ESPN analyst Paul Pierce has revealed how LeBron James can get into his all-time top 5 with the backdrop of the duo’s pained relationship.
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Paul Pierce and LeBron James have a long history. So when Pierce excluded the current Lakers star from his list, the former Celtics star was trolled immensely on social media platforms. Fans on twitter labelled list as ‘biased’ and called him for acting ‘sour’ after James virtually sent him into retirement. Now, the analyst has provided the condition on which he will add the 3-time champion to his top-5 list.
The analyst included Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant in his list. While Bryant, Russell and Magic are all-time greats, putting LeBron behind them will certainly earn flak from basketball fans across the globe. The conversation between Jordan, Kareem and LeBron can still be debated though.
History between Paul Pierce and LeBron James
Social media users across the globe take the ESPN analyst’s criticism on LeBron James with a pinch of salt.Pierce has always acted in a negative manner towards the 4-time NBA MVP winner due to their long and storied history. So, the story goes like this:
Pierce and LeBron have had some classic battles during the course of their career. The former Celtics star even thumped LeBron on a couple of occasions. However when the chips were down in the Game 6 of the eastern conference finals in 2012 and the two went to battle, LeBron destroyed Pierce. LeBron proved to be unstoppable that day and eventually went on to win his first championship of his illustrious career.
The game is often regarded as Paul’s death-knell and the current ESPN analyst never looked like playing on an elite level again.
Related: Kenny Smith places LeBron James on No. 10 on his all-time List; excludes Kobe Bryant entirely
Pierce mentions how LeBron can make his all-time list
When Pierce put out his all-time list, the first reaction was his exclusion of LeBron James. Whether you are a fan of the guy or not, an all-time list without LBJ certainly raises eyebrows.
Now, Pierce has stated that he will include the 4-time MVP winner in the list if he wins his 4th championship this year with the Lakers. The league’s poster boy has won 2 titles with Miami Heat and one memorable title with Cleveland Cavaliers. Pierce argued that James didn’t build teams from the ground up to win his titles while the rest of the guys in the list did. Its worth noting that a young and raw LeBron dragged a disastrous Cavs to the finals in 2007 before leaving for the Heat in 2010.
A brief look at LBJ’s career
The star played an instrumental role in leading the Cavs to 4 back-to-back finals from 2015 to 2018. The ‘King’ would have won even more championships if not for the super-team in Golden State Warriors.
LeBron secured his legacy when he led the Cavs to the title in 2016 against the Warriors which had a regular season record of 73-9. The Cavs came back from 3-1 down in the finals to win the title against the Warriors with LeBron’s block on Green entering basketball folklore forever.
LeBron’s power and athleticism(best in NBA history??) made him a superstar in the first place. The star added a reliable 3-point shot to his repertoire to combat the Warriors. Like football legend Lionel Messi (best in football history), the King has evolved his game. Now at the ripe-age of 35, his play-making abilities have ensured that he is one of the best players in the entire league. Even now, when the chips are down and playoffs come around, every expert, critic and fan would still bet on LeBron James to get the job done.
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What’s next for LeBron James?
LeBron will look to add a 4th NBA title this season. The king is in the conversation to add a 5th NBA MVP award to his kitty. With Anthony Davis in tow, the kid from Akron has led the Lakers to the top of the western conference this year.
The Lakers are currently the favorites to win the title. With LeBron in top form, an able ally in Davis and a decent squad with great chemistry, one can count out the Lakers at their own peril.
Also Read: Lakers take decision on extending Anthony Davis’ contract next season
