Human factor is overrated. Really. Things tend to even out. Great players tend to win big and win championships. Win shares statistically reward winners. Jordan had high WS, LeBron has very hih WS....The emotional factors tend to not matter. As I said before, a lot of the advanced basketball stats have high R^2 values.
This was kind of a tangent though. The irrationality that I was referring to was people following narratives. Things like alpha player, clutchness, "will to win" and shit like that are so subjective they're near useless when actually trying to reason through what has happened. I completely agree with that LeBron will probably always get flack for his playoff performances, regardless of his future performance. That doesn't mean its not fucking dumb.
By the way, people don't give Kobe or Magic shit for refusing to go to teams other than their Lakers when they were being drafted. They knew you needed all stars to have a legit chance to win. Not that that was as bad as Bron's shitty decision show, but yeah.
Except that this can change:
"Kobe will never win without Shaq"
*3 trips, 2 chips*
"Nothing left to prove, top 10 all time".
I get what you mean, but Lebron has had great performances in the playoffs, that looking back, seem like flukes when compared to the amount of bad games he's had. Every time he has a chance to change the narrative...he comes up short. That's the problem.
And Magic came via #1 pick, not quite the same. Kobe? Yep, he pretty much said he'd only play for L.A.
The other reason people don't give them shit now? They have 5 rings apiece.
Magic caught shit for his playoff performances (Tragic Johnson), for getting a coach fired. Kobe's caught shit for multiple things. Winning flips the script.
Bron has no rings. He has no rings with him as the alpha and was swept in the Finals. He has no rings with help. Until he does, nothing is going to change, and why should it? He brought it on himself with past comments, actions and ill-advised decisions. The only way to change that is to win, period. Not one, not two, but multiple.
And you can say what you want about clutch, etc, but certain guys just get it done--MJ, Kobe, Duncan, Shaq, Worthy, that shit is earned. Bron has failed more often than he's succeeded, especially when the stakes have been higher.
This is what reilo's data says. This is the narrative. You know what will change it? Him winning in the playoffs and not suddenly turning into a bigger version of Vince Carter.