Yall joking on Ben Simmons and his scoring not realizing he impacts the game in different ways he's a great playmaker. Don't be surprised when he passes John stocktons assist record
Maybe that was Ben's plan all along and we're all idiots that don't understand his greatness. He's saving energy because he's planing for 50 plus season career.
I'm glad he mentioned LeBron's 4th quarter against the Spurs. People say Ray Allen saved LeBron's legacy. But LeBron deserves just as much if not more credit for saving his own legacy with his 16 points in the 4th quarter.
As Rusty mentioned, there was also another game to win to get to four wins and the title. In that game, both Ray Allen and Chris Bosh scored zero points. LeBron's 37 points in a win in a Finals game seven tied a record from 1956.
@@JacksonHole83 “those 16 points meant nothing.” You act like those 16 points didn’t put his team in position to win the game. You and the other haters can keep acting like the last shot is the only thing that matters if it helps you cope
I don’t know this video was kinda messy for me. He started the video with scoring being the main talking point but then it turned into a career overview which I’ve seen done before. Kinda wish he remained consistent with the scoring thing
The argument is yea in the beginning it was rougher but as he aged the NBA lost all the true centers, and the game became way less physical which benefits a 260lb guy, on top of medicine improving. Which in turn helped his body maintain. Yes he deserves credit for remaining focused for this long. But no one has benefitted from the game changing more than lebron. I’m not knocking him I think he is an amazing talent. But his fans refuse to use common sense most of the time and that why lebron gets so much hate I think it’s not him it’s a product of his fans. If u notice players not just lebrin are all playing way longer, and that trend will continue.
@@Getdown8319 bro he played 16 out of the 30 lowest-pace seasons ever. And you don't really understand it don't you, with medicine improving, it benefits the whole field, not just 1 player. Hence, to maintain dominance, which is exactly what LeBron is doing, is also harder.
I think the finals record he has is massively unfairly held against Bron. It’s an unbelievable feat he carried the cavs in 07 and Warriors had to get KD to stop Bron dominating an all time dynasty. I’d like to think what Brons record could have been if the cavs actually supported him and got him a ‘pippen’ or such. Can’t wait for the cavs to draft Bronny and Garland, Mitchell, Bron, Mobley and Allen win his last chip in year 22
Lebron's first 13 seasons until after 2016 the NBA was much lower scoring and more defense oriented than the league Jordan played in his first 9 seasons before the first retirement in 93-94... Lebron had playoff opponents who allowed like 90ppg and Jordan's most were over 100ppg allowed. Seems like nobody ever noticed or acknowledged that Lebron's early career stats may have been alot greater in a faster paced league.
They forget how crazy those Detroit series were, people thought the Bad Boy Pistons were hard to get through but they just abused the lack of a flagrant foul existing, soon as they established the rule they got swept, cause they fall apart without abusing hard fouls. 2000s pistons had actual defensive skill, they made Kobe (the closest thing to Michael Jordan) look like Khris Middleton in 04. Hell you could argue it even made Shaq leave. Great era.
That’s why he’s the most impressive of these high stat players by a lot. Guys like harden aren’t even close. 25 year old lebron if he played in 2018 would average uncanny numbers with good defense. I think he’s truly cemented as the second best ever.
They also may have been lower if not for some rule changes that shifted the game towards favoring perimeter play. Some of Lebron's seasons were lower paced then some of Jordan's that is true. But none of Jordan's were played with rules being massively leaned towards perimeter "guard play". Pace of play is a much better argument when talking about comparisons with Kareem than it is with Jordan. Not only did Kareem play in some of the fastest paced seasons in NBA history, at that time the rules favored post play which also helped Kareem and his game.
@@craigjohnston5781 look at the field goal percentages of alot of players in the 2000s in series they played against 90ppg allowed defenses like the Pistons, Celtics, Spurs etc. It's not like it was only slow paced but easier to score on . Unless you just imagine everyone in the league just got drastically worse conveniently the day MJ retired, defense was better in the 2000s and early 10s than it was in Jordan's first run with the Bulls 85-93. 96-98 is when the league grew really defensive oriented , and it's reflected in Jordan being less efficient. The slower pace he'd have less rebounds and assist but still got his shots up.
Being from Cleveland , I can’t tell you enough how much LeBron means to Us. He promised a championship and he delivered in the most dramatic way possible. I still don’t understand why people shredded him for leaving the Cavs when the organization just wasn’t ready for him.. I still remember the chills I got watching the 2016 finals. We haven’t had a championship team in ages before that, let alone in Basketball. The Indians were actually playing in the world series at the same time, but loss.
@@sportspokerguy3506it was only a slap in the face to those who don't understand business. I'm 42 and FROM Cleveland, and if his "decision" wasn't televised, it wouldn't have mattered much. It ONLY bothered fans bcuz he was ALL the Cavs had
Been watching him since I was 12. I'm 32. Man if he ain't the GOAT I don't really care. He's a machine and my favorite player who isn't on my team to watch. He's a living legend and he's still out there fucking balling. What more can you ask? This one man has given us so much entertainment, discussion, and history than ANYBODY else in my lifetime.
It's a stupid argument to begin with. Everyone (old enough) should consider themselves lucky that they were witness to two transcendent, generational talents like Lebron and MJ. Two of the greatest I've ever had the honor of watching play. For any player to be compared to Kareem and MJ is the greatest achievement anyone could hope for.
I look forward to seeing what kind of changes you’ll make Rusty. This was a very good video, one of your better in awhile (your normal breakdowns are good at what they do, but when you go longer, you stand out).
Lebron's record maybe closer to being "unbreakable" compared to when Kareem set his record, just because of the fact that load management is a huge thing prioritized in today's nba season unlike back then.
Not to mention the top players of this caliber now make $40m a year (and it will go up). They will be more fabulously wealthy far earlier than in times past, and that kind of wealth may tell them to go enjoy it instead of grinding out 100 game seasons (counting deep playoff runs) past 12 to 15 years. And under any reasonable assumption, no one could get there in that short of time.
Off topic but just wanted to say the timing is perfect for a Jalen Brunson appreciation video. I hardly see any videos giving him his flowers for this season on TH-cam. Since the beginning of January which is a really good sample size, Brunson is averaging 29 or 30ppg on over 50%fg and over 40% from 3 , that's pretty much superstar production and it feels like hardly anyone notices yet.
To be fair, we've seen non-star players (not just this season) have a month or two run of stardom, but by the end of the season it's forgettable...so if anything, he'll get the flowers he deserves by the end of the season (if he keeps it up)
@@RugumiTenshi can you give examples? Not saying you are wrong at all, just thought it would be cool to see the list of examples. I might be taking this too specifically, but while I can think of Jeremy Lin type examples, that was only like Feb 4 to Feb 20th you know? And he wasn’t averaging 30. He scored over 30 once. TJ warren went crazy for like what? 10 games etc? But Brunson latelt feels a LoT more like Shai going from a 20 ppg guy to a legit 30 ppg guy through some sort of breakthrough mentally than it does some solid but not great player jusr having a hot 1-2 months. I’ve been confused since last season why so many people seemed to undervalue how good Brunson had PROVEN he was/is. And he’s so young it makes sense that with his first taste of consistent starting and lead role, he would eventually get even better than the 20/6 type shit we were able to see as a spot starter. Seems like it took him a couple months to really get acclimated, and now he’s realizing just how elite of a scorer he can and how he truly has the green light, minutes and role to produce as much as his heart desires. Id assume as long as he continues to take such an aggressive approach, he’ll continue to score 25-30 a night
@@schuylersavage276 I may be wrong but Terry Rozier , IT, to name a couple but Brunson made his case I shouldn’t have to say it go look at what he’s doing. Guys in his prime he won’t slow down for a year or two.
This is a really good video. One of the rare vids on TH-cam actually giving lebron his flowers with context. I don’t think he’s the GOAT but sometimes people act like he’s not one of the greats of the sport.
Let's not forget, that Darko Militic also got more help, playing alongside Billups, Hamilton, Prince and 2 Wallaces. And yes, Militic was also part of that draft class... and he was the first to win a title.
What's crazy about Lebron during his first playoff series was that he'd have the center on his team go to the bench, bringing the wizards center to the bench, so that he could just drive to the paint without a great shot blocking center in there to stop him.
being one year older than James I never liked the hype around him and all the flopping he used to do and the obvious favourism by refs.. But, yes. I have to appreciate greatness. He did it all and then some. All hail The King
What an amazing career. I've watched him since I was a very young man now I got to watch the GOAT score the Dagger in the conversation. And he still has at least 2-5 years left in his career and it's not crazy to think he will be like a 6th man doing 18 minutes a game as a player coach with his sons winning a title when he is 40
This is why for me MJ is the GOAT but by a very close margin, LeBron is there with him. Unlike Mike, Cavs was not willing to invest in LeBron and build a team around him. This 1st stint in Cleveland is nothing short of amazing and he would have been in the Finals earlier if the Cavs front office is willing to spend more.
mj got swept by shaq in 1995. And swept twice in 86 87. CHOKED from 1984 to 1990. He QUIT TWICE he had the best team in the 90s. Winning 55 games. Mj OVVERATED no goat. Mj had the better team and better head coach his whole career. STOP WITH THE EXCUSES.... MJ so GREAT he can't win without Scottie and phill Jackson. 😂 lebron the goat.
@@coreythomas3633No one who lived through MJ would say that. He was so far ahead of the world it was a joke. We took it for granted that MJ was the goat even before his second 3-peat. Other than his first Cavs stint, LeBron has been surrounded by talent. He's got the longevity argument, but by no means is he the goat.
@@coreythomas3633 If you're saying LeBron gets flack for his race, then I agree. I just think MJ is the goat. You're right to say that LeBron is a better facilitator, but when it comes to the business of winning, MJ is in a class all his own. Lemme put it this way, if you have to choose one player to lead your team in a playoff series, there's no universe where you wouldn't pick MJ.
On a side note, Rusty talks about how if John Stockton (who was the pass first player he showed a photo of later) had a more well rounded game, then he’d be more impactful than he was in reality and Utah would have been better. If that were the case, then in addition to Stockton getting fewer assists, would Karl Malone (ergo: he who shall not be named) have fewer points because there would be fewer shots for him if Stockton took more of them? Say what you want about John Stockton being overrated, but the fact remains, he was effectively one player on Malone’s team who could pass, and was nearly always looking to do so.
Great points about LeBron as a scorer, fans’ responsibility to appreciate his one of one greatness, and an amazing recap of his playoff runs. Just thought it was going to focus more on his regular seasons as this is a regular season record and he’s owned the playoff record for scoring for about five years now
incredible work, Rusty. I don't often find myself watching 40 min videos, but you did an exceptional job or keeping me entertained throughout the entire video.
The majority of basketball heads recognize Lebron as a great basketabll player. However, they patently reject the GOAT nonsense. He's done plenty to be considered one of the greats. He hasn't done nearly enough to be considered the absolute best.
I hated Lebron for so long just like I hated the spurs for so long both for the same reason……THEY WERE SO DAMN GOOD. Nowadays as a grown man I just appreciate both the spurs teams I’ve watched and the greatness of Lebron I watched
LeBron and I are born in the same year, I'm like 9 months older than him, and it amazes me how he's still going strong all this time. Incredible talent, the greatest of this generation.
this was a W video rusty i understand why you didn’t want to rush and upload this video it was great quality and a great breakdown on how special it was lebron did what he did breaking the scoring record something that most people thought it would be never broken
Amazing video Jacob! Lebron has been a dominating force in the nba for literally my entire life. It’s hard to imagine an NBA without him but he will certainly be missed when he’s done playing (even by the haters lol)
All love for Rusty Buckets, but this felt more like a video about LeBron’s playoff performances rather than a video about LeBron breaking the scoring title
So,done did the math and figured out that LeBron was born about 9 months after Kareem set the record, meaning there’s a chance that LeBron was conceived the night Kareem set the record.
Rusty this vid is a masterpiece at basketball journalism. Lengthy, precise, to the point, insightful, and objective. All of your docs are actually insane, to be fair. Great work.
@@youngboy2pacdrake lmao yea this definitely a joke cause I said an actual fact and not opinion so there for you calling it an opinion is actually wrong 😂😂🙄🙄
Blame the era and the offensive scoring frenzy with three pointers being taken on fast breaks with or without the rebounding advantage, blame the lack of defensive presence without the physicality or competitiveness per possession due to spreading the floor, and blame his particular advantage being out of high school and being a favored scoring option as a starter on all teams (unless he takes a bench role to prolong his career to usher in his second son Bryce James.). None of which make it a more impressive feat than Kareem Abdul Jabaar.😎
I ain’t finished the video but I know this is going to be great. I’d love to see LeBron in the playoffs for a few more years before he hangs them up. Hope he makes it this year
Excellent history, summary, analysis and commemoration. Great production (score and editing) too. Incredible work Rusty. I love this video of yours and the deep dives.
Considering how many people once thought Kareems record was "Unbreakable" before Lebron broke it, let's not get too carried away with the notion that Lebrons record is unbreakable. Even if he plays a few more seasons and passes 40K, I'm sure there will be another freak of nature in the future that can break it with a combination of skills we have never seen before. I think as incredible as athletes are now, we still have a way to go before we truly start hitting the physical limits of what is possible.
Umm sure I guess lad. But instead of saying “WeLl sOmeBody onE day wiLl breaK lebRons recOrd” let’s just give this man his respect for being incredible for 20 years straight , and becoming the all time scoring leader. He’s one of the greatest players to touch a bloody basketball💯Lebron James is the king 👑
@@raymondsims7042 i wasn't trying to sleight Lebron this is one of the most prestigious achievements in the history of sports. I'm simply pointing out that everytime a big record is broken, people tend to jump on the hype train saying the new record is unbreakable. It will take some superhuman durability and god like scoring talent to break Lebron's record though.
Given that scoring in the nba has increased now, I imagine that it will get broken by someone if this continues. The only person in the league who I could see doing it is luca (he will get too slow and too worn out as he ages). Assuming this season ppg of 33.2 and his last 4 seasons have the average number of games he will play per season, he would have to play and not decline until he is 37/38. Giannis could if he gained a jump shot and had the longevity of lebron +3 years lol. Jokic started off too slow.
@@sportstalkonly1442 yea but for a good deal of that time the NBA primarily emphasized scoring off 2pt shots. Now that 3’s are so heavily favored, 40 point games are becoming commonplace. I think if a superstar player comes along that is a knockdown volume 3pt shooter, and has the durability to stay healthy and play nearly 20 years, that player will break the record. That is a big fat IF but it could happen.
The concept of a video discussing and analyzing how LeBron's scoring methods evolved over time would've been incredibly interesting, and while this video does have some of that, it's mostly just another "LeBron's Legacy" video, which I found kinda disappointing.
Rusty has technically talked about him in a few videos (most prominently when he talked about why he thinks John Stockton is the most overrated player ever). He likes to call those two “the pedophile and the king of inflated stats”.
This is a love letter to Lebron. I was a huge fan of Lebron all the way till the 73w GS Championship. Then he made the silliest remark of his career “Now I feel like the GOAT” and sparked the most redundant debate in NBA history.
What’s actually funny is although you gave LBJ credit for that 4th quarter comeback, the OT victory and the game 7 close out against the Spurs, you didn’t highlight the last shot of the series. A Lebron midrange jumper. That shot ended the series. I can’t blame you though…really too many moments and clutch performances to count. It would actually require a last dance type doc to get it all, and that’s just counting the playoffs.
He may not be the greatest *player* ever, but he's certainly had the greatest *career* by any player ever. The amount of accolades he's compiled through the years is truly something to behold.
@@JacksonHole83 I did say LeBron isn't the GOAT though. I only said he's the most accomplished ever, and there's a difference between having the most accolades and being the greatest. Napoleon is arguably the most accomplished general in history. Is he better than Alexander the Great? No, but they should both be respected nonetheless, which is essentially what my point is in my original comment. Seriously though, as someone who believes MJ is the GOAT, y'all need to calm down a little with this stuff.
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My bad on a late upload, but wanted to make sure I didn't hurt the overall quality by rushing it. Hope you enjoy
You are a gentleman and a scholar
"I didnt want to hurt the quality"
Narrator: and he did not
No bro this came right on time. I love your deep dives and you’ve definitely grown as a TH-camr. You’ve actually inspired me to do this shit tbh
Taking your time to make this video a banger was the best choice. Keep up the grind!
He's 22 in 2007 not 23 research right
If Ben Simmons maintains this years average of 7.1 ppg, he would only need to play at least another 55 full seasons in order to catch LeBron.
what about udonis haslem
Yall joking on Ben Simmons and his scoring not realizing he impacts the game in different ways he's a great playmaker. Don't be surprised when he passes John stocktons assist record
@@sac1211 💀 okay
@@sac1211 hey Ben get off your alt and learn to shoot
Maybe that was Ben's plan all along and we're all idiots that don't understand his greatness. He's saving energy because he's planing for 50 plus season career.
I'm glad he mentioned LeBron's 4th quarter against the Spurs. People say Ray Allen saved LeBron's legacy. But LeBron deserves just as much if not more credit for saving his own legacy with his 16 points in the 4th quarter.
LeBron already had a championship at that point, and he’s won others since, so I don’t know why someone would argue that
As Rusty mentioned, there was also another game to win to get to four wins and the title.
In that game, both Ray Allen and Chris Bosh scored zero points. LeBron's 37 points in a win in a Finals game seven tied a record from 1956.
People also sleep on game 7 bron that series too
@@JacksonHole83 “those 16 points meant nothing.” You act like those 16 points didn’t put his team in position to win the game. You and the other haters can keep acting like the last shot is the only thing that matters if it helps you cope
@@JacksonHole83 he didn't lose "the heat's" steak. He lost his own streak. Nobody else did shit
expected an analysis for how he could score this many points, didn’t expect an awesome Lebron career retrospective
I don’t know this video was kinda messy for me. He started the video with scoring being the main talking point but then it turned into a career overview which I’ve seen done before. Kinda wish he remained consistent with the scoring thing
@panashe5268 it's all part of the story of how he improved , and what moments of his career forced him to evolve on the scoring side
Ways he scored are mentioned some, but yeah, it’s more of a retrospective video.
Crazy that Bron did this with half his career being played in the lowest paced, and best defensive era, dude is a MACHINE.
Which is why I'll never understand why people use the "weak era with no defense" argument against him when he's been doing this since 2003 lol
@Sac12 Lol fr you just have to keep reminding them that he's in year 20 not year 5
@@henry3365 the people who hate lebron James are some of the dumbest people on the planet😂😂😂
The argument is yea in the beginning it was rougher but as he aged the NBA lost all the true centers, and the game became way less physical which benefits a 260lb guy, on top of medicine improving. Which in turn helped his body maintain. Yes he deserves credit for remaining focused for this long. But no one has benefitted from the game changing more than lebron. I’m not knocking him I think he is an amazing talent. But his fans refuse to use common sense most of the time and that why lebron gets so much hate I think it’s not him it’s a product of his fans. If u notice players not just lebrin are all playing way longer, and that trend will continue.
@@Getdown8319 bro he played 16 out of the 30 lowest-pace seasons ever. And you don't really understand it don't you, with medicine improving, it benefits the whole field, not just 1 player. Hence, to maintain dominance, which is exactly what LeBron is doing, is also harder.
I think the finals record he has is massively unfairly held against Bron. It’s an unbelievable feat he carried the cavs in 07 and Warriors had to get KD to stop Bron dominating an all time dynasty. I’d like to think what Brons record could have been if the cavs actually supported him and got him a ‘pippen’ or such.
Can’t wait for the cavs to draft Bronny and Garland, Mitchell, Bron, Mobley and Allen win his last chip in year 22
Wasnt kyrie his "pippen" ; also lets not forget that he started the trend of teams eanting "big 3's" .,pretty much creating the concept of superteams
@@Mr_Mhx kyrie came 8 years too late and bron went back to Cleveland cause they finally got a good roster
I would love to see Bron and Bronny back in Cleveland winning a chip in 2024. That could really happen. What a great story that would be from now on!
@@Mr_Mhx also doc rivers and co. Invented the big three in 07.
*2025 but no joke that would legitimately be the most legendary ending to a career ever in sports (besides maybe Messi wining the World Cup)
Lebron's first 13 seasons until after 2016 the NBA was much lower scoring and more defense oriented than the league Jordan played in his first 9 seasons before the first retirement in 93-94... Lebron had playoff opponents who allowed like 90ppg and Jordan's most were over 100ppg allowed.
Seems like nobody ever noticed or acknowledged that Lebron's early career stats may have been alot greater in a faster paced league.
They forget how crazy those Detroit series were, people thought the Bad Boy Pistons were hard to get through but they just abused the lack of a flagrant foul existing, soon as they established the rule they got swept, cause they fall apart without abusing hard fouls. 2000s pistons had actual defensive skill, they made Kobe (the closest thing to Michael Jordan) look like Khris Middleton in 04. Hell you could argue it even made Shaq leave. Great era.
That’s why he’s the most impressive of these high stat players by a lot. Guys like harden aren’t even close
That’s why he’s the most impressive of these high stat players by a lot. Guys like harden aren’t even close. 25 year old lebron if he played in 2018 would average uncanny numbers with good defense. I think he’s truly cemented as the second best ever.
They also may have been lower if not for some rule changes that shifted the game towards favoring perimeter play. Some of Lebron's seasons were lower paced then some of Jordan's that is true. But none of Jordan's were played with rules being massively leaned towards perimeter "guard play". Pace of play is a much better argument when talking about comparisons with Kareem than it is with Jordan. Not only did Kareem play in some of the fastest paced seasons in NBA history, at that time the rules favored post play which also helped Kareem and his game.
@@craigjohnston5781 look at the field goal percentages of alot of players in the 2000s in series they played against 90ppg allowed defenses like the Pistons, Celtics, Spurs etc.
It's not like it was only slow paced but easier to score on .
Unless you just imagine everyone in the league just got drastically worse conveniently the day MJ retired, defense was better in the 2000s and early 10s than it was in Jordan's first run with the Bulls 85-93.
96-98 is when the league grew really defensive oriented , and it's reflected in Jordan being less efficient. The slower pace he'd have less rebounds and assist but still got his shots up.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I am so glad I never took this man’s greatness for granted. The greatest ever in my mind.
Being from Cleveland , I can’t tell you enough how much LeBron means to Us. He promised a championship and he delivered in the most dramatic way possible. I still don’t understand why people shredded him for leaving the Cavs when the organization just wasn’t ready for him.. I still remember the chills I got watching the 2016 finals. We haven’t had a championship team in ages before that, let alone in Basketball. The Indians were actually playing in the world series at the same time, but loss.
leaving wasnt the problem its how he left: "the decision" was a slap in the face to cleveland
I'm from Cleveland too and couldn't agree more
@@sportspokerguy3506it was only a slap in the face to those who don't understand business. I'm 42 and FROM Cleveland, and if his "decision" wasn't televised, it wouldn't have mattered much. It ONLY bothered fans bcuz he was ALL the Cavs had
@ yeah the way he did it was disgusting man - I’m not from Cleveland but I’m from Ohio and I’m a Cavs fan
Been watching him since I was 12. I'm 32. Man if he ain't the GOAT I don't really care. He's a machine and my favorite player who isn't on my team to watch. He's a living legend and he's still out there fucking balling. What more can you ask? This one man has given us so much entertainment, discussion, and history than ANYBODY else in my lifetime.
It's a stupid argument to begin with. Everyone (old enough) should consider themselves lucky that they were witness to two transcendent, generational talents like Lebron and MJ. Two of the greatest I've ever had the honor of watching play. For any player to be compared to Kareem and MJ is the greatest achievement anyone could hope for.
@@dedbeet5845 lebron > kobe > jordan
@@youngboy2pacdrake😂
@@youngboy2pacdrakeno
@@youngboy2pacdrakebro what
His record of double digits points in a game record is gonna be unbreakable
I look forward to seeing what kind of changes you’ll make Rusty.
This was a very good video, one of your better in awhile (your normal breakdowns are good at what they do, but when you go longer, you stand out).
Lebron's record maybe closer to being "unbreakable" compared to when Kareem set his record, just because of the fact that load management is a huge thing prioritized in today's nba season unlike back then.
Even so, could that lead to great players playing longer in general?
Not to mention the top players of this caliber now make $40m a year (and it will go up).
They will be more fabulously wealthy far earlier than in times past, and that kind of wealth may tell them to go enjoy it instead of grinding out 100 game seasons (counting deep playoff runs) past 12 to 15 years. And under any reasonable assumption, no one could get there in that short of time.
hes also still going at approx 25ppg
its going to be unbreakable because nobody else will ever be this physically resilient
Off topic but just wanted to say the timing is perfect for a Jalen Brunson appreciation video. I hardly see any videos giving him his flowers for this season on TH-cam.
Since the beginning of January which is a really good sample size, Brunson is averaging 29 or 30ppg on over 50%fg and over 40% from 3 , that's pretty much superstar production and it feels like hardly anyone notices yet.
Need that
To be fair, we've seen non-star players (not just this season) have a month or two run of stardom, but by the end of the season it's forgettable...so if anything, he'll get the flowers he deserves by the end of the season (if he keeps it up)
@@RugumiTenshi can you give examples? Not saying you are wrong at all, just thought it would be cool to see the list of examples. I might be taking this too specifically, but while I can think of Jeremy Lin type examples, that was only like Feb 4 to Feb 20th you know? And he wasn’t averaging 30. He scored over 30 once. TJ warren went crazy for like what? 10 games etc? But Brunson latelt feels a LoT more like Shai going from a 20 ppg guy to a legit 30 ppg guy through some sort of breakthrough mentally than it does some solid but not great player jusr having a hot 1-2 months. I’ve been confused since last season why so many people seemed to undervalue how good Brunson had PROVEN he was/is. And he’s so young it makes sense that with his first taste of consistent starting and lead role, he would eventually get even better than the 20/6 type shit we were able to see as a spot starter. Seems like it took him a couple months to really get acclimated, and now he’s realizing just how elite of a scorer he can and how he truly has the green light, minutes and role to produce as much as his heart desires. Id assume as long as he continues to take such an aggressive approach, he’ll continue to score 25-30 a night
@@schuylersavage276 I may be wrong but Terry Rozier , IT, to name a couple but Brunson made his case I shouldn’t have to say it go look at what he’s doing. Guys in his prime he won’t slow down for a year or two.
You can't be serious...?
This is a really good video. One of the rare vids on TH-cam actually giving lebron his flowers with context. I don’t think he’s the GOAT but sometimes people act like he’s not one of the greats of the sport.
I got to see all three of the greatest players ever back to back to back.
Kareem -> Michael -> Lebron
I've never seen a better player than 2018 playoffs Lebron. It was otherworldly how good he was.
2009 james
@@magisterialanubis062007 lebron was a menace bro got to the finals his 2nd best player was Andrew varajao 😭
91 Jordan
92 Jordan
93 Jordan
98 Jordan
06 Wade
that's cause you've never seen aynone else play other than Lebron. you're probabl 22 years old
@@mikecasale438Jordan is dogshit at basketball
Let's not forget, that Darko Militic also got more help, playing alongside Billups, Hamilton, Prince and 2 Wallaces. And yes, Militic was also part of that draft class... and he was the first to win a title.
for as much of a bust as he was, at least he won a chip, unlike melo
Dude what a great documentary! Well written, well edited and well presented. Great job by both of you!
That games played list said "He Who shall not be named." 🤣 This was legit a great assessment video. Nice!!! 👍
What's crazy about Lebron during his first playoff series was that he'd have the center on his team go to the bench, bringing the wizards center to the bench, so that he could just drive to the paint without a great shot blocking center in there to stop him.
being one year older than James I never liked the hype around him and all the flopping he used to do and the obvious favourism by refs.. But, yes. I have to appreciate greatness. He did it all and then some. All hail The King
What an amazing career. I've watched him since I was a very young man now I got to watch the GOAT score the Dagger in the conversation. And he still has at least 2-5 years left in his career and it's not crazy to think he will be like a 6th man doing 18 minutes a game as a player coach with his sons winning a title when he is 40
Watching a great career breakdown like this video reminds me just how ridiculous Skip Bayless was always been towards LeBron
This is why for me MJ is the GOAT but by a very close margin, LeBron is there with him. Unlike Mike, Cavs was not willing to invest in LeBron and build a team around him. This 1st stint in Cleveland is nothing short of amazing and he would have been in the Finals earlier if the Cavs front office is willing to spend more.
mj got swept by shaq in 1995. And swept twice in 86 87. CHOKED from 1984 to 1990. He QUIT TWICE he had the best team in the 90s. Winning 55 games. Mj OVVERATED no goat. Mj had the better team and better head coach his whole career. STOP WITH THE EXCUSES.... MJ so GREAT he can't win without Scottie and phill Jackson. 😂 lebron the goat.
@@coreythomas3633Lebron literally just got swept get off his meat
@@coreythomas3633No one who lived through MJ would say that. He was so far ahead of the world it was a joke. We took it for granted that MJ was the goat even before his second 3-peat. Other than his first Cavs stint, LeBron has been surrounded by talent. He's got the longevity argument, but by no means is he the goat.
@@Ancient_Regime88 AGAIN IDC about the racism and the bias .. Lebron the better scorer. And he the better player more impact on winning...
@@coreythomas3633 If you're saying LeBron gets flack for his race, then I agree. I just think MJ is the goat. You're right to say that LeBron is a better facilitator, but when it comes to the business of winning, MJ is in a class all his own.
Lemme put it this way, if you have to choose one player to lead your team in a playoff series, there's no universe where you wouldn't pick MJ.
You can't talk about lebron's rookie success without mentioning him being given the keys in a way that a rookie never had
Being probably the best high school player/prospect ever that's what happens
“LeBrOn WoUlDnT sUrViVe In JoRdAnS eRa”
Love the “He who shall not be named” 😂
Yeah, Rusty really delivered on that one.
Its gotta be Karl Malone right? 🤣
On a side note, Rusty talks about how if John Stockton (who was the pass first player he showed a photo of later) had a more well rounded game, then he’d be more impactful than he was in reality and Utah would have been better.
If that were the case, then in addition to Stockton getting fewer assists, would Karl Malone (ergo: he who shall not be named) have fewer points because there would be fewer shots for him if Stockton took more of them?
Say what you want about John Stockton being overrated, but the fact remains, he was effectively one player on Malone’s team who could pass, and was nearly always looking to do so.
@@fortynights1513 yea bro no one here wants to talk about the Jazz 💀
@@chasemcm Not even a Jazz fan myself, but that’s just something I’ve always been curious about.
Loved the long form video Rusty! Would love to see more!
One of the greatest videos I’ve seen…
Actually watched it two times when I usually don’t .
Waiting for the deep dive to return
Great points about LeBron as a scorer, fans’ responsibility to appreciate his one of one greatness, and an amazing recap of his playoff runs. Just thought it was going to focus more on his regular seasons as this is a regular season record and he’s owned the playoff record for scoring for about five years now
Fantastic video Rusty, refreshing new style and choice of topic. Please keep similar projects coming
Great overall LeBron career summary, well done Jacob
So far this production seems like your best yet. Love it!
incredible work, Rusty. I don't often find myself watching 40 min videos, but you did an exceptional job or keeping me entertained throughout the entire video.
The majority of basketball heads recognize Lebron as a great basketabll player. However, they patently reject the GOAT nonsense. He's done plenty to be considered one of the greats. He hasn't done nearly enough to be considered the absolute best.
I hated Lebron for so long just like I hated the spurs for so long both for the same reason……THEY WERE SO DAMN GOOD. Nowadays as a grown man I just appreciate both the spurs teams I’ve watched and the greatness of Lebron I watched
Amazing vid rusty. Editing, dialogue, and presentation was on point. Thank you
Rusty dropping 40 minutos videos makes my day everytime.
This is documentary-level quality! Hope you make more videos like this, and I'm glad you took the time to create this project of passion.
kobe > king james > mj
Dear god Jacob this a banger. This video is so well done dude, congrats to you and rudy
Rusty on demon timing
This is a great honest breakdown of the journey
LeBron and I are born in the same year, I'm like 9 months older than him, and it amazes me how he's still going strong all this time. Incredible talent, the greatest of this generation.
A great retelling of a classic can't wait for the movie!
This was amazing, Rusty…. Great work forreal
Shout out to the co-GOAT
this was a W video rusty i understand why you didn’t want to rush and upload this video it was great quality and a great breakdown on how special it was lebron did what he did breaking the scoring record something that most people thought it would be never broken
Quality video man! learnt a lot too as I wasn't a fan of the NBA until 2012. keep it up!!
That finals run in 2016 was something else
kobe > king james > mj
32:56 saw this gane after work in 2018 I was a few beers deep and said gah damn bron is a sick dude
Amazing video Jacob! Lebron has been a dominating force in the nba for literally my entire life. It’s hard to imagine an NBA without him but he will certainly be missed when he’s done playing (even by the haters lol)
Dang man. Huge thanks for this vid. This was one of your bests.
All love for Rusty Buckets, but this felt more like a video about LeBron’s playoff performances rather than a video about LeBron breaking the scoring title
It’s a career retrospective primarily centered on the scoring aspect of his game.
@@rustybuckets yeah I get you, it was still an enjoyable video to watch
Aw this was great Rusty, please feel like your effort was worth it ❤🙏🏼
So,done did the math and figured out that LeBron was born about 9 months after Kareem set the record, meaning there’s a chance that LeBron was conceived the night Kareem set the record.
Wow lol literally born to break the Record
@@deadflies4265 wrong opinion mj > kobe > kd > lebron
Mainly the media is the No1 reason why lebron got the hate
Not his fault that the cavs before can't give him good teammates
Rusty this vid is a masterpiece at basketball journalism. Lengthy, precise, to the point, insightful, and objective. All of your docs are actually insane, to be fair. Great work.
guy from cleveland here. always will love lebron. our city wouldnt be the same without him.
"He Who shall not be named" lmao I love the universal hatred for this man
Needs more views come on TH-cam algorithms rusty deserves it
No one has ever scored more points than lebron James! What a time to be alive 🎉
mj more points
@@youngboy2pacdrake Lmaoo makes no sense cause regular and playoff is just wrong factually
@@Frosty1026 wrong opinion nba casual
@@youngboy2pacdrake lmao yea this definitely a joke cause I said an actual fact and not opinion so there for you calling it an opinion is actually wrong 😂😂🙄🙄
@@Frosty1026 kobe > king james > curry > shaq > mj
Adding to that the playoff points, winning vers. loosing apart...
Great video! Thank-you
This video is an absolute slapper, reliving that 2016 finals is still ridiculous.
Blame the era and the offensive scoring frenzy with three pointers being taken on fast breaks with or without the rebounding advantage, blame the lack of defensive presence without the physicality or competitiveness per possession due to spreading the floor, and blame his particular advantage being out of high school and being a favored scoring option as a starter on all teams (unless he takes a bench role to prolong his career to usher in his second son Bryce James.). None of which make it a more impressive feat than Kareem Abdul Jabaar.😎
Been watching you for a while and this video is the best I have seen not just from you, but most channels covering sports on TH-cam - great job!
This wasn’t labeled NBA Deep Dive, but it’s as good as any of those videos
Well made, love this type of content. Especially when its someone i want to hear about.
I ain’t finished the video but I know this is going to be great. I’d love to see LeBron in the playoffs for a few more years before he hangs them up. Hope he makes it this year
Sadly, unless he goes to another team 2021 mightve been the last year we saw lebron in the playoffs
@@sac1211 are you miss cleo?
@@sac1211 sikeee
5th ring hopefully
@@anzunyan lakers vs celtics finals matchup seems inevitable
This was a great video! Looking forward to more of this
Excellent history, summary, analysis and commemoration. Great production (score and editing) too. Incredible work Rusty. I love this video of yours and the deep dives.
Best Lebron video out right now because it really did sum up Lebron Career
I love videos like this. I know you can't pump these out often but its high quality content and I love them so much
the 2011 mvp is still a fucking robbery
Considering how many people once thought Kareems record was "Unbreakable" before Lebron broke it, let's not get too carried away with the notion that Lebrons record is unbreakable.
Even if he plays a few more seasons and passes 40K, I'm sure there will be another freak of nature in the future that can break it with a combination of skills we have never seen before.
I think as incredible as athletes are now, we still have a way to go before we truly start hitting the physical limits of what is possible.
Umm sure I guess lad. But instead of saying “WeLl sOmeBody onE day wiLl breaK lebRons recOrd” let’s just give this man his respect for being incredible for 20 years straight , and becoming the all time scoring leader. He’s one of the greatest players to touch a bloody basketball💯Lebron James is the king 👑
@@raymondsims7042 i wasn't trying to sleight Lebron this is one of the most prestigious achievements in the history of sports. I'm simply pointing out that everytime a big record is broken, people tend to jump on the hype train saying the new record is unbreakable. It will take some superhuman durability and god like scoring talent to break Lebron's record though.
Given that scoring in the nba has increased now, I imagine that it will get broken by someone if this continues.
The only person in the league who I could see doing it is luca (he will get too slow and too worn out as he ages). Assuming this season ppg of 33.2 and his last 4 seasons have the average number of games he will play per season, he would have to play and not decline until he is 37/38.
Giannis could if he gained a jump shot and had the longevity of lebron +3 years lol. Jokic started off too slow.
It stood for 3 nearly 4 decades. It's safe to say that it's not being broken for a long long time
@@sportstalkonly1442 yea but for a good deal of that time the NBA primarily emphasized scoring off 2pt shots.
Now that 3’s are so heavily favored, 40 point games are becoming commonplace. I think if a superstar player comes along that is a knockdown volume 3pt shooter, and has the durability to stay healthy and play nearly 20 years, that player will break the record. That is a big fat IF but it could happen.
truly awesome breakdown rusty, absolutely love this content
Only one man can have this record at any given time😂
No-Headband James is legendary in my house. It was like the Spurs fucked up and knocked his weights off.
That 3-1 comeback is the greatest thing i've ever witnessed with my two eyes.
This video is a masterpiece. Thank you Rusty Buckets
We really have to think LeBron James's doctors as well the league for letting him in at the age of 18
kobe > king james > mj
Not only your best video, but one of the best video from sports TH-cam.
Hats off mannn.
Congrats to LeBron on the scoring record. A great display of longevity, and execution.
This channels videos keep getting better and better!
Most Improved Channel front runner
Just show every basket
10/10 video loving the new aesthetics
Great documentary. I watched LeBron's whole career. I haven't always been a fan but watching him spend 20 years breaking a record was special.
From start to finish, incredible video. Good work Rusty!
The concept of a video discussing and analyzing how LeBron's scoring methods evolved over time would've been incredibly interesting, and while this video does have some of that, it's mostly just another "LeBron's Legacy" video, which I found kinda disappointing.
Definitely is something that should be elaborated on at some point by someone
@@fortynights1513 kobe > king james > mj
This video is a masterpiece 👏👏👏
LMFAOO @ he who shall not be named. Rusty been refusing to talk about Karl since he toasted Karl Malone in a videos like 3 years ago.
Rusty has technically talked about him in a few videos (most prominently when he talked about why he thinks John Stockton is the most overrated player ever).
He likes to call those two “the pedophile and the king of inflated stats”.
Good, dude is a child r**ist
Only thing missing is jail time
Such a high quality vid rusty… was a really good watch ❤
This is a love letter to Lebron. I was a huge fan of Lebron all the way till the 73w GS Championship. Then he made the silliest remark of his career “Now I feel like the GOAT” and sparked the most redundant debate in NBA history.
I love the long vids my boi
“One who declares himself The King. Is in fact no King at all.”
-Anonymous
ali
@T S I stand corrected. Thank you for clarifying sir.
MJ called himself a god 💀
The sports world gave him the name the king at 15 years old remember the cover of sports illustrated ??? He didn't call himself the king. SMH
What’s actually funny is although you gave LBJ credit for that 4th quarter comeback, the OT victory and the game 7 close out against the Spurs, you didn’t highlight the last shot of the series. A Lebron midrange jumper. That shot ended the series. I can’t blame you though…really too many moments and clutch performances to count. It would actually require a last dance type doc to get it all, and that’s just counting the playoffs.
He may not be the greatest *player* ever, but he's certainly had the greatest *career* by any player ever. The amount of accolades he's compiled through the years is truly something to behold.
Based on his player profile on the official NBA site, he has the most individual honors in NBA history.
Search Michael Jordan
@@JacksonHole83 I did say LeBron isn't the GOAT though. I only said he's the most accomplished ever, and there's a difference between having the most accolades and being the greatest. Napoleon is arguably the most accomplished general in history. Is he better than Alexander the Great? No, but they should both be respected nonetheless, which is essentially what my point is in my original comment. Seriously though, as someone who believes MJ is the GOAT, y'all need to calm down a little with this stuff.
loser@@JacksonHole83
42 minutes well spent, good job
What if he did a sky hook instead?
Corny ass hell
@@Maloman05 why is it corny?
Killed this vid 🔥
Oh please, his scoring in the no defense NBA now counts for 75% of the old record.
Get off my lawn!
@@rustybuckets LOL, such fragile ego.
he's been playing sense 03 buddy, if from 03 the d in the nba was weak then discredit kobe too
@@testing_something LOL. Look up the stats, the scoring per possession went up from Kareem's time to LBJ's time by 20%.
@@CO8848_2 maybe because like offense got better? 3-Point shooting?
2020 and 2022 jimmy butler was probably the second best performances I have ever seen behind Lebrons career of course