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Burks at #12

PKM said:
Couldn't help but laugh a little.
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Generally speaking, you need physical tools and help defense to be effective on the perimeter, Hayward really doesn't have either. He doesn't have the worst tools in that regard, but they are very pedestrian. I think he'll be an okay defender based on intelligence and effort level, but I just don't see a very good defender in him because of those limitations.

But I guess let's see what happens if/when he isn't the worst player in the league for the first half of a season.
 
I didn't laugh because I disagreed. I only laughed because this board can be turned upside down so easily. Just say Hayward is an average defender, Jimmer's overrated, etc ... and all hell breaks loose. I chuckled because I envisioned the .. ummm, responses to your post.
 
NUMBERICA said:
We only have to concern ourselves with Lebron if the Jazz are in the finals anyway, and he didn't know how to handle being guarded by Jason Kidd and JJ Barea when it was all said and done. Lebron can beat anyone in the NBA physically, but you can get inside his head.
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I remember when you could get inside of Kobe's head. Remember how completely frustrated he was the year the Jazz swept them? Those were the good days. Hopefully for the league LeBron doesn't follow the same mental trajectory... but I think he might.
 
I don't see Lebron ever becoming as mentally tough as Kobe became. Not always, but recently when someone says something, gives him a shove, whatever, I'm thinking, "great, he's taking over now."
 
PKM said:
I don't see Lebron ever becoming as mentally tough as Kobe became. Not always, but recently when someone says something, gives him a shove, whatever, I'm thinking, "great, he's taking over now."
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Prior to the playoff series I mentioned I recall the media and huge numbers of fans going gaga over Kobe's mental toughness, but the Jazz cracked his confidence early and he never again hit his stride in that series. At the conclusion of this year's Eastern Conference Finals people were making the same sort of fuss over LeBron, but the Mavs got the better of him and his mojo evaporated.

To my great disappointment, Kobe learned from his mistakes. Can LeBron do the same? I hope you're right that he can't, but before the finals started it looked to many people that he had already arrived. I'm proud to say I won the Cheetos pool in my office by betting it all on the Mavs in the finals, but I'm not sure I'll be making that same bet next time around.
 
Congrats on the Cheetos. Don't count on ever getting in Kobe's head though, not anymore. Lebron is an immense talent, physically. Doubt he ever reaches that Jordan/Kobe type of untouchable take-over'esque.
 
Hayward's defense looked pretty good to me. I think a lot of people can't see the difference between getting beat by his man and getting beat by the refs. Hayward should get more ref respect next season after his strong finish, and not being a rookie.
 
Pretty sure Kobe was a first or second year player at that time. That's a far-cry from seven seasons (in which he crumbled in consecutive seasons).
 
NUMBERICA said:
Pretty sure Kobe was a first or second year player at that time. That's a far-cry from seven seasons (in which he crumbled in consecutive seasons).
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Exactly. Kobe shot those 3 airballs in OT as an 18-year old rookie, then got schooled by Shandon Anderson and Bryan Russell as a 19-year old. As a 21-year old he was scoring 6 points in the final 2 minutes of OT in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. He figured it out quickly.

I think part of Kobe's mental toughness and ability to perform in pressure situations came from his obsession in becoming "the next Michael Jordan." As a young player, that was the one thing he wanted so bad (even changing his FT form to imitate MJ's) and Kobe knew that pursuing that goal required him taking the biggest of shots in the biggest of situations. IMO LeBron wants to be a global icon while Kobe wants to be the greatest basketball player ever. Big difference in mentalities and focuses.
 
IMO LeBron wants to be a global icon while Kobe wants to be the greatest basketball player ever. Big difference in mentalities and focuses.
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Close. LBJ believes he already is and the world accordingly owes him extraordinary accolades including championships. This is why he's never shown interest in the dirty work or non-flashy things like developing post moves or rotating to take a charge.
 
Brown Notes said:
Close. LBJ believes he already is and the world accordingly owes him extraordinary accolades including championships. This is why he's never shown interest in the dirty work or non-flashy things like developing post moves or rotating to take a charge.
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Fantastic post.
 
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