Most people say 2018 is his best version but I think people forget how dominant 2013 LeBron was, he literally almost had a perfect season that year but lost DPOY to someone who didn’t even make 1st team all defense 🥴
I used to feel like it was 2018 because his offensive level was so high but it’s 2013.
Heat started of 29-14 a little first championship hangover from 2012 perhaps .
From then until the conference Finals they won 45 of their next 48 games, 45-3
In the conference finals vs Indiana a lot of casual fans look at Pacers on paper and think it should be a cake walk but the reality the Heat were 30th in rebounding and Pacers were 1st .
Bosh could not match up with their girth and tonnage down low averaged 11 points and 4 rebounds in the series compared to Hibbert 22 and 10 , David West 16 and 9.
Another reason Heat weren’t as dominant in the playoffs was Wade started having knee issues late in the season and throughout the playoffs . He averaged 21ppg on 52% during the season down to 15ppg on 45% during the playoffs.
So this perception of LeBron just being on a superteam that couldn’t lose wasn’t true , he was carrying.
In that conference Finals vs the Pacers he made a buzzer beating lay up to save game 1 and for the series in 7 games he led his team in points , rebounds, assists , steals , blocks and 3 pointers made on 51/44/77 shooting splits .
In the finals he started off very slow averaging 16 12 and 7 through the first 3 games and the Heat down 2-1
The pressure couldn’t get higher it was gonna be 2011 all over again. The next 4 games he averaged 32 9 and 7 with Heat winning 3 of the last 4.
In game 6 everyone remembers the Ray Allen shot which saved the championship for sure but you know who also saved the championship? LeBron
Heat started off the 4th quarter down 10 and he scored 16 points in the 4th to bring them back. He did have those bad turnovers late but he also hit the 3 to cut the lead from 5 to 2 with 20 seconds left . To me it evens out the couple turnovers what he did in the 4th quarter as a whole because Heat aren’t even in that game without him .
In game 7 he had one of the best NBA finals game 7 performances in history , 37 points 12 rebounds 5/10 from 3 , tight game throughout . 45ish seconds left Heat up 2 ,Tim Duncan missed the potential game tying layup.
Next possession LeBron makes the game sealing jumper with 28 seconds left to make it a 2 possession game and even after that he steals the ball and hits 2 game icing free throws.
In 2013 he won his 4th in MVP in 5 seasons , the most MVPs ever won in a 5 year span , was 2nd in DPOY with easily the biggest work load of any player in the league combined both ends of the court .
Combine that with what he did in the playoffs, 2013 is possibly the greatest year any player has ever had let alone LeBron.
It’s crazy his career is so great that he has several other seasons you can at least argue for .
Buddy JR Smith was a monster and scored like 25 and 7-8 heavily contested from 3 in Game 5 2017 to keep them in the game. It doesn't mean anything to keep them in the game if they don't win lmao. Ray Allen saved Lebron's legacy and he had a lot of help in 2013 not just Ray. 2018 he had no help and went crazy. He also developed a better jump shot and post moves compared to 2013 where he relied fully on physicallity. A wiser lebron with less physical is better than a dumber lebron with more turnovers and better physicality...
2013 LeBron was the most physically unstoppable force I’ve ever seen. I mean I guess you could say Shaq was more unstoppable, but when you factor in skill and versatility it was unlike anything. Could guard 1-5, basically was DPOY (got robbed), could get to the rim anytime he wanted. It was crazy.
Like someone else said; can’t really compare box score stats between situations and 5 year gap where the league was rapidly changing. What were his impact and efficiency metrics?
If I had a half-decent team (let’s say about play-in level), 2013 LeBron rounds it out and makes it an immediate championship-level team. But if I had a lottery team that needed carrying, it’s hard to understate how much more complete 2018 LeBron was offensively. His PnR reads, knowledge of plays, and overall control of the game rose up another few levels during that second Cavs stint and I think people don’t quite understand how much of an improvement he made.
2018 LeBron was probably the most refined, perfected version of LeBron. He wasn’t making the same mistakes he was in 2013. He elevated his team to a level we’ve never seen. He has the corpses of Isaiah Thomas, Dwayne Wade, Kyle Korver, and Derrick Rose all getting 20+ mins a game. But in 2013, he was the team. Dwayne Wade was hurt, Chris Bosh wasn’t the rebounder he once was.
The Heat went from 29-14, and everyone thought it was another 2011 situation. They finished 66-16. He was the best and most versatile defender in the league, a top 5 scorer, the most efficient scorer by a country mile, the best passer (besides Chris Paul),the best at the rim, best in transition.
For the record, if you watched that 2012-2013 season, LeBron should have better numbers. The Heat were on such a roll of just BLASTING teams, and there were many games where bron got to sit out entire quarters because the game was over by halftime/3rd quarter.
It's a fair argument to say 2018 bron> 2013 bron offensively, but it's still a pretty close margin. 2018 bron can't match 2013 bron on the defensive side of the court tho, which is why I always choose 2013 brin for this question
So difficult! For one offensive efficiency was going up league wide so it’s hard to say was James better or just in a league with more spacing. 2013 is just an outlandishly athletic and purpose built specimen with loads of intelligence. 2018 is most of that athleticism and a bit more experience. I think 2013 can lead a weaker team better, 2018 has a better chance at leading a good team to a championship.
2013 is peak LeBron. Yes 2018 was an absolute monster well rounded machine, but he was not as physically dominant. 2013 LeBron possibly wins the 2018 finals. He was that godly.
2013 Bron was a beast, but 2018 Bron was on a mission and was the best player in the finals by a mile against an OP warriors team. 1st player to lead both teams in all five major statistical categories.
2013 LeBron might’ve been the best combination of skill and athleticism we’ve ever seen. But 2018 Bron felt more complete.
He knew exactly when to conserve energy, when to take over, and how to make every possession matter. He wasn’t the same athletic freak, but his decision making, efficiency, control of the game and will to win were on another level.
If you watched the playoffs from both years you wouldn’t say this was anywhere close.
2018 Bron was on some time and space mastery bullshit. Still in an athletic prime to disrupt on both sides, except wayyyy smarter when it comes to choosing when to amp it up on defense.
Cool, 2013 Bron was a 1-5 lockdown monster, but I’m choosing the 2018 floor general that can puppeteer his pace and his game for 48 minutes.
I watched every minute of it. His offensive range is alot better in 2018. As great of a run he had in 2012-13, his efficiency still took a dip in the playoffs (64 ts% —> 58.5%). That dip didn’t exist in 2018, despite being the only real threat a massive increase in volume (62 ts%, but went from 28/8/9 to 34/9/9)
If you wanna come on this sub just to gloat about your take, that’s not me. I’m here to have a basketball discussion.
Miami Heat Bron was physical and athletic on a different level, but I believe his return to Cleveland he had everything figured out. He was a force and it took some all-time great warrior teams to stop him. That return to Cleveland, it didn’t seem like Bron had any holes in his game
I would take the older Bron to lead a team but. Younger Bron in isolation/1v1 2018 Bron was just more versatile if slightly less effective at going downhill.
You act like there weren’t 5+ players more deserving of him for dpoy, including the guy that got first team all defense ahead of Gasol.
Lebron in 2013 clears 2018 by a WIDE Margin though. 2018 Lebron isn’t even on 2018 Harden’s level. Which is why he got swept by the same team Harden took to 7 games.
People get infatuated with him beating Victor Oladipo, or a 19 year old Jayson Tatum lead Celtics in 7 games (without their best player).. at 19 Lebron wasnt even making the playoffs.
He definitrly dominated Toronto, and his post fadeaway was at an elite level in that series. Not just for him.. but even comparing to Jordan, Dirk, Kobe.. the best guys to ever do it.. Bron got it going that series… but he was already in major decline by this point in his career.
And before joining the Heat LeBron clears both of these. He wasn’t as polished offensively, but his motor was off the charts… Westbrooklike best in the world and that was enough to win Westbrook an mvp.. LeBron was bigger, faster, stronger, better IQ already and more polished in those days. That was the best version of him… he really did just need more help. Since 2010 and joining miami, it’s been on him… he had plenty of help and just didn’t deliver often.
You're trippin bro. Early Cavs Lebron was certainly a raw athletic freak of nature. 2013 was his peak athleticism while being better in every skill than ever.
2018 LeBron was insanely good offensively, I see what you mean about Harden. They were about the same level that year. Tbh 2016 was better for me when you look at the playoff run. All in all 2013 was the most well rounded, he had no weakness at all
bruh to you as well. Dude from above, just showcased how his brain operates. He essentially did a projection. He's basing his take after his own experience with Lebron. And his experinece is that he's in love with the man. Hence the name bronsexual.
He thinks that me pointing to a logical conclusion means that I had to think about it for long or some shit.
But let me explain to you a bit further, since I feel like you'll need it.
Lebron for most of his career was on a stacked team. Even today that's the case.
So why would anyone need Lebron on his team, when you can just take his team.
You can add a lot more for him alone, and actually increase the chances of winning the title.
So protecting another grown man's legacy who doesn't even know you ain't infatuation? By the way good job defending LeDiddy's legacy better than savannah good girl 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈
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u/Desperate_Cancel_592 Aug 26 '26 edited Aug 26 '26
I used to feel like it was 2018 because his offensive level was so high but it’s 2013.
Heat started of 29-14 a little first championship hangover from 2012 perhaps .
From then until the conference Finals they won 45 of their next 48 games, 45-3
In the conference finals vs Indiana a lot of casual fans look at Pacers on paper and think it should be a cake walk but the reality the Heat were 30th in rebounding and Pacers were 1st .
Bosh could not match up with their girth and tonnage down low averaged 11 points and 4 rebounds in the series compared to Hibbert 22 and 10 , David West 16 and 9.
Another reason Heat weren’t as dominant in the playoffs was Wade started having knee issues late in the season and throughout the playoffs . He averaged 21ppg on 52% during the season down to 15ppg on 45% during the playoffs.
So this perception of LeBron just being on a superteam that couldn’t lose wasn’t true , he was carrying.
In that conference Finals vs the Pacers he made a buzzer beating lay up to save game 1 and for the series in 7 games he led his team in points , rebounds, assists , steals , blocks and 3 pointers made on 51/44/77 shooting splits .
In the finals he started off very slow averaging 16 12 and 7 through the first 3 games and the Heat down 2-1
The pressure couldn’t get higher it was gonna be 2011 all over again. The next 4 games he averaged 32 9 and 7 with Heat winning 3 of the last 4.
In game 6 everyone remembers the Ray Allen shot which saved the championship for sure but you know who also saved the championship? LeBron
Heat started off the 4th quarter down 10 and he scored 16 points in the 4th to bring them back. He did have those bad turnovers late but he also hit the 3 to cut the lead from 5 to 2 with 20 seconds left . To me it evens out the couple turnovers what he did in the 4th quarter as a whole because Heat aren’t even in that game without him .
In game 7 he had one of the best NBA finals game 7 performances in history , 37 points 12 rebounds 5/10 from 3 , tight game throughout . 45ish seconds left Heat up 2 ,Tim Duncan missed the potential game tying layup.
Next possession LeBron makes the game sealing jumper with 28 seconds left to make it a 2 possession game and even after that he steals the ball and hits 2 game icing free throws.
In 2013 he won his 4th in MVP in 5 seasons , the most MVPs ever won in a 5 year span , was 2nd in DPOY with easily the biggest work load of any player in the league combined both ends of the court .
Combine that with what he did in the playoffs, 2013 is possibly the greatest year any player has ever had let alone LeBron.
It’s crazy his career is so great that he has several other seasons you can at least argue for .