Is anyone listening to this pod? Huge Simmons fan and have listened to the first one. Very interesting so far.

I liked the first one, but that was ten years ago. I can't say I've found anything he's written after that (Grantland, etc.) interesting.

The book was very good, looking forward to checking out certain podcasts for this

Head Ninja In Charge said:

---

I liked the first one, but that was ten years ago. I can't say I've found anything he's written after that (Grantland, etc.) interesting.

---

lol that's cuz he really hasn't written anything since Grantland.

Exactly. Can't imagine he has anything really interesting to say, especially after having watched/listened to him on TV and podcasts. Also reading Grantland/The Ringer just makes me realize that while he once was an innovative sports writer, the talent he's gathered runs circles around him.

I'll just say for me, a Bill Simmons book in 2019/2020 is the last thing I'd want to read.

Head Ninja In Charge said:

---

Exactly. Can't imagine he has anything really interesting to say, especially after having watched/listened to him on TV and podcasts. Also reading Grantland/The Ringer just makes me realize that while he once was an innovative sports writer, the talent he's gathered runs circles around him.

I'll just say for me, a Bill Simmons book in 2019/2020 is the last thing I'd want to read.

---

It's a podcast, not a book.

Oh ***** Guess the "book" part confused me. Carry on.

Head Ninja In Charge said:

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Oh ***** Guess the "book" part confused me. Carry on.

---

He's calling it the Book of Basketball 2 or whatever. So it's a sequel to the book, but it's a podcast. I get the confusion haha

Saint Pablo said:

---

Is anyone listening to this pod? Huge Simmons fan and have listened to the first one. Very interesting so far.

---

So i'm listening to them now and have already finished a couple....my biggest complaint (which has been on-going with Simmons for years);

***tl;dr warning***

I enjoy Bill's podcasts (for the most part), but I don't love him being a modern "basketball historian" when it seems like his entire motivation is burying LeBron's contribution to basketball history. Or at the very least, he seems incapable of contextualizing Lebron's achievements without his personal bias. And that bias is extremely present in all these warriors related episodes.


Like, of all the games Bill could do a Rewatchables on from the 2016 Finals, he chose Game 4. So in a series where LeBron and Kyrie completed a historic comeback from 3-1 down, with both of them playing out of their minds for Games 5-7, Bill decides that the best game to do a deep dive on isss??? .....the game where the Cavs go down 3-1 lmao.

The fact that LeBron ended the Celtics' season in the playoffs 5(!) times from 2011-2018, and that he plays for the Lakers, AND that he threatens MJ's legacy, Bill cannot be close to objective when he talks about LeBron.

If you are going to create a living history capsule for the 2010-and-beyond era of the NBA, which is what BOB 2.0 is shaping up to be, then there should be several pods that are, if not solely dedicated to LeBron, heavily LeBron-centric.

Is he going to do a Rewatchables on Game 6 Heat-Celtics in 2012? The biggest moment of LeBron's career? I won't hold my breath. Listening to him try and sell Ryen on Steph being the defining player of the 2010's was annoying to me.

M.C. Swag said:

---

Saint Pablo said:

---

Is anyone listening to this pod? Huge Simmons fan and have listened to the first one. Very interesting so far.

---

So i'm listening to them now and have already finished a couple....my biggest complaint (which has been on-going with Simmons for years);

***tl;dr warning***

I enjoy Bill's podcasts (for the most part), but I don't love him being a modern "basketball historian" when it seems like his entire motivation is burying LeBron's contribution to basketball history. Or at the very least, he seems incapable of contextualizing Lebron's achievements without his personal bias. And that bias is extremely present in all these warriors related episodes.


Like, of all the games Bill could do a Rewatchables on from the 2016 Finals, he chose Game 4. So in a series where LeBron and Kyrie completed a historic comeback from 3-1 down, with both of them playing out of their minds for Games 5-7, Bill decides that the best game to do a deep dive on isss??? .....the game where the Cavs go down 3-1 lmao.

The fact that LeBron ended the Celtics' season in the playoffs 5(!) times from 2011-2018, and that he plays for the Lakers, AND that he threatens MJ's legacy, Bill cannot be close to objective when he talks about LeBron.

If you are going to create a living history capsule for the 2010-and-beyond era of the NBA, which is what BOB 2.0 is shaping up to be, then there should be several pods that are, if not solely dedicated to LeBron, heavily LeBron-centric.

Is he going to do a Rewatchables on Game 6 Heat-Celtics in 2012? The biggest moment of LeBron's career? I won't hold my breath. Listening to him try and sell Ryen on Steph being the defining player of the 2010's was annoying to me.

---

The Rewatchables episode was about the WCF where GS came back to knock off OKC...not the NBA Finals. Unless there is a new one that I am unaware of. That game is incredibly relevant in a historic context IMO. If that result were different, then KD's destination could have been different...Russ may still be in OKC, who knows. I didn't have a problem with that being the game he picked.

Agree his Boston bias is a bit annoying, but I like Bill and am able to look past it.

I'd bet that there are some pods coming out about LeBron, I don't see how he could do this whole thing without honing in on him for an episode or two...especially since he has done one on Curry, with Kerr, and on that OKC-GS game.

I would agree LeBron is the defining player of the 10s, but can see the argument being made for Curry.

He announced that they are doing a rewatchables on that game (hasn't been released yet).

M.C. Swag said:

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He announced that they are doing a rewatchables on that game (hasn't been released yet).

---

Missed that then! My bad

Saint Pablo said:

---

M.C. Swag said:

---

Saint Pablo said:

---

Is anyone listening to this pod? Huge Simmons fan and have listened to the first one. Very interesting so far.

---

So i'm listening to them now and have already finished a couple....my biggest complaint (which has been on-going with Simmons for years);

***tl;dr warning***

I enjoy Bill's podcasts (for the most part), but I don't love him being a modern "basketball historian" when it seems like his entire motivation is burying LeBron's contribution to basketball history. Or at the very least, he seems incapable of contextualizing Lebron's achievements without his personal bias. And that bias is extremely present in all these warriors related episodes.


Like, of all the games Bill could do a Rewatchables on from the 2016 Finals, he chose Game 4. So in a series where LeBron and Kyrie completed a historic comeback from 3-1 down, with both of them playing out of their minds for Games 5-7, Bill decides that the best game to do a deep dive on isss??? .....the game where the Cavs go down 3-1 lmao.

The fact that LeBron ended the Celtics' season in the playoffs 5(!) times from 2011-2018, and that he plays for the Lakers, AND that he threatens MJ's legacy, Bill cannot be close to objective when he talks about LeBron.

If you are going to create a living history capsule for the 2010-and-beyond era of the NBA, which is what BOB 2.0 is shaping up to be, then there should be several pods that are, if not solely dedicated to LeBron, heavily LeBron-centric.

Is he going to do a Rewatchables on Game 6 Heat-Celtics in 2012? The biggest moment of LeBron's career? I won't hold my breath. Listening to him try and sell Ryen on Steph being the defining player of the 2010's was annoying to me.

---

That game is incredibly relevant in a historic context IMO. If that result were different, then KD's destination could have been different...Russ may still be in OKC, who knows. I didn't have a problem with that being the game he picked.

---

I have a problem with it for 2 reasons;
1) It's not even the most fascinating "what if" game of that series.
2) He's doing it only she he can push the bull**** narrative that the "only reason the Cavs won is because of Draymond's dick punch". Which has been one of his favorite go-tos for diminishign Lebron's legacy.

M.C. Swag said:

---

Saint Pablo said:

---

M.C. Swag said:

---

Saint Pablo said:

---

Is anyone listening to this pod? Huge Simmons fan and have listened to the first one. Very interesting so far.

---

So i'm listening to them now and have already finished a couple....my biggest complaint (which has been on-going with Simmons for years);

***tl;dr warning***

I enjoy Bill's podcasts (for the most part), but I don't love him being a modern "basketball historian" when it seems like his entire motivation is burying LeBron's contribution to basketball history. Or at the very least, he seems incapable of contextualizing Lebron's achievements without his personal bias. And that bias is extremely present in all these warriors related episodes.


Like, of all the games Bill could do a Rewatchables on from the 2016 Finals, he chose Game 4. So in a series where LeBron and Kyrie completed a historic comeback from 3-1 down, with both of them playing out of their minds for Games 5-7, Bill decides that the best game to do a deep dive on isss??? .....the game where the Cavs go down 3-1 lmao.

The fact that LeBron ended the Celtics' season in the playoffs 5(!) times from 2011-2018, and that he plays for the Lakers, AND that he threatens MJ's legacy, Bill cannot be close to objective when he talks about LeBron.

If you are going to create a living history capsule for the 2010-and-beyond era of the NBA, which is what BOB 2.0 is shaping up to be, then there should be several pods that are, if not solely dedicated to LeBron, heavily LeBron-centric.

Is he going to do a Rewatchables on Game 6 Heat-Celtics in 2012? The biggest moment of LeBron's career? I won't hold my breath. Listening to him try and sell Ryen on Steph being the defining player of the 2010's was annoying to me.

---

That game is incredibly relevant in a historic context IMO. If that result were different, then KD's destination could have been different...Russ may still be in OKC, who knows. I didn't have a problem with that being the game he picked.

---

I have a problem with it for 2 reasons;
1) It's not even the most fascinating "what if" game of that series.
2) He's doing it only she he can push the bull**** narrative that the "only reason the Cavs won is because of Draymond's dick punch". Which has been one of his favorite go-tos for diminishign Lebron's legacy.

---

I meant the OKC-GS game...not the upcoming pod you are referring to. I agree with you there and hate the way he tries to put an asterisk by that title for LeBron. If there is an asterisk there, there should be one on the Warrior's 2015 win where LeBron was without Kevin Love for the entire series and had Kyrie for just one game....if LeBron had one of the two, I think they beat GS.

I was in on his earliest stuff on "Page 2" of ESPN.com and a longtime avid listener of his podcast, but his schtick has become increasingly irritating over the past couple of years. I've slowly gotten to a point where I don't bother with listening to many of his podcasts. I might just be getting old, though.

Lebron has enough people pumping his legacy, and imo incorrectly claiming he is the goat. You don't like that he doesn't worship at the altar, that's fine. It doesn't make his content bad.

PatAg said:

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Lebron has enough people pumping his legacy, and imo incorrectly claiming he is the goat. You don't like that he doesn't worship at the altar, that's fine. It doesn't make his content bad.

---

lol that's not what I said, but great First Take rebuttal.

I literally said that i enjoy most of his content and I definitely do not care that Simmons has MJ ahead of Lebron. That's defensible and logical in many ways and I agree with it.

If you've followed Bill Simmons at all over the last 10 years, this isn't a debate topic. He legit does not like Lebron and unfairly diminishes him and criticizes him more than any other superstar. Lebron refused to join his podcast years ago and Bill can't let that pettiness go.

What annoys me is after the Cavs pulled off the greatest comeback in NBA history, the first podcast he put out after game 7 was June 24th (5 days after game 7) with the episode title: "Friday Rollin' NBA Draft Wrap up with Joe House, and Kevin Clark." They spent 45 minutes talking about the Oladipo trade, the Bucks drafting Thon Maker, the Celtics drafting Jaylen Brown before finally getting to, "the NBA finals and LeBron Passing Larry Bird." Those topics, in that order, are so on brand it's hilarious.

What annoys me is when he excoriates Lebron for "the decision" but says nothing to KD for bandwagoning a 72 win team b/c he's pals with him. He legit blamed Lebron not having a father figure in his life as the reason he formed a super team in Miami. But KD just wanted to have fun and ball.

What annoys me is that Bill is a guy who actually has a vote for the All NBA team which he professes to care so much about, and he ****ing put Aldridge in over James because he only "rewards guys who make the playoffs," a convenient requirement he only decided upon last season when a lebron team failed to make the playoffs for the first time in a million years.

Come on now... Simmons was just starting The stinger at that point and not really doing podcasts with regularity back then. I don't think you can blame him for not talking Finals ad nauseum when it was like 9 days old when that podcast released.

And what he's constantly bagged LeBron about wasn't about going to the Heat... it was the TV special... that's why that and KD moving on is apples and oranges.

I think Simmons has given LeBron plenty of credit and I guarantee you he will have a mass section of 2.0 covering his footprint on basketball this past decade. You can look at my history... I am Lebron defender and think he's been incredible especially given the scrutiny he has been under for the past 20-ish years at this point. But it is also undeniable that he's done some bizarre things too (The Decision being one of those things)... and I've only heard Simmons scrutinize those things, not Lebron the basketball player.

Aldridge over LeBron. Lol

500,000ags said:

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Aldridge over LeBron. Lol

---

I mean... dude shut it down in April. Effectively waved the white flag for the season in crunch time. He didn't deserve all NBA last season.

Aldridge isn't near the player, but his team and arguably he actually did have a better season last year.

ATM9000 said:

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500,000ags said:

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Aldridge over LeBron. Lol

---

I mean... dude shut it down in April. Effectively waved the white flag for the season in crunch time. He didn't deserve all NBA last season.

Aldridge isn't near the player, but his team and arguably he actually did have a better season last year.

---

Oh come on

ATM9000 said:

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Come on now... Simmons was just starting The stinger at that point and not really doing podcasts with regularity back then. I don't think you can blame him for not talking Finals ad nauseum when it was like 9 days old when that podcast released.

And what he's constantly bagged LeBron about wasn't about going to the Heat... it was the TV special... that's why that and KD moving on is apples and oranges.

I think Simmons has given LeBron plenty of credit and I guarantee you he will have a mass section of 2.0 covering his footprint on basketball this past decade. You can look at my history... I am Lebron defender and think he's been incredible especially given the scrutiny he has been under for the past 20-ish years at this point. But it is also undeniable that he's done some bizarre things too (The Decision being one of those things)... and I've only heard Simmons scrutinize those things, not Lebron the basketball player.

---

No, im sorry, this isn't a debate. I could go back and re-hash a littany of unfair slights, un-justified barbs, or just outright hypocrisy... but it's far too evident to anyone who has listened to Simmons for more than a few years. It's not as bad as it was leading up to 2016, but Simmons has always dumped on Lebron. It's just now that Lebron went to 8 straight Finals and snagged that ring from the Warriors, he's toned it down (A BIT).

Either way, if you're someone that trusts and enjoys Simmon's perspective on basketball since 2010, my opinion shouldn't matter. It's just my opinion that his bias would prevent him from fairly portraying Lebron's impact on the sport.

I remember when Miami got the trade to select Napier, after LeBron tweeted he was his favorite player in the draft. Simmons was like wtf - now the entire NBA is bending over for whatever LeBron wants.

M.C. Swag said:

---

ATM9000 said:

---

Come on now... Simmons was just starting The stinger at that point and not really doing podcasts with regularity back then. I don't think you can blame him for not talking Finals ad nauseum when it was like 9 days old when that podcast released.

And what he's constantly bagged LeBron about wasn't about going to the Heat... it was the TV special... that's why that and KD moving on is apples and oranges.

I think Simmons has given LeBron plenty of credit and I guarantee you he will have a mass section of 2.0 covering his footprint on basketball this past decade. You can look at my history... I am Lebron defender and think he's been incredible especially given the scrutiny he has been under for the past 20-ish years at this point. But it is also undeniable that he's done some bizarre things too (The Decision being one of those things)... and I've only heard Simmons scrutinize those things, not Lebron the basketball player.

---

No, im sorry, this isn't a debate. I could go back and re-hash a littany of unfair slights, un-justified barbs, or just outright hypocrisy... but it's far too evident to anyone who has listened to Simmons for more than a few years. It's not as bad as it was leading up to 2016, but Simmons has always dumped on Lebron. It's just now that Lebron went to 8 straight Finals and snagged that ring from the Warriors, he's toned it down (A BIT).

Either way, if you're someone that trusts and enjoys Simmon's perspective on basketball since 2010, my opinion shouldn't matter. It's just my opinion that his bias would prevent him from fairly portraying Lebron's impact on the sport.

---

When all of your top talking points just sort of sweep over some huge contextual pieces to reality, I'd say it is pretty debatable.

I'm not saying Simmons isn't critical of Lebron. I'm saying he clearly giveS Lebron a ton of credit for on the court achievements but rightfully bags on him for odd off the court choices he's made.

ATM9000 said:

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M.C. Swag said:

---

ATM9000 said:

---

Come on now... Simmons was just starting The stinger at that point and not really doing podcasts with regularity back then. I don't think you can blame him for not talking Finals ad nauseum when it was like 9 days old when that podcast released.

And what he's constantly bagged LeBron about wasn't about going to the Heat... it was the TV special... that's why that and KD moving on is apples and oranges.

I think Simmons has given LeBron plenty of credit and I guarantee you he will have a mass section of 2.0 covering his footprint on basketball this past decade. You can look at my history... I am Lebron defender and think he's been incredible especially given the scrutiny he has been under for the past 20-ish years at this point. But it is also undeniable that he's done some bizarre things too (The Decision being one of those things)... and I've only heard Simmons scrutinize those things, not Lebron the basketball player.

---

No, im sorry, this isn't a debate. I could go back and re-hash a littany of unfair slights, un-justified barbs, or just outright hypocrisy... but it's far too evident to anyone who has listened to Simmons for more than a few years. It's not as bad as it was leading up to 2016, but Simmons has always dumped on Lebron. It's just now that Lebron went to 8 straight Finals and snagged that ring from the Warriors, he's toned it down (A BIT).

Either way, if you're someone that trusts and enjoys Simmon's perspective on basketball since 2010, my opinion shouldn't matter. It's just my opinion that his bias would prevent him from fairly portraying Lebron's impact on the sport.

---

When all of your top talking points just sort of sweep over some huge contextual pieces to reality, I'd say it is pretty debatable.

I'm not saying Simmons isn't critical of Lebron. I'm saying he clearly giveS Lebron a ton of credit for on the court achievements but rightfully bags on him for odd off the court choices he's made.

---

"Top talking points" lol, you act like i've spent millions of $$ and countless hours to put together a specific party platform to hate on bill simmons.

Simmons and Lebron don't like each other (largely stemming from Simmons article in 2010 after The Decision). Feel free to read this, which makes it feel like Lebron personally pissed in his cheerios. And it definitely affects how Simmons talks about him.

I'm convinced hes biased against lebron for a variety of reasons (he dad-slapped his celtics 5 times in the playoffs. People dare to compare him to Jordan. He refuses to come on his pod. He plays for the Lakers, etc.). And I'm sorry i don't have a more detailed hit list of Bill Simmons worst lebron takes on hand, but I think this is where we'll just have to agree to disagree.

M.C. Swag said:

---

ATM9000 said:

---

M.C. Swag said:

---

ATM9000 said:

---

Come on now... Simmons was just starting The stinger at that point and not really doing podcasts with regularity back then. I don't think you can blame him for not talking Finals ad nauseum when it was like 9 days old when that podcast released.

And what he's constantly bagged LeBron about wasn't about going to the Heat... it was the TV special... that's why that and KD moving on is apples and oranges.

I think Simmons has given LeBron plenty of credit and I guarantee you he will have a mass section of 2.0 covering his footprint on basketball this past decade. You can look at my history... I am Lebron defender and think he's been incredible especially given the scrutiny he has been under for the past 20-ish years at this point. But it is also undeniable that he's done some bizarre things too (The Decision being one of those things)... and I've only heard Simmons scrutinize those things, not Lebron the basketball player.

---

No, im sorry, this isn't a debate. I could go back and re-hash a littany of unfair slights, un-justified barbs, or just outright hypocrisy... but it's far too evident to anyone who has listened to Simmons for more than a few years. It's not as bad as it was leading up to 2016, but Simmons has always dumped on Lebron. It's just now that Lebron went to 8 straight Finals and snagged that ring from the Warriors, he's toned it down (A BIT).

Either way, if you're someone that trusts and enjoys Simmon's perspective on basketball since 2010, my opinion shouldn't matter. It's just my opinion that his bias would prevent him from fairly portraying Lebron's impact on the sport.

---

When all of your top talking points just sort of sweep over some huge contextual pieces to reality, I'd say it is pretty debatable.

I'm not saying Simmons isn't critical of Lebron. I'm saying he clearly giveS Lebron a ton of credit for on the court achievements but rightfully bags on him for odd off the court choices he's made.

---

"Top talking points" lol, you act like i've spent millions of $$ and countless hours to put together a specific party platform to hate on bill simmons.

Simmons and Lebron don't like each other (largely stemming from Simmons article in 2010 after The Decision). Feel free to read this, which makes it feel like Lebron personally pissed in his cheerios. And it definitely affects how Simmons talks about him.

I'm convinced hes biased against lebron for a variety of reasons (he dad-slapped his celtics 5 times in the playoffs. People dare to compare him to Jordan. He refuses to come on his pod. He plays for the Lakers, etc.). And I'm sorry i don't have a more detailed hit list of Bill Simmons worst lebron takes on hand, but I think this is where we'll just have to agree to disagree.

---

What are you even talking about at this point? Millions of dollars to put together a platform? Typically when somebody wants to prove their point, they bring their top 2 or 3 points to back it. Those are called talking points and all of yours lack context. You use Aldridge's name relative to LeBron's to make a point.., even though Lebron missed a third of the season and part of that was just sitting out crunch time of a season due to his team's complete lack of relevance really all season but especially when games tend to matter most in the regular season. There's a damn good argument for Lebron not getting all NBA last season over Aldridge. The brunt of the **** Lebron has caught for going to the Heat long term has had everything to do with The Decision the TV show and little to do with him actually going to the Heat. Now you come back with a decade old article to back your already flimsy argument... and the article at the top even back then criticized the TV special and completely separates actually going to the Heat from the TV debacle. That article was about the narcissism of the special and that is super clear, NOT about Lebron gong to Miami. And guess what? That's a really fair assessment of the approach to the whole bit.

Yeah we will agree to disagree... just know that a wiser man might look at the facts surrounding some of your points take a step back and say 'hmmm... maybe some of those criticisms actually aren't so unfair.'

Bill has recently put Labron in his top 3 all time and said his performance in game one of the 2018 finals was the greatest he'd seen in the history of watching basketball.

And BTW, Aldridge absolutely deserved to be all NBA over Labron last year. A lot of guys did who cant hold Labrons jock head to head. He tanked most of the season. You dont just get it because of your history.

M.C. Swag said:

---

Saint Pablo said:

---

M.C. Swag said:

---

Saint Pablo said:

---

Is anyone listening to this pod? Huge Simmons fan and have listened to the first one. Very interesting so far.

---

So i'm listening to them now and have already finished a couple....my biggest complaint (which has been on-going with Simmons for years);

***tl;dr warning***

I enjoy Bill's podcasts (for the most part), but I don't love him being a modern "basketball historian" when it seems like his entire motivation is burying LeBron's contribution to basketball history. Or at the very least, he seems incapable of contextualizing Lebron's achievements without his personal bias. And that bias is extremely present in all these warriors related episodes.


Like, of all the games Bill could do a Rewatchables on from the 2016 Finals, he chose Game 4. So in a series where LeBron and Kyrie completed a historic comeback from 3-1 down, with both of them playing out of their minds for Games 5-7, Bill decides that the best game to do a deep dive on isss??? .....the game where the Cavs go down 3-1 lmao.

The fact that LeBron ended the Celtics' season in the playoffs 5(!) times from 2011-2018, and that he plays for the Lakers, AND that he threatens MJ's legacy, Bill cannot be close to objective when he talks about LeBron.

If you are going to create a living history capsule for the 2010-and-beyond era of the NBA, which is what BOB 2.0 is shaping up to be, then there should be several pods that are, if not solely dedicated to LeBron, heavily LeBron-centric.

Is he going to do a Rewatchables on Game 6 Heat-Celtics in 2012? The biggest moment of LeBron's career? I won't hold my breath. Listening to him try and sell Ryen on Steph being the defining player of the 2010's was annoying to me.

---

That game is incredibly relevant in a historic context IMO. If that result were different, then KD's destination could have been different...Russ may still be in OKC, who knows. I didn't have a problem with that being the game he picked.

---

I have a problem with it for 2 reasons;
1) It's not even the most fascinating "what if" game of that series.
2) He's doing it only she he can push the bull**** narrative that the "only reason the Cavs won is because of Draymond's dick punch". Which has been one of his favorite go-tos for diminishign Lebron's legacy.

---

Its the truth. if Draymond and Bogut aren't out then the Warriors win the 16 finals in 5 or 6 games.
Clevelands title was kind of a fluke.

M.C. Swag said:

---

Saint Pablo said:

---

Is anyone listening to this pod? Huge Simmons fan and have listened to the first one. Very interesting so far.

---

So i'm listening to them now and have already finished a couple....my biggest complaint (which has been on-going with Simmons for years);

***tl;dr warning***

I enjoy Bill's podcasts (for the most part), but I don't love him being a modern "basketball historian" when it seems like his entire motivation is burying LeBron's contribution to basketball history. Or at the very least, he seems incapable of contextualizing Lebron's achievements without his personal bias. And that bias is extremely present in all these warriors related episodes.


Like, of all the games Bill could do a Rewatchables on from the 2016 Finals, he chose Game 4. So in a series where LeBron and Kyrie completed a historic comeback from 3-1 down, with both of them playing out of their minds for Games 5-7, Bill decides that the best game to do a deep dive on isss??? .....the game where the Cavs go down 3-1 lmao.

The fact that LeBron ended the Celtics' season in the playoffs 5(!) times from 2011-2018, and that he plays for the Lakers, AND that he threatens MJ's legacy, Bill cannot be close to objective when he talks about LeBron.

If you are going to create a living history capsule for the 2010-and-beyond era of the NBA, which is what BOB 2.0 is shaping up to be, then there should be several pods that are, if not solely dedicated to LeBron, heavily LeBron-centric.

Is he going to do a Rewatchables on Game 6 Heat-Celtics in 2012? The biggest moment of LeBron's career? I won't hold my breath. Listening to him try and sell Ryen on Steph being the defining player of the 2010's was annoying to me.

---

Steph Curry was the defining player of the 2010's.

Curry's team were better than Lebrons and they competed against much tougher competition in the Western Conference.

Lebron was forming super teams against horrible Eastern Conference Competition.

From 2010 until 2016-17 season(when Durant went to the Warriors) Lebron James had the most talented roster in the NBA....and I think 3-6 in the Finals is somewhat of an underachievement.

I really thought after the Heat won the 2012 title that Lebron would dominate the entire NBA like Jordan did in the 1990's, but that is not at all what happened.

Kellso said:

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M.C. Swag said:

---

Saint Pablo said:

---

M.C. Swag said:

---

Saint Pablo said:

---

Is anyone listening to this pod? Huge Simmons fan and have listened to the first one. Very interesting so far.

---

So i'm listening to them now and have already finished a couple....my biggest complaint (which has been on-going with Simmons for years);

***tl;dr warning***

I enjoy Bill's podcasts (for the most part), but I don't love him being a modern "basketball historian" when it seems like his entire motivation is burying LeBron's contribution to basketball history. Or at the very least, he seems incapable of contextualizing Lebron's achievements without his personal bias. And that bias is extremely present in all these warriors related episodes.


Like, of all the games Bill could do a Rewatchables on from the 2016 Finals, he chose Game 4. So in a series where LeBron and Kyrie completed a historic comeback from 3-1 down, with both of them playing out of their minds for Games 5-7, Bill decides that the best game to do a deep dive on isss??? .....the game where the Cavs go down 3-1 lmao.

The fact that LeBron ended the Celtics' season in the playoffs 5(!) times from 2011-2018, and that he plays for the Lakers, AND that he threatens MJ's legacy, Bill cannot be close to objective when he talks about LeBron.

If you are going to create a living history capsule for the 2010-and-beyond era of the NBA, which is what BOB 2.0 is shaping up to be, then there should be several pods that are, if not solely dedicated to LeBron, heavily LeBron-centric.

Is he going to do a Rewatchables on Game 6 Heat-Celtics in 2012? The biggest moment of LeBron's career? I won't hold my breath. Listening to him try and sell Ryen on Steph being the defining player of the 2010's was annoying to me.

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That game is incredibly relevant in a historic context IMO. If that result were different, then KD's destination could have been different...Russ may still be in OKC, who knows. I didn't have a problem with that being the game he picked.

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I have a problem with it for 2 reasons;
1) It's not even the most fascinating "what if" game of that series.
2) He's doing it only she he can push the bull**** narrative that the "only reason the Cavs won is because of Draymond's dick punch". Which has been one of his favorite go-tos for diminishign Lebron's legacy.

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Its the truth. if Draymond and Bogut aren't out then the Warriors win the 16 finals in 5 or 6 games.
Clevelands title was kind of a fluke.

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It's just stupid to play that game. On the opposite side of the coin you could say, "if Kevin Love and Kyrie didn't get hurt the Cavs win the 2015 title"...and I've never heard anyone try to de-legitimize that title for GS. Things like that happen and it doesn't make sense to act like there should be an asterisk next to the title solely to take away from LeBron's legacy.

I think Steph is the defining player of 2015-2018, but not of the decade.

Bron is still the man for the 2010s. LeBron has 3 MVPs and 3 Finals MVPs in the 2010s. He may add to that this year as he is leading the league in assists with 10.8 while scoring >25ppg and grabbing 8 boards for the best team in the NBA. He went to the Finals 7 or 8 straight years this decade.

Bill Simmons just ended his "Book of Basketball 2.0" with an episode on Bill Russell.

Saying this series was going to focus on the NBA since the first book came out (2009) and then not doing ANY episodes on LeBron except for a Sports Rewatchables but devoting episodes to Reggie Miller, the 99 Knicks, and Bill Russell is WILLLLLD.

No one believed me when i said it at the start but Simmons is doing everything he can to minimize the contributions of Lebron and it's obvious to anyone who'll actually take notice.

M.C. Swag said:

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Bill Simmons just ended his "Book of Basketball 2.0" with an episode on Bill Russell.

Saying this series was going to focus on the NBA since the first book came out (2009) and then not doing ANY episodes on LeBron except for a Sports Rewatchables but devoting episodes to Reggie Miller, the 99 Knicks, and Bill Russell is WILLLLLD.

No one believed me when i said it at the start but Simmons is doing everything he can to minimize the contributions of Lebron and it's obvious to anyone who'll actually take notice.

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I think Bill likes to talk about non obvious topics. Lebron being great is pretty mainstream at this point. Even Simmons has him currently his 3rd best of all time.

Ag Natural said:

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M.C. Swag said:

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Bill Simmons just ended his "Book of Basketball 2.0" with an episode on Bill Russell.

Saying this series was going to focus on the NBA since the first book came out (2009) and then not doing ANY episodes on LeBron except for a Sports Rewatchables but devoting episodes to Reggie Miller, the 99 Knicks, and Bill Russell is WILLLLLD.

No one believed me when i said it at the start but Simmons is doing everything he can to minimize the contributions of Lebron and it's obvious to anyone who'll actually take notice.

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I think Bill likes to talk about non obvious topics. Lebron being great is pretty mainstream at this point. Even Simmons has him currently his 3rd best of all time.

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....this is supposed to be Book of Basketball 2...a "sequel" to his original about the events of modern basketball post 2009...the decade in which Lebron played in 8 Finals, won 3 titles, and 3 MVPs. And Bill thought the best use of his time would be to rehash the career of a player who retired in the 60s.

I have a feeling you wont have a hard time finding Labron profiles out there.