It means the East has blown for quite awhile. Or just how ridiculously run MANY of the franchises are being run. Looking at you Bulls, Knicks, Nets, Hawks, Sixers, Wizards & Magic. A cavalcade of suck!

It would only mean something if Lebron was 6 inches taller.

The Wizards are good and probably the one team capable of beating the Cavs in the East this year.

It would mean more if he wasn't the overwhelming favorite in the East every year.

No.

But it's hard to be better than figuratively perfect.

It would mean more if he wasn't the overwhelming favorite in the East every year.

I agree with this. 4 of those were with Miami which was essentially a "super" team. Cleveland carries a little more weight but even then he still has two other All Stars.

Why is only LeBron held to this standard?

Put differently, since 2010, the key to making it past the third round in the East is to employ LBJ. If you don't have that then your potential ceiling as a team is limited to making the third round of the playoffs. LBJ has made it unfair for every team in the East except his own.

The two 3-peats of the Bulls were two very different teams. Jordan came as close as one has come to "carrying" a team with the first 3-peat.

The second 3-peat team was much more balanced. Pippen matured, and they had Rodman, Kukoc, Kerr, Harper, and Longley.

The two 3-peats of the Bulls were two very different teams. Jordan came as close as one has come to "carrying" a team with the first 3-peat.

The second 3-peat team was much more balanced. Pippen matured, and they had Rodman, Kukoc, Kerr, Harper, and Longley.

Certainly, Jordan was at the top of his game as a high flyer during the first threepeat. And I think most basketball people consider the earlier teams superior in spite of the 72 win team. The second championship team (91-92) was probably the best Bulls team.

That's a tough one. Jordan was at his peak, for sure. Pippen was one year more mature than the prior year's team. And people forget that MANY thought that team would win 70 games before they hit a tough stretch near the All-Star break. I think I'd still go with '95-'96, but it's close.

Why is only LeBron held to this standard?

He isn't. The East hasn't really been that good of a conference and when Lebron signed with Miami Wade was a no doubt top 5 player. If he'd accomplished it in the West it would be more of a big deal. Going to 6 straight finals when everyone predicts you to go to the Finals every year isn't that much of an accomplishment. Especially when you are engineering your roster each and every time.

He's really looking to pair with at least one co-equal (Wade), or near equal (Irving). Every stud wants at least one co-stud to help carry the load. Six consecutive appearances is a huge achievement, and again before he's done it's likely going to be eight consecutive appearances.

He isn't. The East hasn't really been that good of a conference and when Lebron signed with Miami Wade was a no doubt top 5 player. If he'd accomplished it in the West it would be more of a big deal. Going to 6 straight finals when everyone predicts you to go to the Finals every year isn't that much of an accomplishment. Especially when you are engineering your roster each and every time.

And yet LeBron lost to a team featuring JJ Barea in the co-stud spot.

Fuck LeBron.

JJ Barea was the second scoring option most nights iirc.

Celtics was 2010. That was probably the series that LeBron finally decided he didn't want to actually have to compete too hard for a title.