Celtics and Pistons in the East?

(06-18-2016 03:31 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  Pretty sure the Wizards were not even a playoff time when Jordan came back for them out of retirement. ...

That is possible, can't remember (actually I was a season ticket holder so I know they weren't), but last I checked the Cavs were among the worst teams in basketball in the years before LeBron returned, and yet they not only made the finals, but were up 2-1.

(06-18-2016 03:31 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  Also, you have to get to the finals to win or lose one right?

No, not if you are comparing achievements. Losing before the finals is not, under any circumstances, better than losing later in the playoffs. That is like saying Dirk Nowitzki or Paul Pierce have better finals records than than LeBron because 1-1 is a higher percentage than 2-4, despite the many foils. Personally I find Magic's 5-4 record in Finals in 13 original seasons to be a better record than 6-0 in 13 original seasons, because it shows a lot more success rate. But maybe that's just me.

(06-18-2016 03:31 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  How do you want to spin the Bulls coaching change from Collins to Jackson that finally got them past the Celtics and Pistons in the East?

There is nothing to "spin," other than the Celtics got old, and they finally beat the pistons, legitimately, but who also aged themselves out. Whether the could have or not, we won't know, but they did not beat either team while their key players will still in their prime.

LeBron legacy is fine...heck "The Logo" Jerry West was 1-8 in the Finals...still a Legend...

(06-19-2016 08:31 AM)Maize Wrote:  LeBron legacy is fine...heck "The Logo" Jerry West was 1-8 in the Finals...still a Legend...

Exactly. LeBron's legacy is that he dragged teams that had no business getting to the ECF to the NBA Finals several times. It took super teams with 2-3 stars thwart him.

(06-19-2016 08:31 AM)Maize Wrote:  LeBron legacy is fine...heck "The Logo" Jerry West was 1-8 in the Finals...still a Legend...

And he had Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain with him at the same time for two of those seasons (and one season also with Gail Goodrich), and still did not win.


Winning it all isn't easy. No matter who your teammates are.

His legacy just got bigger and more impressive for becoming part of the first team in NBA history to come back after being down 3-1 to win the finals. On the road no less. Incredible!

Top 5 all-time. It's not even debatable anymore. Who cares if he'll never be better than Jordan, that comparisson no longer defines him. He just accomplished something that no other player or team could. What he did this finals was historic on so many levels and imo will go down as the greatest finals performance ever. Hell they may even make him the mayor of Akron after this! lol

Blood, sweat and tears after achieving the improbable. Raw emotions after leaving it all out on the court.

Heard this on ESPN at lunch...Draymond left the floor immediately after the game and went to the locker room. After some time passed, he decided he didn't want to be remembered as a poor loser and needed to congratulate the Cavs. He came back out on the court prior to the trophy presentation, moved through the crowd to first seek out LeBron and gave him a congratulatory hug and said he wanted to pay his respect. He also embraced several other Cavs coaches and players before heading back to his locker room. Say what you want about Draymond, that took some swallowing of pride and earned my respect for him.

(06-20-2016 09:16 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  Heard this on ESPN at lunch...Draymond left the floor immediately after the game and went to the locker room. After some time passed, he decided he didn't want to be remembered as a poor loser and needed to congratulate the Cavs. He came back out on the court prior to the trophy presentation, moved through the crowd to first seek out LeBron and gave him a congratulatory hug and said he wanted to pay his respect. He also embraced several other Cavs coaches and players before heading back to his locker room. Say what you want about Draymond, that took some swallowing of pride and earned my respect for him.

I saw him out there hugging LeBron, but I didn't realize he had left. That is pretty solid of him.

(06-20-2016 09:16 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  Heard this on ESPN at lunch...Draymond left the floor immediately after the game and went to the locker room. After some time passed, he decided he didn't want to be remembered as a poor loser and needed to congratulate the Cavs. He came back out on the court prior to the trophy presentation, moved through the crowd to first seek out LeBron and gave him a congratulatory hug and said he wanted to pay his respect. He also embraced several other Cavs coaches and players before heading back to his locker room. Say what you want about Draymond, that took some swallowing of pride and earned my respect for him.

Very good for Draymond and very big of him.