It's honestly sad that it's rare to find basketball analysts who are objective, don't heavily hate and heavily underestimate particular players, use a proper balance of statistics and film analysis, and don't simply use "killer instinct" and "dawg mentality" as their argument. Thank you ThinkingBasketball, every video analysis is amazing.
@@Gabriel-hy8oe its the unmeasurable things people use as arguments to say players like Kobe and Jordan are greater than LeBron because they can’t use statistics. They use personality traits as their arguments
@@Gabriel-hy8oe idk if it's a valid point or not but it definitely isn't objective because some people view lebron to have killer instinct while others don't
@@Gabriel-hy8oe I would say no, not at all. Almost all of the people who use these terms "killer instinct" or "dawg mentality" either a) don't have a solid definition or criteria of what it actually is, or b) the criteria is not necessarily related to how effective a player is (e.g. a player has a "dawg mentality" because he yells at his teammates and is less friendly to other players, but that doesn't necessarily mean you are better than someone JUST because you do that or you can't be a superior player without doing that). Whether a player has it or not is often heavily driven by media narratives, branding of the players and personal bias. I also think it is a huge misconception that players are the best evaluators of talent and better players are better evaluators of talent. While some players certainly do succeed in talent evaluation positions and playing the sport would certainly help over someone who has never played the sport in their life, we have seen many hall of fame level players have little success in front office and coaching positions. Ben Taylor, the person behind the Thinking Basketball channel, is probably a far far far worse player than any NBA basketball player, but he is one of the best basketball analysts because he uses clear criteria and definitions of what makes a player "good", is objective and balances his analysis with many different data points alongside eye test and contextualization. Being able to do something great requires very different skills than being able to understand, analyze and evaluate how great others are at doing something.
@SharinganSakura except Jordan Jordan averaged 33 finals for his career and averaged over 40 in 1993, Bron is the goat if you don't look at playoff Jordans resume, lebron doesn't have the stupid gear Jordan did come post season
It’s the same for nearly every top 10 player. Kareem’s prime lasted 17 years, MJ 12, Hakeem 12, Duncan 14, etc. LeBron is great but having a sustained prime isn’t a characteristic unique to him.
@@yd856 not the same at all. But i fuccs with that big K.r.i.t album ur sporting. That shiit went hard... I went back and did a little research and you are right. But the difference is with the players you mentioned might have had sustained primes. None of them besides maybe MJ would have been considered to be the best player in the league at the end of their primes.
Darin Parrish I agree with that but no one, LeBron and MJ included, has been the best player for a 12 year period. LeBron was arguably the best player in 2008 and 2020 but it’s not as clear to me as MJ. Either way you can’t go wrong and either way it’s greatness but I was just pointing out that having long primes isn’t a characteristic unique to Bron.
@@yd856 it’s not just that Lebron has had a long prime, it’s the total amount of minutes he’s played that make it insane. Remember, Lebron came out of high school and until 2 years ago never had a major injury while playing in the finals for nearly a decade straight. Combine that with the fact that the modern NBA season/post-season is much longer, and you have a man doing something unprecedented. Both MJ and Kareem played multiple years in college, and played shorter NBA seasons/post-seasons than Lebron. Lebron’s durability/longevity is unique once you consider those factors, and we still have yet to see him fall off the cliff.
@J D Agreed. Personally I don’t if you can say if he is out of his prime in 2020. He is getting older but his play isn’t getting any worse. He may not be as agile but he still is a monster in the post and can drive the lane like a truck on a highway
@@borovicka_ Yeah I’d say he just transitioned from being a scorer first to a playmaker first, his playmaking was still elite during his prime but now it’s much more profound
@J D he was actually really solid with the 2007 piston series and the 2009 magic series under his belt, also I remember 08 where he averaged over 30 and tried his hardest in game 7 to win it with 45 points. 2011 was horrible ending but even throughout the regular season and playoffs he was very solid(he just got scared at the end) overall 2006-2018 Is his athletic prime but the 2019-2020 he’s a MUCH more smarter player and he focuses on another stuff and that’s why he’s STILL the best player on the planet
Yea it makes me tear up everytime I see it. Those last 3 elimination games, lebron, and the cavs overall (but especially lebron), played with such a desperation. He wanted that chip so badly. And you can see the culmination in that hug.
Bro I got shivers through my whole body and a tear in my eye as soon as I saw his face break into tears. It's a beautiful moment of realisation. That game 7 was the most I've ever enjoyed watching sport.
@@TRIBEY92 this win was particularly important to him, he finally finished what he set off to do since he joined the league..which is to win one for cleaveland...the people hated and booed him when he left but he still returned and gave them what he promised them years ago..for that this dude has my respect
Being a Cleveland fan my whole life, we never really had much going for us. Browns are always garbage, the cavs never got enough talent around a young LeBron, and he leaves. During that time while he left Cleveland sports was at an all time low, at least for my lifetime. But then, the King returned, and brought Cleveland home a championship. The joy in that city and surrounding area was astounding! So happy he won another title with the Lakers, he deserves it.
That game 7 is still the greatest game I have ever watched. It was so emotional. The storylines, the narrative, the build up.. even the fuckin intro was fire. Such a great series.
Niggas are quick to forget Kyrie put up HOF performances every night alongside having the greatest shot ever made. Game 7 katana. It’s not just Lebron. It’s Love Ky and Lebron
@@hishamziard8473 kyries shot wasn’t the greatest shot tho but kyrie balled out too. If it was my first time ever watching basketball I would have taught kyrie was better than curry
LeBron is one of the few hyper athletic players who still uses all of his BBall IQ to read defenses and make educated passes while being 2 steps ahead on defense
As a Warrior fan, I guess I kinda blocked these games out of my memory. Watching it back now just made me remember how incredible he was. Especially his passing. That fake corner jump-pass lob to Kevin Love at 10:50 stood out in particular
that was fucking absurd. all in one motion, he fakes the cross-court pass to the opposite corner and then simultaneously drops it beautifully into Kevin Love. i can't get over that pass my god
GSW missed Draymond and Bogut in Game 5 but put that aside, you can see how LeBron was smart enought to be able to take advantage of the situation. He basically outcoached Steve Kerr in those last 3 games and Kerr can’t answer how LeBron is attacking them.
facts i’m a fan trio and blocked them out of my memory. It also brought back to memory how bad those green and bogut absences severely hurt us because lebron just exploited it to hell. Really wish the nba hadn’t suspended him
Get this straight, everyone talks about KD being a coward, but nobody talks about how Steph, Klay, and Dre are all betas. Lebron bullied this team into crying in a parking lot and begging KD to join them. Just a bunch of cowards that were too afraid to face Lebron with their, already, superteam. They created an "ultra team." The first and only.
I love how you just appreciate talent, there is no major biases and you do highlight a lot of highs you also go over lows as well. The last 20 years weve been able to witness one of the most athletic people in the world just dominate a sport and you rarely see that
@Barfieman362 it's more of seeing the most athletic of the athletic PLUS have an extremely All time type IQ for the sport..... that combination is what makes the Lebron/MJs a cut above the others. Football is hard to do because the QB can have a bigger affect on the game than a much more athletic player at a different position.
This guy was the best scorer, playmaker, help defender, rim protector, rebounder and 1on1 defender in an NBA final, the maximum possible level of basketball. It is incredible.
All his teammates even if its only for one season, praise how smart the guy is. He is so physically gifted and his basketball brain is absolutely nuts, regardless of winning it all the fact he has managed to have 10 trips to the finals is crazy. I dont think even if a player jumps team to team looking for talent we will ever see another player as the #1 option be this consistently good for this long again. If it happens we will all be dead probably before it happens in basketballs history.
@@NothingElseMattersJM They aren’t mutually exclusive. His worst series is better than the worst series of everyone but Jordan. But his best exceeded Jordan’s best. His peak value when you account for all he needed to do with the help he had versus relative competition is the highest the league has seen. He was the best scorer/playmaker/rebounder/defender on both teams combined (Green is a better defender and maybe Curry is as good a scorer, but you get the idea). Jordan never had to do that. No one has needed to do this. He wasn’t great in 2011. But no one was as good as he was in 2016.
@@soorajreddychappidi6835 That 2011 post season will forever be a stain considering how stacked that team was, which is a shame. I definitely think if he three-peats with the Lakers, his argument for being the GOAT will be VERY strong and most people by then will be arguing for him rather than against him maybe.
What’s so interesting about LeBron to me is how good he is in a long series. Historically, LeBron James has played his best in games 5 and onwards. I don’t even need to debate this, the statistics will tell you everything. It’s always used a point of criticism against him that he lets the series go more than 5 games, but I find it extremely impressive that he keeps his composure at all times, and just delivers. In this years finals even, after game 5, I knew the heat were done because LeBron got his shot back and he was prepared to come out firing on all cylinders in the next two games. His focus is unmatched.
@@marekwichniarek268 yep especially against the spurs in 13’, the heat, the 73-9 warriors, every team in the Eastern Conference from 2010 to 2019 and the western conference in 2020. You sound dumb.
@@dezz8598 Ray Allen saved his ass in 2013, Warriors played last 3 games without Bogut, 1 game without Green - no bigs to defend against LeBrick. LeBrick was throwing his bricks in the last minutes of game 7 and finally Kyrie had balls and saved Lebrick's ass. Also Lebrick was lucky that Heat had injuries in 2020. Lebrick was so close to 2-8 or even 1-9 in the finals. Even that block on Iguadola happened only because Smith guarded Iggy well and didn't let him dunk the ball. PS. Jordan in the finals was 4 times pretty close to... game 7 (92, 93, 97, 98). "Somehow" it never happened.
@@marekwichniarek268 these arguments are just so empty and pathetic these days, people just feel sorry you can't appreciate one of the greatest to ever do it. One day you'll realize what you lost out on and feel a deep sadness, like the MJ haters of old, history repeats itself.
To do what he did on this stage, with the YEARS of pressure and scrutiny, down 3-1 to the 73 win Warriors, after already losing to them the previous year while leading both teams in points, assists and rebounds to deliver Cleveland their first sports title in 50 years... this was singular in all sports. It felt like his entire career was building up to this very moment.
@@geordiejones5618 This was not singular, you forget Michael Jordan brought Bulls their first Championship, after all the hardship, after everyone called him just a scorer not a winner, Pistons kicking his ass, his career up to that point was building to that. LeBron’s win isn’t a singular moment.
@@baldhead7759 it is because he did it against the 73-9 warriors down 3-1 and the biggest factor is that lebron is from Cleveland that’s why jordan ain’t from Chicago it ain’t the same that love
@@baldhead7759 bro down 3-1.... the year prior he lost to then while balling out because his next two best players were hurt and him and kyrie explode and bring them back and win his hometown team that picked him OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL a championship Cleveland’s first In what like 50 years?
@@ag7367 You gotta be on something, Supersonics 97 would absolutely be on par with the Warriors, Utah Jazz would be another team on par if not BETTER. You must not watch basketball, Phoenix Suns, Trail Blazers, all would give the Warriors a run for their money.
I remember this series like yesterday. It was insane. I literally cried at the end of game 7. The only time I’ve cried for anything sports related. I just couldn’t believe it
Nah, it was just for the last 3 games. He averaged an easy 29-11-9-3-2 for the series which is very impressive as well, considering he led both teams in all categories
This finals series is the single greatest feat by any player in my opinion. A 3-1 comeback in the finals against a 73-9 Warriors team is absolutely insane. This series is the greatest testimony to the value of Lebron James.
Preach! He was right when he said “that one right there made him the greatest” because can hate all they want but when they truly think about it.. he led his team to 3 straight wins vs a 73-9 win team !!! Greatest shooting backcourt ever and a dpoy not to mention probably the deepest bench in the nba at the time too .. Lebrons the goat
@@slimevvs__1393 " Greatest shooting backcourt ever and a dpoy not to mention probably the deepest bench in the nba at the time too" And then they added KD and ruined the rivalry
I absolutely love the way you backed up both of your claims with 100% proof. Not gonna lie, after finishing a game, I rarely go to analyze the plays/players. I watch them, but not as far as you do. I'll start doing this for now on.
Whenever someone tries to tell you LBJ aint a top tier defensive player, just show em this video. We can agree over the regular season he doesnt play like this, but when he applies himself to be a beast in the def...
I mean, a big part of defense is technique and IQ, another is conditioning, but the biggest is effort in my opinion, so to say he “could’ve been” the best defender means part of his defensive game is missing, in my opinion.
@@Industrious420 It made sense to me. Westbrook Stans are kind of representative of the basketball dumbs out there. People who think advanced stats are a "trick" and don't care about efficiency as long as you run around the court like a sugar-crazed toddler.
DIS GON B GUD. I've been fascinated by the '16 comeback since the day it happened, particularly LeBron's performance over those 3 games. I often cite this as the most incredible performance in NBA history so it will be interesting now to watch the video and see if you agree.
I now see why they felt like they needed KD. After those 3 games, they knew there was no way they could run it back and beat Lebron. He figured them out
Vegas still favored Warriors for 2017 🏆after they barely lost 2016 finals before KD went there. Softest move ever. He could literally go to any team besides Warriors or Cavs and naturally he chose a team who went 140-24 without him (best two year period ever) 2014-15 to 2015-16 nearly winning b2b titles with some injury/suspension breaks going their way (or Harrison Barnes who he replaced not going ice cold!). He could of made amazing teams with Milwaukee, Washington, Blazers, Celtics, Pacers, Raptors, Heat, Spurs hell pick any team, but nope he picked a well oiled machine who was already favored to win 2017 title without him and beat his team who blew 3-1 lead to them when he shot poorly most of the series especially game 6.
@@superdopehiphop It wasn't soft at all. It was fairer than most people can admit. Only Lebron obsessed people deny this reality. Lebron had Kyrie. Curry had Klay. Nothing against Klay, but Kyrie is the player you would want your side in a finals series. Someone who can create their own shot and make tough ass shots. Klay is more a catch and shoot player. Getting KD made it more fair. They needed someone to handle Lebron, and handle he did. Lebron was scared to guard KD during those two finals series. KD wasn't scared to guard Lebron though.
@@spankstar comically and conveniently you left our first ballot HOF Top5 defender all time, top3 glue guy, top20 passer, best +/- in playoffs since 2015 (+888). Curry and Klay couldn’t sniff the finals before Kerr’s system and more importantly DRAYMOND moved into starting line up! His career playoff numbers are great (13, 10, 6, 1.5 spg, 1.5 bpg. That’s like Jason Kidd just switch rbg apg and add more bpg). 2016 NBA Finals Draymond wins FINALS MVP if Barnes, Curry, Klay make a few more shots or no Bogut/Iggy injury! He had one of the 3-5 best Game7s in Finals history with 32 15 9 dimes 5 threes in first half (6-8 threes for game) 11-15 FGs! 4/4 FTs 2 steals Only 2 TOs Klay and Curry 6/24 from 3 game 7! If they’re a still bad 8-9/24 for them they win! 2017 Warriors were favored to win title in summer BEFORE KD decided to hop on their band wagon. He could stay in OKC (who was up 3-1 on GSW WCF and he gagged game 6 especially in 4th when they were up 8 to close out series at home!) or go to any other team in NBA besides GSW/Cavs! It was the softest band wagon move by any great player of all time and it’s not close!
@@superdopehiphop Wait. You guys are arguing if KD helped the Warriors win the next year? I don't even understand your point. Lots of teams are "favored" and don't win. Lots of teams are "great" and don't win. Any team wants KD. KD can do whatever he wants. He was the finals MVP. Who cares about anything else? I'm confused about this whole conversation. "Softest bandwagon move"? Some weird fans that maybe need to take a step back for perspective.
@@mthedu yes it was objectively the weakest band wagon move ever by a superstar who said “Oh hell no if they win the that title I’m not doing there.” They were favored to win the 2017 title before he joined it! Who else has ever come close to doing that? I’ll wait.
That “changeup” pass to love will forever stick in my mind. For those posing an argument for Lebron, this 3 game stretch speaks volume. He tapped into something during those games that I don’t think has nor will be replicated ever again. Great analysis Ben.
I grew up in Cleveland. I have fond memories of going to Cavs games as a kid and going to the floor seats area because no one went to the games due to being so bad. Then we had the Browns... which were the Browns. I went to Baldwin Wallace University. 2016 was my junior year. I was falling in love with the most beautiful girl who'd ever given me attention, I had moved into a college house with friends for the first time, I had found my career path which had been an enormous relief and then this playoff run was all in the same time period. I watched every game with my friends. I somehow got tickets to watch game 7 at the Cavs arena (the Q). The Cavs, led by Lebron who had romantically returned home to win a ring for our city, made the first 3-1 comeback in history. I got to be in the heart of CLE when we won. The arena was actually almost dead quiet for the first ten seconds after the buzzer ran out because no one could believe it with all the sports let downs of the past. The streets were rioting in exhaltation, the cops were smashing beers with fans, people were climbing street lights and hundreds of thousands of people were all screaming with happiness. My phone got smashed, I was hammered and I had separated from my friends, but just as they were going around the block to go to the highway, I saw them a full 500 feet away, ran through the crowds giving high fives and cheers, and then jumped into my friends van to make a clean getaway. Cleveland was a champion for the first time in many decades, something my grandparents had never seen. It was likely the most cultural experience u will ever experience in my life. It is potentially the best sports moment in American history. I thank God that all of those different events came together for me to experience
I remember watching this series, knowing the Warriors were the better team. This series and the 2004 Red Sox vs. Yankees ALCS remain the two most exciting sports series for me as a fan. Thanks Thinking Basketball for this excellent breakdown. For me, LeBron is the GOAT.
I like how unbiased this guy is, even in a great run he will still fairly consider weaknesses and drawback to the game. Not to discount anything but to inform
Facts for me this was the best stretch of basketball I’ve ever seen from one man I still remember every game thinking damn is he really gonna pull off a 3-1 comeback 🤣🔥
@@NothingElseMattersJM in what universe did Terry play better than LeBron in that finals? Lebron was far better than Terry and it's not even close. Did you actually watch that series? Terry averaged 18/2/3, how exactly is that better than 18/7/7 from LeBron? The only thing Terry actually has on LeBron in that series is that he shot 39% instead of LeBron's 32%, but in literally any other facet of the game LeBron was a far far better player that series. Lebron was fine that series, he just didn't score, but he did everything else great. If you're gonna just hate at least get your facts straight.
People always downplay this for some reason but it was incredible even with the injuries and suspension I can remember watching the entire series and more specifically games 5-7 and just how amazing it looked I even tried the pass Lebron did to Thompson through 2 defenders and it worked
It will or something near of it because he did announced that there will be a series during this fall about examinating the Greatest stretch of all of the greatest players of all time during their prime in depth . It should be an unfathomable amount of works to pull this off but would be a hell of a series even more entertaining than the 3-1 finals comeback haha 🔥
I was pretty young when MJ won his first three rings. I remember clearly his last 2. When this Cavs Warriors series ended, I remember thinking: Well, I've never seen anything like what LeBron just did. MJ may be the GOAT, but this three game stretch stands alone, for me personally.
@@ouchh35 they're equal. Mj gad ridiculous feats as well that lebron never accomplished. And vice versa. It's not a bad thing to say they're goats of their respective eras.
The 2016 season made me an NBA fan tbh. Started watching the day Kobe played his last game and the post season that followed has yet to be topped in my eyes
The three greatest games in a row he played were in 2007 playoffs, conference finals , when he was only 22. against the mighty team of the Detroit Pistons. Game 3, 4 & 5. Cavs were losing the series 2-0, then they won 4 straight games to advance to the finals. LeBron dropped 48 points in game 5 in Detroit. That game he scored 29 of the Cavaliers’ final 30 points, 25 of those 29 were straight points. That was the best game he ever played. He trashed them.
From time to time I watch the last quarter of game 7, it brings me chills through my spine... At the end, when Curry misses the 3 and he looks up to the clock, Kevin Love hugs him and he puts his hand on his face... It brings me so much joy
@@Khan-nq7lq look up the finals lebron did everything better than ad including rebounding, look up the wcf and compare lebron again with ad. Lebron leads in everything even though they play through ad you casual.
@@Khan-nq7lq 2011 Finals is the only stain on LeBron's career. 2020 LeBron and AD were equally as dominant, but LeBron was better in the Finals hence him winning Finals MVP.
If you're still hating on LeBron at this point, I feel really, really, sorry for you. We're fortunate enough to be witnessing one of the greatest players ever that dominates every facet of the game. The LeBron stories in a couple decades are gonna be legendary, glad I'll be able to tell the next generation I enjoyed every moment of it 🐐
Truly a shame that alot of people are not enjoying Lebron's game, too busy nitpicking and comparing to MJ. This man is unreal and I think he's got another prime coming lmao
Please more of these. I love seeing the absolute peaks in NBA history Perhaps do an all time team performance? Those 14' Spurs come to mind immediately
@@bartphilips2222 see that’s just disrespectful. You can believe mj is the goat, but at least acknowledge Lebron’s case. Don’t just be biased and diminish him. Whether you like it or not, it’s a debate. And a close one at that. I think bron is the goat but I can see if somebody says mj is the goat. They both have great cases better than any other player in history.
@@leultrainstinct406 Logically speaking it’s reasonable to keep Jordan as GOAT. LeBron has a case for his fans but Jordan accomplished so much in such little time. LeBron is already playing longer but still not as accomplished, he has to play extra seasons just to close the gap. Kind of crazy to put him over Jordan. But then again that’s just my personal opinion, everyone has their own criteria.
OH BLOCKED BY JAMES. Thank you so much Mike Breen for elevating these moments and giving us all something to remember them by. Great commentator that other sports could really learn from.
That play starting at 1:53 is so emblematic of his career. Starts as the primary ball handler of the team. There's an inch of space open so he succesfully drives down the rim. GSW automatically sends three defenders on him - because two wouldn't be enough. He then makes a surreal pass for the assist - but his teammate misses. Then he grabs the rebound and scores.
i’m not a Labron fan but I agree that was the best 3 game stretch against a great team.... ever ! ( i’ve watched a lot of nba from mid 80’s until now + hundreds of classic games that were before my time)
Its funny because he replicated this level of greatness in game 1 of the 2018 nba finals against an even better warriors team with Kevin Durant. Lebron is the goat period.
This is why I love this channel bruh. This is a channel for students of the game that know the game but still like to learn & appreciate what players bring to the game.
I love your channel man and before I even read your other all time 3 game stretches that you have posted, I had some of them on my list as well. MJ in 93, Dream in 95, Shaq in 2000, and Wade in 2006.
I would say none of them were against this level of defence, the warriors were one of the best defences in the league with two of the best defensive players of all time
i'm glad this video is out there. some ppl just can't see lebron's iq and the fact that he did EVERYTHING every single night, a lot of ppl are judging the goat debate in a shallow manner by the "eye test" when they don't even recognize lebron's reads and study of the game, and by eye test they really mean shooting fadeaway midrange j's. lebron's athleticism, iq, skill, rebounding, court vision, and passing makes him the GOAT
Not according to every single analytic metric. Eye test doesn't mean fadeaway, anymore than forgetting about Draymond's suspension and Curry's injury in game 5 makes LeBron the GOAT.
@@rubixloverful everything I said was in statistical fact. And eye test that supports Jordan has nothing to do with fadeaway. But by all means. Ignore the majority opinion. All the evidence and make stuff up
You can already appreciate the plays he make when you see it in real-time and replay but breaking it down just adds more "wow" factor to it. This series was crazy for LeBron and leading both teams in all 5 major statistical categories ain't a joke. There's a reason why nobody has ever done that in the rich history of the NBA. Bron just built different. And people are still in denial that he's on MJ's level, if not better as most people give more importance and emphasis on scoring and take everything else for granted. I mean MJ is an elite defensive player but he had to defend smaller guards in his time and Bron does it against 5 positions.
@@solanacea1939 notice how you only came up with names who are generally hard to guard even against their natural positions? I mean why don't you throw out MJ there as well for good measure? Lol. And with the names you came up with, only Shaq would be impossible for LeBron. Malone is strong but you're forgetting Zion looked like he ran into a brick wall against Bron. That says a lot as even centers bounce off Zion. And Nash? C'mon bruh. Prime LeBron eats Nash for breakfast. Being able to guard 1 through 5 doesn't mean you can stop every superstar there is as superstars are generally hard to defend even for elite defenders so your context is off and flawed.
@@solanacea1939 MJ couldn't really guard them either. No one in NBA history could effectively guard Prime Shaq. LeBron was capable of guarding most 1-4s and small 5s.
Can't lie, when the piano came in at 12:27, it hit right in the feels. Hate LeBron all you want, that 2016 title meant more to the city of Cleveland than any sports title in America. 1.3 million people at the championship parade - in a city with a population a quarter that size - doesn't lie. 52 years of not just losing, but heartbreak (the Drive, the Fumble, the Shot, the Decision, the Browns leaving, blowing the World Series in '97) mirrored the city's demise. So much pressure on 'Bron's shoulders, first when he was hyped up and drafted as a teenager, then returning with a promise to win a title, and he runs into one of the best teams constructed in NBA history. To have delivered in that set of circumstances has got to rank as one of the greatest achievements in the history of professional sports.
This deep look at just three games is great and helps you see things that the average fan might not. Especially the attention on defence because that doesn't get enough attention when thinking about stars and playoff basketball. I enjoyed this
This series launched LeBron past Jordan all-time as an NBA Finals defender. It's the ugly truth. 2016 is one of, if not the greatest defensive performance in NBA Finals history by a single player. He recorded 18 steals and 16 blocks. He nearly broke Isiah Thomas' Finals record for steals in a series and cracked the top 20 in blocks. If that weren't enough, he is now 2nd all-time in total steals and 6th all-time in total blocks. Jordan is actually nowhere close. The gap is huge.
LBJ's greatest game is his 2016 Championship ring in his hometown with the Cleveland. His worst? His time with the Heat. He was just chasing rings. But in 2016 Cleveland, he built a legacy.
The series was a literal masterpiece. 73 win team, highest in NBA history, going for back-to-back championship. First successful 3-1 comeback in NBA final history to bring Cleveland's first NBA franchise championship. Ended over half a century drought of any major sports championship in Ohio. LeBron's press interview of Klay's comment heading towards elimination game. LeBron literally did whatever he wanted against the entire Warrior's team both offensively and defensively including that iconic chase down block to seal the series.
can't give that to someone who averages just 1.2 offensive rebounds/game for his career. And it's not like he's having to rebound against all time great rebounders like Dennis Rodman or something.
@@eliasdejene2779 Yeah top 15 reb, top 3 scorer, top 3 passer, top 5 defender would be fair which is fucking stupid. He is just so dominant passively let alone locked in.
As a Steph Curry/Warriors fan but more importantly a fan of the game of basketball those 3 games were just an absolutely beautiful display on both sides of the court by the greatest all-around player of all time. Truly remarkable
Your videos are always on point : you clearly understand of the game of basketball; you watched those games and it's obvious. On the same occasion, you're utilisation of metrics is on par (not too much).and your understanding of those numbers are unmatched; you don't use sophism or half bake truth. You're impartial, well spoken and your video is fluid. Sorry about my English mistakes.
Can't beat these three games as the greatest ever played. The stage (finals), the quality of the opponent (73-win Warriors), the situation (down 1-3). Tied for the greatest individual sports performance ever. You name it.
He dominated the 2015 Finals too, but he just didn't have enough help to carry the Cavs to the 'Ship against Curry-Thompson-Green-Iguodala. Lebron averaged 35-13-8 in that series, and was the best player on the court on both sides. The worst is when Kyrie went down in Game 1 that we would/should have won, and then we win the next 2 games miraculously to take a 2-1 lead in the series. It's just unfortunate that it happened that way. We would be talking about a Cleveland Cavs dynasty instead of Golden State.
For me what makes Lebron the Goat is the 8th consecutive finals stretch. During that stretch we saw him develop a post game after losing in 2011. The we saw him defending from Tony Parker and Rose and switching to players like Duncan in the next possession. Around 2012-14 he also developed his mid range jump shot. Then from 2015-2018 he was Magic from one half and Jordan for the other. He could turn every game into Lebronto and also was knocking down threes from Steph range. Insane evolution that still makes him elite in 2022
Damn I wish I could go back to see these games live again. I remember hating the warriors and living like 3 hours from Cleveland I was a huge LBJ fan. GOAT of this era, maybe all time.
It's honestly sad that it's rare to find basketball analysts who are objective, don't heavily hate and heavily underestimate particular players, use a proper balance of statistics and film analysis, and don't simply use "killer instinct" and "dawg mentality" as their argument. Thank you ThinkingBasketball, every video analysis is amazing.
@@Gabriel-hy8oe its the unmeasurable things people use as arguments to say players like Kobe and Jordan are greater than LeBron because they can’t use statistics. They use personality traits as their arguments
@@Gabriel-hy8oe idk if it's a valid point or not but it definitely isn't objective because some people view lebron to have killer instinct while others don't
He’s not objective at all. He clearly has his favorites (cough Curry)
@@Gabriel-hy8oe I would say no, not at all. Almost all of the people who use these terms "killer instinct" or "dawg mentality" either a) don't have a solid definition or criteria of what it actually is, or b) the criteria is not necessarily related to how effective a player is (e.g. a player has a "dawg mentality" because he yells at his teammates and is less friendly to other players, but that doesn't necessarily mean you are better than someone JUST because you do that or you can't be a superior player without doing that). Whether a player has it or not is often heavily driven by media narratives, branding of the players and personal bias.
I also think it is a huge misconception that players are the best evaluators of talent and better players are better evaluators of talent. While some players certainly do succeed in talent evaluation positions and playing the sport would certainly help over someone who has never played the sport in their life, we have seen many hall of fame level players have little success in front office and coaching positions. Ben Taylor, the person behind the Thinking Basketball channel, is probably a far far far worse player than any NBA basketball player, but he is one of the best basketball analysts because he uses clear criteria and definitions of what makes a player "good", is objective and balances his analysis with many different data points alongside eye test and contextualization. Being able to do something great requires very different skills than being able to understand, analyze and evaluate how great others are at doing something.
@@Van_ax curry is everyone's favourite if you like basketball
I'll never forget those back to back 41 points games where he was literally the best in every statistical category on both sides of the court.
Shit was unbelievable
He was the best in the 5 major categories for the whole series🤯
I remember pundits still arguing for Kyrie as Finals MVP, and while he was great, that’s one of the dumbest arguments ever
@ESPN - what’s wrong with that premise?
@SharinganSakura except Jordan Jordan averaged 33 finals for his career and averaged over 40 in 1993, Bron is the goat if you don't look at playoff Jordans resume, lebron doesn't have the stupid gear Jordan did come post season
Its been 4 fucking years, and everytime i hear "Iguodala to Curry, back to Iguodala..." i still get chills.
That final minute was the longest ever as a cavs fan it felt nice
Same
The moment I remember most was Lebron's almost dunk at the very end. So close.
Same man
No bs that shit scary
"In his prime"
Shows a period longer than most players careers
It’s the same for nearly every top 10 player. Kareem’s prime lasted 17 years, MJ 12, Hakeem 12, Duncan 14, etc. LeBron is great but having a sustained prime isn’t a characteristic unique to him.
@@yd856 not the same at all. But i fuccs with that big K.r.i.t album ur sporting. That shiit went hard... I went back and did a little research and you are right. But the difference is with the players you mentioned might have had sustained primes. None of them besides maybe MJ would have been considered to be the best player in the league at the end of their primes.
Darin Parrish I agree with that but no one, LeBron and MJ included, has been the best player for a 12 year period. LeBron was arguably the best player in 2008 and 2020 but it’s not as clear to me as MJ. Either way you can’t go wrong and either way it’s greatness but I was just pointing out that having long primes isn’t a characteristic unique to Bron.
Samuel Loetscher PEDs are a hell of a drug
@@yd856 it’s not just that Lebron has had a long prime, it’s the total amount of minutes he’s played that make it insane. Remember, Lebron came out of high school and until 2 years ago never had a major injury while playing in the finals for nearly a decade straight. Combine that with the fact that the modern NBA season/post-season is much longer, and you have a man doing something unprecedented. Both MJ and Kareem played multiple years in college, and played shorter NBA seasons/post-seasons than Lebron.
Lebron’s durability/longevity is unique once you consider those factors, and we still have yet to see him fall off the cliff.
Playerss guarded by Lebron in the last 3 games shot 19.4% from the floor . Important note
Do you have a source I wanna see that a lot
🐐🐐
Is that true?!
Szilárd Oberritter thanks
Didn’t lebron get outplayed by a sixth man named Jason Terry in the 2011 Finals ?🌝
"His prime" - casually is 2008 to 2020 pretty normal stuff
6:20
I saw that too 😭
@J D Agreed. Personally I don’t if you can say if he is out of his prime in 2020. He is getting older but his play isn’t getting any worse. He may not be as agile but he still is a monster in the post and can drive the lane like a truck on a highway
@@borovicka_ Yeah I’d say he just transitioned from being a scorer first to a playmaker first, his playmaking was still elite during his prime but now it’s much more profound
@J D he was actually really solid with the 2007 piston series and the 2009 magic series under his belt, also I remember 08 where he averaged over 30 and tried his hardest in game 7 to win it with 45 points. 2011 was horrible ending but even throughout the regular season and playoffs he was very solid(he just got scared at the end) overall 2006-2018
Is his athletic prime but the 2019-2020 he’s a MUCH more smarter player and he focuses on another stuff and that’s why he’s STILL the best player on the planet
Surprise thinking basketball content is a shining light in a dark world
Tom Taylor the amount of content out lately from Ben has been a godsend. Love it
Fact
@@JohnSmith-eo2yx u no this dude?
I hope everyone reading this life is changing things in a positive way
Take care, stay safe
The hug between love and lebron is legendary
One of the best and most iconics moments of all-time wihout question.
Yea it makes me tear up everytime I see it. Those last 3 elimination games, lebron, and the cavs overall (but especially lebron), played with such a desperation. He wanted that chip so badly. And you can see the culmination in that hug.
The headlock is even better
This made me shed a tear man, the moment when you realize all your hard work has paid off 13:11
Bro I got shivers through my whole body and a tear in my eye as soon as I saw his face break into tears. It's a beautiful moment of realisation. That game 7 was the most I've ever enjoyed watching sport.
@@TRIBEY92 this win was particularly important to him, he finally finished what he set off to do since he joined the league..which is to win one for cleaveland...the people hated and booed him when he left but he still returned and gave them what he promised them years ago..for that this dude has my respect
Then they got KD and he mopped the floor with Lebron!
Dw, those last moments always get me...
@@TRIBEY92 fr no doubt abt it
Being a Cleveland fan my whole life, we never really had much going for us. Browns are always garbage, the cavs never got enough talent around a young LeBron, and he leaves. During that time while he left Cleveland sports was at an all time low, at least for my lifetime. But then, the King returned, and brought Cleveland home a championship. The joy in that city and surrounding area was astounding! So happy he won another title with the Lakers, he deserves it.
i appreciate fans like you. need more people like this
I never enjoyed a sports series as much as that 2015-2016 finals it was ridiculous
Us in Miami appreciate him too! And we were happy he won in Cleavland!
Dude, we almost won a World Series
@@clashplaya8638 they blew a 3-1 that year lol but it also helped another impoverished franchise (Cubs)out
That game 7 is still the greatest game I have ever watched. It was so emotional. The storylines, the narrative, the build up.. even the fuckin intro was fire. Such a great series.
Niggas are quick to forget Kyrie put up HOF performances every night alongside having the greatest shot ever made. Game 7 katana. It’s not just Lebron. It’s Love Ky and Lebron
@@hishamziard8473 Yeah everyone contributed
@@hishamziard8473 kyries shot wasn’t the greatest shot tho but kyrie balled out too. If it was my first time ever watching basketball I would have taught kyrie was better than curry
@@applycontext9161 he was for that series
@@hishamziard8473 no one forgets. It's mostly haters who discredit Bron
LeBron is one of the few hyper athletic players who still uses all of his BBall IQ to read defenses and make educated passes while being 2 steps ahead on defense
Im sure there is almost no athletic player that would have his iq even at max potential
@@jijmotorp3079 Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant ?
@@thepeacekeeper2338 they don't have his iq at all (at least in the playsoff)
@@thepeacekeeper2338 didn't have his iq. Few players have a higher basket iq (Chris paul, magic?...)
@@jijmotorp3079 Jordan doesn't have the BBIQ of LeBron? You're young, or smoking crack.
As a Warrior fan, I guess I kinda blocked these games out of my memory. Watching it back now just made me remember how incredible he was. Especially his passing. That fake corner jump-pass lob to Kevin Love at 10:50 stood out in particular
he is literally the true all in one package...mr do it all..
that was fucking absurd. all in one motion, he fakes the cross-court pass to the opposite corner and then simultaneously drops it beautifully into Kevin Love. i can't get over that pass my god
GSW missed Draymond and Bogut in Game 5 but put that aside, you can see how LeBron was smart enought to be able to take advantage of the situation. He basically outcoached Steve Kerr in those last 3 games and Kerr can’t answer how LeBron is attacking them.
facts i’m a fan trio and blocked them out of my memory. It also brought back to memory how bad those green and bogut absences severely hurt us because lebron just exploited it to hell. Really wish the nba hadn’t suspended him
@@lyhthegreat Le Team
“Guess he got his feelings hurt”
-Klay Thompson
@Scratchin' Samurai big mistake Lebron internalized those words
Get this straight, everyone talks about KD being a coward, but nobody talks about how Steph, Klay, and Dre are all betas. Lebron bullied this team into crying in a parking lot and begging KD to join them. Just a bunch of cowards that were too afraid to face Lebron with their, already, superteam. They created an "ultra team." The first and only.
He took it personal.
ruclips.net/video/8YqjOhtehzY/видео.html 😀
Oh are going revisionist now? The begged the league to suspend a certain donkey, just to have a chance.
I love how you just appreciate talent, there is no major biases and you do highlight a lot of highs you also go over lows as well. The last 20 years weve been able to witness one of the most athletic people in the world just dominate a sport and you rarely see that
@@rusted8157 no appreciation at all🤦🏽♂️
He definitely has bias for curry
@Barfieman362 it’s still rare AF 😂
@Barfieman362 it's more of seeing the most athletic of the athletic PLUS have an extremely All time type IQ for the sport..... that combination is what makes the Lebron/MJs a cut above the others. Football is hard to do because the QB can have a bigger affect on the game than a much more athletic player at a different position.
You know thinkingbasketball is impressed when he uses a reaction gif lol
Lol right. And that play was insane the gif use was perfect
Maybe Kyle j Mann helped him edit
@@bpnation37 🌞🌞🌞🌞
Wait... All this highlights were from just 3 games?! That's insane
"I guess he got his feelings hurt" - Klay Thompson
This guy was the best scorer, playmaker, help defender, rim protector, rebounder and 1on1 defender in an NBA final, the maximum possible level of basketball. It is incredible.
He was probably also the best coach 😅
All his teammates even if its only for one season, praise how smart the guy is. He is so physically gifted and his basketball brain is absolutely nuts, regardless of winning it all the fact he has managed to have 10 trips to the finals is crazy. I dont think even if a player jumps team to team looking for talent we will ever see another player as the #1 option be this consistently good for this long again. If it happens we will all be dead probably before it happens in basketballs history.
@@riccardoferrazzo8283 Didn’t lebron get outplayed by a sixth man named Jason Terry in the 2011 Finals ?🌝
@@NothingElseMattersJM They aren’t mutually exclusive. His worst series is better than the worst series of everyone but Jordan. But his best exceeded Jordan’s best. His peak value when you account for all he needed to do with the help he had versus relative competition is the highest the league has seen. He was the best scorer/playmaker/rebounder/defender on both teams combined (Green is a better defender and maybe Curry is as good a scorer, but you get the idea). Jordan never had to do that. No one has needed to do this. He wasn’t great in 2011. But no one was as good as he was in 2016.
@@soorajreddychappidi6835 That 2011 post season will forever be a stain considering how stacked that team was, which is a shame. I definitely think if he three-peats with the Lakers, his argument for being the GOAT will be VERY strong and most people by then will be arguing for him rather than against him maybe.
What’s so interesting about LeBron to me is how good he is in a long series. Historically, LeBron James has played his best in games 5 and onwards. I don’t even need to debate this, the statistics will tell you everything. It’s always used a point of criticism against him that he lets the series go more than 5 games, but I find it extremely impressive that he keeps his composure at all times, and just delivers. In this years finals even, after game 5, I knew the heat were done because LeBron got his shot back and he was prepared to come out firing on all cylinders in the next two games. His focus is unmatched.
It's his superior IQ matched with his will to win. You have to beat his teams early or he's going to figure your team out & pick you apart.
Yep, especially against Mavericks.
@@marekwichniarek268 yep especially against the spurs in 13’, the heat, the 73-9 warriors, every team in the Eastern Conference from 2010 to 2019 and the western conference in 2020. You sound dumb.
@@dezz8598 Ray Allen saved his ass in 2013, Warriors played last 3 games without Bogut, 1 game without Green - no bigs to defend against LeBrick. LeBrick was throwing his bricks in the last minutes of game 7 and finally Kyrie had balls and saved Lebrick's ass. Also Lebrick was lucky that Heat had injuries in 2020. Lebrick was so close to 2-8 or even 1-9 in the finals. Even that block on Iguadola happened only because Smith guarded Iggy well and didn't let him dunk the ball.
PS. Jordan in the finals was 4 times pretty close to... game 7 (92, 93, 97, 98). "Somehow" it never happened.
@@marekwichniarek268 these arguments are just so empty and pathetic these days, people just feel sorry you can't appreciate one of the greatest to ever do it. One day you'll realize what you lost out on and feel a deep sadness, like the MJ haters of old, history repeats itself.
Those were the 3 games that made me really believe LeBron is the Chosen One
To do what he did on this stage, with the YEARS of pressure and scrutiny, down 3-1 to the 73 win Warriors, after already losing to them the previous year while leading both teams in points, assists and rebounds to deliver Cleveland their first sports title in 50 years... this was singular in all sports. It felt like his entire career was building up to this very moment.
@@geordiejones5618 This was not singular, you forget Michael Jordan brought Bulls their first Championship, after all the hardship, after everyone called him just a scorer not a winner, Pistons kicking his ass, his career up to that point was building to that. LeBron’s win isn’t a singular moment.
@@baldhead7759 it is because he did it against the 73-9 warriors down 3-1 and the biggest factor is that lebron is from Cleveland that’s why jordan ain’t from Chicago it ain’t the same that love
@@baldhead7759 bro down 3-1.... the year prior he lost to then while balling out because his next two best players were hurt and him and kyrie explode and bring them back and win his hometown team that picked him OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL a championship Cleveland’s first In what like 50 years?
Facts this is when I knew he was the greatest of all time
Probably my favorite NBA channel, ever. Such in-depth analysis, great use of film and metrics, and a fair but credible point of view. Keep it up.
This was so good!
These 3 games had insane impact on his legacy. The only other thing that comes close has to be the Game 6 against Boston in 2012.
Absolutely yes (and of course the greatest interviews with Doris both happened in those series/Games).
I guess you’ve never seen Shaq or Jordan in the Finals lol.
@@Thanosdidtherighthing Confused as to what that has to do with anything I said lol.
@@Thanosdidtherighthing Jordan or shaq never played a team half as good as the 16-18 warriors in the finals 🤷
@@ag7367 You gotta be on something, Supersonics 97 would absolutely be on par with the Warriors, Utah Jazz would be another team on par if not BETTER. You must not watch basketball, Phoenix Suns, Trail Blazers, all would give the Warriors a run for their money.
Incredible. The level of detailed analysis here just makes it all the more impressive
Didn’t lebron get outplayed by a sixth man named Jason Terry in the 2011 Finals ?🌝
@@NothingElseMattersJM nobody said nothing about that go on a Jordan fan page if u wanna hate on Lebron
@@NothingElseMattersJM he didn’t actually . I think Terry averaged 18.2 to Lebron’s 17.8 but it a totally different role
@@swpdisciple So he did get outplayed.
I love how you provide visual analysis and sprinkle in analytics to drive the points. It's a video essay in all the right ways.
Bravo.
No doubt, this series was one of the best played by one player. Lebron was everywhere and did everything.
I remember this series like yesterday. It was insane. I literally cried at the end of game 7. The only time I’ve cried for anything sports related. I just couldn’t believe it
he still pretty good 8 years later, but looking back... the energy and physicality he had were unstoppable
Fool averaged 36-12-9-3-3 for a whole series that’s absolutely crazy
Nah, it was just for the last 3 games. He averaged an easy 29-11-9-3-2 for the series which is very impressive as well, considering he led both teams in all categories
@@aw7519 That gets crazier any time one hears it more, my goodness what the hell.
Against a 73-9 team with multiple all defensive/DPOY caliber players and a top 5 defence in the league that year. It's absurd.
@@JonnyLin7 very absurd.
@@JonnyLin7 yeah bro while haters always bringing up the dallas meltdown this finals ultimately redeemed it
This finals series is the single greatest feat by any player in my opinion. A 3-1 comeback in the finals against a 73-9 Warriors team is absolutely insane. This series is the greatest testimony to the value of Lebron James.
Preach! He was right when he said “that one right there made him the greatest” because can hate all they want but when they truly think about it.. he led his team to 3 straight wins vs a 73-9 win team !!! Greatest shooting backcourt ever and a dpoy not to mention probably the deepest bench in the nba at the time too .. Lebrons the goat
@@slimevvs__1393 " Greatest shooting backcourt ever and a dpoy not to mention probably the deepest bench in the nba at the time too" And then they added KD and ruined the rivalry
What did kyrie average?
I absolutely love the way you backed up both of your claims with 100% proof. Not gonna lie, after finishing a game, I rarely go to analyze the plays/players. I watch them, but not as far as you do. I'll start doing this for now on.
Whenever someone tries to tell you LBJ aint a top tier defensive player, just show em this video. We can agree over the regular season he doesnt play like this, but when he applies himself to be a beast in the def...
@@TheRelativeUnknown no one can stop KD 1 on 1 in the history even GOAT James. but James is the best defender when he wants to play defense.
Lebron doesnt get the block on Igoudala without JR Smith forcing him to double clutch
I mean, a big part of defense is technique and IQ, another is conditioning, but the biggest is effort in my opinion, so to say he “could’ve been” the best defender means part of his defensive game is missing, in my opinion.
@@iamLODD so JR Smith is the GOAT , moron
@@GameChanger-xi4iy yiu forgot PPG, RPG AND APG
That block is still giving me goosebumps smh 🤦🏽♂️
The greatest Block and defensive play of all-time, sheesh.
@Juwan Dunbar Cap
@Juwan Dunbar Cap, casual
His longevity is insane. LeBron is an absolute unit of a player
How you don't have 1 mill subs is beyond my comprehension.
There aren't 1,000,000 basketball chads that's why. Only virgin casuals who think Russell Westbrook is good.
@@ImBarryScottCSS what the fuck does Russell Westbrook have to do with the amount of subs he has? LOL
@@Industrious420 It made sense to me. Westbrook Stans are kind of representative of the basketball dumbs out there. People who think advanced stats are a "trick" and don't care about efficiency as long as you run around the court like a sugar-crazed toddler.
@@rome8180 ah I get what you're saying
People generally prefer easy-to-digest hot takes. That's why major sports media are endlessly churning those contents like pancakes.
Not all sports content needs to be like a Thinking Basketball, but all sports content should be as good as Thinking Basketball
Thinking Basketball >>>> bballbreakdown
Fax tho
Amen! Too bad he doesn't have more subs :/
I prefer TB but BBBD is good too, room enough for both.
I swear the idiots that flooded here from BBALLBREAKDOWN need to stop making the same damn comment every video
FAX
DIS GON B GUD.
I've been fascinated by the '16 comeback since the day it happened, particularly LeBron's performance over those 3 games. I often cite this as the most incredible performance in NBA history so it will be interesting now to watch the video and see if you agree.
You've got such an interesting channel, appreciate the work you put into these videos 👍
I now see why they felt like they needed KD. After those 3 games, they knew there was no way they could run it back and beat Lebron. He figured them out
Vegas still favored Warriors for 2017 🏆after they barely lost 2016 finals before KD went there. Softest move ever. He could literally go to any team besides Warriors or Cavs and naturally he chose a team who went 140-24 without him (best two year period ever) 2014-15 to 2015-16 nearly winning b2b titles with some injury/suspension breaks going their way (or Harrison Barnes who he replaced not going ice cold!).
He could of made amazing teams with Milwaukee, Washington, Blazers, Celtics, Pacers, Raptors, Heat, Spurs hell pick any team, but nope he picked a well oiled machine who was already favored to win 2017 title without him and beat his team who blew 3-1 lead to them when he shot poorly most of the series especially game 6.
@@superdopehiphop It wasn't soft at all. It was fairer than most people can admit. Only Lebron obsessed people deny this reality. Lebron had Kyrie. Curry had Klay. Nothing against Klay, but Kyrie is the player you would want your side in a finals series. Someone who can create their own shot and make tough ass shots. Klay is more a catch and shoot player. Getting KD made it more fair. They needed someone to handle Lebron, and handle he did. Lebron was scared to guard KD during those two finals series. KD wasn't scared to guard Lebron though.
@@spankstar comically and conveniently you left our first ballot HOF Top5 defender all time, top3 glue guy, top20 passer, best +/- in playoffs since 2015 (+888). Curry and Klay couldn’t sniff the finals before Kerr’s system and more importantly DRAYMOND moved into starting line up! His career playoff numbers are great (13, 10, 6, 1.5 spg, 1.5 bpg. That’s like Jason Kidd just switch rbg apg and add more bpg).
2016 NBA Finals Draymond wins FINALS MVP if Barnes, Curry, Klay make a few more shots or no Bogut/Iggy injury! He had one of the 3-5 best Game7s in Finals history with
32
15
9 dimes
5 threes in first half (6-8 threes for game)
11-15 FGs!
4/4 FTs
2 steals
Only 2 TOs
Klay and Curry 6/24 from 3 game 7! If they’re a still bad 8-9/24 for them they win!
2017 Warriors were favored to win title in summer BEFORE KD decided to hop on their band wagon. He could stay in OKC (who was up 3-1 on GSW WCF and he gagged game 6 especially in 4th when they were up 8 to close out series at home!) or go to any other team in NBA besides GSW/Cavs!
It was the softest band wagon move by any great player of all time and it’s not close!
@@superdopehiphop Wait. You guys are arguing if KD helped the Warriors win the next year? I don't even understand your point. Lots of teams are "favored" and don't win. Lots of teams are "great" and don't win. Any team wants KD. KD can do whatever he wants. He was the finals MVP. Who cares about anything else? I'm confused about this whole conversation. "Softest bandwagon move"? Some weird fans that maybe need to take a step back for perspective.
@@mthedu yes it was objectively the weakest band wagon move ever by a superstar who said “Oh hell no if they win the that title I’m not doing there.” They were favored to win the 2017 title before he joined it! Who else has ever come close to doing that?
I’ll wait.
That “changeup” pass to love will forever stick in my mind. For those posing an argument for Lebron, this 3 game stretch speaks volume. He tapped into something during those games that I don’t think has nor will be replicated ever again. Great analysis Ben.
Sees thinking basketball upload:
Me: *INSTANT CLICK*
Thinking Basketball on Finals plus greatest performances?
*Instant damn click*
Didn’t even read the notification, just clicked to enjoy 🤷♂️
Thank god. I was missing basketball content. Please don't disappear like TheDimeDrop did from his channel 🙏
i think he migrated to the ringer
He made a new video on Lebron's best teammate for The Ringer channel. It's almost 20 min, go watch it!
follow him on twitter he posts updates and his podcast appearances on there
I grew up in Cleveland. I have fond memories of going to Cavs games as a kid and going to the floor seats area because no one went to the games due to being so bad. Then we had the Browns... which were the Browns.
I went to Baldwin Wallace University. 2016 was my junior year. I was falling in love with the most beautiful girl who'd ever given me attention, I had moved into a college house with friends for the first time, I had found my career path which had been an enormous relief and then this playoff run was all in the same time period. I watched every game with my friends.
I somehow got tickets to watch game 7 at the Cavs arena (the Q). The Cavs, led by Lebron who had romantically returned home to win a ring for our city, made the first 3-1 comeback in history. I got to be in the heart of CLE when we won. The arena was actually almost dead quiet for the first ten seconds after the buzzer ran out because no one could believe it with all the sports let downs of the past. The streets were rioting in exhaltation, the cops were smashing beers with fans, people were climbing street lights and hundreds of thousands of people were all screaming with happiness. My phone got smashed, I was hammered and I had separated from my friends, but just as they were going around the block to go to the highway, I saw them a full 500 feet away, ran through the crowds giving high fives and cheers, and then jumped into my friends van to make a clean getaway. Cleveland was a champion for the first time in many decades, something my grandparents had never seen.
It was likely the most cultural experience u will ever experience in my life. It is potentially the best sports moment in American history. I thank God that all of those different events came together for me to experience
Watching these games live was beyond amazing... and watching this film review.... chills.... I’m glad I was able to witness the prime of LeBron James
You gotta do Hakeem's 95 games next
1994 and 1995 Hakeem, 2001 AI and 2007 and 2018 Lebron Finals must be covered.
David Aldridge articles? Idk might just skip them without thinking
Thanks, David
I remember watching this series, knowing the Warriors were the better team. This series and the 2004 Red Sox vs. Yankees ALCS remain the two most exciting sports series for me as a fan. Thanks Thinking Basketball for this excellent breakdown. For me, LeBron is the GOAT.
I like how unbiased this guy is, even in a great run he will still fairly consider weaknesses and drawback to the game. Not to discount anything but to inform
LBJ's defensive badges in the Finals: HOF Intimidator, HOF Chasedown Artist, HOF Pogo Stick, HOF Rim Protector, HOF Tireless Defender, HOF Defensive Leader
2011
@@jrbbbb2145 you gonna miss that man when he done
@@jrbbbb2145 Yes, LeBron played poorly in the 2001 finals and there’s absolutely no excuse for it. That was almost a decade ago, get over it.
@@_bwebb Ofc! He's one of my favorite players of all time, but it's a fact that he played poorly in 2011 final and it was prime lebron...
@Ryan Bino Rookie shaq?? Learn more abt nba history bro..
Facts for me this was the best stretch of basketball I’ve ever seen from one man I still remember every game thinking damn is he really gonna pull off a 3-1 comeback 🤣🔥
Facts. Greatest finals performance in history and made him the goat imo
lmao bruh fr, we live so in the moment people act like this didn’t happen. dude threw an oop to hisself off the glass in the finals bruh
Consistently the best basketball content on youtube! For anyone who doesn't already listen to his podcast you're missing out
"Klay said he must of got his feelings hurt"......
Didn’t lebron get outplayed by a sixth man named Jason Terry in the 2011 Finals ?🌝
@@NothingElseMattersJM Jesus you’re sad
David Ortiz That's always crazy to recall lol
I hope god or anyone will ever forgive Lebron for historically destroying those Warriors like that.
And *Lebron* took it Personal.
@@NothingElseMattersJM in what universe did Terry play better than LeBron in that finals? Lebron was far better than Terry and it's not even close. Did you actually watch that series? Terry averaged 18/2/3, how exactly is that better than 18/7/7 from LeBron? The only thing Terry actually has on LeBron in that series is that he shot 39% instead of LeBron's 32%, but in literally any other facet of the game LeBron was a far far better player that series. Lebron was fine that series, he just didn't score, but he did everything else great.
If you're gonna just hate at least get your facts straight.
People always downplay this for some reason but it was incredible even with the injuries and suspension I can remember watching the entire series and more specifically games 5-7 and just how amazing it looked I even tried the pass Lebron did to Thompson through 2 defenders and it worked
is this gonna be a series?? i would love to see more content like this for other stars!!
It will or something near of it because he did announced that there will be a series during this fall about examinating the Greatest stretch of all of the greatest players of all time during their prime in depth . It should be an unfathomable amount of works to pull this off but would be a hell of a series even more entertaining than the 3-1 finals comeback haha 🔥
Not many stars have a stretch like this
@@relaxationmeditation499 Facts, not much material for then consequencial greatest content like this.
I was pretty young when MJ won his first three rings. I remember clearly his last 2. When this Cavs Warriors series ended, I remember thinking: Well, I've never seen anything like what LeBron just did. MJ may be the GOAT, but this three game stretch stands alone, for me personally.
Why is Jordan the goat when there’s someone better?
Because jordan wrote a better story.
@@ouchh35 they're equal. Mj gad ridiculous feats as well that lebron never accomplished. And vice versa. It's not a bad thing to say they're goats of their respective eras.
@@wahm7872 finally someone said it 😂its always who is the Goat and not a respect for both talents who were head and shoulders above everyone else
The 2016 season made me an NBA fan tbh. Started watching the day Kobe played his last game and the post season that followed has yet to be topped in my eyes
The three greatest games in a row he played were in 2007 playoffs, conference finals , when he was only 22. against the mighty team of the Detroit Pistons. Game 3, 4 & 5. Cavs were losing the series 2-0, then they won 4 straight games to advance to the finals. LeBron dropped 48 points in game 5 in Detroit. That game he scored 29 of the Cavaliers’ final 30 points, 25 of those 29 were straight points. That was the best game he ever played. He trashed them.
From time to time I watch the last quarter of game 7, it brings me chills through my spine...
At the end, when Curry misses the 3 and he looks up to the clock, Kevin Love hugs him and he puts his hand on his face... It brings me so much joy
this man literally did EVERYTHING even when he was on “stacked” teams
Wade outscored him in the 2011 playoffs and AD is clearly the best player on the Lakers. Led them in every statistical category but assists
@@Khan-nq7lq look up the finals lebron did everything better than ad including rebounding, look up the wcf and compare lebron again with ad. Lebron leads in everything even though they play through ad you casual.
@@Khan-nq7lq 2011 Finals is the only stain on LeBron's career. 2020 LeBron and AD were equally as dominant, but LeBron was better in the Finals hence him winning Finals MVP.
If you're still hating on LeBron at this point, I feel really, really, sorry for you. We're fortunate enough to be witnessing one of the greatest players ever that dominates every facet of the game. The LeBron stories in a couple decades are gonna be legendary, glad I'll be able to tell the next generation I enjoyed every moment of it 🐐
Jason Terry 🌝
Truly a shame that alot of people are not enjoying Lebron's game, too busy nitpicking and comparing to MJ. This man is unreal and I think he's got another prime coming lmao
Missed the playoffs with Westbrook and AD lol
@@Thanosdidtherighthing Blinded by hate and ignorance... you hate to see it.
@@Thanosdidtherighthing what an idiot hahahha
@@Thanosdidtherighthing hahaha the clippers will never win the west dummy also the warriors are done they ain’t winning shit
He missed the 2022 playoffs
His 3 point shot is so sick idk why.
Please more of these. I love seeing the absolute peaks in NBA history
Perhaps do an all time team performance? Those 14' Spurs come to mind immediately
the GOAT debate is detrimental to both LBJ and MJ. Can we just simply appreciate the greatness of all players and the beauty of basketball?
nope, because the GOAT debate is insulting for MJ, there should be no debate. LBJ is great tho.
@@bartphilips2222 frfr
@@bartphilips2222 see that’s just disrespectful. You can believe mj is the goat, but at least acknowledge Lebron’s case. Don’t just be biased and diminish him. Whether you like it or not, it’s a debate. And a close one at that. I think bron is the goat but I can see if somebody says mj is the goat. They both have great cases better than any other player in history.
@@leultrainstinct406 again, nope.
@@leultrainstinct406 Logically speaking it’s reasonable to keep Jordan as GOAT. LeBron has a case for his fans but Jordan accomplished so much in such little time. LeBron is already playing longer but still not as accomplished, he has to play extra seasons just to close the gap. Kind of crazy to put him over Jordan. But then again that’s just my personal opinion, everyone has their own criteria.
Say what you want but no other all-time great could've pulled this finals win off
if i could wipe my memory and watch any series from any sport in history it would have been this series. underdog insanity.
OH
BLOCKED
BY
JAMES.
Thank you so much Mike Breen for elevating these moments and giving us all something to remember them by. Great commentator that other sports could really learn from.
Seriously, if anyone else had called that play, like Jeff Van Gundy, it wouldn't have had anywhere near the impact
That play starting at 1:53 is so emblematic of his career. Starts as the primary ball handler of the team. There's an inch of space open so he succesfully drives down the rim. GSW automatically sends three defenders on him - because two wouldn't be enough. He then makes a surreal pass for the assist - but his teammate misses. Then he grabs the rebound and scores.
jesus that duncan line is also absurd. but this stretch is it for me. you have thoroughly, utterly convinced me
i’m not a Labron fan but I agree that was the best 3 game stretch against a great team.... ever ! ( i’ve watched a lot of nba from mid 80’s until now + hundreds of classic games that were before my time)
Video gave me goosebumps, especially towards the end. What a video and what a performance.
I know we praise lebrons game 7 in this series but his game 6 performance was godlike.
It felt like all 5 of them were playing against one guy.
Its funny because he replicated this level of greatness in game 1 of the 2018 nba finals against an even better warriors team with Kevin Durant. Lebron is the goat period.
This is why I love this channel bruh. This is a channel for students of the game that know the game but still like to learn & appreciate what players bring to the game.
I love your channel man and before I even read your other all time 3 game stretches that you have posted, I had some of them on my list as well. MJ in 93, Dream in 95, Shaq in 2000, and Wade in 2006.
I would say none of them were against this level of defence, the warriors were one of the best defences in the league with two of the best defensive players of all time
these vids are incredible, cheers man
Thanks Reece! Appreciate it.
i'm glad this video is out there. some ppl just can't see lebron's iq and the fact that he did EVERYTHING every single night, a lot of ppl are judging the goat debate in a shallow manner by the "eye test" when they don't even recognize lebron's reads and study of the game, and by eye test they really mean shooting fadeaway midrange j's. lebron's athleticism, iq, skill, rebounding, court vision, and passing makes him the GOAT
Not according to every single analytic metric. Eye test doesn't mean fadeaway, anymore than forgetting about Draymond's suspension and Curry's injury in game 5 makes LeBron the GOAT.
@@SirMan48 your comment lets everyone know you didn't watch the video 🤡
@@SirMan48 it reallyyyy does let everyone know goddd damm thatssss embarrassing delete that comment seriously consider deleting it 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤣🤣🤣
@@rubixloverful everything I said was in statistical fact. And eye test that supports Jordan has nothing to do with fadeaway.
But by all means. Ignore the majority opinion. All the evidence and make stuff up
@@SirMan48 bro still tryna recover from his impulsive mistake 🤕🤕
You can already appreciate the plays he make when you see it in real-time and replay but breaking it down just adds more "wow" factor to it. This series was crazy for LeBron and leading both teams in all 5 major statistical categories ain't a joke. There's a reason why nobody has ever done that in the rich history of the NBA. Bron just built different. And people are still in denial that he's on MJ's level, if not better as most people give more importance and emphasis on scoring and take everything else for granted. I mean MJ is an elite defensive player but he had to defend smaller guards in his time and Bron does it against 5 positions.
The "5 positions" thing is overblown. Could LeBron defend Shaq, Malone, or Nash? I don't think so.
@@solanacea1939 notice how you only came up with names who are generally hard to guard even against their natural positions? I mean why don't you throw out MJ there as well for good measure? Lol. And with the names you came up with, only Shaq would be impossible for LeBron. Malone is strong but you're forgetting Zion looked like he ran into a brick wall against Bron. That says a lot as even centers bounce off Zion. And Nash? C'mon bruh. Prime LeBron eats Nash for breakfast. Being able to guard 1 through 5 doesn't mean you can stop every superstar there is as superstars are generally hard to defend even for elite defenders so your context is off and flawed.
@@solanacea1939 MJ couldn't really guard them either. No one in NBA history could effectively guard Prime Shaq. LeBron was capable of guarding most 1-4s and small 5s.
Can't lie, when the piano came in at 12:27, it hit right in the feels. Hate LeBron all you want, that 2016 title meant more to the city of Cleveland than any sports title in America. 1.3 million people at the championship parade - in a city with a population a quarter that size - doesn't lie. 52 years of not just losing, but heartbreak (the Drive, the Fumble, the Shot, the Decision, the Browns leaving, blowing the World Series in '97) mirrored the city's demise. So much pressure on 'Bron's shoulders, first when he was hyped up and drafted as a teenager, then returning with a promise to win a title, and he runs into one of the best teams constructed in NBA history. To have delivered in that set of circumstances has got to rank as one of the greatest achievements in the history of professional sports.
This deep look at just three games is great and helps you see things that the average fan might not. Especially the attention on defence because that doesn't get enough attention when thinking about stars and playoff basketball. I enjoyed this
This series launched LeBron past Jordan all-time as an NBA Finals defender. It's the ugly truth. 2016 is one of, if not the greatest defensive performance in NBA Finals history by a single player. He recorded 18 steals and 16 blocks. He nearly broke Isiah Thomas' Finals record for steals in a series and cracked the top 20 in blocks.
If that weren't enough, he is now 2nd all-time in total steals and 6th all-time in total blocks.
Jordan is actually nowhere close. The gap is huge.
LBJ's greatest game is his 2016 Championship ring in his hometown with the Cleveland.
His worst? His time with the Heat. He was just chasing rings. But in 2016 Cleveland, he built a legacy.
watching that series was the first time i truly appreciated his greatness
Bro.
The sequence where he was 3 on 1 and he stopped them from scoring is INSANE
The series was a literal masterpiece. 73 win team, highest in NBA history, going for back-to-back championship. First successful 3-1 comeback in NBA final history to bring Cleveland's first NBA franchise championship. Ended over half a century drought of any major sports championship in Ohio. LeBron's press interview of Klay's comment heading towards elimination game. LeBron literally did whatever he wanted against the entire Warrior's team both offensively and defensively including that iconic chase down block to seal the series.
I'm not sure why nobody ever talks about this but a locked in Lebron is probably a top 25 rebounder of all time
a locked in lebron is probably a top 25 everything all time lmao
probably even top 15 if i'm being honest
@@eliasdejene2779 yeh when the games count the most he dominates the boards too.
@@eliasdejene2779 facts , I done seen him do everything at a elite level when needed
can't give that to someone who averages just 1.2 offensive rebounds/game for his career. And it's not like he's having to rebound against all time great rebounders like Dennis Rodman or something.
@@eliasdejene2779 Yeah top 15 reb, top 3 scorer, top 3 passer, top 5 defender would be fair which is fucking stupid. He is just so dominant passively let alone locked in.
This made me a Lebron stan lol
This man averaged 3 steals and 3 blocks in a finals series? Damn.
As a Steph Curry/Warriors fan but more importantly a fan of the game of basketball those 3 games were just an absolutely beautiful display on both sides of the court by the greatest all-around player of all time. Truly remarkable
Jordan was a better scorer and defender.......
1:57 only person I know that do that pass that isn't Lebron is Magic, such a gifted passer.
The fact that the easy buckets Bron dimes are still bricked shows how much he did
*And that was like most of the passing highlights, wild*
Blocked by James!
Lebron's is very good a jumping vertically when contesting shot at the rim
Your videos are always on point : you clearly understand of the game of basketball; you watched those games and it's obvious. On the same occasion, you're utilisation of metrics is on par (not too much).and your understanding of those numbers are unmatched; you don't use sophism or half bake truth.
You're impartial, well spoken and your video is fluid.
Sorry about my English mistakes.
Can't beat these three games as the greatest ever played.
The stage (finals), the quality of the opponent (73-win Warriors), the situation (down 1-3).
Tied for the greatest individual sports performance ever. You name it.
He dominated the 2015 Finals too, but he just didn't have enough help to carry the Cavs to the 'Ship against Curry-Thompson-Green-Iguodala. Lebron averaged 35-13-8 in that series, and was the best player on the court on both sides. The worst is when Kyrie went down in Game 1 that we would/should have won, and then we win the next 2 games miraculously to take a 2-1 lead in the series. It's just unfortunate that it happened that way. We would be talking about a Cleveland Cavs dynasty instead of Golden State.
For me what makes Lebron the Goat is the 8th consecutive finals stretch. During that stretch we saw him develop a post game after losing in 2011. The we saw him defending from Tony Parker and Rose and switching to players like Duncan in the next possession. Around 2012-14 he also developed his mid range jump shot. Then from 2015-2018 he was Magic from one half and Jordan for the other. He could turn every game into Lebronto and also was knocking down threes from Steph range. Insane evolution that still makes him elite in 2022
"And then - It happened."
Goosebumps.
Leading the team in all category in the finals is dope!
Damn I wish I could go back to see these games live again. I remember hating the warriors and living like 3 hours from Cleveland I was a huge LBJ fan. GOAT of this era, maybe all time.