do you think lebron will ever avg a triple double?

[ShAuN]

Realistically no, but he probably could if he really wanted to. He doesn't seem completely driven by stats *cough*tracymcgrady*cough* so I'm not sure it's something he'll really go after.

Really you think TMac goes for stats? I never really suspected that.

[Laxation]

i highly doubt it. especially now that the team doesnt revolve singly around him as it did last 2 years. (ok, they added hughes...)

[dada]

Drop his scoring to about 18ppg

Not gonna happen, Lebron loves piling on those points.

[J@3]

Realistically no, but he probably could if he really wanted to. He doesn't seem completely driven by stats *cough*tracymcgrady*cough* so I'm not sure it's something he'll really go after.

Really you think TMac goes for stats? I never really suspected that.

Well he did come out and say that in Orlando with the team losing he was just determined to win the scoring title so people wouldn't forget who he was or something along those lines. So yeah, for an entire season he was playing for stats. I'd be shocked if anything had changed.

[Andrew]

I'd say it's not out of the question that he could accomplish it, much the same as it's a feat that other players could have potentially accomplished it. But will he? I don't think the chances are as good as a lot of people make out.

I think a lot of people forget just how hard it is to accomplish statistical records and milestones because the great players make it look easy. I remember a conversation I had with a friend who knows his basketball and doesn't really Homerise any of his opinions. He suggested that Kobe would average around 37 ppg after the first season he hit the 30 per game mark. I was skeptical, and asked him "Even if Malone and Payton signed?" (this was just before they became Lakers) and he stood by the assertion, pointing out my Jordan fandom and suggesting I just didn't want to admit Kobe was close to surpassing him (which I still think is overstating things a tad, but that's for another topic). He went on to assert that no matter who his teammates were or what Shaq would do, Kobe was going to average near 40 for a whole season. If not in 2003/2004, then soon.

Who knows what Kobe will do in the future and he is back up to 30 per game this year but he didn't average close to 40, nor did he last year and he probably won't be up around 40 at the end of this season either. That's not a slight against Kobe; the fact is it's not that easy for players to maintain that kind of scoring average for a full season. If it was, we'd see players doing it more often.

The same goes for LeBron and averaging a triple double. After his sophomore year was even better than his rookie season which lived up to all the hype, there were more than a couple of people suggesting he'd be really close to a triple double this year, if not already there. It wasn't going to happen, for a few reasons:

1. He's becoming a dominant scorer.
2. The addition of Larry Hughes and Donyell Marshall, while providing two additional scoring options, still eats into LeBron's rebounds and assists. Hughes averages around 4 rebounds and 4 assists a game and has the ball in his hands a bit while Marshall is grabbing around 7 boards per contest.
3. It's simply harder to accomplish such a feat in today's game.

There seems to be this notion that because a player is young and putting up great numbers now, he's got the potential to explode for some truly extraordinary numbers in the future. I don't think that's necessarily true, nor does it give much credit to the players who accomplished those feats beforehand as it suggests - perhaps not intentionally - that those marks could easily be reached. Matching those performances is certainly possible, but often made out to be probable. I think that's underestimating the difficulty of accomplishing those feats.

[Matt]

Not gonna happen, Lebron loves piling on those points.

exactly, which is why i'm going to *controversially* state that LeBron's not a good leader on court. Forget vocal shit, i'm talkin about play. He needs to let others score more.

[Avrah3]

I found a way even Shaq could. He gets 10 points [he will get more] 10 boards and 10 turnovers. Just chuk it to the other team 10 times he has the ball.

[Andrew]

Fine plan, except he'd get benched before he could rack up his 10th turnover and it wouldn't count as a TD anyway.

[H Rock]

I found a way even Shaq could. He gets 10 points [he will get more] 10 boards and 10 turnovers. Just chuk it to the other team 10 times he has the ball.

If you count turnovers as a triple-double stat, then Yao is the tallest person ever to get a triple-double. Last year against Charlotte he has 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 turnovers. He set a record in that game by being the first player in history to have that many turnovers without a single assist.

[Avrah3]

Actualy even if it counted Shawn Bradly would be the tallest he is 7 6 and Yoa is 7 5 .

[H Rock]

Has Shawn Bradley every had at least 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 turnovers in a game? If not, then Yao would be the tallest.

[Fenix]

Realistically no, but he probably could if he really wanted to. He doesn't seem completely driven by stats *cough*tracymcgrady*cough* so I'm not sure it's something he'll really go after.

Really you think TMac goes for stats? I never really suspected that.

Well he did come out and say that in Orlando with the team losing he was just determined to win the scoring title so people wouldn't forget who he was or something along those lines. So yeah, for an entire season he was playing for stats. I'd be shocked if anything had changed.

His play has changed. He said it himself, plus you can see it with your own eyes that he is trying to win games, not stat feats.

It's funny how people forget (namely xXvly) that LBJ averaged 27/7/7 at the age of 19 and played at 25/8/8 for a part of the season. That is without shooters on his team. Imagine if he had a lineup like Damon Jones - Michael Redd - himself - a big man with well developed midrange jumper - a big man who can finish with authority. He would be the primary ballhandler, he would get a lot of double&triple teams on his back and that would make a lot of open looks for his midrange and three point shooters. Plus, he would be the only perimeter player trying to get a rebound. What I'm trying to say is that he could get 25/9/9 in his sleep if everything fell in place.

[EGarrett]

Jordan averaged 32, 8 and 8, so 30, 10 and 10 for a 6'8" 240 pound guy is hardly out of the question.

The reason so few point guards can get big assist numbers is that they can't draw double-teams in the halfcourt. Magic was able to average 13 and 14 assists per game because he could run on the break, then in the halfcourt draw the double-team and kick it out. Lebron can do both also.

Plus, over the last 5 games, Lebron is averaging around 30, 9 and 7...

[[C][B]#4]

I don't think LeBron will average a triple double. The Cavs got Larry Hughes to help out Lebron in scoring and Donyell Marshall and Damon Jones to shoot the three ball. You'd think he would be getting more assists, but he's getting fewer. His rebounds are the same. The reason is, as Andrew said, they're "eating" into his assists and rebounds. Also, Larry Hughes would also draw the double team, leaving James more space. Most of the time, he's gonna score. It's a combination of him being more selfish and his supporting cast eating into his stats. So, him averaging a triple double is not likely to happen.

[dada]

Jordan averaged 32, 8 and 8, so 30, 10 and 10 for a 6'8" 240 pound guy is hardly out of the question.

So what if he is 6'8" and 240lbs? What does that have to do with getting a triple double. There have been many good players that size and weight over the years. Also, where does this come from that since Jordan came close then Lebron can do better than him? There has been so many guys bigger than Jordan playing his position that he got the best of. Lebron must can do everything better than everybody, he's the greatest player ever to touch a basketbell...spare me.

[John WB]

How many guys have been as skilled and athletic as LeBron at that position?

[dada]

How many guys have been as skilled and athletic as LeBron at that position?

Nobody really, but what does that have to do with getting a triple double? Does him being skilled and athletic guarantee him to average a triple double? Nope, it doesnt guarantee that for anybody. Oscar wasnt the most athletic player on the court out there, there plenty of people better blessed in that department. Also, I said "There have been many good players that size and weight over the years", not "There have been many players over the years more skilled and athletic than Lebron."

[kinokong]

there's more players out there more skilled then lebron.... there's more players out there who are more athletic then lebron.... but it's just that no one is able to combine that freakish athleticism with his skills.... maybe kg, stoudemire, howard(in a couple of years) but they're all big men.....

[Fenix]

I don't believe there is anyone in this league that combines Lebron's psychical skills. I mean some of them have bigger verticals (Josh Smith), are stronger (Artest), faster (hm, perhaps Marion, but I don't think so) and longer (Marvin Williams), but how many does have the combination of all those? He is taller than a lot of guys listed at 6'9'' (Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Travis Outlaw,...), as long as they are (7' 1/4'' wingspan), freakishly athletic and incredibly strong. His lateral quickness is the only area where he isn't superb (yet). His ballhandling is great for a swingman and he has also passing skill and court vision that is the best at his position, his jumpshot made some major strides and nobody can prevent him from going to the hole. He doesn't play a lot of D (or he just doesn't know how to), but I really don't blame him. He is still 21 and he has a couple of seasons left before we should start panicking. He has all the tool necessary to become one of the best defenders in this league and he should become at least a good one.

[EGarrett]

How many guys have been as skilled and athletic as LeBron at that position?

Nobody really, but what does that have to do with getting a triple double?

Um, a lot...

[dada]

How many guys have been as skilled and athletic as LeBron at that position?

Nobody really, but what does that have to do with getting a triple double?

Um, a lot...

Does him being skilled and athletic guarantee him to average a triple double?

Seems you are being ignorant on purpose.



Anyways, here's some reading material for the Lebron lovers...kinda interesting.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/s ... id=2278847

[EGarrett]

Anyways, here's some reading material for the Lebron lovers...

Have you looked at your own signature lately?

[beau_boy04]

you don't have to be athletic to average a triple double... Magic Johnson wasn't known for being athletic neither is Jason Kidd. But yeah maybe Lebron isn't going to averaged a triple double this season but I can't wait for him to prove us all wrong.

[TRUball]

Oscar Robertson was 6'5"

[kevC]

The reason Robertson could average a triple-double (besides being a beast of course) is that he had almost every single posession of his team, played 44.3(!) minutes per game, and the game was much much faster-paced than now. I suppose this could happen now too if Lebron played on the Suns, played 44 mpg, handled the ball at all times, and upped his assist rate a little bit, it could happen.