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  1. #1

    Deng Better Than James

    Everyone had Lebron James as the number one recruit out of high school with Deng 2nd or 3rd. Every annalyst said Deng had a HUGE upside due to the fact he was raw and hadn't been playing organized basketball very long. While Lebron James was already a polished accomplished player. After watching the Bulls last two playoff games I'm not sure Deng isn't as good as Lebron or very close. And what's scarey is Deng has a lot more room for growth where as Lebron seems to be making much slower strides. Sure the Bulls are much deeper than the Cavs. But Deng has taken over games in Chicago like no one since MJ and I think the rest of the league is taking notice. Next game out he's going to try and top Boozers 41 point game.

  2. #2
    Deng could go for 100 next game, but there's no way he's better than Lebron.

  3. #3

    Disagree

    Quote Originally Posted by Latta6970 View Post
    Everyone had Lebron James as the number one recruit out of high school with Deng 2nd or 3rd. Every annalyst said Deng had a HUGE upside due to the fact he was raw and hadn't been playing organized basketball very long. While Lebron James was already a polished accomplished player. After watching the Bulls last two playoff games I'm not sure Deng isn't as good as Lebron or very close. And what's scarey is Deng has a lot more room for growth where as Lebron seems to be making much slower strides. Sure the Bulls are much deeper than the Cavs. But Deng has taken over games in Chicago like no one since MJ and I think the rest of the league is taking notice. Next game out he's going to try and top Boozers 41 point game.
    I'm not sure if you were being serious, but I assume you were. Deng has been fantastic this year for the Bulls, and I'm a huge fan of his, but saying he is better than LeBron is a joke. I'd also agree that Deng has a lot more room for growth. You might just be saying this because LeBron averaged "only" 27.3 ppg, down from last years' 31.4 ppg. He has put the team on his back in plenty games and puts up monster numbers all the time. LeBron also averaged 6.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists, he's just amazing. You don't become Rookie of the Year and a 3 time All-Star for nothing. He's also one of only three players since 1970 to record nine straight games of scoring 35 or more points (joining Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant), and one of only two players in NBA history to average at least 27 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists for three consecutive seasons (joining Oscar Robertson).

    Sorry, but you can't compare the two.

  4. #4
    I think Deng CAN be as good as Lebron at some point, right now I see him as a better defender and rebounder, but outside of that, Lebron is a better overall player. Lebron is more explosive off the dribble, a better passer, and better at creating his own shot when he needs to. Neither of them are particularly good jump shooters, this is where they both could stand to improve, and where Luol, with his hard work ethic and raw talent, has a chance to catch up to him, his mid-range game was spectacular last night and if he can extend that further, his game off the dribble will improve dramatically as defenders start to get closer to him.

    Its not really a fair comparison though, if Luol received as much defensive attention from opposing teams as Lebron did, you'd see just how impressive Lebron's numbers are in comparison.

  5. #5
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    Dang he's good

    Best mid-range game I've seen; I'd say in years, but I don't think the qualifier applies. Haven't seen him much, but last night blew my socks off. He shoots with the ball held so high, soft, with the left guiding; off the dribble, and nobody can reach it. Reminds me of a bobby dandridge or bob love (sorry boys, I know, who are they) but with much greater length and range. He is so long.

    Comparing him to James doesn't work. Deng fits into the game, works the game, plays it as part of a whole. James has to work at all that. His universe is himself; no, I am not saying selfish, and I am not saying that he doesn't see things. It's just so egocentric that, short of encountering someone like the Zenmaster when the Zenmaster was the Zenmaster, which he ain't anymore, James will always be the show, and the game will take work.

    Deng will work on becoming ever more effective, which is pretty scary, but he flows so well. Soccer culture influence, if you ask me. And, man, is he long, and he has reinvented the mid-range game, which to me is perhaps the most interesting aspect of basketball.

    I'd pay to watch him, just like I'd pay to watch Duke. James I'll watch on TV thanks.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by greybeard View Post
    Best mid-range game I've seen; I'd say in years,
    lets not get ahead of ourselves, Rip Hamilton has the best mid range game in the NBA IMHO, nobody knocks down that 15-18 footer more consistently. Give him a GLIMPSE of the basket, and its going in

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by Latta6970 View Post
    Everyone had Lebron James as the number one recruit out of high school with Deng 2nd or 3rd. Every annalyst said Deng had a HUGE upside due to the fact he was raw and hadn't been playing organized basketball very long. While Lebron James was already a polished accomplished player. After watching the Bulls last two playoff games I'm not sure Deng isn't as good as Lebron or very close. And what's scarey is Deng has a lot more room for growth where as Lebron seems to be making much slower strides. Sure the Bulls are much deeper than the Cavs. But Deng has taken over games in Chicago like no one since MJ and I think the rest of the league is taking notice. Next game out he's going to try and top Boozers 41 point game.

    Sorry, this argument does not work. I'm a Duke grad and from Cleveland, so I 've seen both players up close and personal on numerous occasions. Deng has a lot more room for growth, and will be an all-star VERY soon, but to compare him to LeBron is stupid. They have different roles, different games, and different skill sets.

    But if we must compare the two, I would take Bron over Luol 11 times out of 10. And I absolutely love Luol. But the load LeBron carries in Cleveland is simply unfair. Literally. I'm obviously biased, but I still think he should've gotten MVP last year. That team had no business making it to within a rebound of the Eastern Conference Finals, but there's only one reason they did. As someone said earlier, let's see Luol get the kind of defensive attention LeBron gets. Better yet, if LeBron was on the Chicago Bulls instead of the Cavs (that thought alone makes me flatline), the Bulls would be the #1 seed in the East, IMO.

    I'm ecstatic at the way Luol's begun the playoffs, but let's not get ahead of ourselves after two games. Need I remind you of the Cavs game in Chicago 3 weeks ago when LeBron dropped 39-9-5 on the Bulls? Guess who was guarding him for a good portion of the game? FYI, Luol ended that game with 12-6-2. Deng is teetering on the brink of being an NBA All-Star, Lebron is a NBA Superstar...
    Last edited by Classof06; 04-25-2007 at 11:31 AM.

  8. #8
    Deng has yet to average 20 a game in a season. Lebron did it in his rookie year. I agree that Deng will be all-star soon, maybe even next year, but he's not on Lebron's level.

  9. #9
    Not saying that I agree with the first post because I don't, but ...

    "You don't become Rookie of the Year and a 3 time All-Star for nothing."

    Lebron was named Rookie of the Year and an all-star before his first game in the league.

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by DevilWolf View Post
    Not saying that I agree with the first post because I don't, but ...

    "You don't become Rookie of the Year and a 3 time All-Star for nothing."

    Lebron was named Rookie of the Year and an all-star before his first game in the league.
    That's true, but he also EARNED those honors. And he wasn't an All-Star as a rookie, so he wasn't pre-ordained to the All-Star team.

    And to whomever said Deng isn't a good jump shooter, you obviously haven't watched him this year. His 15-20 foot jumper is among the best in the league. Not THE best, but definitely among the best. So good that he scores almost exclusively on mid-range jumpers.

    That said, as both a huge Duke fan AND a huge Bulls fan, LeBron is hands-down the better player. It's not close, either. LeBron is a better scorer. He's a better ballhandler. He has a better 3-point shot (Deng has no 3-point shot right now). He's a better passer. He's as good (if not better) at defense. He's a better leaper, he's quicker, and he's stronger. He's a better post-up scorer. He's the leader of his team and go-to guy. The only thing Luol has him beat in is that he's taller, and has a better 15-20 foot jumper.

    Luol has more room for improvement, but I just don't think his ceiling is as high as the level of LeBron's game is RIGHT NOW. And that's not a diss of Deng. I love Luol, but LeBron is one of the top 4-5 players in the whole league. Deng is probably the third-best player on his own team right now.

  11. #11
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    Good point, but

    Quote Originally Posted by dukeENG2003 View Post
    lets not get ahead of ourselves, Rip Hamilton has the best mid range game in the NBA IMHO, nobody knocks down that 15-18 footer more consistently. Give him a GLIMPSE of the basket, and its going in
    Hamilton is a nice player who gets his shot off on the half step. Much of his game is that little curl play running off several screens.

    Deng don't need no stinkin screen. He's so long, graceful, quick to the ball, and strong. Oh, did I say how long he playes.

    Choosing up sides, who do you take?

  12. #12
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    I'll take Lebron and Luol, and you can have Rip and Roy (Williams). Two on two. Losers retire.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by greybeard View Post
    Hamilton is a nice player who gets his shot off on the half step. Much of his game is that little curl play running off several screens.

    Deng don't need no stinkin screen. He's so long, graceful, quick to the ball, and strong. Oh, did I say how long he playes.

    Choosing up sides, who do you take?
    Its an awful hard choice between the two. If I'm trying to win NOW, I'll take Rip, he's got a deadly shot and the heart of a champion, but Deng has such tremendous chance for improvement its hard to not want him instead if you're building a franchise. Rip DOES turn 30 next year. Both are excellent defenders and great team players. I think I'll take the cowards way out on this question, and say "it depends on what my teams needs are". I DO think that this is a far more valid comparison (Luol versus Rip) than Luol vs. Lebron though.

  14. #14
    Ok how do you get Luol is better than LeBron even if you are looking at this post season

    Luol- 1st game 33pts 8rebs 2 ast 2nd game 26pts 5rebs 6ast that averages out to 29.5pts 6.5rebs 4ast

    While LeBron got 23pts 9rebs 7 ast. If you compare ok Luol has 6.5 more pts on avg but 2.5 less rebs and 3 less ast. and there is no way you can say you would take Luol over LeBron to score even if he is avergaing 6.5 more pts anytime.

    Also CDu, i think i would choose these people i would choose over him IMO:
    Kobe Bryant
    Tim Duncan
    Kevin Garnett
    Steve Nash
    Dirk Nowitzki
    Maybe T-Mac

    so not top 5 but very close

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by dukeENG2003 View Post
    Its an awful hard choice between the two. If I'm trying to win NOW, I'll take Rip, he's got a deadly shot and the heart of a champion, but Deng has such tremendous chance for improvement its hard to not want him instead if you're building a franchise. Rip DOES turn 30 next year. Both are excellent defenders and great team players. I think I'll take the cowards way out on this question, and say "it depends on what my teams needs are". I DO think that this is a far more valid comparison (Luol versus Rip) than Luol vs. Lebron though.
    Well done. Going just what I saw in the two playoff games, I'd chose differently, at least I think, but, in the end, it probably would have to depend, you know, "on what my team's needs are." Did I say you wuzz real good?

  16. #16
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    Both are unique players, but LeBron is potentially a once in a generation player. One area Luol is already way ahead (and I suspect always will be) is that he is a far superior defensive player to James.

    Both players have a ridiculously high ceiling. LeBron's ballhandling ability and overall explosiveness (I've always thought of him as a Jordan/Magic hybrid with Dominique's leaping ability thrown in) put him in a different sphere, in my opinion.

    dukemsu

  17. #17

    I was getting ready to agree...

    Until I saw that you meant LEBRON James, and not NATE James.

  18. #18
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    Coincidence

    Props, DukeENG2003, today on DC radio, Bernie Bickerstaff, when asked about Deng's game, went on at length comparing him to Rip, making exactly your points about Rip's game and attributing those same attributes to Deng.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by greybeard View Post
    Props, DukeENG2003, today on DC radio, Bernie Bickerstaff, when asked about Deng's game, went on at length comparing him to Rip, making exactly your points about Rip's game and attributing those same attributes to Deng.
    Yes, the Richard Hamilton comparison is very apt. Deng's game is a longer, younger, less proven, and less tireless version of Hamilton's game. Hamilton is in Reggie Miller's category of tirelessly running off screens. He's one of the most fit players in the league, so in that way they're different. Deng's mid-range game is certainly in Hamilton's league, though. And Deng doesn't have to work as hard to get his shot because he's so much taller (4 inches taller with a much longer wingspan) that he can shoot over people.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by CDu View Post
    Yes, the Richard Hamilton comparison is very apt. Deng's game is a longer, younger, less proven, and less tireless version of Hamilton's game. Hamilton is in Reggie Miller's category of tirelessly running off screens. He's one of the most fit players in the league, so in that way they're different. Deng's mid-range game is certainly in Hamilton's league, though. And Deng doesn't have to work as hard to get his shot because he's so much taller (4 inches taller with a much longer wingspan) that he can shoot over people.
    There is another quality to Deng's game that I think is superior to Hamilton's. He doesn't hold the ball as long. Hamilton at times occupies the ball too long. Usually, he ends up trying to force something that isn't there, or just slowing the ball down.

    Deng would fit better on the old Knicks, or the new Suns. I like that about him, and I think that it reflects an appreciation of the game that Hamilton might catch glimpses of, but devalues. The soccer influence I think.

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