LeBron Vs. Carmello
 

2 of the biggest rookies this season, LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Carmello Anthony of the Denver Nuggets. Which of these players has had the biggest impact on their new team leading up to the all-star break? Which team will do better after the all-star break?
My vote is undecided

Last Year Denver Finished in Dead last in the league (tied with Cleveland oddly enough) at 17-65. As of today they are 30-23 in the toughest conference in basketball. Melo is a huge reason for their success and with a stat line of 20 ppg 6 rpg and 3 apg he is looking very solid.

Lebron is already the franchise player as a rookie which is insane. He posts 20ppg and nearly 6 rpg and 6 apg.

As of January both teams are 10-10. I'd say it is anyone's game, perhaps the break will be a good point to start keeping track. As it goes though I will have tons more respect for Denver making the playoffs in the West then Cavs making it in the East.

Until then though I'm going to have to remain neutral.

Well you also have to look at some of the help the Nuggets are getting, and I won't be biased towards Cleveland either. Boozer is a beast, if he played this well all yaer.....forget LeBron LOL

I agree, but the thing is Melo is putting up almost the exact same numbers on a team that is easily better and that has way more depth and talent. Melo is getting shit done and he isn't the franchise.

That is very true Mojo, he is also in a harder conference I think..

Oh for sure, if the season were to end today the bottom two Eastern Conference play off teams would be below .500 , its ridiculous.

I have to say if you want to gowith the best player it definetly would be Carmello I mean if you look at the games they play head to head. Carmello has had the better side of Lebron. But if you go by who has had the biggest impact defintly Lebron I mean who else is on cleveland ? No one and he is doing pretty good for just coming out of High School. Just my two cents.

LeBron is more fun to watch imo

Head to head? Carmello is a forward, LeBron is a guard...

Anywho, both of them have obviously had a huge impact on their respective club. However, Carmello has a better club surrounding him, but not so good that he has to fight for a spot. Lebron, aside from Boozer, really has no one. He makes his team better, and is more that just a pure scorer. He can control the tempo of the game, and is a bigtime franchise player straight out of highschool. The nuggets would still have a better record then they did last year without Carmello, but thats not neccessarily true with Cleveland.

Factor in the fact that LeBron draws huge crowds for cleveland by himself, and all over the NBA, and my almost obvious choice goes to LeBron.

Two different players but as of today I go with Carmello.
In my view he has yet to fail while LeBron has yet to win (besides hype and contract).
LeBron will have more impact in say 2-3 years..he will have the ball.
If there is not a Co Rookie of the Year..there is a PROBLEM!

Wha? Have you watched a game this year? LeBron is putting up better stats than Carmello, and has the ball more than anyone in cleveland basically every game. I dont understand what you mean by Mello winning and him losing... they've both won. And he's lived up to all the hype he brought in and more.


You're way way way off base on this one.

I ment that when they played against each other (like in a game not actually guard vs guard persay) which team has won and which player has had the better stats!!!

Game 1
------------
C. Anthony - Minutes - 39 , Points - 17
L. James - Minutes - 41 , Points - 7

http://www.nba.com/games/20031105/DENCLE/boxscore.html

Game 2
------------
C. Anthony - Min - 36 , Pts - 26
L. James - Min - 32 , Pts - 19

http://www.nba.com/games/20031202/CLEDEN/boxscore.html

I provided the links so you can check out more stats!!

What they have done so far this year!!

LeBron James
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/lebron....html?nav=page

Carmello Anthony
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/carmel....html?nav=page

They both are good at different things so it is really hard to compare them!! But I still have to go with Carmello just for the fact that he will have a bigger impact quicker in the league than LeBron. I mean right now who is more marketable for the NBA defentily LeBron I mean I can't watch a game or espn with out them saying catch LeBron next.... I mean come on just imagine how good he could of been if he played college first.

Bookman..your argument is weak...that really isn't an argument. The two players are different positions, thus comparing their stats is totally irrevalant for games when they face eachother. LeBron has won, how has he lost..tell me that? He has surpassed peoples most fondest hype....and he is exciting to watch...Carmello isn't so exciting to watch..but he puts up decent numbrs on a decent team....last season Cleveland had like..no fans..this season: WHAM. That is impact my man.

ACtually Lebron and Melo play similar positions, Lebron is 2-3 were as Melo is just a 3. Not that big of a difference.

How are forwards and guards similar positions again? They've never gone head to head in a game, so comparing their stats against each other's team is pointless.

Can I get an 'ah men'?

Actually they have went head to head in a game there has been times when the where matched up against each other because of defense stratgey and such. I remeber the first game they played togeather Carmello took LeBron to hole. LeBron had to take him cause they where dbling down on someone else and Carmello took him. But I also saw LeBron throw down an awsome dunk!! I agree with almost everything you guys are saying I was just giving stats to ppl so they could see what each other did. I would rather watch LeBron than Carmello but I am trying to say that Carmello is probably the better player now. But LeBron has some skills at his age. In a cpl years he will be a top player in the league. The stats are important if your going by who is the better player who has more at this category and so on.

I definatley think that LeBron has more of an impact. Of course he's more fun to watch...they're starting to turn him into the next Michael Jordan on TV(lots of commercials). LeBron is just so young and SOO talented, that alls that he can do is improve more and more over time.

im going to say they're dead even. carmelo has more help, but has still put up great numbers which is encouraging. lebron has had to shoulder a lot of the cleveland load, but he hasnt brought them to much greatness so he cant be called their savior yet. stats are equally good for their respective positions. dunno about lebron making his teammates better though.....ever since mcinnis took over point guard duties lebrons assists have dropped. im also not impressed with the way lebron hasn't stepped up lately.....with boozer playing like a monster and lebron not having to worry about running the offense, i expected some of his numbers to go up.

Lebron is still posting 20 points a game, thats stepping up. And sorry, but no one person could take a team to greatness, and if you think the nuggets are great, you havent watched sacramento play...

How can people not see it? LeBron has made a HUGE impact on Cleveland. He puts asses in the arena, that is what he is getting payed for. Nobody really pays to watch Carmello, even though he is a good player, LeBron breathes excitement...the fans like that. And already the Cavs are well on their way to doing a helluva lot better than last year!

Here it is in English.

Carmello as a freshman took Syracuse; which wasnt a Big East Powerhouse to the dance and went home and got LAID!! Demand was supplied by Melo.
In the MidWest Carmello faces THE TOUGHEST COMPETITION THE NBA HAS TO OFFER AT THIS POINT. Just as he did w/ the CUSE, he is supplying the demand.

I dont care what you say..LeBron indeed has more potential but Carmello is pulling more weight. The East is weak and if LeBron's impact was all that you say...Booz, Z, and 'Bron should be rocking the East. @ this point Lebron CANT SHOOT. Like other superstars he needs time as I noted many times in this thread.

Melo's squad has a winning record in the winning-est division in the NBA. He does not have the ball in his hands as much as LeBron. He shares shotes w/ Miller, Barry, Leonard and Nene.....yet still manages to get his average....and PICK UP THE PHONE WHEN HIS TEAM CALLS FOR HIS HELP.

We are not talking in five years we are talking NOW....MELO over LeBron. Also..who knows how much more Melo will improve.

PS...LeBron went to a local school and dominated five footers while Melo played @ Oak Hill against the NATIONS BEST. If Melo was able to play at his local school he would have probably dominated as much as Lebron.

Dont be star struck guys..tell the truth!

Like Kidd and Hill were tied in 94-95 and Brand and Francis in 99-00, i'd like to see Anthony and James tied in 03-04 :) Too hard to seperate really.

edit: although you'd think it'd be hard to tie on their voting system? with the 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc teams. Does it have to be exact or in a ballpark of each other to be equal?

Best response in this thread. The haters only want to bag on Melo's abilities, when 90% of them have never seen Melo play, or pay attention to what he's done/doing.

And your right, Lebron is a horrible, horrible shooter, 2 air balls from less then 15foot against the Lakers, 9-25 on shooting. And it's not like he's taking guys to the hole every shot and getting free throws.

As far as impact, who cares? Both proven they can get it done, 2 different players. Carmelo has to get open and does far more work without the ball. Lebron handles the rock, plays poor defense, turns the ball over alot, but manages to put up 25 shots a game and 20+ points, and some incredible passes. At this stage, In a big game, I'd take Carmelo, in a few years, when James learns to take it the hole, his jumper is better, and when he figures out defense is somthing you need to be able to do in the NBA, I think he'll be leaps and bounds better then Melo.

I always think Melo's ability to create for himself will be get better and better... Somthing Lebron doesn't do real well, except with fade away airballs.

Give it time, he's a rookie, he's learning, and I think in the long run, Rebounds/assists and the ability to score, James will be a megastar, much bigger then he already is.

As far as Melo sharing shots, I'll call BS on that all day. The entire starting 5 averages double-digit scoring for the Cavs. How many shots you think Lebron shares? :rolleyes:

Well said I agree with both you!!!

lebron was averaging 20 pts a game in the first half of the season, when boozer and big Z werent really doing so hot. now boozer grabbing a hell of a lot more boards, along with Z, and mcinnis is running the offense. lebron doesnt have to snag rebounds or dish out as many assists (and hasnt), so his scoring should go up.

and heck no, i never said the nuggets were great. sacto, now THATS the team.....mmm, kings.....

I get to watch Melo a lot living in the RM's. He always seems laid back but look at this team and tell me there is a talent level that has won 30 games before the allstar break (first time since 85) and that Melo isn't the key difference from last years 17 wins for a season team. Vashon Leonard and Earl Boykins are the major contributor new to the team, not exactly household names. Right now Melo makes the Nuggets a better team. I think that relates to his talent and moreso his mindset. The kid hates losing and he wills the other guys to play when they are stinking it up. The laid back shows up now and then when others are going good. He also is seemingly without ego on the court. In other words he doesn't have to get "his points". LaBron is very stat oriented in my opinion, perhaps because of the lack of talent.

With all that said .. Who's better? Melo for now! LaBron has better upside, but potential is a heavy burden.

For perspective sake. I didn't much like Melo when we ( the Nugpups) got him, but I do now!!

You guys know what? I used to be an only LeBron mark..and now after I saw Carmello play again (I had only previously seen him play once) I think he is probably the future of the NBA. I still think LeBron is better overall, but these two both kick arse.

So I guess that LeBron smashing the #1 ranked Oak Hill his senior year doesn't mean anything? OH was ranked #1 and they lost by 20. Their entire starting line-up had D1 scholarships. Surely 5 D1 ballers at the best basketball school in the nation could stop him.... Guess not.

They're both great players, but LeBron is better, and he always will be. Melo has a better team around him right now, but the Cavs are moving in the right direction and building a team around LeBron. This argument is dumb because you can't go wrong with either guy.

this brings up another question....why do people say that lebron has more potential? i seriously just cant really understand why. even i say that lebron has more potential....but then i cant really justify why. someone help me out...

I'm going with LeBron. He had a greater hype to live up to, and he has done just that without letting it go to his head.