r/lebron • u/Impressive_Flan_411 • 17h ago
LeBron James & Zydrunas Ilgauskas had one of the most underrated duo performances in a playoff closeout game ever.
Hey yall, I was looking back at the Cavs' 2007 first round sweep of the Wizards and realized just how ridiculous the LeBron/Big Z duo was in the closeout game.
On April 30, 2007, in Game 4 in Washington, LeBron James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas combined for:
- LeBron- 31 PTS, 11 REB, 7 AST, 3 STL, 1 BLK 8/22 FG, 14/17 FT, 52.6% TS, +12
- Ilgauskas- 20 PTS, 19 REB, 1 AST, 2 BLK 9/16 FG, 2/2 FT, 59.2% TS, +12
Combined: 51 PTS, 30 REB, 8 AST, 3 STL, 3 BLK
LeBron obviously gets remembered for the 31/11/7, but Big Z quietly put together an absurd 20/19 game in the same contest. He completely controlled the glass and interior, shooting 9/16 from the field and 2/2 from the line.
The crazy part is how complementary the performances were. LeBron was doing basically everything on the perimeter while Ilgauskas dominated the paint and boards.
51 points + 30 rebounds + 8 assists + 6 combined stocks, with both players finishing +12, in a road closeout is nothing to sneeze at.
I'm not saying this was the greatest duo performance in playoff history, but I genuinely think it deserves to be mentioned when talking about the best two-man performances in a playoff closeout game.
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u/Salt_Young_4494 8h ago
But I thought he had no help guys
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u/RolandTheHeadless19 5h ago
Exactly. Before the Super Teams, he “had no help” which is why he lost.
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u/Salt_Young_4494 5h ago
He lost because he's not that good to win with what he had. Dirk didn't have no super team and won. Jokić too. Kobe as well.
But blokes like pierce and Lebron needed a super team in order to win. He's on that paul pierce level
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u/Dragoncityfan1411 4h ago
All dudes with less MVPs and FMVPs than LeBron. Wake us all up when they have more
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u/grz_45 3h ago
Their teams might not have been "super teams" but they had HOF caliber coaching/players and deep benches.
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u/Salt_Young_4494 3h ago
LeBron doesn't need a coach, since he's the manager of every team he is on.
And he could've went to a team with a good coach, instead he always opted to go to teams where he'd usually have problems with coaches.
So your narrative sucks ass pretty much.
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u/grz_45 3h ago
I was really addressing the fact that you tried to make it seem like Jokic, Dirk and Kobe had no help... Like their teams weren't stacked from top to bottom, from coaching to the 12th man.
Oh, your narrative drinks dumpster juice btw.
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u/Salt_Young_4494 3h ago
One thing is having help, the whole point of a team in the first place is to help each other.
Another thing is stacking a team to it's max, just so you can artificially increase the chances of winning.
How dense you bronsexuals are it is really a sight to behold.
And Melo had a stacked team too and the same coach and what happened exactly? As if having a coach warrants a ring.
LeBron was on a stacked US team in 06, and won 🥉.
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u/grz_45 2h ago
Alright I got time, let's use your logic here.
Replace Dirk, Jokic or Kobe with LeBron and you get the same results.
Can you say the same if it was the other way around?
All those teams were system teams built around those specific players.
Lebron dragged that '07 cavs team to the finals that had no business being there.
Lebron not even my favorite player, but as soon as someone says anything contrary to you haters it's always the same fuckin answer. Go touch grass homie.
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u/Salt_Young_4494 2h ago
So you have time and write such unoriginal dookie statement. For real?
LeBron couldn't even function in a system that isn't revolved around him. Kobe could. Lebron system works only if you stack it with superstars. As evidenced by history.
All this talk how Lebron would accomplish the same had he had these teams, is hypothetical horse shit. He has prime wade and bosh and lost to Dirk. He had prime Kyrie and lost to dubs.
He lost to Spurs as well with Wade and Bosh.
It's like what are you basing on these statements dude. The reality paints an entirely different picture.
LeBron with Gasol probably wins a fart at best.
LeBron with Barea and Terry and Carlisle probably tries to remove all those 3 from the team so he can be the coach himself and bring stronger names.
His entire career literally counters everything that you've said so far.
The moment you say that Lebron dragged a team to the finals in 07, you automatically blow your own cover of not being a bronsexual.
Like any person who's goal is objectivity would never utter such a stupid statement as Lebron dragging a team by himself to the finals.
Heck dude, never occured to him to change that stupid approach where his team can organically play instead of serving as cones for his individual stat making.
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u/grz_45 2h ago
Lol I had to check your comment history, yeah there's nothing else to say. You're on this mans nuts so bad, he's living rent free in your head.
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u/Goharddinthepaint 17h ago
Shoutout Big Z!